Cartagena · Colombia
January
Peak dry season — the walled city in Caribbean sunshine with near-zero rain.
Best match
#4 of 12 months
There are better months for Cartagena — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
31°C
Low
23°C
Rain
10mm
Sun
8hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How January scores in Cartagena
Weather
Outstanding
Value
Above average
Crowds
Above average
Events
Average
Atmosphere
Excellent
What you gain in January
- ↑Only 10mm of rain in the entire month: the most reliable sunshine of the year makes every day in the old city a postcard
- ↑Sea conditions ideal for boat trips to the Rosario Islands and Barú beach — flat water and full-capacity day trips every day
- ↑Warm breezes off the Caribbean keep the 31°C heat comfortable by Cartagena standards; evenings cool pleasantly for outdoor dining
What you sacrifice
- ↓High season accommodation across the walled city and Bocagrande at elevated rates — advance booking essential for better properties
- ↓Cruise ships dock throughout the week, flooding the old city's narrow colonial streets with organised groups from 10:00 to 16:00 daily
- ↓The most popular beach transfers and water taxis to Barú book out; Playa Blanca crowded at weekends
How January compares to February (best month)
| Factor | January | February ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 9 | 9 |
| Value | 5 | 5 |
| Crowds | 5 | 4 |
January in other destinations
Lisbon (13.6°C)Barcelona (13.2°C)Tokyo (9.8°C)Bali (30.2°C)Santorini (13.4°C)Paris (7°C)New York (3.3°C)Marrakech (17.3°C)Amsterdam (5.6°C)Maldives (30.1°C)Rome (11.6°C)Bangkok (31.1°C)Istanbul (8.7°C)Vienna (3.2°C)Seoul (1.1°C)Dubrovnik (11.1°C)Rio de Janeiro (30.9°C)Kyoto (9.2°C)Phuket (31.5°C)Cape Town (26.1°C)Prague (2°C)Amalfi Coast (12°C)Mexico City (21°C)Medellín (28°C)Fiji (31°C)London (8°C)Sydney (26°C)Iceland (2°C)Tulum (28°C)Dubai (24°C)Singapore (30°C)Hoi An (24°C)Chiang Mai (29°C)Miami (24.1°C)Florence (9.2°C)Queenstown (22°C)Madrid (9.4°C)Porto (14°C)Edinburgh (7°C)Copenhagen (4°C)Budapest (4°C)Kraków (2°C)Tbilisi (6°C)Palawan (29°C)Hanoi (18°C)Osaka (9°C)Goa (32°C)Cusco (19°C)Buenos Aires (30°C)Mykonos (13°C)Zanzibar (32°C)Sri Lanka (31°C)Costa Rica (25°C)Cancun (28°C)Krabi (32°C)Athens (13°C)Seville (15°C)Siem Reap (29°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Cartagena, not across destinations. Methodology →