Santa Marta

Santa Marta is South America's oldest European-founded town and the second-most-important historic city on Colombia's Caribbean coast. Santa Marta does hotels, restaurants and bars well, and it's located near a slew of superb destinations perfect for day trips. The climate is hot, but the heat here is drier than in Cartagena, and the evening sea breeze keeps the city cool after dark.

The Santa Marta Cathedral Is A National Monument Built In 1766 Which Held The Remains Of Simon Bolivar Until 1842.

©traveler1116/Getty Images

Book
Colombia Travel Guide
Book

Colombia

Shop $28.99 USD
Trip
Colombia's Lost City: Trekking Through Ancient, Treasured Terrain
7 days / 6 nights

Colombia's Lost City: Trekking Through Ancient, Treasured Terrain

App
Lonely Planet App on a phone
Brand New!

Get the Lonely Planet App

World Nomads travel insurance
Trusted Partner

Dreaming of Santa Marta? Protect your trip

Travel with confidence. Protect your trip and your wallet.

We don’t represent World Nomads, we receive a fee from quotes using this link. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.

Book your Colombia trip with Lonely Planet Journeys

See Colombia how it's meant to be seen

Planned by local experts and tailored to you, Lonely Planet Journeys handles the logistics so you can just enjoy the trip. Tell us what you want and we'll build your Colombia itinerary from scratch, or browse our bookable trips to get inspired.

Get a book. Get inspired. Get exploring.

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Santa Marta

Lonely Planet may earn a commission from affiliate links on our site. All recommendations and reviews reflect our own independent opinions.