SANTA MARTA, COLOMBIA

The oldest city in Colombia, founded in 1525 by a Spanish Conquistador, it is is located on the northern coast of South America in a beautiful bay of quiet Caribbean waters. Before the arrival of the Spaniards, it was populated by native groups of Indians that included the Karib & the Arawak. Among the indigenous inhabitants, the Tairona had the most complex social, economic, religious and political organization; they also developed an intricate and advanced system of terraces and irrigation to support their agriculture.

Nowadays, the economic impact of the region’s banana plantations has been surpassed by an increasing number of tourist activities that are enhanced by the city’s exuberant tropical vegetation, topographical contrasts and emerald-colored ocean.

POINTS OF INTEREST

El Rodadero, an important tourist center located 8.5 miles from Santa Marta. Clear waters have turned it into a favorite destination for tourists who enjoy sailing and scuba diving; a large hotel infrastructure offers a wide range of accommodations.

Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, three miles from the city, was built in the XVII century. In 1830, it was the dying place of Simon Bolivar, Liberator of the Americas, whose personal belongings are on display.

Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta rises to peaks as high as 17,325 feet. Flora and fauna range from rain forest to high Andean plateaus. Abundant samples of the Tairona culture can be observed at the famous archeological site of the Lost City.

Tairona National Park, 28 miles from Santa Marta, covers an extension of 15,000 acres, strategically located between the sea and the mountains. The Park is a beautiful natural reserve with fishing towns, white sand beaches and coral reefs.