Santa Marta

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.  It was founded on July 29, 1525 by a Spanish conqueror called Rodrigo de Bastidas, accompanied by some two hundred of his men and a few Amerindians, who named the city after the Catholic day for Saint Martha, which in Spain was celebrated with festivities.

However many historians argue that he named it after the Spanish city of Santa Marta de Astorgas, which he had also visited.  It was one of the first cities to be founded in Colombia.  The first one was Santa Maria la Antigua del Darien.

El Libertador (The Liberator of the Americas) Simon Bolivar died at a ranch named Quinta de San Pedro Alejandro on the outskirts of Santa Marta on December 17, 1830.  Built in the 17th century, this was his last home.   Today, it is a house/museum in his honour.

Pearl of the Americas.  Santa Marta an important commercial port and tourist destination. Everyday there are cargo ships coming and going and the action is very much visible.  From the beach, the view of the Caribbean Sea is more or less to the west (beautiful sunsets) with a huge rock of an island jutting up out of the water to make a somewhat dramatic effect.  Off to the right is the port snug behind another even bigger rock.  This is a decent beach if you like beaches that are right in town with lots of people, vendors, and noise.

History

Prior to the Arrival of Spanish explorers, the area where Santa Marta lies was inhabited by Amerindians from the Tairona (Tayrona) culture, and its subsequent families: Arhuacos and Koguis, amongst others.

With the founding of Santa Marta, the Spanish colonization moved swiftly with the conquering of lands in and around this region.  Administrative functions for the colony were set up here including a maritime port and the construction of defences to prevent pirate raids.

During the course of the Colonial times the city started losing its importance as a maritime port to the nearby city port of Cartagena.

During the mid-19th century, French, English and North American immigrants along with some locals started to introduce industrial methods of production and founded trade associations amongst industrialists and farmers.  As a result, they soon built railways to connect productive networks.

In 1871, the University of Magdalena was founded, initially with two faculties: law and medicine.

During the 20th century the city served as a main port for massive exports of bananas and coal, produced inland with the assistance of major multinational corporations.

In 1968 the government decentralized the Port Authority, leaving Santa Marta with its own Port Authority (Capitania de Puerto).

In recent years, the warm climate along with the possibility of occasional work serving the tourist industry has increased the city’s population dramatically.

Tourism

Tourism has its peak during December to January and another peak during the Easter week.  The district of Rodadero is the favorite resort of Colombians together with Cartagena and San Andres.  The recently renovated downtown of Santa Marta with its blend of colonial and republican architecture attracts more and more visitors every day, amongst them several cruise ships a week.  Downtown, Santa Marta is also building its own international marina that will be inaugurated 2011.  In this way Santa Marta hopes to attract international sailing boats especially during the hurricane season since Santa Marta is protected from hurricanes by the surrounding mountains.

Las Fiestas del Mar (The Festival of the Sea) is celebrated on a yearly basis in this city.  It serves as a tourist attraction during the midyear vacation period.  One of the main events in the festival is the jetski show organized by Santa Marta Esqui.  There are beauty pageants, parades and parties in the city.  The Festival’s slogan is “Santa Marta, la magia de tenerlo todo”, which translates as “Santa Marta, the magic of having it all. 

• The Cathedral is a national monument built in 1766; it held the remains of Simon Bolivar until 1842.
• La Casa de la Aduana (Customs House) is the oldest house of America, built in 1530.  Today it is the Tayrona Museum.
• Madame Agustine House is a jewel of colonial architecture.
• San Fernando Fort: built by Spanish conquerors to protect the city from the pirates, it is a fine example of colonial military architecture.
• Port of Santa Marta is now one of Colombia’s most important maritime ports.
• Tayrona (Tairona) National Nature Park, located 34 km north of Santa Marta, is the most important ecological reserve in Colombia.  It has camping zones, virgin beaches and tropical forests.  The park also has its own archeological site called Pueblito (also known as Cahirama), and it is one of the 200 pre-Colombian cities discovered near Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
• Quebrada Valencia is a majestic waterfall emerging from the depths of the rain forest.
• Taganga is an authentic fishing town.  It is known as a great place for scuba diving and has beautiful beaches nearby.
• The Mamancana Natural Reserve: This natural reserve offers the chance to see wildlife in its natural habitat as well as practice extreme sports such as paragliding, rock climbing, and canopying.
• Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum is an aquarium with a dolphin and sea lion show.

(Playa del Cabo, Tayrona Park)

Sports

The town has a football (soccer) team, ‘Union Magdalena’ nicknamed El ciclón bananero (The Banana Cyclone).

Santa Marta is the birthplace of Carlos Valderrama, Colombia’s most famous football (soccer) player.

Getting there

The Simón Bolívar airport (same name as the one in Caracas, Venezuela) has non-stop flights from Bogota and Medellin.  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).  If you’re arriving from abroad, check if your luggage will be unloaded in Bogota, even if airlines promise they´ll send the bagage directly to Santa Marta.

The bus station is all the way out of town on the main highway (15,000 pesos [approx] to the beach by taxi).  Some charge tourists 10,000.  To avoid this, you should fix the price before you get into the taxi;-).  Mini-bus 1200 Pesos.  Bus journeys are available from:

• Cartagena (3.5 hours)
• Barranquilla (2 hours)
• Medellin (12 hours).
• Bucaramanga (8 hours).
• Bogota (16 hours).

Places to see

Museo del Oro, Calle 14 No.2-67 (on plaza Bolivar).  Displays a collection of precolumbian pottery, a nice collection of gold and a scale model of Ciudad Perdida.  Free entrance.

Simon Bolivar’s grave, (Take a bus for 1,000 COP or taxi for 4,000 COP). 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”. Entrance 10,000 COP.

Things to do

The nearby coral reefs provide good opportunities for scuba diving.

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.

Party with Mr. Donado, he’s a local resident also known as “The King” of Santa Marta. A successful business leader, but very outgoing and would be happy to take visitors out for drinks. You can usually find him on the beach during summer time, or at the top local bars.  His son (also popular) is Javier Donado.

Things to buy

Santa Marta is famous for its beach sellers, there are always people wandering up and down the beach selling a range of things.  The beaches in the northern suburb of El Rodadero have aggressive sellers.  Take this as an opportunity to haggle.  Try to aim for 2000-3000 Pesos at least below the asking price.