| Santa Marta | ||
 | ||
Coat of arms and flag .svg/43px-Escudo_de_Santa_Marta_(Magdalena).svg.png){kind=small}  | ||
| State | Colombia | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Caribbean region of Colombia | |
| Territory | Magdalena Department | |
| Altitude | 9 m a.s.l. | |
| Surface | 2,381 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 515.556 (2019 estimate) | |
| Name inhabitants | Samarium, -to | |
| Prefix tel | 57 5 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 470001-470017 | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Santa Marta is a city of Colombia, located on the Caribbean coast.
To know
Santa Marta is an important commercial port and tourist destination. There are cargo ships arriving and departing every day and activities are clearly visible. From the beach, the view of the Caribbean Sea offers beautiful sunsets, with a large promontory creating even more striking effects. On the right is the harbor which lies behind another even larger rock. This is a decent beach if you like beaches that are close to cities and crowded.
Santa Marta is a first-rate seaside resort: on the stretch of coast south of the center you will find the beach of El Rodadero where several high-end hotels and "clubs" have sprung up, aimed primarily at a clientele Colombian danarosa while on the north coast is the picturesque village of Taganga with cheaper accommodation, frequented by young people mostly foreigners and with the hobby of scuba diving.
When to go
There is a high and low season: the high season runs from December to April, with peaks from mid-December to the end of January, coinciding with the Christmas and school holidays.
Santa Marta is characterized by a warm semi-arid climate, with average temperatures of 30º which remain constant throughout the year. The city receives just 500 mm of rain a year. The wettest months are June (60 mm), July (57 mm), August (55 mm), September (88 mm) and especially October (111 mm) while in the period from December to May the rains are almost non-existent.
How to orient yourself
Santa Marta (Colombia): full screen map.How to get
By plane
- 1 Simón Bolívar International Airport (IATA: SMR). Simón Bolívar International Airport (homonymous with that of Caracas, Venezuela) has direct flights from Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Pereira, Bucaramanga is San Andrés. It is located along the beach, 20 minutes south of the city, but much closer to most of the beach resorts and only 10 minutes from El Rodadero (main beach). If you are coming from abroad, check if your baggage is unloaded in Bogota even if the airlines promise to send the baggage directly to Santa Marta.
By bus
- 2 Long distance bus station (Terminal de Transportes), Calle 41, No 31-17. The bus station is away from the city on the main highway (7,000 pesos to the beach by taxi). You should fix the price before getting into the taxi. Mini-bus 1,600 Pesos and 1,700 on public holidays throughout the city.
How to get around
By taxi
Unlike the large Colombian cities, taxis do not operate on a metered basis. The cost of a single city tour is COP 8,000.
What see
- 1 Gold Museum, Calle 14 No.2-67 (In plaza Bolivar).
Free entry. It exhibits a collection of pre-Columbian ceramics, a beautiful gold collection and a scale model of the Ciudad Perdida. - 2 Cathedral (Catedral Basílica de Santa Marta).
- 3 San Pedro de Alejadrino estate (Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino) (Bus for 1,000 COP or taxi for 6,000 COP). Admission 20,000 COP. The place where Simon Bolivar died. It is now a museum, surrounded by very well kept tropical gardens where colonies of iguanas circulate. The guide will explain the history of the Libertador.
Free entry. It exhibits a collection of pre-Columbian ceramics, a beautiful gold collection and a scale model of the Ciudad Perdida.Events and parties
What to do
There are numerous opportunities for recreation, including the possibility of scuba diving to admire the coral reef. The agencies that organize diving are almost all located in Taganga.
Shopping
Santa Marta is famous for its beach vendors: they are present all year round, they sell everything and around El Rodadero they can also be a bit aggressive. Be prepared to haggle on the price and don't be afraid to bet 2000-3000 Pesos below the asking price.
"Mochilas": the most famous bags in the country are made in "La Sierra Nevada", Santa Marta region, by the Khoguis (indigenous people who still live in La Sierra Nevada). They can be found anywhere else in the country as they are very popular but in Santa Marta you will have more choice and they are cheaper.
How to have fun
Where to eat
There are lots of options for eating. Grilled or roasted chicken and beef are found everywhere, as is fish, which is plentiful and relatively inexpensive. There is a remarkable variety of fruit of all kinds. In the evening there are street vendors offering everything from pizza, burgers, hot dogs, fries, smoothies, rice in coconut milk and much more. Coffee, chocolate and other hot and cold drinks are found everywhere.
Where stay
Average prices
- Drop Bear Hostel, Carrera 21 Calle 20 Number 36 (Barrio Jardin), ☎ 57 320 4635 419, @[email protected].
- Casa de Isabella, Carrera 2 N19-20, ☎ 57 5 431-2082.
- La Brisa Loca Backpackers, Calle 14 N3-58 (Carrera 3), ☎ 57-318-303-3666.
- [link not working]Candela & Chocolate Hostel, Calle 12 No 3-01, ☎ 57 5 421-0977, @[email protected]. dorms at 22,000 COP with breakfast without at 20,000..
- Familiar house, Calle 10. Singles from $ 20,000 and dorms from $ 15,000.
- Rodadero Apartments (RSMA), Carrera 1A 5 - 93 (El Rodadero Santa Marta Magdalena), ☎ 57 3159260883, @[email protected]. from USD 65.00 / night. Check in: 15:00, check-out: 11:30.
- [link not working]Palma Blanca hotels, 20 Street No 1b-69 (In Rodadero), ☎ 57 310 723 7114. rooms from 45 USD. Check in: 3 p.m., check-out: 1 p.m..
- Hostal SolyMar, Carrera 2 No 19-06, ☎ 57 5 431 0208.
- Aluna Hotel, Calle 21 # 5-72, ☎ 57 5 431 0208.
- Cabin Tayrona Park ((Tayrona Park accomodation)), on one of the quieter beaches in Tayrona National Park. Check in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00.
- Sierra's Sound Hotel, Minca (Next to the river.). Check in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00.
- Minca hotels, Minca (in front of the police station). double COP 125.0000, single 80.000.
- [link not working]Scania house, Calle 21 3-88 (In the center), ☎ 57 3148295292, @[email protected].
- Hotel Boutique Don Pepe, Cl 16 # 1c - 92 (Barrio Centro), ☎ 57 5 4210215.
- [link not working]Hostal Englanol, Carrera4 Calle 19a # 160 Cabana 3 conjunto Sissymar, ☎ 57 3022232039, 57 5 4203707. Check in: 2 pm, check-out: 12pm.
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
- 3 Ciudad Perdida (Lost City) - are the oldest ruins of Macchu Picchu. To reach them, visit them and go back it takes from 4 to 6 days and you can only go with authorized guides as it is located in a protected indigenous territory.
Tayrona National Park - Protected nature reserve with some of the most beautiful beaches and jungle areas. Accessible by public buses located in the market in the center of Santa Marta (it is not necessary to go to the main bus terminal).
Paso Del Mango is a small village in the Sierra Nevada mountains, located on an ancient Tayrona community 50 minutes from Santa Marta. There are waterfalls, natural pools, unique animal and plant species and many excursions to do, even for a single day. There are several places to sleep and eat.
Minca is a village at an altitude of 650m which can be reached in 45 minutes from Santa Marta. If the town center doesn't offer much, just venture outside to discover the beauty of the surrounding landscape.
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Santa Marta (Colombia)
Commons contains images or other files on Santa Marta (Colombia)
