Cuarenta En Cartagena: Celebrating My 40th Birthday in Colombia
As 40 was approaching I knew I wanted to celebrate with my girlfriends in a place that I loved, doing everything that brings me joy. Enter: Cartagena, Colombia. I did my first trip to Cartagena in 2019 and followed that up with a solo trip in 2024. It’s a city that oozes aliveness and makes for a great group trip destination. Not to mention, the US dollar goes pretty far in Colombia; wait until you see the AIRBNB price for our epic house!
If you’re planning a milestone birthday — here’s exactly what we did, what I’d recommend, and what made it unforgettable.
always happy to answer Qs and help you plan: schedule a chat here
Early mornings in Cartagena, Colombia
40th birthday party friends - Cartagena, Colombia
The House (The Real MVP)
We stayed in a colonial-style house in the Walled City that honestly deserves its own post. Casa Azzurra Carbonera technically fits 14 guests but I think 10 is the perfect number if you’re traveling with adults.
4 stories
5 bedrooms
2 pools (because apparently one isn’t enough!)
Rooftop views
Indoor/outdoor living
rooftop at AIRBNB in Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena house rooftop pool
breakfast from the house team in Cartagena
birthday dancing in our Cartagena house
But the best part? The house team.
They:
Made us breakfast every AM: we're talking homemade arepas + fresh local fruit every morning
Had coffee ready before we were fully human
Coordinated airport transfers
Helped with reservations, boat bookings, and more
Daily cleaning (this + the daily breakfast is every mom’s dream haha!)
It felt less like an Airbnb and more like a boutique hotel with a concierge service that we had to ourselves. Having the concierge aspect allowed me to a) not lose my mind while I was planning and b) relax once we got checked-in and settled. I never once had to worry about how things were going to flow and was able to chill and celebrate! We also learned that you can really lean into the breakfast team in the AMs: need fresh lime juice for your pre-game drinks? They’ll make it. Missing something from the grocery store? They’ll grab it.
Tip: If you’re doing a group trip, prioritize service. It changes everything.
Our Cartagena, Colombia Luxe Colonial House perfect for group trips
The Itinerary
I kept structure where it mattered and left space everywhere else.
Thursday: Dinner + Salsa Night
8:00 PM — Dinner at Salón Tropical
10:30 PM — Table at Café Havana (prepaid tab = dangerous but worth it)
Notes:
You know we’re a salsa crew, so we very much NEEDED to be at Café Havana. If you’re more than 5+ people, definitely get a table to at least have a place to put your purses and drinks. The pp rate is totally reasonable! Table reservations can be made through their WhatsApp number on their Instagram. Walk-ins are totally fine and I highly recommend Thursday vs. Friday or Saturday because it gets insanely busy on the weekends.
If you’re not into Café Havana, Alquimico is a great spot for late night drinks and vibes. It’s a 3 story cocktail house with a lively rooftop. But if you’re already in Getsemani post dinner it might just be fun to walk around and see what kind of trouble you can find; it’s a super bustling area with lots of bars, clubs, and even outdoor hangs.
First night energy is real. Pace yourself (or don’t). We definitely had people in the pool at 3am that night!
Friday: Boat Day + PJ Dinner
10:00 AM — Boat to Bora Bora Beach Club (private boat + club resis coordinated by the house team! You want to be in the VIP area.)
8:00 PM - PJ dinner with private chef + bartender (also coordinated by the house team)
This might have been my favorite night. Coordinated chic pajamas, glowy skin, no one rushing anywhere. Also very necessary after a full day of partying. PSA: the ride back from the Rosario Island is notoriously rough. We actually had a blast riding through it. Everyone wore these motion sick patches and we had no issues, even with friends who typically get sea sick.
Tip: A private chef dinner at the house is worth every peso. It gives you a night “out” without leaving.
Custom Cake: I ordered my cake from Tortas Maran and it was not only super seamless but $30! $30 for a custom cake for 10 people including delivery. The U.S. could never!
Other beach clubs I had my eye on: Sabai Beach Club or Makani Beach Club - the reason we went with Bora Bora is because I wanted more of a party vibe. The other two look gorgeous and so chill! So depending on what you’re looking for definitely keep those on your radar.
Bora Bora Beach Club in Cartagena
Bora Bora Beach Club in the Rosario Island off Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia bakery birthday cake
private chef dinner table setting for night 2
Saturday: Choose Your Own Adventure + Party Night
Daytime: shop the walled city, pool hangs, nap (highly recommended)
Shopping: there’s an incredible store called MALVA that carries an assortment of Latin American designers. Set your maps there (there are two locations) and you’ll be pleasantly surprised with all the stores surrounding it.
9:00 PM — Dinner at Agua de León - our favorite meal of the trip!
11:15 PM — Table at La Movida - this is a multi level/room club. Inside they play latin pop which is exactly where we wanted to be. I definitely recommend a table for a large party. Reach out to them via IG and they will DM you the WhatsApp info. The pricing is very reasonable if you’re used to coming from the U.S (under $1k table spend for 10 people). We ended up walking home with two unopened bottles of Mezcal because we couldn’t hit our minimum. Cartagena things!Saturday is your peak night. Plan glam accordingly.
Sunday: Recover + Benito Bowl
Pool. Chill. Hydrate.
Optional sunset at Café del Mar * technically the new name for this is Baluarte Santo Domingo. If you’re familiar with Cartagena, you know that Café del Mar was THE spot to get drinks and watch the sunset. It was shut down in 2025 and replaced with a Baluarte Santo Domingo. We didn’t end up going this time around but it’s worth a shot to watch the sunset. I also have a bunch of resto, bars, and activity recs on this post from my solo Cartagena trip.
Super Bowl at 6:30 PM.
No rigid plans. Everyone moved at their own speed. This was key.
Cartagena, Colombia birthday vibes at La Movida
girls PJ night for 40th birthday
girls trip to Cartagena, Colombia
birthday night at La Movida in Cartagena, Colombia
The Vibes
You know me, always got to keep the vibes high! To help prep the girls I created a Caurenta en Cartagena Spotify Playlist - all yours for you to enjoy, too. I also put together a moodboard on Pinterest to help with packing. The girls UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT!
My Pinterest Inspo for 40th Birthday in Cartagena
Some outfit inspo for you
Cartagena Colombia 40th birthday party
My Tips If You’re Planning a Milestone Birthday Trip
Pick one “anchor” night and build around it.
Leave breathing room in the schedule - if you’re going hard at night the mornings and daytimes need to be easy easy
Invest in service (chef, transfers, reservations) - cannot recommend this enough!
Specifically for Cartagena, get comfy with using WhatsApp and google translate to get anything and everything coordinated; it’s not the most efficient but it’s how things are done there
Remember: the vibe matters more than the itinerary.
It wasn’t just the house. It wasn’t just Cartagena. It was: time without distraction, shared getting-ready moments, breakfasts together, laughter echoing through the courtyard, not rushing … just girls being girls even though we’re grown and some of us are moms… it felt like all the best part of being back in college without the drama and knowing when to stop drinking haha. At 40, “rich” looks different to me. It looks like controlling your time. It looks like saying yes to experiences. It looks like gathering the right women and LIVING life together!
Remember, I have a ton of other recs on this post from my solo Cartagena trip. Top tip: walk, walk, walk and explore the walled city! Always happy to answer Qs and help you plan: schedule a chat here. xo - Ash
Celebrating my 40th in Cartagena, Colombia was everything and more! My love language is planning and bringing my girls together. Inside you’ll find a detailed 4 day itinerary, our epic Airbnb, my recommendations for day and night clubs, outfit inspo, and more. Cheers to more trips with the people we love!