Santa Marta celebrates 500 years: discover its cultural agenda, commemorative events, and tourist attractions.
This year, 2025, marks the 500th anniversary of Santa Marta, a destination that combines history, folklore, nature, culture, and indigenous traditions. Over the next few weeks, the city will be the epicenter of celebrations highlighting its rich heritage, tourist attractions, and fundamental role in Colombia's history.
As a strategic port, Santa Marta was a hub for indigenous, European, and African cultures. Photo: José Fernando Martínez.
Founded by Rodrigo de Bastidas in 1525, Santa Marta, known as the "Pearl of America," was the first city established in South America by Spanish colonizers. Since then, it has served as a gateway: in the past, to other Colombian regions; and today, to tourist attractions such as Tayrona National Natural Park, Taganga, Minca, and the Sierra Nevada.
The city has managed to preserve its heritage while consolidating its position as one of the country's most important destinations. At 500 years old, it invites locals and visitors to celebrate a history that lives on in every street, beach, and community that lives and travels through it.
Discover some of the highlights of the 'Pearl of America,' both in urban and rural areas:
Sun and beach One of the most popular things to do for tourists when visiting this city is the beaches. Beyond El Rodadero and Taganga, there are other options such as Playa Cristal, Playa Blanca, Cabo Tortuga, and Bahía Concha , ideal for those looking to engage in extreme and water sports, as well as connect with nature.
Santa Marta offers travelers and visitors a variety of beaches. Photo: Juan Ignacio Vives Lacouture.
One of Santa Marta's most striking attractions is its fusion of the Sierra Nevada mountains and the sea. This city is the gateway to two impressive and biodiverse ecosystems:
- Tayrona National Natural Park, which allows travelers to trek along ecological trails, learn more about the local flora and fauna, and relax on beaches such as Arrecifes, Cabo San Juan, and La Piscina.
- Also located here is the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta , the highest coastal mountain range in the world and home to indigenous communities such as the Kogui, Arhuaco, and Wiwa. From there, you can access the Lost City, an archaeological site that offers one of the most iconic tours in South America.
Tayrona National Natural Park is a place that combines jungle, mountains, and sea. Photo: Procolombia.
As part of Santa Marta's 500th anniversary celebration, you can't miss visiting the city's most iconic sites. Some of them include:
- Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino : house museum where the Liberator Simón Bolívar died, surrounded by gardens and historical monuments.
- Minor Basilica Cathedral of Santa Marta : the oldest church in Colombia, renowned for its colonial architecture.
- Historic Center : a place full of lodging, museums, restaurants, nightlife, crafts, mansions with Republican architecture, the Parque de los Novios and the tourist boardwalk, ideal for seeing the Morro de Santa Marta and the sunset.
Santa Marta offers a cuisine that delights with flavors from the Caribbean region. Photo: MinCIT
Museums, theaters, and festivals bring the city to life, so some of the following options are also not to be missed:
- Tairona Gold Museum (Customs House) : a space dedicated to the pre-Columbian and colonial history of the region.
- Santa Marta Theater: stage for cultural and artistic events celebrating the Colombian Caribbean.
- Don't miss guided cultural tours to communities such as the Kogui, Arhuaco, Wiwa, and Chimilas.
- Festivals and celebrations. This year, the city will have a special agenda with parades, concerts, exhibitions, and food shows to celebrate its 500th anniversary.
In the surrounding area of Santa Marta, you can enjoy various adventure and nature activities, such as:
- Visit Minca , with natural attractions such as Pozo Azul and the Marinca Waterfalls.
- Explore the Tayrona Corridor , ideal for those who can't make it to the park.
- Explore beaches like Casa Grande, Los Ángeles, Mendihuaca, and the Don Diego River, where you can enjoy activities like tubing, paddleboarding, and kayaking, as well as visit indigenous settlements.
- Discover places like Buritaca, Guachaca and Quebrada Valencia , which combine nature, culture and adventure.
Minca seeks to offer nature tourism lovers an experience full of contrasts. Photo: Camila Villamil Navarro
In addition to promoting Santa Marta's tourist attractions, commemorative, cultural, and artistic events will be held in the city. Below, we share some of the highlights:
The stage act and concert "The Heart of the World" will take place on El Rodadero Beach. Photo: Kronos Agency
International Seminar “Afro-Reparations in the Caribbean”
An academic and cultural space organized by Black, Afro-Colombian, Raizal, and Palenquero communities. It will address topics of identity, resistance, and building possible futures from a Caribbean perspective.
It will take place at the historic Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino. The festival will bring together cultural, artistic, and reflective expressions on peace, memory, and heritage.
This special edition of the event will include cultural, sports, culinary, and musical activities. Highlights include:
- Free concerts on the waterfront, featuring artists such as Carlos Vives, Grupo Niche, Elder Dayán, Mr. Black, and Diego Daza.
- Hay Festival – Special Edition: Featuring local, national, and international voices to reflect on history, culture, and development.
- CAF (Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean) Summit , which will be hosted by Santa Marta.
- IXEL Moda Itinerante: a platform that, within the framework of Colombiamoda 2025, will connect the fashion industry with the region through runways, exhibitions, and discussions.
Central day of commemoration
- Payment and Symbolic Ceremony with Indigenous Peoples. The communities living in the region will lead a symbolic ceremony. These ceremonies seek to recognize the sacred connection with the territory and honor the communities displaced after the Spanish founding.
- Performing event and concert "The Heart of the World." An experience celebrating the history, biodiversity, and cultural richness of Santa Marta will take place on El Rodadero Beach. Local, national, and international artists will participate, including Los Hijos de la Sierra, A Ritmo de Mujer, Adriana Lucía, Systema Solar, Bomba Estéreo, and the Aragón Orchestra, among others.
ANGIE RODRÍGUEZ - TRAVEL EDITORIAL - @ANGS0614
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