Discover Local Santa Marta: What to Do Around Mercure Santa Marta Emile

At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Santa Marta, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?

Santa Marta in 5 picks

Mercado en Bastidas

The everyday market for thousands of samarios, with sections for fish, meat, fruit and grains, and food stalls dishing up lunch at local prices. Less polished than the historic centre, more real.

Centro Histórico

Colonial streets around Parque de los Novios, with colourful façades and a slower pace once the day-trip crowds thin out. Good for a coffee stop away from the beach.

El Rodadero

The city's liveliest beach strip, lined with restaurants — Donde Chucho is known locally for its seafood stew, a dish worth seeking out here.

Taganga

A small former fishing village a short trip from town, with a laid-back, backpacker energy and boats heading out to nearby coves.

Tayrona National Park

A few kilometres along the coast, with beaches backed by jungle. Worth planning as a half or full day out from Santa Marta.

Where to eat
The Caribbean coast means coconut rice, fried fish, egg arepas and plantain in some form at almost every meal. For the real thing, the Bastidas market and the stalls around El Rodadero serve locals first — go with an appetite and no fixed idea of what you\u2019re ordering.
Beyond the beach
Santa Marta is more than its coastline: the Centro Histórico holds the city\u2019s colonial layers, while Bastidas shows you how the city actually eats day to day. Taganga and Tayrona are both worth the short trip out if you have the time.
Right outside your hotel
Mercure Santa Marta Emile sits on the quieter stretch near Pozos Colorados, roughly 20-25 minutes by taxi from the historic centre. It\u2019s a calmer base — close to the beach, and within reach of Tayrona National Park — rather than a walk-everywhere city-centre stay, so plan on a taxi for Bastidas or the Centro Histórico.
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FAQ

No — Mercure Santa Marta Emile is near Pozos Colorados, about 20-25 minutes by taxi from the historic centre. It\u2019s a quieter, beach-side location rather than a downtown one.

It\u2019s just a few kilometres up the coast, making it an easy day trip from the Pozos Colorados area.

The market in the Bastidas neighbourhood is the everyday market for residents, with lower prices and a more community feel than the areas geared toward visitors.

Where to sleep

See Mercure hotels in Santa Marta, all within reach of these picks.

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Where to sleep

See Mercure hotels in Santa Marta, all within reach of these picks

View hotels