Welcome to Guatapé
The pleasant holiday town of Guatapé is located on the shores of the Embalse Guatapé, a sprawling artificial lake. It is known for the fresco-like adornment of its traditional houses. Brightly painted bas-relief depictions of people, animals and shapes cover the lower half of many dwellings.
Top experiences in Guatapé
Amazing hotels and hostels
We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
Travel guides
Starting at $35.09
Guatapé activities
Full-Day Guatapé (Pueblo de Zocalos) from Medellín
Depart from Medellin in the morning and make your first stop in a small town called Guarne, where you'll Antioquian hot chocolate or coffee and a traditional arepa with homemade farm cheese for breakfast.From there, you'll proceed to a small town called Marinilla, where you'll spend 30 minutes visiting the town square and local historical sites. After that, you'll have another brief stop in the small town of Peñol before arriving at one of the area's top attractions, Peñol Rock (La Piedra del Peñol).There, you'll have the opportunity to climb more than 700 stairs to reach the top of this popular landmark and enjoy sweeping vistas of Guatape Lake and the surrounding mountains. After lunch, your tour guide will lead you on an informative historical walk through the picturesque pueblo of Guatape, visiting Calle de los Recuerdos, Plaza de los Zocalos and the town square and historic cathedral. There is also programmed into the tour free time in Guatape for the visitor to explore the city on their own if desired. Arrive back in Medellin between 6:00pm and 7:00pm depending on highway conditions.
Medellin to El Penol and Guatape Private Full-Day Guided Tour
Our friendly and professional tour guide picks you up at your hotel at 9:00 am. From there you will be transported in a new, comfortable, and private SUV or new spacious vehicle with air condition, tinted windows, and insurance, to the Great Rock of El Peñol, considered by many the best view of the world. Lay back and relax while your completely fluent tour professional delights you with all the intricacies of our land, history, and culture. It's a two hour drive to the town of El Peñol. You will be accompanied by your local, certified tour guide all the way to the top of the rock, making stops along the way to indulge yourselves with incredible views. Our next stop will be in the picturesque town of Guatape, where homes and businesses are intricately brimming with vibrant colors! Two blocks away from the town plaza, we will go to our next destination, the promenade, were you will enjoy a brief stroll, caressed by the cool breeze of the lake. You'll relish lunch in a famous traditional paisa cuisine restaurant with a direct view of the lakes (at your own expense). Afterwards, you will visit the plaza de los zocalos, colonial roads and n the way back we will pass by the phoenix in the town of El Peñol. From there, you pass through Marinilla, Rionegro, Llano Grande, where you will encounter beautiful lands with perfect climates, and appreciate nature intertwined with new dwellings, and much more. Last, you will be dropped off at your hotel at approximately 4:45 pm, depending on traffic and climate conditions. Guests that choose the full tour plus the "Waterfall option" will be dropped off a little later. Book in advance, you don't want to miss out, this tour is a must if you are in Medellin.
Day Trip to Guatapé from Medellín
Spend a day away from Medellín and take a trip by comfortable coach to the beautiful town of Guatapé. Also known as Pueblo de Zócalos, Guatapé is famous for the beautiful pastel-colored paintings found on the lower half of nearly every building in the town's historic center. Explore the picturesque town by foot as you stroll through its cobblestone streets and shop for handicrafts at the local markets.With your guide, head over to the famous El Peñon rock, an enormous monolithic formation and the town's most-visited site. Using the 650-step staircase, climb to the top of this gigantic boulder, whose peak stands majestically at 7,000 feet (2,100 meters) above sea level. You hard work will pay off once you reach the top, where you’ll take in unbeatable views of the landscape below. Relax at the summit and enjoy 360-degree views of the town, the lakes and the mountains. Then, take a break and enjoy a delicious Colombian lunch (own expense) at a local restaurant.Take in spectacular views before hopping back on the coach and driving back to your Medellín hotel.
Antioquia Mountain Towns Tour with Waterfalls from Medellín
Begin with pickup at your hotel in Medellín, then leave the city behind as you drive to a summit with views of the valley on the way to discover beautiful country side and a trio of historic towns. In El Retiro, pause for coffee break, and continue to the giant waterfall surrounded by orchids and lush landscape, where you can stop, walk around and enjoy nature, then continue to Llanogrande and San Antonio de Pereira, where you’ll try a tipical Paisa dish and a selection of the best traditional desserts in our state. Throughout the tour, you’ll enjoy views of evergreen forests and mountain scenery, visit colonial churches and plazas, spot some of Colombia’s opulent villas along the way and stop at the town where slavery ended in the Americas . Exploring Antioquia with a private guide means the tour can be customized to your interests, with time to take in the area at your own pace. Take advantage of your day with a local to learn about Paisa culture, cuisine, and history as you explore. On the way back to Medellín, you’ll follow a route that cuts through real jungle terrain: see the wild side of Colombia close up, and watch for wildlife at the edge of the road. This tour concludes with drop-off at your hotel at roughly 2:00pm. For guests that choose the Guatape and El Penol Rock upgrade option, we will head out to the Giant Rock known for having the best view of the world, have your camera ready to take amazing photos of the lakes, nature, and the enormous monolith. After climbing the rock we will drive to Guatape, a colonial town to see the magnificent church, the most colorful plaza in Colombia/Plaza de Los Zocalos, cobblestone streets, art and charming homes before returning to Medellin at aproximately 6pm
Guatapé and Peñol Rock Full-Day Tour
Your professional guide will meet with you at your hotel and then embark on a personalized tour by an air conditioned car. Tour goes on to El Peñol, a village that was relocated during the past century in order to create this spectacular human made lake called Guatapé. This quick stop will show you a replica of the old Peñol village before its relocation. The massive lake becomes more visible as you get closer to El Peñol rock, a gigantic volcanic eruption considered one of the world´s top ten wildest stairways and the views are quite worth it! Finally, at Guatapé (Zocalo village), it will be the ideal place to enjoy lunch at your own expense while sharing outstanding views of the lake. There are cafeterias and restaurants and we suggest bringing cash since not all shops take cards. At the end of the day, tour heads back to Medellín passing along beautiful towns around the region. Perfect way to contemplate amazing scenarios of Antioquia and take a closer look to local customs and traditions. Stops can be made at your discretion to take photos, get souvenirs or try local snacks. It has already been a pleasure to show you the most fascinating scenarios and traditions of the Paisa culture and our team definitely looks forward to welcoming your family and friends in the near future. After approximately 8-hour of a fantastic journey through cozy villages, your private driver/guide takes you back to your hotel or any other location you feel like.
Full-Day Private Guatape Coffee Villa Tour from Medellin
Begin your tour at 9am as your guide picks you up at your hotel in Medellín. Sit back and relax on the 2-hour drive in a comfortable, private vehicle while your guide shares the stories of the area, history, and culture. Your first stop is at a secluded waterfall where you can take a quick dip. Breathe in the pure air in this rich landscape. Next, visit an organic coffee villa nestled on the top of the Andes mountains. Learn the full coffee process hands-on. Be pampered by an expert coffee guide, who will make you a coffee connoisseur by taking you on a historical voyage through the rich coffee fields. See all of the intricacies and nuances from top quality organic coffee producers. Lose yourself in the intense aura, scent, and heavenly taste of fresh, organic coffee.Enjoy incredible views from the terrace and go for a quick hike around the villa trails. Head out to climb the huge rock of El Penol. Savor paisa dishes as you break for lunch (own expense) in a restaurant near the lake in Guatape. After your meal, explore the town's architecture, churches, restaurants, shops, and colonial style homes. Your tour will end with drop off at your hotel at around 5pm.