Guatapé Town of Zócalos and Colour Plan your trip

Ten ways to experience Guatapé

This is not a list of attractions: these are ten different ways to spend a day here. You can do one in a morning or string several together over three days — which is exactly why Guatapé cannot be done in an afternoon.

10experiences
58different things to do

Eat your way through

Food

Here food is not only food: it is landscape, memory and craft.

Dishes that keep the paisa seasoning, coffees that tell you where the bean came from, international cooking in conversation with regional ingredients, desserts that surprise, and lighter options that respect the land.

  • Arepas, chorizo, egg and avocado served on a wooden table.

    Paisa comfort food

    Traditional Antioquian dishes with Guatapé seasoning: bandeja paisa, trout and home cooking.

  • A café-bar in Guatapé on the shore of the reservoir, with its open counter and woven lamps hanging from the eaves.

    Good coffee

    Single-origin craft coffee, brewed with speciality methods for a full sensory experience.

  • A plate of international cooking with salmon, salad and two cocktails.

    Around the world

    A curated selection of international cooking: Italian, Thai, Turkish, Mexican and more.

  • A chocolate and sweet shop with a striped awning and bicycles at the door.

    Something sweet

    Traditional and signature desserts to finish the route with flavour and imagination.

  • A fruit bowl with granola, banana and mango on a blue plate.

    Plant-based

    Vegetarian, vegan and lighter options with local ingredients and balanced dishes.

Registered restaurants and cafés are listed in the Business Directory.

Farm and countryside

The countryside

The rural side of Guatapé, which almost nobody sees.

Farms, crops and the families who keep the knowledge of this land alive. For anyone who wants to understand where their food comes from.

  • Red and green coffee cherries on the branch, on a coffee farm in Guatapé.

    Coffee tour

    From the plant to the cup: aromas, flavours and the knowledge behind every bean.

  • Cacao pods, beans and chocolate on a wooden table.

    Cacao tour

    Growing cacao and processing it by hand, from harvest to finished product.

  • Avocados ripening on the tree, among green leaves.

    Avocado tour

    The groves and the fieldwork that make the harvest possible. A way to get close to country life.

  • Rural landscape of Guatapé at sunset, with El Peñón in the background.

    The Anillo loop

    The whole rural territory: landscapes, farms, small businesses and country shops. The route is being developed with the CampoVivo agritourism farm, in the village of Quebrada Arriba.

The rural operators who run them are listed in the Business Directory.

Out on the water

The water

The Peñol–Guatapé reservoir is still water between mountains: no swell, no current and no salt.

That is what makes any board sport easy to learn, and what turns an afternoon afloat into the best plan of the trip.

  • Isla de la Fantasía on the reservoir, its buildings among the trees.

    Isla de la Fantasía

    Landscapes and viewpoints on a trip across the reservoir.

  • Historic black and white photograph of old El Peñol before the flooding.

    Old El Peñol

    The town that ended up under the water. A place heavy with history and memory.

  • Aerial view of the La Manuela peninsula on the reservoir.

    La Manuela

    A natural setting to rest, sail and sit looking at the landscape.

  • A jet ski crossing the reservoir.

    Jet ski

    Speed and adrenaline across the reservoir.

  • A man wakeboarding behind a boat.

    Wakeboarding

    A board, a rope and the boat's wake.

  • A person lifted above the water on a flyboard, with El Peñón behind.

    Flyboard

    Literally rising above the water. Pure adrenaline.

  • An angler lifting his catch from a boat on the reservoir.

    Sport fishing

    A quiet day on the water, for anyone after the opposite of adrenaline.

  • Brightly coloured kayaks on the still water of the reservoir.

    Kayaking and paddling

    Explore the reservoir at your own pace, no engine and no noise.

  • A small sailing dinghy with two crew crossing the reservoir.

    Dinghy and keelboat sailing

    The reservoir from a different angle, moved by nothing but the wind.

  • A water bike on the reservoir, with El Peñón in the background.

    Water bike

    A different way to spend an hour, easy for anyone.

From a scenic cruise to the adrenaline of water sports.

Mornings are best: the water is flat and nobody is out yet.

The water sports operators at the waterfront are listed in the Business Directory.

Heritage and the town

The town

Guatapé is an open-air museum.

The zócalos, the façades, the murals, the sculptures and the historic sites tell how a town built its identity through art and memory. It is the experience that explains all the others.

  • A relief zócalo reproducing the houses and the church of the town.

    Zócalos city tour

    The colours, the symbols and the stories each family painted at the foot of its house.

  • Façade of the Museo del Zócalo, painted with the name of Guatapé among zócalos.

    Museo del Zócalo

    The origin, meaning and evolution of the element that defines the municipality's identity.

  • Sculptures and masks on display in a room of the History Museum.

    History Museum

    Objects and stories that bring you closer to Guatapé's memory.

  • El Peñón de Guatapé seen from the air, surrounded by the reservoir.

    Climbing El Peñón de Guatapé

    Climb one of the destination's icons and see the whole reservoir from the top.

  • A brightly painted motochiva in front of the church in Guatapé.

    Motochiva city tour

    The main sights, streets and views aboard the most Guatapé form of transport there is.

  • A large-format mural on a façade in Guatapé.

    Mural tour

    Street art that fills the streets with colour and tells the culture, nature and identity of the territory.

  • Display cases at the Anticuario with everyday objects from the past.

    A visit to the Anticuario

    Objects, pieces and keepsakes from different periods of local life.

Registered heritage guides are listed in the Business Directory.

Adventure

Adrenaline

Mountains, rock formations, country roads and a reservoir of sixty-five square kilometres.

The setting is there; all you have to choose is how to cross it.

  • Brightly coloured bicycles lined up on a street of zócalos, ready to hire.

    Cycling routes

    Country roads and landscapes on two wheels.

  • A climber in a helmet working up the rock face.

    Rock climbing

    Strength and skill in natural settings that few destinations have so close by.

  • Three quad bikes crossing a wooden bridge beside the reservoir.

    Quad bikes

    Country tracks and rural settings aboard a quad bike.

  • The reservoir and El Peñón seen from a helicopter in flight.

    Helicopter flight

    The territory from the air: El Peñón, the peninsulas and the arms of the reservoir on a short flight.

  • Slides and the water area of Parque Comfama beside the reservoir.

    Comfama Recreation Park

    Activities and spaces to enjoy as a family.

Adventure operators are listed in the Business Directory.

Nature and walking

Nature

Country trails, viewpoints, waterfalls and natural settings.

For anyone who wants to walk, explore and breathe, with no other plan than that.

  • Panorama of the reservoir and the mountains from the Mirador San José.

    Mirador San José

    The whole municipality in a single view, with El Peñón in the distance.

  • A waterfall among rocks and vegetation.

    Cascadas de la Repetidora

    Water, greenery and landscape in a natural setting to explore.

  • Green valley with pasture and mountains at Altoverde.

    Altoverde

    A place to walk and connect with the biodiversity of the territory.

  • Rural landscape of Guatapé at sunset, with El Peñón in the background.

    The Anillo loop

    Country roads, landscapes, farms and other ways of experiencing Guatapé.

Nature guides are listed in the Business Directory.

Crafts and making

Handmade

The trades, the techniques and the hands that hold up Guatapé's identity.

Here you do not just look: you learn, you paint and you take home something you made yourself.

  • Visitors painting their own zócalo at a workshop table.

    Paint your own zócalo

    Learn the tradition of the zócalos and create your own panel, using the symbols of the municipality. It is the experience that best explains what this town is about.

  • A ceramic cup painted with a diamond-pattern zócalo.

    Ceramics school

    Making and modelling techniques, taught by the people who practise them.

  • Local makers' stalls at an open-air fair.

    Makers' fair

    Products, crafts and ideas from local makers.

  • Façade of La Casa Amarilla, a painting school and gallery, with blue zócalos.

    La Casa Amarilla

    A space given over to art, creativity and the cultural life of Guatapé.

  • A relief façade with coloured figures, work by the Galería Orralí.

    Galería Orralí

    Artwork and pieces that reflect the talent of this territory.

Workshops and artisans are listed in the Business Directory.

Faith and heritage

Faith and heritage

Faith, history and architecture meet the landscape here.

A side of Guatapé that the day visitor almost never gets to see.

  • The wooden altar of the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen.

    Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen

    The municipality's foremost religious and architectural landmark, at the heart of the main square.

  • The Templo Morada San José, in brick, under construction.

    Templo Morada San José

    A place of spiritual gathering within the territory's religious and heritage offering.

  • Aerial view of the Monasterio Santa María de la Epifanía among the mountains.

    Monasterio Santa María de la Epifanía

    A place of retreat and contemplation, surrounded by the quiet of the landscape.

  • The façade of the Monasterio Paráclito Divino above a meadow.

    Monasterio Paráclito Divino

    A space given over to spirituality and to meeting one's faith.

  • The yellow façade of the Capilla Hermanas de Santa Ana, with its bell gable, the bell and the blue door.

    Chapel of the Sisters of Saint Anne

    Part of the history and tradition of Guatapé's faith communities.

Religious tourism guides are listed in the Business Directory.

Wellbeing

Stopping

Guatapé is also a place to do nothing.

The mountains, the reservoir and the quiet spaces set the scene for stepping out of your usual rhythm — which is, in the end, why many people stay one more night.

  • A person in an inverted yoga pose facing El Peñón.

    Yoga and meditation

    Spaces to breathe, quieten the mind and come back to the present.

  • Two therapists giving a massage in a spa room.

    Spa and massage

    Wellbeing treatments designed to relax the body and make a real pause.

  • Tibetan bowls on a mat, during a sound bath session.

    Sound baths

    Sound and vibration in an experience of relaxation and contemplation.

  • The reservoir and El Peñón seen from a terrace.

    Wellbeing by the reservoir

    The landscape and the stillness of the water as part of the treatment.

  • A person walking along a trail between tall vegetation.

    Contemplative walks

    Trails taken slowly, paying attention to the sounds, the scents and the landscape.

  • A person meditating in a garden with ponds.

    Wellbeing retreats

    Multi-day programmes that bring together rest, nature and wellbeing practices.

  • A woman facing a waterfall, in the middle of the forest.

    Time in nature

    Places where the landscape and the water help you find your balance again.

Wellbeing centres and guides are listed in the Business Directory.

Birdwatching

Birds

Guatapé through its birds.

Woodland, trails and rural landscapes with specialist guides who teach you to recognise species by their colours, their calls and their behaviour. For nature lovers, photographers and families.

  • A tanager with a yellow head and turquoise breast perched on a branch.

    Birdwatching and photography

    Watch species in their natural habitat and capture the moment.

  • Two walkers on a leaf-covered forest trail.

    Guided nature walks

    Nature trails with guides who help you notice sounds, landscapes and species.

  • A hand holds a feeder while a hummingbird comes in to drink.

    Identifying species

    Learn to recognise birds by their features, their colours and their calls.

  • Wild flowers and forest plants in Guatapé.

    Plants and wildlife

    The natural diversity that surrounds the birds and the ecosystems they live in.

  • A trail with a view over the valley, between forest and ferns.

    Forest and trail walks

    Direct contact with the municipality's different natural settings.

  • Aerial view of the reservoir with its islands and woodland.

    Understanding the ecosystems

    Why these ecosystems matter for conservation, and how you can help.

Watch, learn and protect.

Sharpen your senses, listen for the calls and find the birds that live in this territory.

Specialist birdwatching guides are listed in the Business Directory.

Guatapé at hand

Emergencies

123

One number. From any phone, with no credit.

Information Point

Parque Principal, inside the Town Hall, diagonally across from the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen

Monday to Friday: 08:00–18:00
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: 12:00–18:00

Getting here

About 80 km from Medellín, about 2 hours by road.

Transport and services Travel with respect

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