Santa Marta is rich with Colombian history, but it is also very hot and humid! I was a hot mess after my tour! It was one of those days when I could not wait to get back on the air-conditioned bus!
I love touring cities around the world, but I’m just no good in high humidity and Papua New Guinea and Singapore, seem so long ago! If you can handle the heat on high with 100% humidly you will enjoy sightseeing in Santa Marta.
Anyway, back to Santa Marta! Santa Marta was the first Spanish settlement in Colombia and founded by Rodrigo de Bastidas in 1525. Santa Marta is the oldest city in Colombia and the second oldest city in South America.
While I was in Santa Marta I visited the Cathedral of Santa Marta, the Gold Museum, San Pedro de Alejandrino Villa and we watched a traditional Colombian Folkloric Show.
Cathedral of Santa Marta
The cathedral was built-in 1529 and it was the first church in the city of Santa Marta. It is a grand whitewashed building with a dome with stained glass colourful windows. It holds the ashes of the city’s founder Rodrigo de Bastidas.
Gold Museum
Gold Museum is inside a colonial mansion, which was the old customs house. It has a collection of pre-Colombian artefacts of Tayrona gold and pottery. Before the Spanish conqueror, Rodrigo de Bastidas founded Santa Marta the South American Tayronas lived in the area.
San Pedro de Alejandrino Villa
In 1830 Liberator Simon Bolivar spent his last days and died in the San Pedro de Alejandrino Villa. Simon Bolivar was the man that tried to unite all Spanish America together.
The Villa is now a national monument to the memory of Bolivar. At the ranch, you can walk through and see the quarters where Simon Bolivar lived and some of the furniture from that time is still there. On the site, a large memorial building was built-in 1930.
Folkloric Show
At the end of our tour, we watched a traditional Colombian folkloric dancing show. The dancers were dressed in traditional Colombian costumes.
Santa Marta is a beautiful colourful city and here is some useful info:
- Wear lightweight clothing and a hat
- Sunscreen and insect replicant is a must
- Weather 27*C – 37*C
- Currency: Colombian Peso (US Dollars are accepted)
- Language: Spanish
Happy Travels
Love Lucy x
