See Also:
- Medellin to Salento
- What to do in Colombia – a 2 week itinerary
- Things to do in Medellin
- Best Areas to Stay in Medellin
- Medellin to Cartagena
A trip to the colourful town of Guatape from Medellin is a must on any Colombia itinerary.
Guatape Colombia is best known for streets featuring colourful bas-reliefs and a large 200 metre high rock known as Piedra del Penol which you can climb 740 steps to what is claimed to be the ‘best view in the world’.
La Piedra
Piedra del Penol
Undoubtedly, the best attraction in Guatape is La Piedra.
The walk to the top is exhausting but the view at the top is definitely worth every agonising step up.
The numbers painted on each step as you make your way to the top provide a bit of much needed encouragement.
The breathtaking view at the top of the little islands of Guatape certainly lives up to its claim as ‘the best view in the world’.
The climb
Enjoying the view
View at the top
How to reach La Piedra del Penol?
If you want to reach the La Piedra del Penol it is about a 15 minute drive or an hour walk from Guatape in the town of El Penol.
You can negotiate tuk tuk style transportation for 5000 pesos ($1.6 USD) one way.
The entrance fee to climb La Piedra rock is 18,000 pesos per person ($6 USD).
Walking around the town of Guatape
More Things to do in Guatape
After you finish this epic climb, head back into town to have a coffee at the best coffee shop we tried in Columbia called Cafe La Vina.
The coffee is reasonably priced, the froth is done to perfection (surprisingly hard to find in Columbia) and you can even buy some coffee beans to take home as a souvenir.
To top this, the owners are absolutely delightful and serve you coffee with a biscuit treat and a smile on their face!
Cafe La Vina coffee
Admire the Iconic Bas Reliefs
On a Guatape day trip from Medellin you will have plenty of time to check out the colourful streets and bas-reliefs in town.
They are truly amazing. What we found very interesting was the colourful bas-reliefs related to the shop they were in front.
For instance, outside the bakery is the image of a baker and outside the bar is an image of people drinking.
Bas-reliefs of a baker outside the bakery in town
Bas relief outside a bar in Guatape
How long to stay in Guatape?
Initially, we only planned to go to Guatape for a day. However, we decided to give ourselves a little more time by staying one night in the city and we are very glad we did.
Guatape was one of the best places we visited during our time in Colombia.
If you are visiting Guatape from Medellin and have more time up your sleeve, this town easily warrants a 2-3 night stay just to enjoy the gorgeous streets. I mean, how awesome is this street!
Street of Guatape
Where to stay in Guatape?
Booking.com has a great selection of hotels available to chose from in Guatape.
As we were arriving to Guatape late in the evening and would only spend a few hours at the hotel, we decided to stay at the cheapest lodging in the city called Nomada Hostal.
As a couple, we are usually not a fan of hostels but it was clean and comfortable.
We would recommend it if you are traveling on a budget or for a quick overnight stay where you are just looking for a clean room to crash. For longer stays, check out the available hotels during your dates in Guatape here.
How to get to Guatape from Medellin?
Guatape is only 2 hours away by bus from Medellin, Colombia. It is possible to organise a tour there for around 70,000 pesos ($22 USD) per person.
However, it is far cheaper (and more fun) to travel by public bus. It costs 13,500 pesos a ticket ($4.4 USD) from the North terminal.
We reached the North terminal by Uber. If you haven’t signed up to Uber before, you can use the code mikes48767ue to get $20 off your first ride!
Flights to Medellin?
Medellin would be the best city to fly into to visit the gorgeous little town of Guatape.
Skyscanner is our favourite price comparison tool to get the best price on flights. We also love how there are no extra fees in booking a flight through Skyscanner (like an agent commission).
We hope you found this guide useful in helping you plan your visit to Guatape. If you have been to Guatape and have anything to add, please leave a comment below!
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