December is Cartagena's fullest and most festive season. Here is what happens between 7 December and 6 January, which traditions you will see, what to book early, and what to expect from the heat, the public holidays and the crowds.
One thing surprises first-time visitors in December: in Colombia, Christmas is not a day, it is nearly a month. It starts in early December, it is lived around family, music, food and prayer, and in Cartagena it overlaps with the busiest high season of the year. Here is what you will actually find.
How is Christmas celebrated in Colombia?
The season kicks off on 7 December with Día de las Velitas (Day of the Little Candles). At 7 p.m., candles and lanterns are lit in homes, on pavements, in buildings and in shopping centres, and by then all the decorations are supposed to be up. It has religious roots (the eve of the Immaculate Conception), but everyone joins in.
From 16 to 24 December come the novenas de aguinaldos: nine evenings when families, neighbours and friends gather to pray, sing carols and eat buñuelos and natilla. You do not need to be religious to enjoy it. If you are invited to a novena, go; it is often the warmest part of a trip.
The big night is Nochebuena, 24 December. Dinner is usually served late and in many homes includes traditional dishes such as tamales or lechona. The 25th is a public holiday and a day for a long lunch and not much else.
What happens in Cartagena on Día de las Velitas?
In 2025, the night included a cabalgata (horse parade) through the Historic Centre from 5 to 10 p.m., with around 800 riders from across Colombia passing the city walls and Plaza de las Bóvedas, according to El Universal. It is a good example of what the city tends to put on, though the 2026 programme is not out yet. Check with the Alcaldía closer to the date.
One practical warning: fireworks are the ugly side of this night. Cartagena's authorities step up checks that night and promote campaigns to celebrate without fireworks. If someone offers you pyrotechnics, skip it.
When do the Christmas lights go on in Cartagena?
The alumbrados are switched on in early December. In 2025 the main ceremony was at Plaza de la Aduana, with more than 150 performers, and the lights came on at the same time at more than 50 points across the district's three localidades, including Plaza Santo Domingo, Plaza San Diego, Plaza de la Trinidad, Manga and the Camellón de los Mártires.
The most talked-about piece in 2025 was a floating nativity scene on a barge in the Bahía de las Ánimas: a platform 40 metres wide with 12 figures six metres tall, reflected in the water. That was that year's installation. We do not yet know what 2026 will bring, and the city sets dates and locations year by year.
What is New Year like in Colombia? The agüeros
New Year's Eve is the most superstitious night of the year. The agüeros (omens) you will most often see, in Cartagena, Santa Marta or Bogotá:
- Yellow underwear for abundance and luck. It is practically a national uniform; red is linked to love and white to peace.
- Walking around the block with a suitcase just after midnight, to bring travel in the coming year.
- Twelve grapes at the twelve chimes, one for each month of the year.
- A bill or coin in your shoe, to attract money.
There are many more variations that change from family to family, and nobody takes them too seriously. Still, if you see someone jogging round the block with a suitcase at 12:05, now you know why.
Which public holidays fall in December and January?
According to the holiday calendars published by Colombian media, these are the ones that affect your trip:
- 8 December 2026 (Tuesday): Immaculate Conception.
- 25 December 2026 (Friday): Christmas Day.
- 1 January 2027 (Friday): New Year's Day.
- 11 January 2027 (Monday): Epiphany (Reyes Magos). 6 January falls on a Wednesday, so the holiday moves to the Monday.
Both 25 December and 1 January are Fridays, which makes two three-day weekends and fills the coast with domestic travellers. Expect traffic and full flights.
What is closed on 25 December and 1 January?
Banks do not open on either day, so get cash beforehand. Some chains, such as D1 and Ara, closed their stores on those dates according to 2024 reports, while others such as Éxito and Olímpica kept normal or near-normal hours. We do not have 2026 schedules, so check the website or the store of the supermarket you plan to use.
At peak dates many restaurants change hours or menus. Book your table for the 24th and 31st well ahead and ask whether the menu is fixed.
How crowded is Cartagena at year-end?
Very. Between 15 December 2025 and 15 January 2026, Cartagena moved 2.6 million passengers by land, air and sea, of which 1.3 million were visitor arrivals, and closed the season with 81.28 % hotel occupancy, according to the city's tourism balance from the Alcaldía and Corpoturismo.
In practice: queues, higher rates and thin availability in the weeks around year-end. If you leave accommodation until December, you pay more or take what is left. If you already have dates, book early.
Is there a minimum stay in December?
We do not know of an official rule setting one. It is the policy of each hotel or host, and over year-end it is common to ask for several nights, especially around the 24th and 31st. Ask before you book, because it varies by property and by year. And remember that every formal accommodation in Colombia asks for your passport for the guest register.
On where to stay: if you are travelling with family or a group for Nochebuena, having a kitchen and a supermarket round the corner helps a lot. In Bocagrande, besides the beach, Éxito, Carulla and Olímpica are close, and you can put on your own dinner without depending on a restaurant having a table. If you would rather walk to nightlife, the Centro or Getsemaní suit you better, though expect real noise on those nights. More in our neighbourhood guide, "Where to stay in Cartagena".
What is the weather like in December?
Dry and hot. According to Climates to Travel, December sees about 35 mm of rain over three days, with highs of 31 to 32 °C, lows of 24 to 26 °C and humidity of 78 to 83 %.
If you plan a boat trip to the Rosario Islands, keep a spare day: departures can be cancelled for bad weather or rough seas. And remember the city beaches at Bocagrande and El Laguito have grey-to-brown sand and murky water: the white sand is at Playa Blanca and the Rosario Islands.
Getting around at peak times
- Taxis: no meters, zonal fares. Agree price and destination before you open the door.
- Apps: Uber, DiDi, Cabify and inDrive are used in the city, though they are not formally regulated in Colombia.
- TransCaribe: the fare is COP $3,900 since 23 January 2026. Holiday timetables can change, so check transcaribe.gov.co.
- Airport: arrive early on bridge weekends.
One last, familiar piece of advice: at parties, people drop their guard. Do not leave your drink alone, do not pull out your phone on the street and do not walk the beach after dark. And if you are going out on the 31st, settle who you are with and how you get home.
