What to do in Cartagena in mayo

The Cartagena Music Festival runs January 4-12 — its 20th edition brings chamber music to the Teatro Adolfo Mejía and the chapel of the Sofitel Santa Clara, with over 160 musicians playing inside the walled city.

The driest month of the year, with barely 9 mm of rain — turquoise water and unbeatable diving visibility for a hop out to the Rosario Islands, 35 km away by boat.

Tail end of the dry season — March stays almost rain-free, with calm seas perfect for the white sands of Barú and Playa Blanca before the humid heat arrives.

The Cartagena Film Festival (FICCI), the oldest in Latin America, returns for its 65th edition April 14-19 — premieres and filmmaker talks across the old town.

Peak of the first rainy season — June unloads afternoon downpours, but they're brief tropical storms that leave the city rinsed clean and prices at their lowest.

The mid-year dry spell — July brings a drier pause between the two rainy seasons, with clear water that restores the best snorkeling visibility at the Rosario Islands.

The mid-year dry window holds — August keeps the trade winds strong and the sea flat, the best combo for crossing to Barú or the islands by speedboat.

The wettest stretch of the year begins — September opens the humid run, so you find the walled city at its emptiest and cheapest.

The wettest month of the year, averaging 270 mm — the downpours are intense but short, and between clouds the walled city breathes almost tourist-free.

Independence Festivities on November 11 — Cartagena was the first city in Colombia to declare independence in 1811, and celebrates with the Bando parade, comparsas and thousands of dancers along Avenida Santander.

Día de las Velitas, the night of December 7-8 — balconies, plazas and courtyards across the center fill with candles and lanterns to officially open the Colombian Christmas.