Cartagena has one of the the largest Afro-Colombian populations in the country – here’s what to look out for.

Colombian women in colourful outfits — Cartagena is home to one of the largest populations of African-heritage people in all of Latin America | **Anamaria Mejia / Shutterstock**

Cartagena is famous for its colonial architecture, vibrant plazas, and imposing fortresses. But behind those grand walls, Afro-Colombian traditions have shaped the city for centuries. From drumbeats and street murals to coconut-based dishes, you’ll find traces of African influence everywhere—if you know where to look.

Cartagena’s link to the transatlantic slave trade is a sobering part of its story. According to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, large numbers of enslaved Africans were brought to this port city from the 16th century onward. Many were forced into labor on plantations and in mines around the region. Over time, African heritage took root in local religions, music, dance, and cooking. Today, this heritage still guides much of Cartagena’s culture and economy.

Travel Tip: Set aside time to explore neighborhoods like Getsemaní. Pick tours that highlight Afro-Colombian history. Look for locally run experiences. You’ll see how African traditions inform the city’s identity, far from the polished tourist hotspots.

A Colonial Legacy That Shaped the City

An old church behind a colour — Cartagena’s colonial past is still very visible in its architecture | **Charly Boillot / Shutterstock**

Cartagena thrived as a major colonial port, which meant it played a central role in the enslavement of Africans. The city’s fortified harbour was a key entry point for forced labor sent to mines and plantations across northern South America. Yet, Africans who arrived here didn’t just endure oppression. They built support networks, preserved languages and rituals, and sometimes rebelled.

Over the centuries, Afro-Colombian communities found ways to keep cultural memory alive. Some formed settlements in remote areas, free from colonial authorities. Others performed their music and dance in hidden gatherings. Although slavery was abolished in Colombia in the mid-19th century, Afro-Colombians continued to face discrimination. Today, several grassroots groups keep documenting and celebrating this history. You’ll see their influence in city museums, street art, and community-led tours.

If you want to learn more about colonial-era artefacts and archival documents, then a visit to the Palacio de la Inquisición in Cartagena is a good starting point. It highlights the city’s connections to the slave trade and the broader colonial system and gives some context to a history which still shapes Cartagena to this day.

San Basilio de Palenque: Where Freedom Began

An old building with motorcycles outside — San Basolio de Palenque makes for a great day trip from Cartagena | **Marek Poplawski / Shutterstock**

About 50 kilometers from Cartagena, San Basilio de Palenque stands as a powerful symbol. Founded by escaped enslaved Africans in the 17th century, it’s recognized by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Locals speak Palenquero, an Afro-Hispanic creole with roots in West and Central African languages.

When you visit, you’ll likely see or hear drumming styles that blend African and Caribbean influences. You can also learn about Lumbalú, a funeral ceremony that includes chanting and drumming to honor the departed. The community encourages respectful tourism. Tour operators who partner with Palenque families ensure that some of the revenue goes toward local development, such as language preservation programs and music workshops for kids.

Travel Tip: Arrange a guided trip through a tour company that has ties to Palenque residents. Ask questions about language, music, and cooking styles. Your curiosity supports cultural exchange rather than simple sightseeing.

Getsemaní: A Neighborhood of Afro-Caribbean Pride

Art and colour are ubiquitous in Getsemani | Matyas Rehak / Shutterstock

Getsemaní sits just outside Cartagena’s old city walls. It used to be marginalized. Today, it’s a hub of Afro-Colombian art and nightlife. Street murals honor Black leaders, African deities, and freedom fighters. This area also played a key role in Colombia’s independence movement, and many Afro-descendants were at the center of that fight.

Plaza de la Trinidad is the unofficial heart of Getsemaní. On any given evening, you’ll find food vendors selling empanadas and arepas, while musicians improvise jam sessions. Local historians run walking tours that connect the dots between street art, local activism, and the Afro-Colombian legacy.

Travel Tip: Start your visit in late afternoon. Explore the murals and chat with locals. Then, as evening falls, settle in at a bar or café near Plaza de la Trinidad. You’ll see how Getsemaní’s Afro-Caribbean identity unfolds once the sun goes down.

The Rhythms of Champeta, Cumbia, Mapalé and Salsa

Dancing blends storytelling, sorrow, remembrance, passion and fun on Cartagena’s streets | WILLIAM RG / Shutterstock

Cartagena’s music scene showcases strong African roots. Champeta is the genre you’ll hear blasting from taxis, shops, and street parties. It developed in the 1970s and 1980s, drawing on Congolese soukous and West African highlife records that reached Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Afro-Colombian communities embraced these sounds, added Spanish lyrics, and built local movements around them.

A top place to feel champeta’s energy is Bazurto Social Club in Getsemaní. Performers and DJs often spin a mix of champeta, cumbia, and salsa that keeps the crowd dancing for hours. Salsa itself has African origins through the Cuban son and rumba traditions, which merged with Puerto Rican and New York influences. Cumbia also grew from African, Indigenous, and Spanish elements, featuring gaita flutes and driving percussion.

If you want to learn some moves, sign up for a dance class in Getsemaní. Teachers will walk you through the basics of champeta, Mapalé or salsa. They usually explain the history behind the steps, so you’ll understand why these dances matter to Afro-Colombians.

Colombian Food, African Roots

Afro-Colombian women sell fruit in Cartagena, Colombia — Street vendors are ubiquitous across Cartagena | **Watch The World / Shutterstock**

Cartagena’s cuisine has strong African influences. The Bazurto Market is the best place to see it firsthand. Coconut milk, plantains, yams, and cassava are everywhere, revealing the West and Central African origins of many local recipes.

Here, stalls sell arroz con coco (coconut rice) sweetened with sugar or left savory, often paired with fried fish. You’ll also find hearty soups like mote de queso, made with yam and cheese, which locals see as an Afro-Caribbean staple. Vendors might offer samplings of fresh fruit juices—lulo, maracuyá, or guanábana—that compliment these dishes. Many travelers sign up for cooking classes that start with a market trip, then move on to a small kitchen to prepare coconut-based stews.

Bring cash to Bazurto Market and haggle a little. Don’t be shy about asking vendors for cooking tips. They’ll often share quick recipes or story snippets that illuminate the African roots of the dish.

Festivals and Community Events

Men playing traditional skin drums in Cartagena — The sound of drums rings through during the Festival de Tambores, held each year | **WILLIAM RG / Shutterstock**

Cartagena hosts several festivals that highlight Afro-Colombian identity. One of the most notable is the Festival de Tambores y Expresiones Africanas in San Basilio de Palenque each October. It features drum circles, dance competitions, and discussions on African traditions in Colombia. Families often open their homes to visitors, adding an authentic glimpse into daily life.

In November, Cartagena marks its Independence Day with parades, floats, and beauty pageants that showcase Afro-Colombian cultural expressions. Afro-Caribbean rhythms take over the streets, and you’ll see residents wearing traditional dress. Local organizers use these events to promote pride and highlight Afro-Colombian contributions to Colombia’s independence and modern identity.

If you’re aiming to attend either event, plan ahead. Hotel availability tightens up during festival seasons. Check out local websites or social media for schedules. Book accommodations and tours at least a month in advance.

Cartagena’s Growing Black-Owned Businesses

A colourful shop front with the words 'I Love Getsemani' — Getsemani is home to many of Cartagena’s black-owned businesses | **Mark Pitt Images / Shutterstock**

Supporting Afro-Colombian businesses helps strengthen local economies. The boutique hotel Casa Noir in Getsemaní, founded by Harlem native Shawn Roseburgh, is known for artwork honouring African and Afro-Colombian cultures. Staying there offers a chance to be close to local galleries, salsa clubs, and street-food stands, all with an Afro-Caribbean twist.

Restaurants owned by Afro-Colombian families serve dishes influenced by African traditions, often passed down through generations. La Cocina de Pepina is a popular spot in Getsemaní. It specializes in hearty coastal fare like fish soup and coconut rice. Other Black-owned shops near the Bazurto Market sell handcrafted jewelry or herbal remedies said to have African roots.

Travel Tip: When buying souvenirs, ask vendors about the origin of their products. You’ll often learn interesting facts about the materials and their links to African crafts or healing traditions.

Ongoing Challenges and Community Advocacy

Workers in colourful clothing by the roadside — Despite making up. a large proportion of Cartagena, Afro-Colombians still face inequalities | **Omri Eliyahu / Shutterstock**

Afro-Colombians still face inequalities in housing, education, and employment. Cartagena’s growing tourism economy can be a double-edged sword: it brings in revenue but also drives up property values, pushing out families with long-term roots in some neighbourhoods.

Organisations like the Afro-Colombian Cultural Foundation lobby for better housing policies and job training in areas like Bazurto and Getsemaní. Cultural tourism, if done right, can channel visitor dollars into community-led education projects, local music schools, and entrepreneurial workshops. Look for tours and experiences that commit a portion of profits to the neighborhoods you visit. That way, you’re more than a bystander; you’re contributing to the people who make the city’s culture so vibrant.

Travel Tip: Ask tour operators how they support local communities. If they dodge the question or offer vague answers, look for another operator. Ethical tourism means being transparent about benefit-sharing.

Experiencing Cartagena’s Afro-Caribbean Pulse

Cartagena is always awash with colour | **Chrispictures / Shutterstock**

Cartagena’s cobblestone squares and iconic city walls tell one version of the past. There’s another layer, though, revealed by the Afro-Colombian tunes echoing through neighborhood streets, the tang of coconut-infused rice, and the legacy of free towns like San Basilio de Palenque. The city’s Afro-Colombian heartbeat has outlasted colonial rule, navigating centuries of discrimination and cultural assimilation.

Today, it thrives in drum circles, backyard kitchens, and grassroots festivals that celebrate African heritage. By exploring Afro-Colombian history, supporting Black-owned businesses, and respecting local traditions, travelers can connect with a deeper Cartagena. The city’s African roots are not a footnote—they’re a central part of its identity, one that continues to drive its future and sustain its spirit.