Santa Marta is a city founded on July 29, 1525, by Rodrigo de Bastidas. Characterized by having 8 communes, which in turn are subdivided into a total of 274 neighborhoods and comprise a population of 500,000 inhabitants.
This metropolis surrounded by a lot of nature has the Simón Bolívar International Airport located 16.5 km from the historic center of the Caribbean city Santa Marta in case you want to travel by plane, a transport terminal to the southwest of the city if you want get to Santa Marta by bus, a transportation system called SETP together with taxis, and 3.2 kilometers of bike paths to ride a bike around the city.
Santa Marta is a city to live in Colombia because, in addition to offering essential places to see and visit, it is recognized for being a tourist city, with a lot of history in its streets, with incredible landscapes in its surroundings and with beautiful paradisiacal beaches. As well as traditions such as the sea festivities at the end of July, the Cienaguero Cayman Festival in January, and the Carnivals in February. But especially, for its welcoming climate, since the climate in Santa Marta during most of the year is tropical with an average temperature between 25 °C and 33 degrees Celsius.
Now as for the beautiful places in Santa Marta, they are identified as having many facets since you can do different types of tourism. For example, something very attractive in historical tourism is visiting beautiful places in Santa Marta where you can take a photo without any problem. Some of the main ones are the Parque Bolívar, the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, the Plaza de San Francisco, the Cathedral Basilica of Santa Marta, and the Santa Marta Historic Center.
Another of the good plans in Santa Marta to do in one day is to walk through landscapes or parks such as the Tayrona National Natural Park, Playa Grande, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park, Playa Cristal, the Quebrada Waterfalls Valencia and the Archaeological Park of Ciudad Perdida. Most of these tourist sites in Santa Marta require little money to get to know them.
Other attractions in Santa Marta that you should visit to spend the day are the museums, some of the most important are the Tairona Gold Museum, the Bolivarian Museum, the Gaira Ethnographic Museum, and the University Art Museum of the Magdalena.
Also, if you are more into plans to do in Santa Marta at night and you like to travel alone or go out as a couple, you should know some emblematic places in Santa Marta to go at night. Some recommended ones are Rodadero, Santa Marta Bay, Parque de los Novios, Callejón del Correo, Calle del Pozo, and Calle Tumbacuatro. But if you are one of those who prefer to travel with the family, among the beautiful places in Santa Marta for children are the Rodadero Beaches, the Mundo Marino Aquarium, Playa Blanca, and the Marina Santa Marta.
Before traveling to this marvelous city and live experiencing some tourist places in Santa Marta, we recommend you to know the wealth of customs of the samarium and some curious facts about the metropolis. Some important ones are:
- Santa Marta is the oldest standing city in Colombia
- Before getting into a taxi, you should ask for the price of the service to the place and negotiate it, because taxi drivers tend to be abusive with prices for tourists
- Santa Marta is the oldest city in the continental territory of South America
- Some applications to get around in Santa Marta are "Celutaxi" and "Hey taxi" because there is no Uber in Santa Marta
- Something unforgettable in Santa Marta is the contrast of the beaches with the white of the Sierra Nevada
- If you go to a party in Santa Marta it is better to wear shorts because the party continues on the beach
- Santa Marta has many beaches but if you want tranquility you should go to Tayrona Park
- Taganga is not a destination to go with children
- The alternative beach of Rodadero is called Playa Blanca, which you can also reach by boat from Rodadero Bay
- Going to Ciudad Perdida is a plan to do it in a minimum of 4 days
- Minca is a small coffee town just 20 km from the Historic Center
Santa Marta, being one of the important cities in Colombia, is a center of commerce for gastronomy, so one of many essential things to do is eat in areas such as the center near the bay that are the favorites of the foodies. You will find the best restaurants and bars for all tastes, budgets and perfect to try some of the local specialties such as arepa de huevo, carimañola, fried fish with plantains, cayeye, cocada, chipi chipi rice, and cocktail shrimp; Some recommended restaurants are Marmi Restaurant, Los 7 Mares, Ombu, Guásimo, Porthos Steakhouse, Ouzo Restaurant, Donde Chucho Gourmet, LamArt Restaurant, La Muzzería and Coco Marina.
As for lodging, if you want to stay in one of the most exclusive and safest areas of Santa Marta, we recommend you in Rodadero, in Bello Horizonte, near the Marina and the historic center, that's where they are the most recommended famous hotels in Santa Marta such as the Origo Hotel Boutique, the Hilton Hotel Garden Inn, Masaya Hotel, Santorini Resort Hotel, Don Pepe Boutique Hotel and Del Mar Hotel.
Santa Marta is without a doubt a city in Colombia with a wide range of beautiful and picturesque places both inside and around it; because Magdalena is also home to a lot of nature, history, gastronomy, and landscapes worth visiting.
So if you are looking for what to do in Santa Marta today or if you want to stay more days to get to know the culture and enjoy this beautiful destination, we bring you a list with more things to see and do in Santa Marta:
Getting around Tayrona Park
It is one of the most important natural parks in Colombia due to its 15,000 hectares of which 3,000 are marine areas. The Tayrona Park is located 40 minutes from downtown Santa Marta and upon arrival, you can visit beautiful virgin white sand beaches, walk along trails, see an archaeological museum, and swim in bays, reefs, or natural pools.
Walk along the Rodadero beach
It is a tourist sector located to the south of the city that is famous for having the best beach in Santa Marta. At get to Rodadero you will see extensive white sand beaches and constant activity on them such as beach volleyball championships, soccer in the sand, or simply people sunbathing.
Go on an Excursion to the Lost City
It is an archaeological site that was the main urban center of the ancient Tayrona indigenous civilization and is located in the depths of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. At get to Lost City you will find a stone city, an impressive 1,200-step staircase, 211 ancient terraces built by the Tayronas, and incredible sunrises during the 4-day hike.
Walk to Cabo San Juan del Guía
It is one of the most exotic beaches in Tayrona Park since its beach is made of golden sand and on its shore, you can see how the Caribbean Sea hits large rocks near the beach. At get to Cabo San Juan del Guía you find a lot of vegetation and a hill in the middle of the sea where at the top there is a kiosk with hammocks that works as a viewpoint.
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