Santa Marta: Colombia's Oldest Colonial City
Santa Marta — founded in 1525 — is the oldest surviving European city in South America; the historic centre's colonial architecture, the Simón Bolívar connection, and the Caribbean waterfront combine in Colombia's most historically significant coastal city
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Foundation 1525
Santa Marta was founded on July 29, 1525 by Rodrigo de Bastidas - the first permanent European settlement on the South American mainland; the city's age, colonial square and cathedral give it a historical weight absent from Colombia's other Caribbean cities
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Cathedral Basilica
Santa Marta Cathedral – begun in 1766 on the foundations of an earlier church – is Colombia's oldest cathedral in continuous use; the simple colonial facade, the cool interior and the tombs of early governors create a tangible connection to the Spanish colonial era
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Death of Simón Bolívar in Santa Marta
Simón Bolívar – the liberator – died in Santa Marta on December 17, 1830 at the hacienda San Pedro Alejandrino; The hacienda, now a museum on the outskirts of the city, is the most important pilgrimage site for Bolívar in South America
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Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino
The hacienda where Bolívar spent his last weeks – surrounded by mango trees that he is said to have passed under – is preserved as a monument; the bedroom where he died, the furniture and the botanical garden create an intimate historical encounter
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Malecon Waterfront
The Santa Marta malecon — the renovated bayside promenade — is the city's social heart; the evening activity, the Caribbean breeze, the fishing boats and the Sierra Nevada backdrop make it one of Colombia's best urban boardwalks
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Historic district of El Prado
The El Prado neighborhood of Santa Marta—with its 19th- and 20th-century Republican architecture—is a compact historic district; the restored facades, small squares and restaurants in colonial buildings are the best of Santa Marta's urban offerings