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 Pueblito
Located
within the Tayrona
Natural National Park,
access to it is gained
by a climbing
picturesque stone road
that introduces the
visitor to a world
where he can observe
the vestiges of a
great culture that
expressed the
magnitude of its
cosmology through its
pottery, stone
carvings and goldwork.
You can reach the site
by driving along the
main Caribbean highway
to the place called
Calabazo and from
there continue on foot
or by horse on a
3-hour ride. You can
also start from the
place called
Cañaveral, pass by
Arrecifes and continue
on the 15 kilometer
stone-paved road.
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Founded
by Rodrigo de Bastidas in 1525, Santa Marta is
the oldest city in Colombia. It treasures
among its riches architectural relics
preserved in its cobblestoned houses,
overhanging balconies, churches and military
fortresses such as Isla del Morro and two
batteries called San Fernando fort and the
ruins of Bonda fort, which protected the city
from attacks by corsairs.
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Access |
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You
can reach Santa Marta by air, arriving at the
Simón Bolívar airport. By land, via the
paved coastal Atlantic highway leaving
Bogotá, 597 miles (964 kilometers) away, and
passing through the cities of Tunja and
Bucaramanga, also worth a visit. By sea,
vessels arrive at the port, your starting
point to explore the city and enjoy its
attractions.
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Tourist Attractions |
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 Cathedral
Also
known as the minor basilica, it was built of
stone masonry by architect Diego Rueda in
Roman Renaissance style. Its belfry with an
onion-shaped top is noteworthy. Inside the
church, you can admire remarkable sacred
images sculpted in Carrara marble by 17th
century architects. Additionally, its
mausoleum contains the ashes of Don Rodrigo de
Bastidas, founder of Santa Marta, and for some
years before they were moved to Caracas, it
housed the remains of General Simón Bolívar.
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 Quinta
de San Pedro Alejandrino
Three
miles (5 km) away driving along the Avenida
del Libertador, this beautiful hacienda built
in the 17th century still preserves the house,
sugar mills, distilleries and stables,
surrounded by large patios and lovely gardens.
Simón Bolívar, The Liberator, spent his last
days in this country house, where he died on
December 17, 1830. It was declared a Sanctuary
of the Nation and turned into the Bolivarian
Museum. It displays a collection of Bolivarian
art and objects from the pharmacy of Reverend,
private physician of The Liberator.
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 Customs
House
Declared
a national monument for its state of
preservation and significance, it is the
current seat of Banco de la República’s
Gold Museum, which houses a varied collection
of pre-Columbian pottery and metalwork made by
the Tayrona culture, whose vestiges are found
close to the city.
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 El
Morro and Punta de Betín
El
Morro, a rocky promontory across the Santa
Marta bay, was used as a strategic point for
the defense of the city. Its ruins were used
during the times of the independence clashes
as a prison for Creole insurgents. Punta
Betín, at the north of the city, was the
emplacement for four artillery pieces.
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 El
Rodadero and Taganga
Close
to Santa Marta are the beaches of El Rodadero
and Taganga. The first one, a tourist resort
par excellence, with calm waters and white
sand beaches; the second one, a small fishing
village where the ideal conditions are given
for water sport fans to practice swimming,
sailing and scuba diving.
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