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 BRIEF
HISTORY - The city was founded in July 29, 1525 by
Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, accompanied by some two
hundred of his men and a few amerindians. He named the city after
the Catholic day for Saint Martha, which in Spain was celebrated
with festivities.
It is the oldest city on continental America,
providing visitors a mix of history, Indian cultural heritage,
charming people and an extraordinary diversity of landscapes and
beaches.
During the mid-19th Century, French, English and American immigrants
along with some locals started to introduce industrial ways of
productions and founded trade asociations among industrials and the
farmers. As a result they built railways which would connect
productive networks.
During the 20th Century the city served as main
port for massive exports of Bananas and coal produced inland with
the assistance of major multinational corporations. Today, the city
is an important maritime port and hub for tourism, history and
culture.
Is located on the northeastern of the Caribbean coast of Colombia
and at the foothill of the highest coastal mountain range in the
world, “La Sierra Nevada”, Santa Marta has a dry climate with an
average temperature of 82°F and a population of 521,482 friendly
people.
GEOGRAPHY
- Santa Marta is set by the Caribbean Sea against the
backdrop of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, mountain named after
the city. From the Spanish colonial buildings of the old city to the
modern luxury beach front apartments of El Rodadero, the city offers
a great contrast between the past and the future.
CLIMATE
- Temperatures in the city of Santa Marta ranges from
18.65 to 31.15 (Celcius) at sea level, but the Municipality of Santa
Marta stretches up to the highest snowy peaks of the mentioned
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and includes almost all climatic zones
across a strip only 17 miles, from the Caribbean Sea to the
perpetual snow and glaciers.
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A GLIMPSE OF WHAT TO DO IN SANTA MARA
Historical:
-
 Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino: Built
in the XVII century, an 18th century villa where the Liberator
Simon Bolivar died in 1830. Today the villa is divided in three
main tourist attractions: the main house, which maintains its
original from and period pieces, a second house remodeled to
accommodate the Bolivarian Museum of Contemporary arts and the Tayrona Museum.
- Custom House (Gold Museum): This is
perhaps the building with the most historical importance of
Santa Marta since it was the first construction which was
architecturally raised in the city in 1530. Initially it served
as the Government House and today is the Tayrona Museum where
everything regarding the Tayrona culture can be appreciated.
- Pueblito: also known as Cahirama, it is
one of the 200 Indian heritage cities, where direct descendants
of the ancient Tayrona Indians may be found.
- The Cathedral: it is a national
monument built in 1766, it held the remains of Simon Bolivar
until 1842 when they were exhumed to be transferred to Caracas.
- La Casa de la Aduana (customs house):
it is the oldest house of America, built in 1530, Today it is
the Tayrona Museum
- Madame Agustine House: it is a jewel of
the colonial architecture
- San Fernando Fort: built by Spanish
conquerors to protect the city from the pirates, it is a fine
sample of colonial military architecture.
Natural Reserves and
Beaches:
- Ciudad Perdida (the "Lost City"): the
home of the Tayrona Indians was built on the 14th century in the
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the world highest coastal mountain
at 18,942 foot (5,775 meters), it is one of the largest pre-Columbian
towns discovered in the Americas. Its stone constructions are a
vivid reminder of the high level of cultural and architectural
development of its builders.
- Tayrona National Park: An unexploited
paradises found at 34km north of Santa Marta, where more than
3,000 hectares of land and coast forming the bays of The Tayrona
National Pakr. In this national park and ecological preserve the
bays named Neguanje, Concha, Cinto, and Arrecifes provide
visitors a unique encounter with nature.
- Quebrada Valencia: a majestic waterfall
emerging in the middle of the rain forest.
- Taganga: an authentic fishing town, it
is known as a great place for scuba diving with beautiful
beaches nearby.
- The Mamancana natural reserve: which
offers the possibility to see wildlife and practice extreme
sports such as paragliding, downhill, rock climbing, and Canopy.
- El Rodadero: one of Colombia's most
fashionable beach resorts
Here is a sample Santa Marta Tour Itinerary
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