While in Mompox, we decided to take an ecological cruise down the Magdalena River to the Ciénaga de Pijiño, a large swamp.
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.
The main plaza in the historic city center of Santa Marta is Parque de Bolívar. It’s a long stretch of trees and shrubs followed by a large open space. There are some important buildings surrounding it.
Cathedral Plaza (Plaza de la Catedral) in the historic city center of Santa Marta, Colombia, dates back to the late 18th century. It contains some of the most beautiful buildings in the city.
A very popular place to visit in Santa Marta is Parque de Los Novios. It has a few monuments in the middle, but the main attraction is the restaurants with outdoor seating.
Santa Marta has a good selection of hotels for all budgets. I’ve stayed at a few of the hotels in the historic city center on my trips to the city.
If you’re looking for an amazing place to stay near the main entrance to Tayrona National Park, Villa María Tayrona will exceed your expectations.
One of the highlights of Santa Marta is paying a quick visit to the Carlos “El Pibe” Valderrama monument, which is located a bit out of the way of the historic city center. It’s the most visited monument in the city.
One of the most beautiful natural areas in Colombia is Tayrona National Park (Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona). It sits just outside of Santa Marta, covering 150 km² of land and coastline with trails, incredible beaches, coral reefs, and several species of plants and animals.
One of the best places to visit in Tayrona National Park is Cabo San Juan del Guía. It’s only reachable on foot. You can visit on your own or take an organized hiking tour to La Piscina and Cabo San Juan. We’ve done it both ways.