Santa Marta, on Colombia's Caribbean coast, boasts a fine natural harbor and splendid views, but that's only part of the reason the Spaniards chose it for their first settlement.
The choice was influenced by gold. Tairona indigenous communities were known for their goldsmithing work.
Santa Marta is ideally located for visits to the Santa Marta mountain range, second in height only to the Andes running through Colombia and two national parks. Whilst it doesn't have some of the tourism infrastructure of Cartagena down the coast, it has warm, clean beaches, many in Tayrona, or Tairona, park.
Getting here:
There are daily flights to and from Bogotá and other Colombian cities use El Rodadero airport outside the city on the route to Barranquilla. Pick flights from your area; you can also browse for hotels and car rentals.
In addition, air-conditioned busses run daily to Bogotá and other cities, plus local runs to nearby communities, and Tayrona park.
When to go:
Santa Marta boasts of a year-round tropical climate. The weather is hot during the day, but the evening sea breezes are cool and make sunsets and nightlife particularly appealing.
What to do and see:
- La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino was home to Simón Bolívar during the last years of his life.
- La Sierra Nevada De Santa Marta
- The Cathedral in Santa Marta
- Sitios Historicos
- Parque Tayrona:
a) Playa Cristal
b) Neguanje
c) Arrecifes with its fantastic beaches
- Fishing villagre of Taganga on a beautiful bay for scuba, and a cruise or walk to Playa Grande
- El Rodadero, one of Colombia's most fashionable beach resorts
- Ciudad Perdida, the "Lost City," the home of the Tayrona Indians was built on the lush slopes of the Santa Marta mountains between the 11th and 14th centuries. It was found, and robbed, in the 1970's by grave robbers.
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