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The malecón in the historic city center of Santa Marta, Colombia, is a seaside promenade that runs for about 10 blocks from north to south. There’s a small but dirty beach and several street vendors along the way.
All along the promenade are statues of the indigenous Tairona people.
Rodrigo de Bastidas Monument
At the northern end of the malecón, where Parque de Bolívar meets the sea, is a monument dedicated to Rodrigo de Bastidas. He was a Spanish conquistador and founder of Santa Marta, and is buried in the Santa Marta Cathedral.
Marina
At the southern end of the malecón is the marina. If you walk along the marina, there’s another small beach. There’s also a pier extending out into along the marina with restaurants.
Quinta Campo Serrano
Finally, at the southern end of the malecón facing the marina is the Quinta Campo Serrano. This historic mansion was built around 1920 by Santa Marta mayor Manuel Julián de Mier Aldama. Its design was based on French castles and it was originally called El Castillo. In 1936, the governor of the department of Magdalena, Joaquín Campo Serrano Riascos, purchased the house and gave it its current name. The house has hosted important visitors to the city and has also been used for commercial purposes.
