![]() Walking or riding your bicycle around the city’s flat streets is an easy and inexpensive way to keep active. If your definition of retirement means staying active, eating well, enjoying cultural events, and soaking up natural beauty, then Santa Marta will check all these boxes and more. Known as The Liberator, Bolívar is the most revered historical figure in Colombia. La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, one of Colombia’s most treasured museums and historical landmarks, is the site where Simón Bolívar died in 1830. Boasting nearly 400 bird species and 60 species of mammals, the park is a nature-lover’s paradise. ![]() The unspoiled beaches and tropical forests in this National Nature park are world class. Parque Tayrona, one of the most popular attractions in Colombia, is only 40 minutes north of Santa Marta. The sounds of salsa, vallenato, and classic rock serenade you as you stroll along the cobblestone streets or stop to sit on one of the benches made just for two. Restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and bakeries surround the plaza. Santa Marta is quickly becoming a sought-after destination for both tourists and retirees.Ī few blocks between the beach and the historic district is Parque de los Novios (Lover’s Park), the heart of Santa Marta’s entertainment area. With a population of 500,000 residents, Santa Marta is half the size of the more well-known city of Cartagena. Pressed between the Caribbean Sea and the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountain lies Santa Marta, South America’s oldest surviving city. There are 400 species of birds in the park, including one hundred remarkable species that attract birders from around the world.Santa Marta is a Haven for Sun and Sea Worshippers ![]() The park covers 46 square miles of land and twelve square miles of ocean and has four types of forests. Shortly after enjoying ourselves on the beach and savoring a lunch of fried fish and patacones, we checked Playa Desnuda off our list as well.Īlong our hike, José explained that the park is divided into four sections: Bahía Concha, closest to the city Neguanje, which is accessed by the Manzanares River Pueblito, the park’s own archaeological zone, now closed by order of the indigenous communities and Cañaveral, the most popular, with its picturesque ecohabs, accessed by El Zaino. Our hike took us past Cañaveral, Arrecife, Arenilla, Piscinita, and Guachaquita to the cape and a kiosk atop a rock offering an incredible cinematic view. Tayrona National Park, which was officially named in 1964, has more than 16 coral beaches, some with turquoise waters, some placid, and others very dangerous for swimming. Our day ends at the international marina, which adds a cosmopolitan flair to the city. It runs parallel to the bay that is famous for the best sunsets in Colombia. We finish up at the Bastidas Boardwalk, an expansive half-mile oceanfront sidewalk with bike paths, trees, and recreation areas. Inside the museum we are amazed by the gold and ceramics found in the Sierra Nevada. Next, we visit Parque Bolívar, built in honor of the Liberator, who shortly before his death spent six days in what was then the Customs House and today is the Tayrona Museum. From here we venture on to Parque de Los Novios, where we hear about restaurants helmed by well-known chefs, boutique hotels in old colonial mansions, and bright nights filled with live music. The city’s founder, Rodrigo de Bastidas, is buried here, as was Bolívar the Liberator before his remains were sent to Caracas. Our visit begins in the recently paved Plaza Catedral. Bars and restaurants place tables outdoors under shady trees, lending an international air to the city. Tree-lined parks have been equipped with urban outdoor furniture and the old streets, many now restricted to pedestrian traffic, are lined by colorful houses with wooden balconies, perfect for people-watching. ![]() Santa Marta, despite its status as Colombia’s oldest city, has a fresh glow about it, thanks to the restoration undertaken over the last decade. Although “La Loca” -or “The Madwoman,” as the locals refer to Santa Marta’s seasonal ocean breeze- will blow the hat off your head, it also cools the air to a comfortable tropical temperature. The star of our walk through the historic city center was the breeze. Several major streets are now restricted to pedestrian traffic only and a new oceanfront boardwalk in place. Downtown Santa Marta’s recent renovation included restoration of Parque San Miguel and Parque de Los Novios as well as the iconic Catedral and San Francisco squares.
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