Santa Marta

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Why visit Santa Marta?

Santa Marta is a port city on the Caribbean coast of northern Colombia. Founded by the Spanish in 1525, it is one of the oldest surviving cities in South America. It lies between the sea and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the highest coastal mountain range in the world.

Tayrona National Natural Park, east of the city, has jungle trails leading to beaches such as Cabo San Juan and Arrecifes. The multi-day trek to Ciudad Perdida, the Lost City, leads through the mountains to the terraced remains of an ancient Tayrona settlement. In the hills above the city, the village of Minca is known for coffee farms, waterfalls and birdwatching. The Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino is the estate where Simón Bolívar died in 1830 and is now a museum and garden. In the historic center, the white Cathedral of Santa Marta and the Gold Museum (Museo del Oro Tairona) are worth a visit. The fishing village of Taganga and the beach area of El Rodadero are nearby. Fried fish with coconut rice and patacones is a local staple.

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Everything for your Santa Marta trip

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Local partners in Santa Marta: Club del Sole · ICON Collection · Baglioni · COMO · UNA Italian Hospitality

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Popular experiences in Santa Marta

The things travellers book most here. You pay the same price as booking direct.

🍽️Food & drink tours👨‍🍳Cooking classes🚌Day trips⏭️Skip-the-line tickets🚶Walking tours🌙Evening & night tours🛥️Boat trips & cruises🎫Tickets & events

Top tours & activities in Santa Marta

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When to go to Santa Marta

The best months for Santa Marta are December, January, February, March, July and August. Highs then sit around 30°C, and a week here is affordable.

Jan
30°
low 25°
3 wet days
Feb
30°
low 25°
1 wet days
Mar
30°
low 25°
1 wet days
Apr
31°
low 26°
7 wet days
May
31°
low 26°
14 wet days
Jun
31°
low 26°
18 wet days
Jul
31°
low 26°
16 wet days
Aug
31°
low 26°
19 wet days
Sep
31°
low 26°
19 wet days
Oct
30°
low 25°
23 wet days
Nov
30°
low 25°
18 wet days
Dec
30°
low 26°
6 wet days
Highlighted = best monthsNumber = average daytime highBar = how wet the month is

Temperatures and wet days are measured, not estimated: ERA5 reanalysis for 2021-2023, at Santa Marta, Magdalena Department. Source: Open-Meteo.

Planning Santa Marta

Best time to visit ColombiaMonth by month, measuredWhere to stay in ColombiaWhich area suits youHow many days you need (Colombia)What fits in a short or long stay

Santa Marta — common questions

When is the best time to visit Santa Marta?

The best months for Santa Marta are December, January, February, March, July and August. Highs then sit around 30°C, and a week here is affordable.

What is the weather like in Santa Marta?

April is the warmest month, with daytime highs around 31°C. January is the coolest, around 30°C by day and 25°C at night. October is the wettest, with about 23 wet days. Figures are measured averages, not estimates.

What is Santa Marta known for?

Santa Marta is best known for beaches, nature, history and adventure. The things people come for: Tayrona park, Lost City trek, Minca coffee, Bolívar's Quinta.

Who is Santa Marta best suited to?

Santa Marta works particularly well for backpackers, groups of friends, couples and solo travellers. That is based on what there is to do there, not on who books it most.

What can you book in advance in Santa Marta?

The experiences that sell out first are food tours, cooking classes, day trips, skip-the-line tickets, walking tours and night tours. You can check availability and prices on our booking partners below — you pay the same as booking direct.

Food toursCooking classesDay tripsSkip-the-line ticketsWalking toursNight tours

Do I need a visa for Colombia?

That depends on your passport and how long you are staying, so there is no single answer. TonyPlan has a visa and entry checker — put in your nationality and it tells you what applies to you.

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Get the Santa Marta guide as a PDF

Why to go, the best months with real measured temperatures, which area to stay in, and what flights cost right now — in one file you can read on the plane. Free.

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