Human-made but adorned by nature, the spectacular Embalse de Guatapé, a two-hour drive east of Medellín into the mountains, is one of Colombia’s most attractive lakes. Formed when the Río Nare was dammed in the 1970s to create hydroelectric power, the immense waterway is set among magnificent countryside – you can explore these waterways, climb a 220m-high rock and take in the area’s zócalos, all from the colorful little vacation town of Guatapé.
Time to Rock
On the road into the town overlooking the lake is the immense Piedra del Peñol, a 200m-high granite monolith that dominates the landscape. You’ll spot the rock from the highway well before you arrive – it juts out from the gently rolling green hills like an Andean Sugarloaf Mountain.
You can climb to the top for wonderful 360-degree views of the reservoir and the surrounding countryside. A brick and concrete staircase with 740 steps rises up through a broad fissure in the side of the rock to the summit, where there are some snack bars selling fruit juice, ice cream and salpicón (fruit salad in watermelon juice), which hit the spot after the tiring ascent.
Sightseeing in Guatapé
To the east, Guatapé has a wide waterfront that’s busy with Medellín day-trippers. The town center is famed for zócalos, colorful fresco-like adornments on the exterior walls of its houses which re-create scenes of daily village life. The best examples are a block south from the main square on the Calle del Recuerdo, a cobblestone street that angles uphill.
Living the Lake Life
Guatapé is also the best place to organize sightseeing boat trips out on the lake. Large multi-level party boats have bars, big sound systems and even dance floors but don’t travel particularly far, generally sticking around in the deeper waters in front of town. They are a great way to make friends with visiting paisas, but if you’re more interested in sightseeing, consider taking one of the smaller boats with outboard motors, which visit a number of lakeside attractions.
The standard circuit visits an island in the middle of the lake and La Cruz, a monument to the town of Viejo Peñol, which was submerged when the reservoir was filled. Most also call at the Museo Casa del Viejo Peñol (free), a 200-year-old house that was the only building from the old town above the waterline. It houses photographs of how the town looked before the river was blocked. Note that while in protected waters, the paddling is generally straightforward; however, in open waters where the winds are strong, it can be hard going.
Pedal Pushers
The area around Guatapé is also popular for cycling. The most popular trip is the downhill run from the town to San Rafael. Only hardcore riders try to pedal back up – most load their bicycle onto one of the frequent returning buses. There are also a number of nearly traffic-free dirt roads branching out from town that are great for leisurely exploration.
