Cartagena, Colombia is a stunning coastal city in South America full of culture, vibrant colors, flavorful food, incredible architecture, breathtaking scenery, blue water, and warm breezes. It’s a travel & vacation hot-spot and there is no denying why.
Amongst all the great reasons to visit the beautiful city of Cartagena is the culinary scene. Cartagena is filled with bars and restaurants, a lot of which are simply unique and very memorable.
Personally, I am a “Rooftop Girlie.” I will admittedly choose a restaurant for its aesthetic over its quality of food any day; But that isn’t the case with these rooftop bars & restaurants in Cartagena. There is no need for sacrificing flavor for fashion at these Cartagena establishments.
When I’m traveling and/or building my travel itinerary, I consider a restaurant’s aesthetic appeal (does it fit the vibe check), convenience of location, reviews, quality, and prices. The following rooftop bars & restaurants in Cartagena check all those boxes and left me daydreaming about them after my trip. So from one rooftop fanatic to another, I definitely recommend adding these rooftops to your Cartagena, Colombia travel itinerary.
Click here to watch video of these 5 must-visit rooftop bars & restaurants in Cartagena, Colombia.
Mirador Gastro Bar
Mirador Gastro Bar is hands-down first on my list and is my favorite for more reasons than just one. Mirador’s food is out of this world. We ordered the “Trilogía de ceviches / Ceviches trilogy” and “Tacos de lomo”. Aside from it being the best ceviche I’ve ever had in my life, everything had so much flavor and was beautifully presented. The drinks are also really pretty and delicious. We ordered some Mojitos, Brambles, and Pisco Sour Clasicos. The cocktails are set beautifully with the backdrop of the walled city of Cartagena. Mirador’s rooftop view overlooks Monumento Torre del Reloj, Cartagena’s emblematic Clock Tower, along with a panorama of the rest of the city and architecture. Mirador Gastro Bar’s level of service is also the best I think I‘ve received at a restaurant authentically. There are Mirador Personnel stationed everywhere throughout the restaurant and rooftop, and we were taken care of by a variety of people, all who seemed to have been in communication with each other. That made a huge impact on the experience. The all around vibe of Mirador Gastro Bar is simply perfect. They play great music, the design details of the establishment are so cute and chic (even down to the design of the bathroom, literally beautiful), everyone is happy, it’s a great place to be. Mirador also has other floors that are equally as charming, providing different aesthetics, and a multi-level establishment. I also enjoyed the first floor where the bartender presented me with a smoked floral cocktail and let me hold the cannonball that was found in the historic building when it was transformed. Mirador has many photo opps including an adorable neon sign in a nook up the stairs that says “All I need is you love tonight”. Mirador Gastro Bar is open for brunch, lunch, dinner, & disco. I highly recommend checking it out during your visit to Cartagena.
Movich Hotel Rooftop
The Movich Hotel Rooftop took me completely by surprise. It is located atop Hotel Movich Cartagena De Indias, a stunning luxury accommodation belonging to the exclusive and highly notable “Small Luxury Hotels of the World.” I had read many reviews and blogs prior to visiting that said this rooftop is “overrated” and “overcrowded.” I am soooo glad that I ignored those opinions, because Movich Hotel Rooftop is absolutely stunning, and provided me with the best sunset I’ve ever seen in my life. Movich Hotel Rooftop is an excellent vibe, with a nice floorplan layout and enjoyable upbeat tropical music. The food and drinks are delicious. I ordered a ceviche and sipped on a lychee martini and another pretty fruity cocktail while we waited for the sun to set. The sunset view from the Movich Hotel Rooftop is simply mind blowing. The way the sun shines over the water, reflects off the tall new-city skyscrapers in the background, accompanied by the old architecture of the walled-city in the foreground, and lights up the sky in bright-warm colors is a core memory that is forever painted in my mind. I recommend getting to this Cartagena rooftop early, at opening or a little after, as the tables fill up close to sunset. Movich Hotel Rooftop is the perfect place for taking in the most dreamy Cartagena sunsets.
Buena Vida Marisquería & Rooftop
Buena Vida Marisquería & Rooftop is a vibrant & chic restaurant & bar in the walled city. We came at night and enjoyed some delicious food and unique libations that Buena Vida offers. Inspired by the Caribbean Sea, Buena Vida Marisquería & Rooftop is known for its seafood, so of course I ordered the ceviche and it was wonderful. My favorite aspect of Buena Vida Marisquería & Rooftop is the fun drinks we ordered. One was a sharable punchbowl that our server made in front of us with flames and sparklers coming out of the box – talk about presentation. The other was a delicious fruity cocktail that came in a huge conch shell as the cup. I absolutely love it – the creativity and uniqueness definitely made Buena Vida Marisquería & Rooftop memorable for me. Buena Vida passes the vibe check with the great upbeat music they play, they offer seating outdoors at the rooftop & also indoors on the first floor, and I love how colorful the restaurant is. The view of the historic architecture is gorgeous at night. I would love to come back and visit Buena Vida Marisquería & Rooftop during the day to see the beauty of the establishment and city views in the daylight.
Café del Mar
While Café del Mar might not be a “rooftop” per se, it definitely checks all the right rooftop boxes as far as aesthetics. The coolest part of Café del Mar is its unique and historic location; situated on top of Murallas de Cartagena (the wall of Cartagena de Indias). Café del Mar is very popular for sunset. There is of course no question why; this Cartagena establishment has the most direct, unobstructed 360° views of the Caribbean Sea. There is so much seating at Café del Mar and it makes for a very beautiful open and serene space. We visited Café del Mar for a drink during twilight. I ordered the “Mezcalita” and it was delicious. I love the setting and location of Café del Mar because after dinner, drinks, or whatever the day brings you, you can then take a walk around the historic structure of the City walls and explore the old cannons and iconic fortifications.
XO Rooftop Cartagena
We’re straying away from the restaurant scene and catering more to the party side with this one; XO Rooftop Cartagena. XO Rooftop Cartagena was not originally on my list, but I’m so glad we stumbled upon it. This rooftop gives off a club vibe in an outdoor setting, and I am absolutely here for it. We ordered some mojitos, Aguardiente, and hookah and enjoyed XO Rooftop Cartagena’s unique atmosphere. They played Reggaeton all night, from Feid, Karol G, and Blessd to Bad Bunny, Jowell y Randy, and more. They have a cool light up DJ booth and screens that display music videos and other graphics as the music plays. I also love the neon signs that are all around. It wasn’t very crowded when we visited because it was just a random Tuesday, but XO Rooftop Cartagena is definitely a great place to go for nightlife in Cartagena, Colombia.
Others…
There are so many other rooftop bars & restaurants in Cartagena that I did not have the pleasure of visiting due to lack of time. Here are some other rooftops to add to your itinerary that I definitely want to visit when I return to Cartagena, Colombia: 51 Sky Bar, Alquímico Rooftop, La Jugada Club House (Daisy the Rooftop), Townhouse Rooftop, Sophia Rooftop, Mar y Zielo, & Rooftop La Cata at Santa Catalina Hotel.
All these different rooftops give you different aesthetics, views, and perspectives of the city of Cartagena, from the sea, to the Clock Tower, to the Cathedral, and more. With an abundance of color, culture, charm, & hospitality, be sure to add these rooftop bars & restaurants in Cartagena to your itinerary, and enjoy your trip to Colombia.
If you’re currently booking your trip and looking for a hotel recommendation, checkout my blogpost on Anandá Hotel Boutique, or take a peek at my other Colombia blogposts. Save Travels & enjoy your trip!
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