Travel Guide Santa Marta

Santa Marta is the oldest city in South America. It was founded by Rodrigo de Bastidas, on July 29, 1525, on the territory of the Tayronas Indians, who took refuge in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Today, the capital of Magdalena has 700,000 inhabitants, the third largest urban center on the Caribbean coast, after Barranquilla and Cartagena, but the atmosphere remains that of a small, quiet and colorful city, facing the sea. Its port, once a springboard for privateers, has become a gigantic freight terminal. The Rodadero, ten minutes from the center, is the favorite seaside resort of Colombians, but much less so of foreign tourists, who prefer the more authentic atmosphere of the historical center. The city is often a base to spend a night or two before going to explore the surroundings: a trek in the Sierra Nevada from Santa Marta to Ciudad Perdida, a visit to the Tayrona National Park, or simply to go to relax on the beautiful beaches of the coast to the Guajira. Even if the sun is shining, you can breathe a little more than in Cartagena, with often a very pleasant sea breeze.