Santa Marta is a city and municipality located in northern Colombia by the Caribbean sea and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, capital of the Magdalena Department. The city is an important maritime port and hub for tourism, history and culture.
The recently renovated downtown of Santa Marta with its blend of colonial and republican architecture attracts more and more visitors among them several cruise ships a week. The beach at Santa Marta is very busy with lots of people, vendors and noise.
Things to See and Do
* The Cathedral
* Simon Bolivar’s home/museum
* Customs House
* Edificio de la Aduana – old customs building
* Beaches at Tayrona National Park
General information
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency - Peso (COP)
Language – Spanish
Population – 425,000 approx
Land Area – 2,393.35 km²
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time - GMT minus five hours
International Country Telephone Code – +57
Port Location – The port is located to the right of the town.
Travel Links – The Simón Bolívar airport (same name as the one in Caracas, Venezuela) has non-stop flights from Bogotá and Medellín. It is located along the beach, 20 min south of town, but much closer to most of the beach resorts and only 10 min from El Rodadero (main beach).
Bus rides are available from Cartagena (3.5 hours), Barranquilla (2 hours),Medellín (12 hours), Bucaramanga (8 hours), Bogotá (16 hours).