Santa Marta Old Town & Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino Tour

Walk the streets where Colombia's oldest city earned the name "Pearl of America"

A private full-day tour of Santa Marta's historic old city and Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, the 17th-century hacienda where Simón Bolívar, the father of South American independence, spent his final days. Your local guide meets you at your hotel or cruise terminal and leads you through the city's emblematic landmarks (Parque de Los Novios, Simón Bolívar Park, the Cathedral with Rodrigo Bastidas's tomb) before moving to the hacienda's gardens and patios. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. The tour runs about five hours and involves walking.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Santa Marta Old City and Quinta

• Meet guide at hotel
• Visit Parque de Los Novios and Bolívar Park
• See Rodrigo Bastidas monument
• Tour old city’s main Cathedral
• Visit Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino
• Learn about Simón Bolívar’s life
• Walk through gardens and patios
• Return to hotel

The experience

Santa Marta was called the Pearl of America by the Spanish, and this tour shows you why. You start with a pickup from your hotel or cruise terminal, then walk through the old city's most significant sites: Parque de Los Novios, Simón Bolívar Park, and the monument to Rodrigo Bastidas, the city's founder. The Cathedral holds Bastidas's tomb, a landmark that anchors the city's colonial past. Your guide, fluent in English or Spanish, connects these places to the story of how Santa Marta became Colombia's oldest city.

The second half takes you to Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, a 17th-century hacienda set outside the city proper. This is where Simón Bolívar, who liberated much of South America from Spanish rule, lived out his final years and died. The grounds sprawl across enormous gardens and patios shaded by mature trees: a quieter counterpoint to the walking you've done in town. You move through the hacienda at a pace that lets you absorb both the architecture and the weight of the history it holds.

The tour wraps with a return to your hotel or terminal. Walking is steady throughout, but the itinerary suits all fitness levels. All-risk insurance is included in the price, and your guide handles the logistics of moving between sites.

What’s included

• All-risk insurance.
• hotel pickup and drop-off (or cruise terminal pickup).
• expert local guide in English or Spanish.
• access to Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino and Santa Marta's old city landmarks.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English or Spanish6 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00

Guide in English or Spanish08:00, 09:00, 10:00 and 11:00

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (4 to 75 years) · Under 4: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gran Colombia Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're arriving by cruise or based in Santa Marta and prefer a private full-day format that covers both the colonial old city and Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino in one outing.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino?

Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino is a 17th-century hacienda outside Santa Marta where Simón Bolívar, the liberator of South America, spent his final years and died. The estate features large gardens and shaded patios and is now one of Santa Marta's most visited historical sites.

Do I need to arrange my own way to the tour starting point?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included whether you book from your lodging or from a cruise terminal. Your guide meets you at the location you select at checkout.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

The tour is a walking tour throughout, covering the old city's landmarks and the grounds of Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino. It suits all fitness levels, though you should be prepared for steady movement over the five-hour span.

Is there time for lunch during the tour?

Lunch is not included in this tour. You'll want to plan accordingly or bring something with you, especially since the day spans about five hours.

Can I book this tour if I'm arriving by cruise ship?

Yes. At checkout, select "Tour from Cruise Terminal" as your pickup point instead of a hotel address, and your guide will meet you there.