| Santa Marta | |||
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| Nickname(s): America's Pearl (La Perla de America) | |||
 Municipality (dark gray) City (red) |
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Santa Marta
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| Coordinates: 11°14′31″N 74°12′19″W / 11.24194°N 74.20528°W | |||
| Country |  Colombia |
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| Region | Caribbean Region | ||
| Department | Magdalena | ||
| Foundation | July 29, 1525 | ||
| Founder | Rodrigo de Bastidas | ||
| Named for | Martha | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Juan Pablo Diazgranados Pinedo (Liberal) | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 2,393.35 km2 (924.07 sq mi) | ||
| - Urban | 55.10 km2 (21.27 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 6 m (19.68 ft) | ||
| Highest elevation At Pico Cristóbal Colón | 5,775 m (18,946.85 ft) | ||
| Population (2005)[1] | |||
| - City | 415,270 | ||
| - Density | 173.5/km2 (449.3/sq mi) | ||
| - Urban | 385,122 | ||
| - Urban Density | 6,989.5/km2 (18,106.3/sq mi) | ||
| DANE | |||
| Time zone | Colombia Standard Time (UTC-5) | ||
| Twin Cities | |||
| - Miami Beach | United States | ||
| Website | http://www.santamarta.gov.co/ | ||
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 Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, 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 María la Antigua del Darién.
El Libertador Simón Bolívar died at a ranch named Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino on the outskirts of Santa Marta on December 17, 1830. The city has been affected to some extent by the Colombian Armed Conflict.
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Prior to the Arrival of Spanish explorers, the area where Santa Marta lies was inhabited by Amerindians from the Tairona culture, and its subsequent families: Arhuacos and Koguis, among others.
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. However, many historians argue that he named it after the Spanish city of Santa Marta de Astorgas, which he had visited.[2] With its foundation, the Spanish colonization also started the conquering of lands from this region, and the set up of administrative functions for the colony, including a maritime port and the construction of defenses to prevent pirate raids.
During the Colonial times the city started losing its importance as maritime port to nearby city port of Cartagena.
During the mid-19th century, French, English and North American immigrants along with some locals started to introduce industrial ways of productions and founded trade associations among industrials and the farmers. As a result they built railways which would 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).[3]
In recent years, Santa Marta has attracted large numbers of people displaced by the paramilitary groups operating in the area. The warm climate and the possibility of occasional work serving the tourist industry has increased the city's population drastically.
Temperatures in the city of Santa Marta ranges from 18.65 to 31.15 degrees Celsius at sea level, but the Municipality of Santa Marta stretches up to the highest snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Rainfall in this region varies from 12 to 975 mm per month.
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."
Santa Marta has one sister city:[4]
The town has a football (soccer) team, Unión Magdalena nicknamed El ciclón bananero (The Banana Cyclone).
Santa Marta is the birthplace of Carlos Valderrama, Colombia's most famous football (soccer) player, Carlos Vives, as well as Johan Vonlanthen, a Swiss international.
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Santa Marta is a city in the Costa Norte region of Colombia.
Pearl of the America. 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. Vendors are rather aggressive if you are on the beach. Speaking of expenses, there is a high season and low season. High season is more December thru April.
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).
The bus station is all the way out of town on the main highway (3,000 pesos to the beach in taxi, some charge tourists 10,000). Mini-bus 1000 Pesos. Bus rides are available from:
Streets are numbered the beach can be considered "Carrera 1" or 1st St., and the first street is usually "Carrera 1A" or 1A St. The next street after the first row of buildings is Carrera 2 or 2nd St. Calles are streets running from north to south. Unlike bigger cities in Colombia, taxis do not run on a meter. payments range from 3500 pesos for a "lift" (usually a ride no more than 10 minutes) to upwards of 20,000 pesos, depending on where you go. If you meet someone who 'knows' a taxi driver, this can be a good opportunity to negotiate a price to your next checkpoint in Colombia. Some drivers will take you as far as Barranquilla, although you have to negotiate.
Santa Marta is famous for its beach sellers. someone can go to the beach 365 days a year, there are always people wandering up and down the beach selling anything. The beaches in the northern suburb El Rodadero have aggressive sellers, take this as an opportunity to haggle. Usually aim for 2000-3000 Pesos below the price asked.
There are a lot of eating options. They seem to be good at roasting and grilling chicken. They do a good job of grilling beef tough but flavorful. Seafood is plentiful and relatively inexpensive lots of shrimp and seafood cocktail vendors. Most varieties of fruit are available even what is more common to cold climates. At night street vendors sell all types of snacks pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, shakes, kabobs, rice in milk with coco, fried stuffed doughy things, etc.. Coffee, hot chocolate, and both hot cinnamon and lemon is omni-present.
Street Food:
It would be good idea to take a couple of "Stubbie Coolers" (Australian vernacular for an item which keeps the beer in your bottle cooler or longer) as the heat in Taganga will have you drinking warm beer by the time you are at the end of your drink.
Crab's Bar - a fun rock n' roll bar. The Colombian owner (who is a spitting image of Neil Young) used to own a large rock club in Bogotá, but he sold it to settle down here. Every evening he VJ's videos of all the great classic rock bands. Friendly staff, great vibe, nice décor. Calle 18 No. 3-69 (between Carr 3 & 4). www.crabsbar.com
The drink of choice is, of course, beer. Because Santa Marta can get brutally hot during the summer (upwards of 35 C/95F), it is a good idea to constantly have a bottle of water with you. During the evenings, when it gets cooler, beer and friends is often an excellent combination.
Soft drinks can be found at nearly every restaurant - sometimes you can even pick it up in glass bottles. They are cheap: a Drink usually costs no more than 1,000 COP.
Ask about Ben´s Bar on the Beach. Barrio Samario, La Puerta, and El Garage
If you are looking for a place to stay, there are somewhat more expensive hotels. 10th street is less expensive. These include:
There are many, many small hotels on 10th street and up that are quite cheap and good. Generally the ones not listed in the guidebooks are a better value. The area of 10th - 13th st. between Carr 1 (the beach) and Carr 5 is the cheapest area. Crossing Parque Bolivar to Calle 15 and above is where the next step up in hotels are located. Still inexpensive, a bit better quality and roomier.
Nearby are interesting little towns.
| This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow! |
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   | DIMAR: Port Authority of Santa Marta - Dimar - Portal Maritimo Colombiano |
| | iGoNative - Colombia Travel Guide - iGoNative |
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