What to Wear in Cartagena
Colombia · 6 monthly packing guides
Cartagena runs Caribbean tropical year-round — Old Walled City UNESCO heritage (Ciudad Amurallada, 16th-century Spanish-colonial walled city, inscribed in 1984 as the Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, with what UNESCO calls the most extensive fortifications in South America); Getsemaní (heritage adjacent neighborhood, colorful streets); Bocagrande (modern beach district); Rosario Islands (Parque Nacional Natural Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo; visitor accident insurance required since 1 March 2026). Colombian design: Silvia Tcherassi, Esteban Cortázar, Hernan Zajar, St Dom, Pepa Pombo, Mario Hernández and Ondademar. Sombrero vueltiao (declared a cultural symbol of the nation by Ley 908 de 2004, which recognises the Zenú people of Córdoba and Sucre). December brings the Festival del Pastel Cartagenero (17–26 December in 2025 and 2026); January brings the Cartagena Festival de Música at the Teatro Adolfo Mejía and the Hay Festival.
Choose your month below to match your layers and shoes to the weather. Across the months covered, average daily lows reach 24°C / 75°F in January; average highs reach 32°C / 90°F in May.
Compare Cartagena by month
Monthly averages help compare packing needs; check the forecast before departure. Only months with published guides are listed. See the source notes below for station and measurement differences. Scroll across the table to see all weather details on a small screen.
| Month | Average low | Average high | Rain days | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January packing guide | 24°C / 75°F | 31°C / 88°F | 0 | 11h 35m |
| May packing guide | 25°C / 77°F | 32°C / 90°F | 9 | 12h 25m |
| June packing guide | 25°C / 77°F | 32°C / 90°F | 11 | 12h 30m |
| July packing guide | 25°C / 77°F | 32°C / 90°F | 9 | 12h 30m |
| August packing guide | 25°C / 77°F | 32°C / 90°F | 10 | 12h 25m |
| December packing guide | 25°C / 77°F | 31°C / 88°F | 3 | 11h 30m |
Choose your Cartagena packing list
Cartagena in January: 31°C / 88°F days, 24°C / 75°F nights, almost no rain, and nine days of classical music in the walled city.
In this capsule: Emerald washed-silk midi dress, short sleeves; Ivory cotton-gauze wrap, fringed; Blush-nude block-heel slingbacks, almond toe.
Cartagena in May is Caribbean tropical — 32°C / 90°F afternoons, 25°C / 77°F nights, 9 rain days. Old Walled City UNESCO heritage at peak walking weather.
In this capsule: Lightweight cotton or linen midi dress — Silvia Tcherassi; Linen wide-leg trousers; Leather sandals — Cartagena cobble + beach.
Cartagena in June is Caribbean tropical — 32°C / 90°F afternoons, 25°C / 77°F nights, 11 rain days. Year-round consistent climate.
In this capsule: Lightweight cotton or linen midi dress; Linen wide-leg trousers; Leather sandals.
Cartagena in July is Caribbean tropical — 32°C / 90°F afternoons, 25°C / 77°F nights, 9 rain days. Year-round consistent climate.
In this capsule: Lightweight cotton or linen midi dress; Linen wide-leg trousers; Leather sandals.
Cartagena in August is Caribbean tropical + Atlantic hurricane peak window — 32°C / 90°F afternoons, 25°C / 77°F nights, 10 rain days.
In this capsule: Lightweight cotton or linen midi dress; Linen wide-leg trousers; Leather sandals.
Cartagena in December: 31°C / 88°F days, 25°C / 77°F nights, the last of the rain and ten nights of the Festival del Pastel.
In this capsule: Ochre linen shirt-jacket, worn open; Cobalt cotton-poplin shirt-dress, sleeveless, tie belt; Fuchsia cotton-voile midi skirt, gathered.
Climate sources by month
These credits follow the source recorded on each monthly guide. Climate figures inform the packing advice; outfit combinations and illustrations are editorial suggestions.
- January: IDEAM · Rafael Núñez International Airport (14015080) · 1991–2020 normalsIDEAM's 1991–2020 normal for the airport, as submitted to the WMO's normals collection. Rain days are days with 1 mm or more.
- May: IDEAM · monthly climate averages
- June: IDEAM · monthly climate averages
- July: IDEAM · monthly climate averages
- August: IDEAM · monthly climate averages
- December: IDEAM · Rafael Núñez International Airport (14015080) · 1991–2020 normalsIDEAM's 1991–2020 normal for the airport, as submitted to the WMO's normals collection. Rain days are days with 1 mm or more.
Frequently asked questions
Start with your travel month. The 6 published guides cover January, May, June, July, August, December. Compare the average low as well as the high: among these months, January has the lowest average low at 24°C / 75°F, while May has the highest average high at 32°C / 90°F. For a trip spanning two months, read both lists before deciding which layers to bring.
No. They are monthly climate averages for planning, not temperatures promised for a particular day or hour. Check the local forecast close to departure and adjust your layers and rain protection. The source, station and averaging period are listed for each month where recorded; different stations or rain-day definitions can affect comparisons.
No. Treat the capsule as a set of clothing functions: walking shoes, a base outfit, weather protection and any change for dinner or a venue's dress code. Start with equivalents you own. Adjust quantities to your trip length and laundry access; the illustrations are outfit suggestions, not a shopping requirement.