Introduction: Silence within the bustle
Cartagena de Indias, in May 2026, is still that city that captivates you with the sound of the waves, the shouts of vendors, and the bustle of cobblestone streets. But if you manage to stray from the tourist route, if you slip into an alley that smells of jasmine and freshly ground coffee, you will stumble upon something few know about: the literary cafés of the Ciudad Amurallada. They are not those places full of Instagram filters or tables crowded with tourists holding maps. They are spaces where time slows down, where noise turns into a whisper, and where, if you carry a book under your arm, you are already part of the scenery.
Here I will tell you where to find those refuges, how the gatherings work, which days there is poetry, and how much a cup of black coffee costs while you get lost between pages. This is not a guide for passing tourists; it is an invitation to sit down, order something, and stay for a while. Because in Cartagena, true luxury is not in five-star hotels, but in finding a hidden plaza where the only noise is the rustle of a book's pages turning.
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What to do: gatherings, readings and shared silences
It is not just about drinking coffee. These places have the soul of a club, of a meeting of friends who get together to talk about what they read, to discuss a verse, or simply to write in silence, accompanied. Here are the three must-sees that, if you are a writer, artist, or digital nomad, you cannot miss.
Café de la Plaza de la Trinidad: the classic of letters
Located in Plaza de la Trinidad, in the Getsemaní neighborhood right on the edge of the Ciudad Amurallada, this café is an institution. It has no huge sign or loud music. It is a corner with wooden tables, creaky chairs, and a smell of coffee from the Sierra Nevada that awakens your senses. On Thursdays, at 6 pm, the poetry gathering takes place. You don't need to be an expert: you arrive, order a coffee with milk (around $6,000 COP) or a corozo juice ($5,000 COP), and sit down to listen. If you feel like it, you can read something of your own. The atmosphere is so welcoming that even silence feels like part of the conversation.
Fun fact: This café was founded by a retired bookseller who, in the 90s, started putting used books on the tables so people could read them while having a drink. Today, the collection continues to grow with donations from the regulars themselves. Ask for the "traveling book": a notebook where people leave poems, stories, or drawings. Some of those texts have ended up in local anthologies.
- Address: Plaza de la Trinidad, Getsemaní (a 5-minute walk from the Centro Histórico).
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8 am – 10 pm. Sundays, 9 am – 8 pm.
- Reference prices (May 2026): American coffee $4,500 COP, coffee with milk $6,000 COP, meat empanadas $3,000 COP each.
- WiFi: Yes, but it is slow. Better come to read without distractions.
Ábaco Libros y Café: the temple of avid readers
If you like the smell of new books and old paper, Ábaco is your place. It is on Calle de la Iglesia, in the heart of the Ciudad Amurallada, and it is more than a café: it is a two-story bookstore with shelves that reach the ceiling and an inner courtyard with a fountain that sounds like background music. There are no fixed gatherings every day here, but on Wednesdays at 7 pm, the "Ábaco Reading Circle" takes place, where a book chosen by the attendees is discussed. You can come without having read it; there is always someone who tells you what it is about and lends you a copy to browse while you have a drink.
Fun fact: The owner, a cartagenero who lived 20 years in Buenos Aires, brought the idea of "readings aloud" that are done in Buenos Aires bookstores. Here, sometimes, a local writer sits in a chair and reads a complete story without interruptions. If you are lucky, you will catch one of those impromptu sessions.
- Address: Calle de la Iglesia #36-25, Centro Histórico.
- Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10 am – 9 pm.
- Reference prices (May 2026): Cappuccino $8,000 COP, chai tea $7,000 COP, artisan brownie $6,000 COP.
- WiFi: Yes, fast and stable. Ideal for digital nomads who want to work surrounded by books.
The rooftop of the Biblioteca José de la Vega: the secret hideaway
This is not a commercial café, but a public space that few know about. The Biblioteca José de la Vega, on Calle de la Factoría, has a terrace on the third floor with a view of the rooftops of the Ciudad Amurallada. There is no gourmet coffee menu, but there is a machine for tinto (black coffee) for $1,000 COP and a jug of panela water. On Fridays at 5 pm, a group of local writers organizes "Gathering in the heights": each week they read a short story by a Colombian author and then discuss it. It is free and open to anyone who climbs the stairs.
Fun fact: The library is named after a 19th-century cartagenero poet who wrote about the sea and solitude. On the terrace, there is a plaque with one of his poems engraved. The most nostalgic say that, if you sit there at sunset, you can hear the echo of his verses mixed with the wind.
- Address: Calle de la Factoría #32-12, Centro Histórico (Secretariat of Culture building).
- Hours: Library open Monday to Friday, 8 am – 6 pm. The gathering is only on Fridays, 5 pm – 7 pm.
- Prices: Tinto $1,000 COP. Everything else is free.
- WiFi: No. But the view is worth the disconnection.
Where to eat or drink: something to accompany your reading
You don't come to these cafés for a feast, but there are options to satisfy your hunger while you read or chat. Here is what to order at each one to fit in.
At Café de la Plaza de la Trinidad
Besides the coffee, order a meat or cheese empanada. They are small, crispy, and cost $3,000 COP each. If you are hungrier, the "pancito con suero" (a soft bread with cream) is the local option, at $4,000 COP. For a drink, don't leave without trying the "limonada de coco": a sour and sweet mix that refreshes in the plaza heat ($7,000 COP).
At Ábaco Libros y Café
Here the star is the chocolate brownie with nuts ($6,000 COP), which comes warm and melts in your mouth. If you prefer something savory, the "spinach and cheese tart" ($8,000 COP) is light and perfect to accompany a cappuccino. The teas are imported: ask for the jasmine one, which combines with the old book atmosphere ($7,000 COP).
At the rooftop of the Biblioteca José de la Vega
There is no prepared food, but you can bring something. Many attendees buy "deditos de queso" (fried cheese sticks) from the corner store on Calle de la Factoría, for $2,000 COP a bag. The panela water is free and you can sweeten it with lemon. If you want something stronger, alcohol is prohibited in the library, so save the beer for later.
How to get there and transport: getting around the Walled City
The Ciudad Amurallada is mostly pedestrian, so forget about the car. If you are coming from the Rafael Núñez airport, take a taxi to the Puerta del Reloj (about $20,000 COP, 15 minutes). From there, all the cafés are less than a 20-minute walk away.
- To Café de la Plaza de la Trinidad: From Puerta del Reloj, walk south along Calle Larga, cross the pedestrian bridge towards Getsemaní, and continue straight to the plaza. It is a 10-minute walk.
- To Ábaco Libros y Café: From Puerta del Reloj, enter the Centro Histórico via Calle del Coliseo, turn left onto Calle de la Iglesia. It is an 8-minute walk.
- To the rooftop of the Biblioteca José de la Vega: From Puerta del Reloj, take Calle de la Factoría east. The library is a 5-minute walk away, in a yellow building with a bronze plaque.
Public transport option: If you are coming from other neighborhoods like Bocagrande or El Laguito, take a bus towards the Centro ("Bocagrande – Centro" route, $2,500 COP). Get off at Avenida Venezuela and walk 5 minutes to Puerta del Reloj. Taxis from Bocagrande cost about $12,000 COP.
Local tips: how to get around like a cartagenero
Here are tips that only a local would give you, so you don't look like a tourist and enjoy these gatherings to the fullest.
- Bring cash. Many of these cafés don't accept cards, especially the one at Plaza de la Trinidad and the library. The nearest ATMs are on Calle del Sargento Mayor, a 5-minute walk from Ábaco.
- Don't arrive in a hurry. The gatherings start at the announced time, but people stay for up to two hours afterwards. If you arrive 15 minutes late, no problem; sit down and listen.
- If you are a writer, bring something to share. At the Ábaco gathering and the rooftop one, there is always a moment for open readings. You don't need to be published; just have the desire to read. A 10-line poem is enough to break the ice.
- Ask about the "book swap". At Café de la Plaza de la Trinidad, if you bring a book you've already read, you can leave it on the shelf and take another one for free. It is a trust-based system that has been working for years.
- Avoid the hottest hours (12 pm – 3 pm). The Ciudad Amurallada is an oven at midday. The gatherings are at sunset, when the sun goes down and the plazas fill with breeze.
- Connect with the WhatsApp groups. The reading circles have groups where they announce upcoming books and gatherings. Ask at the café if you can join. That way you'll find out about spontaneous events, like readings in private homes or hidden plazas.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak Spanish to participate in the gatherings?
It is not mandatory, but it helps. At Ábaco and the rooftop, sometimes there are foreigners who read in English or French, and the group adapts. If you don't speak Spanish, you can listen and then comment in your language; there is always someone who translates. At Café de la Plaza de la Trinidad, most readings are in Spanish, but the atmosphere is so relaxed that no one will look at you strangely if you just observe.
Can I work from these cafés with my laptop?
Yes, but with nuances. Ábaco has fast WiFi and large tables, ideal for spending the morning working. Café de la Plaza de la Trinidad has WiFi, but it is slow and the tables are small; better for reading than typing. The library rooftop has no WiFi, but if you need to concentrate without distractions, it is perfect. At all of them, you are expected to consume something every couple of hours, but without pressure.
Is there any gathering for beginners in reading or writing?
Yes. The "Ábaco Reading Circle" is open to all levels; it doesn't matter if you've never read a complete book. The group chooses accessible titles, like short stories by Gabriel García Márquez or poems by Raúl Gómez Jattin. At the rooftop, the sessions are guided by a local writer who explains the context of each text. If you want to start writing, ask at Café de la Plaza de la Trinidad about the "Thursday Workshop": a group that meets before the gathering (at 5 pm) to share drafts and give feedback.
So now you know: next time you come to Cartagena, don't limit yourself to the walls and the sea. Look for a hidden plaza, sit down on a creaky chair, order a coffee, and open a book. Or better yet, let the book open you. The gatherings await you.