The beautiful town of Guatapé is an excellent day trip from Medellín. Taking in the breathtaking views from the top of El Peñol and admiring the colourful buildings while strolling through cobblestone streets is an experience not to be missed.
How to get there
Guatapé is a short two hour bus ride east of Medellín and is easy to get there on your own. Simply take the metro to Caribe station, then follow the signs for the north bus terminal (across a pedestrian bridge). Once inside, walk to counter 9 or 14 to buy your ticket. Buses leave every 20 minutes and cost COP$14,000 per ticket.
Arrival
The bus will pick up and drop off other passengers along the way at various locations on the side of the road. You have two options as to when to get off. You can get off the bus at Stone of El Peñol (beside a Zeuss gas station) or in the town of Guatapé at the bus terminal. We chose to disembark at Stone of El Peñol and go to town afterwards.
El Peñol
Upon getting off the bus, you can take a ride to the entrance or take a 5 minute walk up the hill. Once you arrive at the entrance, you are required to pay COP$18,000 per person. Although the price seems a little steep, it’s definitely worth the cost of admission when you reach the top. After walking up the 659 stairs, you’ll be rewarded with a stunning panoramic view of Guatapé Lake and the surrounding area. There are vendors at the top and and bottom of the rock, but the prices are extremely high. We recommend bringing your own snacks and water to avoid paying the tourist-trap prices.
Guatapé
After visiting El Peñol, we took a short 30 minute walk into town (you can take a bus or tuk tuk if you do not want to walk). It is easy to spend a few hours exploring and admiring the colourful buildings and narrow roadways.
There are plenty of places to eat, grab a coffee and people watch. We had a delicious “menu del día” on the patio of a local eatery beside the church in the main square. After our meal, we bought our return bus ticket to Medellín. The bus terminal is located behind the tourist information building found in the main square.
Although we only one day in Guatapé, there are other activities to take part in, such as kayaking, ziplining and water activities in the Comfama park or in the surrounding lake region.
Disclosure: Please note that this site may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.
Be First to Comment