What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Santa Marta, Colombia.
Photo: JohnEGo! / Pexels
Santa Marta is a coastal city in Colombia with about 505,915 people. It mixes beach time with history and mountain trips. In the Historic Centre you can see the cathedral, the Gold Museum Tairona and the Malecón on foot. El Rodadero suits families who want the beach, and Taganga draws backpackers and divers. Minca, in the Sierra Nevada foothills, suits nature lovers. The best months to visit are December to March.
Most city sights take 1–2 hours or less. Add a full day for Minca and half a day each for Taganga and El Rodadero. If you want to trek to the Lost City, plan 4–6 extra days.
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
A multi-day guided trek through rainforest to the stone terraces of an ancient Tayrona settlement, older than Machu Picchu. The walk is hot, humid and muddy, with river crossings. Tours start from Santa Marta.
Mamatoco
The country estate where Simón Bolívar spent his last days and died. The site has the old hacienda house, a monument to Bolívar, a modern art museum and shady gardens.
Historic Centre
A colonial customs house, now a museum run by the Banco de la República. It shows gold work and pottery from the Tayrona culture and explains the Indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada. It is a good starting point before a trip to the Lost City.
Historic Centre
A large white colonial cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Colombia. It is an easy stop while you walk through the old town.
Sierra Nevada foothills
A small mountain village above the city, with cooler air, coffee farms, waterfalls and good birdwatching. Many visitors come for a day trip, while others stay a few nights in the hills.
Taganga
A fishing village in a bay just north of the city, popular for diving and snorkelling courses. Boats leave from its beach to quieter coves nearby.
El Rodadero
The city's main beach area, south of the centre, with a long sandy beach lined by hotels and restaurants. It gets busy with Colombian holidaymakers and is the easiest beach to reach from town.
Historic Centre
A seafront promenade along the city's bay, with views of the port and the sunset. It is a popular place for an evening walk when the heat drops.
Historic Centre
A small square in the old town, surrounded by restaurants and bars. It is the centre of Santa Marta's evening life and a good place to eat out.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Sea temp | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best month: January | 30°C / 25°C | 2 days (8 mm) | 11.1 h/day | 27°C | 8.7/10 |
| Best month: February | 30°C / 25°C | 2 days (7 mm) | 11.4 h/day | 26°C | 8.8/10 |
| Best month: March | 30°C / 25°C | 2 days (12 mm) | 11.6 h/day | 27°C | 8.8/10 |
| April | 31°C / 26°C | 7 days (51 mm) | 11.2 h/day | 27°C | 8.0/10 |
| May | 31°C / 26°C | 14 days (98 mm) | 10.4 h/day | 29°C | 7.1/10 |
| June | 30°C / 26°C | 18 days (146 mm) | 10.5 h/day | 30°C | 7.0/10 |
| July | 31°C / 26°C | 17 days (94 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 29°C | 7.0/10 |
| August | 31°C / 26°C | 19 days (135 mm) | 10.7 h/day | 30°C | 7.0/10 |
| September | 30°C / 26°C | 19 days (121 mm) | 10.4 h/day | 30°C | 7.0/10 |
| October | 30°C / 25°C | 23 days (183 mm) | 9.9 h/day | 30°C | 7.0/10 |
| November | 30°C / 25°C | 18 days (151 mm) | 9.9 h/day | 30°C | 7.0/10 |
| Best month: December | 30°C / 26°C | 6 days (28 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 28°C | 8.2/10 |
Dry and sunny, with highs of 29.7°C, just 2.3 rain days and 11.1 hours of sun a day. Scores 8.7, one of the best months.
Very dry, with highs of 29.8°C, 1.7 rain days and only 7 mm of rain. The sea is 26.3°C. Scores 8.8, a best month.
The fewest rain days of the year at 1.5, highs of 30°C and 11.6 hours of sun. Scores 8.8, a best month.
Still a best month at 8, but rain returns, with 7.2 rain days and 51 mm. Highs reach 30.7°C.
The wet season starts, with 14 rain days and 98 mm. Highs of 30.5°C and a 29.1°C sea. Scores 7.1, rated good.
Rain is frequent, with 18.1 rain days and 146 mm. Highs of 30.3°C and a 29.7°C sea. Scores 7, still rated good.
Less rain at 94 mm, but still 16.7 rain days. Highs of 30.7°C and 10.9 hours of sun. Scores 7, rated good.
Wet, with 18.7 rain days and 135 mm. Highs of 30.7°C and a warm 29.6°C sea. Scores 7, rated good.
Rain days climb to 19.3 and the sea is at its warmest, 30.2°C. Highs of 30.4°C. Scores 7, rated good.
The wettest month, with 22.9 rain days, 183 mm of rain and only 9.9 hours of sun. Highs of 29.8°C. Scores 7, rated good.
Still wet, with 18.4 rain days, 151 mm and 9.9 hours of sun. Highs of 29.7°C and a 29.6°C sea. Scores 7, rated good.
The dry season returns, with rain days down to 5.8 and 28 mm of rain. Highs of 30.2°C. Scores 8.2, a best month.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Colombia →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, food, nightlife
The old colonial centre has the cathedral, the seafront promenade and most of the city's restaurants and bars, all within walking distance. It is also the easiest base for buses and tours to Tayrona and Minca. Streets can be hot, crowded and noisy at night, and the city beach here is not the best for swimming.
Good for families, beach time
A resort district south of the centre with a long sandy beach, high-rise apartments and plenty of casual places to eat. It is popular with Colombian holidaymakers and good if you want to swim and relax. It gets very busy in national holiday periods, and you need a taxi or bus to reach the old town.
Good for backpackers, divers
A former fishing village in a small bay just north of the city, known for dive schools and boat trips to nearby beaches. The mood is laid-back and budget-friendly. It can feel run-down in places, and some travellers report petty crime, so take care at night.
Good for couples, quiet stays
A calmer beachside area near the airport, south of El Rodadero, with resorts and apartment buildings along the sea. It suits travellers who want space and pools more than city life. It is far from the old town and has few places to walk to in the evening.
Good for nature lovers, birdwatchers
A small village in the cooler hills of the Sierra Nevada above the city, surrounded by forest, coffee farms, rivers and waterfalls. It is a good escape from the coastal heat and a base for hiking and birdwatching. Roads are steep and rough, and you are far from beaches and city services.
Mashed green bananas mixed with butter and salty costeño cheese, often topped with hogao, a tomato and onion sauce. It is a classic breakfast in Santa Marta and the wider Magdalena region.
A whole fried fish served with arroz con coco, patacones (fried green plantain) and salad. Locals eat it at lunch in beachside restaurants, especially in Taganga and El Rodadero.
A corn arepa fried, split open, filled with an egg and fried again. It is a common street snack across Colombia's Caribbean coast, sold from stalls in the morning and evening.
A torpedo-shaped yuca fritter stuffed with minced meat or cheese. People buy it from street vendors and bakeries, usually for breakfast with coffee or juice.
Ground yuca wrapped in corn husks and boiled. Street vendors sell it, and locals often eat it with costeño cheese at breakfast or as a snack.
A sweet, slightly sour juice made from the small red fruit of the corozo palm. It is a typical cold drink on the Caribbean coast, served with lunch.
The best time to visit is December to March. These months have the highest scores, from 8.2 in December to 8.8 in February and March. February and March are the driest, with only 1.5–1.7 rain days and 7–12 mm of rain. Days are hot, with highs around 30°C, and you get up to 11.6 hours of sun a day.
October is still a good month, but it is the wettest of the year. It has 22.9 rain days and 183 mm of rain on average. It also has the fewest sun hours, at 9.9 a day. On the plus side, highs stay at 29.8°C and the sea is very warm, at 30.1°C.
The rainy season runs from May to November. Rain starts to build in April. From May to November there are 14 to 22.9 rain days a month and 94–183 mm of rain. Rain eases in December, which has 5.8 rain days. The heat hardly changes, with highs between 29.7 and 30.7°C all year. The wetter months still score 7 or more.
The sea is warm all year, between 26.3°C and 30.2°C. It is coolest in February and warmest in September and October, at about 30°C. From May to November it stays at 29.1°C or higher, so swimming is still pleasant in the wetter months.
It depends mainly on the Lost City (Ciudad Perdida) trek, which takes 4–6 days on its own. Without the trek, plan a full day for Minca and half a day each for Taganga and El Rodadero. The Gold Museum Tairona in the Historic Centre and Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino in Mamatoco take 1–2 hours each.
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