View from El Peñól de Guatapé
Medellín is one of the most visited cities in Colombia, and for good reason. The weather is nearly perfect, staying around 75 degrees all year, which allows for a rich diversity of flora and fauna to thrive there. The people are very friendly and welcoming towards tourists. The city has a rich history which has helped give rise to its impressive arts scene. It’s no wonder why Medellín draws visitors from all over the world.
With all of these great things that Medellín has to offer, you may be wondering why you should commit to taking a day trip to Guatapé. Keep reading and I’ll let you know why!
El Peñól
Located two hours east of Medellín, Guatapé, also known as “El Pueblo de los Zócalos”, is a must-see destination for a few reasons. The first reason is to experience El Peñól, a giant monolithic granite rock that towers 650 feet high. This rock is an extremely impressive landmark from a distance, but is even more formidable as you approach it. About 5 minutes before arriving to the city of Guatapé, you can make a turn and take a path toward El Peñól by horse, tuk-tuk, or on foot.
Once you get to the base of El Peñól, you will see a street lined with colorful buildings that serve as restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops. As expected, the food prices are inflated to take advantage of the extra money brought by tourists, but they are still very reasonable.
When you are ready to climb El Peñól, you have to go through a short queue line and pay 20,000 Colombian pesos, which is a little less than $5 USD, to start climbing the rock. If you don’t feel like getting your exercise in, there are also helicopter tours available to give you an aerial view of El Peñól.
Food
You can find some delicious food at Guatapé. Once you have reached the top of El Peñól (probably breathing hard and sweating a little), you’ll probably want to rest at the top and enjoy the 360 degree view for a while. Luckily, there are shops that sell food and refreshments and plenty of areas to sit. A lot of the food is snack food, similar to what you would find at a gas station or convenience store. However, you will also find typical Colombian food and drinks. I ordered guanábana juice while at the top of El Peñól, and stopped by a restaurant for food once I descended. I ordered grilled trout – my second favorite way to eat fish. I enjoyed the freshly caught fish while admiring my view of the lake.
El Pueblo de los Zócalos
Now that you have experienced the views and food at El Peñól, it’s time to see the town of Guatapé. To get there, you just need to hop into a colorful tuk-tuk and pay a couple thousand Colombian pesos (about $1 USD) for the short trip to the town.
You’ll arrive in Guatapé after just a few minutes. You will soon realize why it is considered the most “colorful” town in Colombia. Every building, staircase, and balcony railing is painted in bright colors, which makes everywhere you turn look picturesque. And visitors take advantage of it. There was a set of colorful stairs where I counted about 75 people in line, waiting to take photo.
If you plan on visiting Guatapé for a day trip, you will likely explore the town for a few hours before heading back to Medellín. If you are spending at least a night in Guatapé, there are other activities you can do, such as taking a boat tour or hiking to La Casuela waterfall. You can even do a dinner cruise on the lake. I have not experienced this particular dinner cruise, but they are usually a worthwhile experience.
Enjoy Guatapé!
