Guatapé

Culinary & Nightlife

Spend a day visiting the municipality of Guatapé, the city of many names: known variously as the interior sea of Antioquia, the Acapulco of Colombia, the interior Cartagena, Paraíso Paisa (paradise country), Remanso de Paz (haven of peace) and the heart of Antioquia's East, the city was actually named in honor of Cacique Guatapé, an inhabitant of this territory in the pre-Hispanic period. Spend a day visiting this growing and colorful city, made unique by the decorative tiles adorning the lower facade of the houses. For the third part of the day, enjoy a 1-hour boat tour through the reservoir with crossover music. See panoramic views of Casa Museo, La Cruz, Piedras del Marial, Piedra del Peñol and the ruins of the Pablo Escobar's vacation home. Throughout the whole day, you'll be accompanied by a knowledgeable guide. Please note that the order of the itinerary may vary.

Depart Medellin early in the morning. Enjoy a scenic drive to the Piedra del Peñol. You’ll have 1.5 hours to climb the 742 steps to the top of the historic rock and return to the base.  If you do not want to climb to the top, there is plenty to do at the base, with many shops selling local artisanal goods and many cafés as well. Enjoy a traditional lunch at the Piedra del Peñol or along the boardwalk in Guatapé. Take a guided tour of Guatapé, and then board a boat for a cruise on the Guatapé Reservoir. You will then start the return journey back to Medellin.

After being picked up in Medellin, drive for 1.5 hours to the eastern Antioquia municipality of Guatapé. Once there, take a 1-hour boat tour through the reservoir. Soak up panoramic views of Casa Museo, La Cruz, Marial Rock, El Peñol Rock, and the ruins of Pablo Escobar's vacation home. Then, climb the 740 steps to reach the top of the Rock of Guatapé or Piedra del Peñol, a 220-meter (722-foot) high monolith surrounded by abundant water and vegetation. At the summit, delight in magnificent 360-degree views of the spectacular landscape and Guatapé Dam, built in the lands of the old municipality of Peñol in the 1970s. Next, visit Guatapé, a growing and colorful city made unique by the decorative tiles adorning the lower facades of the houses. Replenish your energy with a lunch of rice, beans, fries, salad, and a choice of pork, chicken or beef, with a refreshing drink included. Return to Medellín after and be dropped off at your hotel.

After being picked up from Medellin, drive for an hour and a half to the eastern Antioquia municipality of Guatapé.  Enjoy a guided tour through the town, where you will pass by the Casa Museo panorama, La Cruz, Piedras del Marial, Piedra del Peñol and the Ruins of the Hacienda La Manuela by Pablo Escobar. Discover a world of color among its streets, adorned with baseboards that tell stories of the town and its people.  Take a 1-hour boat tour through the reservoir. Visit Marinilla where you will see the Church of Mary Help of Christians, and the town of Zócalos. Climb the 740 steps to reach the top of the Rock of Guatapé or Piedra del Peñol, a monolith which reaches 220 meters high.

Discover Guatape on a private, customizable tour by car from Medellin. Visit a coffee farm, walk up the mighty Rock of Guatape, and walk through vibrantly colorful village streets during your tour. Your guide will explain the culture and the history of the region, so you end your day full of local facts. Meet your guide at your hotel in Medellin and sit back and relax on the roughly 2-hour-long car ride to Guatape. Once there, stretch your legs with a walk through town. See the Main Square with its intricate white and red Cathedral, the colorful Plazotela de Los Zócalos, the Street of Memories, and more. Then, go on a 40-minute coffee tour, where you get a better understanding of the whole process of Colombian coffee, all told by the same farmers in the region. Next, climb up the 700 stairs to the top of the unmissable, 220-meter-high Rock of Guatape that looms over the town. Enjoy panoramic views of the Peńol reservoir from its peak. Best of all, as this is a private tour without any time restrictions, you can stop whenever you want and tailor the tour to suit your needs and preferences.

Your friendly, licensed and perfectly fluent tour guide picks you up at your hotel at 9:00. From there you will be transported to a new, comfortable vehicle with air-conditioning, tinted windows and insurance. It's a 2-hour drive to the private coffee villa, so lay back and relax while your certified coffee expert guide delights you with all the intricacies of our land, history and culture. Ypur first stop is at a secluded waterfall where you can take a quick dip and allow the falling water to massage your body, or just recharge your batteries and be in total bliss, while breathing in pure air surrounded by rich landscape. Next, you'll visit the organic coffee villa nestled on top of the Andes mountains, where you will learn the full coffee process hands on, surrounded by nature, exotic flowers and fruits. Guests will enjoy unparalleled views from the terrace and can go for a quick hike around the villas trails. Leaving the villa, head out to climb the huge rock of El Penol and enjoy the best view of the World from the top! Your taste buds will be delighted while you savor succulent, Paisa dishes with gusto, as we break for lunch in a clean restaurant juxtaposed to the lake in Guatape! After a delicious meal, Guatape's colorful town plaza will enthrall and fascinate you with all it's charming, vibrant edifices, stunning architecture, church, restaurants, cute shops, souvenir stores, colonial style homes with opulent balconies adorned with flowers hovering over you, and much more! Lastly, you will be dropped off at your hotel at approximately 17:00, depending on traffic and climate conditions. Book in advance, you don't want to miss out, this tour is a must if you are in Medellín!

To start with, the tour guide will pick you up from your hotel before you head to the east area of the region, enjoying the beautiful landscapes on the way. The total transfer time is 90 mins.  The first stop is the replica of el Peñol, a little town that was flooded in the late seventies to build the Dam in this region. Then you will have an amazing and informative coffee experience. Learn about the history of the coffee, collect coffee like a farmer, learn about all its processes, taste coffee, and learn how to differentiate between good and bad coffee.  After enjoying a delicious coffee, you will have the energy to climb up Peñol Rock. When you get to the top, you'll be able to enjoy the best panoramic views of the region. The last stop will be Guatape, which is a beautiful colourful town and a site that, due to its uniqueness, has become one of the must-see destinations for those who travel to Antioquia.