Guatapé (Medellin, Colombia)

About a 2-hour drive from Medellín by bus or car is Guatapé, a kaleidoscope of a town known for its vibrant fresco-like adornments called Zocolas located on the bottom of the houses. But before getting to the town, you need to make a stop.

LA PIEDRA DEL PEÑOL

La Piedra is a 220-meter high rock located two kilometers away from Guatapé. Once you get there, you just have to pay the entrance fee and climb 740 steps to get to the top of the gigantic granite rock. Yes, you read that right, 740 steps! But if this 85-year-old can do it, anyone can.

Once on top, you’ll quickly forget the pain you just experienced because of this view.

GUATAPÉ

Guatapé, which means "of stones and water," is named after the chief of the indigenous people who inhabited the land before the Iberians’ arrival in the sixteenth century. The municipality was formerly reliant on agriculture and farming, until things started to change in the 1970s with the construction of a massive hydroelectric dam. The reliance is now on tourism.

Every year (pre-Covid), tourists from all around the world flocked to experience the most colorful town in the region and be captivated by the Pueblos de Zocolas.

The Zocolas, or works of art at the base of the houses, depict aspects of village life, the trade of the family who occupies (or occupied) the houses, and pretty much whatever else the owner wants depicted – no two houses are the same! Wandering about the town and looking at all the Zocalos is a wonderful treat.

How to get to Guatapé

The cheapest way to get to Guatapé is by bus from Medellín. You can catch buses at the north bus terminal in Medellín, located at the Caribe metro station. The bus tickets are inexpensive. Unless prices have changed, the cost should be about 15,000 COP (approximately 5 USD). The blog called Half Half Travels gives great directions on how to catch the bus to Guatapé from Medellín.

All hotels and hostels in Medellín will offer the option of a day tour to Guatapé. The cost depends on where you are staying. I stayed at a backpacker’s hostel, and I paid a lot less than the other individuals on my tour, who were all staying at different accommodations. I paid 80,000 COP (approximately $23). The tour package included lunch which sadly was not very good.

The cost for a taxi from Guatapé to Medellin will be based on the taxi you hire, but you should expect to spend between 95,000 to 123,000 COP (approx. 27 to 35 USD).

#Colombia

#Medellin