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District and city in Caribbean Region, Colombia
Photo: User: (WT-shared) CONOCER at wts wikivoyage, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Santa Marta is a Caribbean beach city in the Magdalena Department of Colombia's Costa Norte.
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Displays a collection of precolumbian pottery, a nice collection of gold and a scale model of Ciudad Perdida.
The official name is Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino. Beautiful and very interesting gardens, lots of iguanas, study the map before getting any further. The guide will tell you only about the buildings and the history of the "Libertador".
Nearby coral reefs provide good possibilities for scuba diving. All the scuba diving operators are at Taganga, so you'll need to go there to shop around (prices are very different from one to another). You can follow the PADI course (3-4 days), or just go for a 1-day dive (no licence required).
On the beaches, you can usually rent a jet ski in increments of 10 minutes. If you are not comfortable operating one, you can usually ask for a ride around. Life jackets are provided.
Birdwatching at the El Dorado bird reserve above Minca ProAves.
The Neotropical Spanish School at Casa Scania is a small size Spanish School focused on quality giving classes in downtown Santa Marta and Barranquilla, USD8/hour with one student per teacher, USD6 per person in small groups.Course material, hot and cold drinks included. Casa Scania Calle 21 3-88 (between Carrera 3 and 4) Central Santa Marta. For more info see homepage.
This large park in the mountains abutting the modern city of Santa Marta was established to protect spiritual centers important to the native Tayrona cultures. Many indigenous persons continue to inhabit the mountains to this day. The park closes periodically to let the land rest and recover its spiritual energies. Closing dates are:
** from February 1st to 15th (during the Kugkui shikasa season),
** from June 1st to 15th (during the Saka Juso season), and
** from October 19th to November 2nd (during the Nabbatashi season)
Mountainous area where the Kogi indigenous population live. The Kogi are part of the Tayrona culture. The park is home to a fascinating archaeological site called Ciudad Perdida with its many tiered terraces. The Tayrona maintain that it's only the Hispanic interlopers who consider the site "lost": the Tayrona never lost track of it.
They offer motorcycle rentals, lessons, and motorcycle tours spanning 1-7 days. Run by a pair of young Americans, new business with nice new bikes. Rentals around US$30/day, Tours under US$100/day, all inclusive, varies by tour. Run from Drop Bear Hostel.
You can try a local simple restaurant in Calle 11 / Carrera 3. The main dish, a soup and a drink is for COP$8,000 altogether (Nov 2021). The baked goods are also tasty and very affordable. Open Monday to Saturday until 20:00, Sunday until 13:00.
right next to Shopping Buena Vista. The good local menu of soup, main dish and drink is for COP$8,000 (Sept 2021).
in El Rodadero near the Casa Mart Hostel. The nice tasting main dish plus soup and drink is for COP$10,000 (Oct 2021) until 3pm. After that time the dishes are bigger and for COP$15,000 (Oct 2021). Right next to the restaurant is the bakery. In the evening it also serves a big slice of pizza for COP$4,000 (Oct 2021), hot dog, salchipapas, ranchipapas, burgers from COP$7,000 (Sept 2021) and more Colombian fast food.
Good combination of local and gringo food. Good breakfasts, cheap filling lunches, and their famous "sopa del mar", soup overflowing with seafood. Their fruit juices are excellent. Gilberto, one of the brothers that owns and runs Merkabar, speaks English and is friendly and helpful with tourist needs.
The restaurant is located in the Masaya hotel at the very top. Beautiful setting. Family atmosphere. Very quiet to rest.
Artistic gastronomy. Delicious food, great starters and awesome fish. Super cool spot.
Excellent Spanish food. Specialized in paellas, tapas and grilled meat. The owner, Toni, is from Valencia, Spain, and he can cook the real paella at a very reasonable price. His wife, Alexa, is Colombian and her smoothies are the best (she uses fresh passion fruit, mango, and other varieties of tropical fruits). They are both really nice and provide their customers with helpful tips to visit the best places in Santa Marta. The restaurant is housed in a colonial building and it is even haunted by a ghost!
The best place to party in Santa Marta. The owners are super nice, they will personally attend.
A fun rock n' roll bar. The Colombian owner (who is a spitting image of Neil Young) used to own a large rock club in Bogotá, but he sold it to settle down here. Every evening he VJs videos of all the great classic rock bands. Friendly staff, great vibe, nice decor.
A trendy nightclub on the way towards El Rodadero. Burukuka sits on top of a hill overlooking the sea, with a great terrace. It's a high-end place, so dress appropriately. Also serves food. Vía al Edificio Cascadas del Rodadero, just out of town, to the south.
One of the surprisingly few excellent coffee options in town. Even many good restaurants don't have a good coffee machine and/or use good coffee beans.
This is the hostel at the Rodadero Beach. With A/C, a pool, nice-styled bunk-beds and 5min walking to the beach. A dorm is for COP$26,000 (Nov 2021)
Nice and small, with pool and jacuzzi, bar, comfortable and clean double and multiple rooms with air- conditioning or ventilators and free breakfast. The staff is very kind and helpful.
Private, mild mannered and friendly staff. Rooms are small and basic.
This is an immaculately clean hotel, which is a change from a lot of the places in Santa Marta. The immediate area is probably the best in Santa Marta, as opposed to the sketchier Calle 10 barrio. The colonial rooms are recommended, with very tall ceilings and fan for COP$30,000 for a private room (single). The staff is incredibly friendly.
also known as the Hotel Villa del Mar
Nice rooms, friendly staff. Singles with fan for COP$30,000. Doubles, Triples, A/C more. Free Wi-Fi in lobby.
Small hotel with 12 rooms, restaurant, spa and rooftop jacuzzi.
RSMA
Apartments for rent day - season, near Tayrona Park and Taganga. 2 rooms with air conditioning, bathroom, LED cable TV, beach view terrace, free WiFi, pool, private parking, airport shuttle, local tours & snorkeling.
Private, comfortable, friendly and attentive staff, and a great swimming pool. All rooms have air-conditioning and wireless internet access.
By bus
It's all the way out of town on the main highway. To the city centre, take a bus that goes in the direction of Taganga, departing right on the highway (without crossing the street).
By bus
Moovit covers the area for finding connections. As there are no bus stops, buses can be entered and exited anywhere along their routes.
By taxi
Unlike bigger cities in Colombia, taxis do not run on a meter. Payments start at COP$7,000 (May 2025) for a "lift" (usually a ride no more than 10 minutes).
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Santa Marta · Regional · SMR
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