Let me tell you about the darling city of many Colombians: Santa Marta. While asking for recommendations I was told time and time again by many Colombians that Santa Marta was a must-go. Some even suggested skipping Cartagena altogether. You need not to do that, though! While both are coastal colonial cities, they are amazing in their own unique ways and you don’t have to pick one over the other. I say have your Colombian arepa and eat it too!
I spent a little over 48-hours in Santa Marta and that was all the time needed to explore and fall in love with this city. Santa Marta has so much to offer, including amazing hotels, a charming and well-preserved historic city center and it’s in close proximity to many natural wonders.
Here’s my guide to Santa Marta, Colombia:
WHERE TO STAY
I stayed at Casa de Isabella, a Kali Hotel. This beautiful boutique hotel is located in the historic center. The building of Casa the Isabella was originally built in the 18th century. The space is lovely and highlights the magic of the past.
This hotel is also big winner for the excellent customer service. The attention to detail of the staff is impeccable and since the hotel only has 9 suits, they really get to know you and treat you like family. They definitely have a real “mi casa es su casa” attitude.
The hotel might be a colonial building, but it has all the comforts from our modern times. A personal favorite was the complimentary breakfast that you can choose to have in your room or out on the second floor terrace. And there is also a rooftop pool open until late.
The location of Casa de Isabella was also ideal, because in addition to being in the historic city center, it’s in close proximity to important landmarks. Let’s talk about that next.
WHERE TO EAT
Just a block away from Casa de Isabella is El Parque de Los Novios where you can find plenty of bars and restaurants. I went to Donde Chucho for dinner on my first night there. This seafood restaurant is a local favorite. I started off with a nice shrimp ceviche and for entree I went for the cazuela de marisco (seafood soup.) It was hearty and flavorful and comes with a nice mix of shrimp, mussels and calamari.
A little less traditional, but also a great option in Parque de Los Novios is Radio Burger. This was the home of the first radio station in Santa Marta and they pay homage to this with a decor that includes antiques radios and in naming some of their menu items after radio stations from Colombia and around the world.
The burgers were pretty tasty and fresh and I personally loved the fact that they bake their bread every morning on site. Ah! They also make a pretty good mojito, too, so keep that in mind as you eat dinner and get in the party mood.
WHAT TO SEE & DO
Now that you have seen Parque de los Novios, go to La Marina next. I saw one of the most incredible sunsets there. Aren’t nature’s color absolute perfection? No filters necessary. There are also restaurants, bars coffeeshops and plenty of shops where you can buy local art and souvenirs. Morano Coffee is a great option here to sip some delicious (and strong) Colombian coffee.
On the other side of town and about a 10-minute cab ride is Rodadero Beach. It is definitely worth checking out for a glimpse of a true Colombian nightlife. It was like a block party out there with groups of people playing vallenato in every other corner. It was the holiday season and people were for sure in the spirit.
Santa Marta also has a rich history and we dedicated our last morning to learning more about it. We went to La Quinta de San Pedro de Alejandrino. It was there where El Libertador Simón Bolívar took his last breath. Today the the property is home of the Santa Marta’s botanical garden making for a colorful stroll.
I highly recommend your joining one of the guided tours led by local university students. Our tour guide was engaging and made an otherwise boring walk pretty informative and cool. There is no additional fee for the tour, so instead you can tip the guide at your discretion… It’s a pretty good tour, so hopefully your discretion is generous 🙂
The final stop we made was The Cathedral of Santa Marta, which is said to be the oldest church in Colombia. This was the last resting place of Simón Bolívar for the first 13 years after his passing. His remains were eventually exhumed and taken to his native country of Venezuela — his last wish.
The City of Santa Marta was truly magical and a great destination for vacation. You can be laid back if you want or make it your next party central. There’s something for everyone.
And there is more! On my next post I will tell you about our day hiking at the National Park of Tayrona. If I didn’t convince you to add Santa Marta to your list of cities to visit the post on Tayrona should do just that.
Hasta pronto,
Paloma
Paloma Veloz 
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