El Saladillo is an urban area of Maracaibo, some streets of which have retained their traditional appearance, colourful and well-maintained, despite the simplicity and minimalism of the buildings.

The name El Saladillo comes from its location next to a pair of salt marshes that used to be from the current marina in the port of Maracaibo to the Spanish city bridge (Puente España).

Since there are references to salt marshes dating back to the city's foundation, many researchers suggest that the area of El Saladillo is closely related to the origin of the city.

The first historical record of this area dates back to 1774 when Bishop Mariano Martí made a pastoral visit to the area after he was transferred from the Diocese of San Juan in Puerto Rico to the Diocese of Caracas in Venezuela.

In the XIX and XX centuries, a special style of life adapted to the climatic conditions of the city was developing there. El Saladillo was primarily a place of social, religious, and cultural life. Today, you can still feel and see the indigenous character of the city and its identity in this area of Maracaibo.

In the 1970s, the urban development plan destroyed much of the area: the city needed space to expand transport access to the city center. Today, even though little remains of the original area, several historic buildings have survived, especially in the vicinity of Calle de la Tradición and Calle Carabobo. This small, but very picturesque part of the former Maracaibo has been declared a historically valuable national area, as well as the artistic, cultural, and historical heritage of the city.

El Saladillo is a place filled with traditional tastes, culture, and history. In the Eastern part, on the side of the city port, it borders the quarter of Santa Lucia, which also preserves traces of past eras and the architecture of urban housing. The landmark of the quarter is the Church of St. Lucia, a neat and harmonious сhurch built in the late XIX century in the neo-gothic style.