Town of Zócalos and Colour
Plan your trip
Town of Zócalos and Colour
Plan your trip
Thirteen places that hold part of Guatapé's history, its landscapes and its identity. Some are a quick stop; others are worth staying at without watching the clock.
All of this is walkable. No transport, no planning.
The most photographed spot
The painted steps and coloured façades that appear in every photograph of Guatapé. It is worth arriving with time and looking at the zócalos closely: each one tells you what the family in that house did for a living.
45 minapprox.
A roof of colour
A cobbled street covered by dozens of coloured umbrellas, with zócalos on both sides and the artisans' workshops open. It is one of the town's most recognisable images and one of the places where you can buy straight from the person who made the piece.
35 minapprox.
The old town
One of the best places to see traditional architecture, the zócalos and the identity of the municipality. Cobbles, hanging planters and façades as they used to be.
40 minapprox.
The heart of the town
The church on the main square and the foremost piece of Guatapé's religious and architectural heritage. White with red mouldings, it is the point everyone navigates by.
30 minapprox.
Life as it was
A cultural space that keeps old objects and, with them, the stories of everyday life in Guatapé families. You go round it listening.
40 minapprox.
Made here
The space given over to local talent: artisans and small makers with handmade goods, keepsakes and pieces drawn from Guatapé's identity. Buying here means buying straight from the maker.
45 minapprox.
Five kilometres from the centre.
220 metres of rock
Seven hundred and forty steps up the crack in the rock to a 360° viewpoint over the reservoir. The climb takes about thirty minutes and is best done early: by mid-morning there is a queue. It is the icon of the destination and the reason most people come — but it is the first of fourteen.
2 happrox.
You go in from the Malecón San Juan del Puerto.
The gateway to the reservoir
The municipality's main tourist area and the way onto the reservoir: jetties, restaurants, shops and the departure point for every boat. If you are planning anything on the water, start here.
1 happrox.
Sixty-five km²
The landscape from the water, which is nothing like the one from the road: the islands, the peninsulas and the inlets where valleys used to be. There are boat trips and water activities for every pace.
2 happrox.
You need transport, and half a day.
The whole town
A panorama that makes sense of the visit: from here you understand how the territory fits together, with the reservoir, the town and El Peñón in the distance. Late afternoon is the best time.
50 minapprox.
Prayer, work and silence
A Benedictine abbey in the rural village of Quebrada Arriba, at 2,000 metres. The community lives by the Rule of Saint Benedict — prayer, work and study — and has been in Guatapé since 1994. You can attend mass and the liturgy of the hours, stay in silence at the guesthouse, or take home honey from their apiary.
1 h 15approx.
The countryside up close
A close look at country life: the region's traditions, how things are grown and made, and the nature around them. It works particularly well with children, and it is the best way to understand the Guatapé that is not in the town.
3 happrox.
From the air
The territory from above: El Peñón, the peninsulas and the arms of the reservoir on a short helicopter flight. Entirely weather-dependent, so it is worth leaving flexible in your plans.
1 h 30approx.
Emergencies
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.