Cartagena Coffee Masters

Coffee gets the spotlight in Getsemaní. Cartagena Coffee Masters offers a close look at Colombian coffee through tastings, brewing demonstrations, coffee history, and the personal style of David, the owner and coffee artisan at Café del Mural. I like the variety of coffees and brewing methods, and I like that the $85 price includes snacks plus 200 grams of premium coffee to take home. The main caution is that the session may be more of a demonstration than a hands-on class, despite wording that suggests you will roast and grind your own beans.

This is a strong choice for coffee fans who want more than a quick cup in Cartagena. David brings humor, technical skill, and a clear love of the subject, with everything from light to dark roasts and several preparation styles. Still, the experience has had some practical weak spots, including hard-to-understand explanations, late scheduling problems, tight seating, and coffee that did not please every palate.

Key Things to Know Before You Book

• You taste four to five coffee samples: Expect several Colombian coffees, often ranging from light to dark roast, prepared in different ways.

• David is the heart of the experience: His mix of coffee expertise, engineering background, humor, and personal passion receives the strongest praise.

• The class takes place at Café del Mural: The café is in Getsemaní at Cl. de San Juan #25-60, a charming but potentially easy-to-miss location.

• The take-home coffee adds real value: Your booking includes a 200-gram bag of premium coffee, and some sessions allow you to choose from several packaged coffees.

• Hands-on work is not guaranteed: The demonstrations may be performed by the host while you watch, rather than having you select, roast, and grind beans yourself.

• Plan for about two hours at 10 a.m.: The scheduled experience ends where it begins, and transportation to and from your hotel is not included.

Inside Café del Mural in Getsemaní

The setting is part of the appeal. Café del Mural is not presented as a generic coffee stop. It is a personal workshop shaped by an engineer who became a coffee artisan, and the room reflects that blend of technical interest and craft.

You meet at Cl. de San Juan #25-60 in Getsemaní at 10 a.m. The location can be slightly difficult to find, so I would allow extra time rather than arriving at the last minute. You do not get hotel pickup, so plan your own taxi, rideshare, or walk from wherever you are staying.

The café has local character, but space may be limited. Some sessions have felt intimate, with only a small number of people. Other sessions, especially during busy periods, have been more crowded than expected. One group found nine people packed into a small room, with additional participants joining. That difference matters if you want a quiet, private lesson.

The booking is described as a private activity for your group, but past operating conditions have not always felt fully private. At busy times, the experience may be shared or affected by staffing problems. I would confirm the group arrangement before paying if privacy is important to you.

A Coffee Lesson Built Around Taste

The central part of the session is a guided lesson on Colombian coffee. You learn how growing regions, bean types, roasting levels, grind size, and brewing equipment affect the cup.

The format is closer to a coffee class and tasting than a farm visit. You will not travel into the countryside or see coffee plants growing. Instead, you stay at the café and examine what happens after the beans are harvested.

That focus works well for a short Cartagena activity. You can learn about coffee without spending a full day outside the city, and the subject has enough variety to keep the two hours moving. A good session may cover coffee production, exporting, branding, international preparation styles, and the place of Colombian coffee in the world market.

David has been praised for explaining both the broad story and the small details. He discusses coffee from Colombia and other parts of the world, and he connects brewing tools to influences from German, Italian, and Dutch coffee culture. His humor helps keep the subject from becoming a dry lecture. One particularly memorable touch is his use of 1980s and 1990s music references during the presentation.

The strongest sessions feel personal rather than scripted. David may explain why a certain brewing method suits a particular roast, then move directly into a tasting. You get a sense of how much thought goes into a cup, instead of simply being handed a drink and told that it is good.

Four to Five Samples, Several Brewing Methods

The tasting is the best reason to book this experience. You receive roughly four to five coffee samples, though some accounts describe five or six tastings. You may try coffees with different roast levels, including lighter and darker styles, and compare the effect of different preparation methods.

This is useful for anyone who usually orders coffee without thinking about the process. A coffee brewed one way may highlight fruit, acidity, or delicate aromas. A darker roast prepared another way may feel heavier and more direct. The point is not simply to find your favorite drink. It is to notice how the bean and the method work together.

Café del Mural has a wide selection of coffee equipment, and the demonstrations show how preparation changes the final result. You may see several brewing approaches rather than one standard machine. That variety gives the tasting a practical purpose: you can return home with a better idea of how you want to prepare coffee in your own kitchen.

The experience is also suitable for people who are not serious coffee drinkers. One couple found that even the less enthusiastic coffee drinker in their group enjoyed trying the different types. Snacks are included, which helps balance the caffeine and makes the session feel like a small food activity rather than two straight hours of drinking coffee.

There is one clear warning. Taste is personal, and not every session has produced coffee that pleased everyone. One unhappy participant found the prepared coffees poor, while most of the strongest comments describe the coffee as excellent. I would treat the tasting as an exploration, not a promise that every sample will suit your palate.

The Hands-On Question You Should Ask

This is the most important point to clarify before booking. Some descriptions suggest that you will choose your beans, roast them, and grind them yourself. Several people arrived expecting that process and instead watched the host perform the work.

The distinction is important. If you want a technical demonstration, the current format may suit you well. You can watch an experienced coffee artisan explain his choices without spending your time wrestling with equipment. If you want to roast your own beans or operate the grinder, you may leave disappointed.

Some sessions have been described as interactive, with questions, discussion, and a lively exchange with David. Others felt like a long talk in which the host did most of the speaking. Staffing and group size appear to affect the mood. A small group may feel intimate and conversational, while a crowded session can make it harder to ask questions.

I would contact the operator before booking and ask three direct questions:

• Will I personally roast or grind coffee?
• How many people are scheduled for my session?
• Will the presentation be in English at a pace that is easy to follow?

These questions do not diminish the value of the class. They simply align the experience with your expectations.

David’s Teaching Style and the Language Factor

David is repeatedly praised for his passion, humor, and command of coffee. He can explain roasting, global bean varieties, coffee equipment, preparation styles, and coffee history without rushing through every subject. His engineering background adds a useful technical angle.

His personality appears to shape the session. The best accounts describe him as funny, kind, and happy to continue talking with participants after the formal class ends. That extra conversation can be valuable if you have specific questions about grinders, brewing tools, or the coffees you tasted.

The presentation has not worked equally well for everyone. One participant found David’s English difficult to understand because he spoke quickly and softly with a strong accent. A request to speak louder did not solve the problem. If you have trouble following accented English, this is worth considering.

The quality of the experience may also depend on support staff. One session suffered when assistants failed to arrive, leaving David to manage the event alone. Another scheduling problem occurred when the host was not aware of the booked appointment, forcing a two-hour delay. These incidents appear to be exceptions, but they are practical reasons to reconfirm your appointment, especially during a busy travel period.

What the $85 Price Includes

At $85 per person, this is not a cheap café tasting. You are paying for a private or small-group class, the host’s time, several samples, snacks, and a 200-gram premium coffee bag.

The take-home coffee changes the value calculation. If you already enjoy specialty coffee, the beans alone make the experience more useful than a standard sightseeing stop. You can compare what you tasted in Cartagena with the coffee you brew at home, and you may discover a roast you want to buy again.

The price makes more sense for someone who values instruction. You receive context about coffee production, roasting, brewing, equipment, and international influences. You also have a chance to ask questions and taste several preparations in one sitting. Buying five separate coffees and arranging that kind of comparison on your own could be awkward.

For a casual coffee drinker, the value is less certain. If you mainly want a good cup and a quick look at a Colombian café, $85 may feel steep. Cartagena has plenty of less expensive places to drink coffee. Book this when the class itself matters, not simply because you need caffeine.

Alcohol is not included, though alcoholic drinks are available for purchase. That detail is minor, but it is useful if you are planning a broader food and drink outing in Getsemaní.

Timing, Seating, and How to Plan Your Morning

The scheduled start is 10 a.m., and the experience lasts about two hours. Some sessions have run closer to two and a half or three hours, especially when the group was large or the discussion continued.

I would avoid scheduling a tight lunch, museum visit, or airport transfer immediately afterward. The stated duration is a fair guide, but the real timing may stretch. If the session is engaging, you may also want to stay and talk with David, as some participants did.

The activity returns to the starting point. That makes it easy to combine with other plans in the Old Town or Getsemaní, but you must arrange your own transportation. The café’s address is supplied, yet it can be hard to spot, so save the location and leave a few extra minutes.

Most people can participate, and the activity is private or small-group in its intended format. Still, the seating issue deserves attention. If you dislike close quarters, ask how many people are booked. A small group can make the class feel special. A larger group may make it harder to see equipment, hear the presentation, or participate in discussion.

Who Will Enjoy Cartagena Coffee Masters

I would recommend this most strongly to:

• Coffee drinkers who want to understand brewing rather than simply sample it.
• People interested in Colombian food culture and the international story of coffee.
• Visitors looking for a two-hour indoor activity in Cartagena.
• Couples or small groups who enjoy informal instruction.
• Anyone who wants to bring a worthwhile food souvenir home.
• Curious beginners who enjoy tasting several styles side by side.

I would be more cautious if you want to roast and grind your own beans. The actual format may not deliver that level of participation. I would also think twice if you need flawless scheduling, very clear English instruction, or guaranteed quiet space.

The activity works particularly well early in a Cartagena visit. You can use what you learn later when ordering coffee around the city, and the take-home beans give you a small reminder of the trip after you return home.

Booking Advice and Cancellation Terms

This experience is often booked about three weeks ahead, with an average booking time of 21 days. That suggests you should reserve before arriving if the 10 a.m. time matters to you.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the activity are not accepted for a refund, and the cut-off follows Cartagena’s local time.

I would reconfirm the appointment shortly before the date. That is especially sensible during December or other busy periods, when scheduling and staffing have caused problems.

Should You Book Cartagena Coffee Masters?

Book it if you care about coffee, want a guided tasting, and appreciate a host whose personality is part of the lesson. The best version offers excellent coffee, several preparation methods, useful background, a few laughs, and a generous bag of beans to take home.

Do not book it expecting a guaranteed roast-your-own workshop. Think of it as a coffee demonstration with tasting and conversation, with the amount of hands-on participation depending on the session.

At $85, the experience earns its price when you value the instruction and the take-home coffee. For a coffee lover visiting Cartagena, I would consider it a worthwhile specialty activity, provided you confirm the group size, language setup, and hands-on format first.

FAQ

Where does Cartagena Coffee Masters take place?

The experience takes place at Café del Mural, located at Cl. de San Juan #25-60 in Getsemaní, Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia.

What time does the experience start?

The scheduled start time is 10 a.m.

How long does Cartagena Coffee Masters last?

The planned duration is approximately two hours. Some sessions have lasted longer, around two and a half to three hours.

How much does the experience cost?

The listed price is $85 per person.

What is included in the price?

The experience includes snacks, coffee or tea, four to five coffee samples, and a 200-gram bag of premium coffee.

Is transportation from my hotel included?

No. Transportation to and from your hotel is not included. The activity begins and ends at Café del Mural.

Is this a private activity?

It is described as a private activity for your group. However, group size and shared arrangements have varied during busy periods, so confirm the setup when booking.

Will I roast and grind my own coffee?

Hands-on roasting and grinding are not guaranteed. Some sessions have involved demonstrations by the host rather than participants choosing, roasting, and grinding the beans themselves.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the experience are not accepted for a refund.