Hot temperatures, cold beer, and loud, energetic dance music all define some of the best nightclubs in Cartagena. You’ve come to this city to experience the music and choosing the right club to visit can mean a night to remember alone or with friends for all the right reasons.
After a day of sightseeing, eating local cuisine, and shopping, it’s time to cap the nightlife in Cartagena, enjoy of drinks and a great view. But where do you go to do that?
Cartagena has many different bars, clubs, strip clubs, and restaurants that truly exemplify what Colombia and Latin America have to offer to tourism and party-goers.
Their clubs are second to none, with various musical options on offer and an atmosphere that ranges from cozy and dark to bright and pumping until the early hours. It’s not just tourists either; the locals are visiting these spots as well.
Best Nightclubs in Cartagena
With so many out there, let’s touch on the top 9. Maybe you’ll find your new favorite that’s not on this list and make it the top 10.
Barzuto Social Club
Not all of the best nightclubs in Cartagena are expensive or have long lines you have to wait in. The Barzuto Social Club is a fantastic option if you need to dance and you can’t afford to throw a lot of money at it.
Unlike many other clubs, there are drink options that suit a wide variety of budgets here. The locals know where the good spots are and what they offer. From mixed drinks to cold beer Barzuto is one of those spots.
The music ranges, but traditional Caribbean music called Champeta and reggae are always on the menu. Enjoy this brightly-colored nightclub at least to appreciate the best of Colombia nightlife in Cartagena.
Café Havana
This club is one of the most expensive and one of the coolest clubs in Cartagena. If you like salsa music, you need to come to this club as the live bands play salsa every night and do it in a club environment that feels exclusive and special.
Celebrities and politicians have visited Café Havana for the slightly touristy feeling built upon by a traditional style and traditional Colombian decor.
On weekends there can be a long line to get it, and entrance fees are slightly more than other clubs, but you should visit at least once for the experience. If you have good negotiation skills, you may even be able to get in at a cheaper cost.
Crazy Salsa
If salsa is your jam, but Cafe Havana is too expensive or too long of a wait, then consider Crazy Salsa as a backup option to scratch the itch.
Thursdays are their salsa night, and both locals and tourists alike come here to dance, enjoy the music and enjoy the ambiance that Cartagena nightlife brings.
Eivissa
This club is three floors of music and dancing, filled with so many other people who want to have a good time. Routinely considered one of the best rooftop discos in the old city, almost every night of the week, you can find electronic music, fire shows with reasonable entrance prices and great drinks.
If you’re staying at a hostel close to Clock Tower Square, you may encounter one of the staff members from Eivissa, who will often visit hostels and give out promotions for free entry and free or discounted drinks.
Media Luna
When it comes to the “club” atmosphere, Media Luna is more than just a club as it has a long-standing reputation as one of the top hostels for partiers in Cartagena.
The club fills up the top two stories, attracting locals to their special fiesta nights on Wednesdays. Whether local or a backpacker, if you enjoy the party scene, then check out Media Luna to find like-minded folk.
Mirador
Clock Tower Square has many of the best nightclubs and strip clubs in Cartagena. Mirador is another one on the list, and it balances out some of the highs and lows of other clubs on this list.
It has an energetic club atmosphere with good views of the city, slightly higher priced drinks but no fees for cover or to gain entry.
Consider the Mirador in combination with another club. It is close to Getsemani. Either start the evening there, then work your way to another Clock Tower club, or end there for the evening. Put away the hours with friends and cocktails across from the clocktower.
Mister Babilla
Expect a packed dance floor on a Friday night. Mister Babilla is a slightly kitschy Colombian-themed club that often has live bands. It regularly attracts a mixed crowd of tourists and locals in their 20s with a preference for all kinds of music, including:
- Salsa
- Hip hop
- Reggaeton
- Merengue
Tu Candela
Sometimes we all need to go to a cozy and dark club to escape from the world. There’s live Latin music, reggaeton, or merengue when a DJ is not on shift, and it’s always full of a partying local crowd.
Instruments hang on the wall, and some parts of Tu Candela have sports on TV, but no matter what the reason you go to this club, be sure to take a moment to enjoy their tapas and the other food they have available.
La Jugada Clubhouse
Like a lot of the best clubs in Cartagena, people don’t tend to gather at the La Jugada Clubhouse until almost midnight for live music, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stop by earlier for an excellent mid-range priced cocktail and enjoy it on one of their three-tiered roof bars.
Approved by many of the celebrities who come to the city, look out for the elite while the DJs spin and take advantage of their excellent sound system in this newer club.
Come here to pull shapes with the best-looking people in the city–Sofia Vergara is supposedly a big fan of the place. The raucous two-story venue is a hit among Colombia’s financial elite for its killer sound system, where DJs bust out non-stop Latin beats.
Just Remember…
No matter which of the nightclubs in Cartagena you choose on the list, play smart and safe, and enjoy Cartagena and the Latin nightlife!
Don’t forget about Cartagena VIP’s concierge service to ensure you have a local with you at all times. Not just cutting corners (and lines) but also keeping you safe. Outsource the planning headaches to us!
