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Although Colombia’s oldest city, founded in 1525, Santa Marta lost much of its colonial heritage to English and Dutch pirates. What remains today is a lively beach city popular with middle-class Colombian vacationers and backpackers looking for jungle adventures.
Despite its traffic-clogged streets, recent restoration efforts have transformed the city center, creating inviting public spaces like Parque de los Novios. The surrounding pedestrian areas are packed with restaurants, while the international marina, lined with yachts, adds a touch of modern charm. Santa Marta is also the gateway to some of the best places to visit in Colombia, from the beaches of Tayrona National Park to the ancient ruins of Ciudad Perdida.
Not far away are some of the country’s best beaches, particularly in and near Parque Nacional Tayrona, Colombia’s most popular national park. Also close by is the fishing/party village of Taganga, ultra-popular with backpackers, hippies and holidaying Colombians. Santa Marta also acts as the hub for organizing hikes to the Ciudad Perdida.
Catedral
The large whitewashed catedral is the oldest church in Colombia, but the current structure, with its bulky bell tower and stone portico, dates mostly from the seventeenth century. Just to the left of the entrance are the ashes of Rodrigo de Bastidas, the town’s founder. Simón Bolívar’s remains were kept here until 1842, when they were repatriated to his native Caracas.
Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino
Whether or not you have a particular interest in Colombia’s liberation hero, the hacienda and sugar plantation 5km south of town where Simón Bolívar spent his last agonizing days makes for a great visit. The lush grounds, complete with an enchanted forest of twisted trees and creeping vines, are a pleasure to wander and you are very likely to spot numerous giant iguanas perched on the trees. Peek into the various mustard-coloured buildings for a glimpse of the Libertadór’s personal effects – an Italian marble bathtub, miniature portraits of the Bolívar family and military badges. Just to the right of the imposing Altar de la Patria memorial, the Museo Bolívariano features contemporary works by artists from countries liberated by Bolívar – Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.
Casa de la Aduana and Museo del Oro
A striking building with wooden garrets underneath a pitched tile roof, the well-maintained Casa de la Aduana (Customs House) is the city’s oldest building, dating from 1531. Simón Bolívar stayed here briefly, and his body lay in state in an upstairs gallery after his death. On its ground floor, the Museo del Oro has extensive displays on ancient Tayrona culture and its modern-day descendants – the Kogis, Arhuacos and Arsarios. A large-scale model of the Ciudad Perdida provides a valuable introduction for anyone planning to visit the ruins.
