Go Backpacking

  • About
  • Travel Tips
    • Accommodations
    • Budgeting & Money
    • Adventure Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Gear & Gadgets
    • Packing Tips
    • Travel Blogging
    • Travel Insurance
    • Trip Planning
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Morocco
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
      • United States
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
  • Advertise
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Travel Tips
    • Accommodations
    • Budgeting & Money
    • Adventure Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Gear & Gadgets
    • Packing Tips
    • Travel Blogging
    • Travel Insurance
    • Trip Planning
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Morocco
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
      • United States
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
  • Advertise
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Travel Tips
    • Accommodations
    • Budgeting & Money
    • Adventure Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Gear & Gadgets
    • Packing Tips
    • Travel Blogging
    • Travel Insurance
    • Trip Planning
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Morocco
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
      • United States
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
  • Advertise
×
Home » Destinations » South America » Colombia

Guatape: My First Colombian Pueblo

Modified: Jan 28, 2020 · Published: Sep 28, 2010 by Dave Lee |

The colorfully painted panels of Guatape.
The colorfully painted panels of Guatape

Colombia's big-city dwellers from Bogota, Medellin, and Cali love to get away from their noisy urban landscapes whenever possible. 

Weekends, holidays, and school breaks are all cause for them to head to nearby pueblos usually no more than an hour or two away by car or bus. 

Vacation homes or apartments in these pueblos are called fincas, and if you're lucky enough to be invited to stay in one -- go!

In August, Troy and I accepted such an invitation to Guatape, a popular weekend destination for Medellin residents.

Carrying the basics in a daypack, we paid no more than $10 for a one-way bus ticket. 

We left on Friday afternoon, the trip is about 2 hours. 

My seatmate was a real estate broker in Medellin who offered me a 10% finder's fee for anyone I could refer to her. 

She said she made the trip to Guatape every weekend. 

I tracked our progress in real-time using GPS and Google Maps on my BlackBerry.

Rolling hills surrounded by lakes create picturesque views.
Rolling hills surrounded by lakes create picturesque views.

As we neared Guatape, the landscape turned into rolling hills, with small lakes surrounding them. 

Geographically, I hadn't seen anything like it before.

The bus dropped us off in Guatape's central plaza, which was bustling with the usual mix of people, motorbikes, cars, and buses.  Unlike big cities, there were also tuk tuks. 

I immediately had flashbacks to Southeast Asia and India, though my first ride in one was actually in another Latin American country, Guatemala.

Guatape's tuk tuks await their next passengers in the main plaza.
Guatape's tuk-tuks await their next passengers in the central plaza.

We dropped off our bags and grabbed a few beers and arepas con queso in the central plaza. 

People continued to arrive via bus as it got dark, including another friend joining us for the weekend.

In the evening, the four of us went out dancing at a small bar. 

It was crowded. However, we managed to get a table in a back corner, where a speaker was in the perfect position to blast us with popular salsa, merengue, and reggaeton songs. 

Around 11 pm, police walked into the bar, and an announcement was made, followed suddenly by a mass exodus of people. 

The message was that kids under 18 needed to leave! 

There must be a local ordinance or curfew, because the following night at the town's larger lakeside club, the same thing happened. 

Whatever the reason, it left more room for the rest of us.

Testing my strength against Guatape's viscious alligator garbage can!
I am testing my strength against Guatape's vicious alligator garbage can

On Saturday, we awoke to beautiful blue skies.  While walking along the lake, we were approached by several guides hawking boat tours. 

At the mention of Escobar's farm, I knew we'd be getting on one of those boats to visit the vacation homes of Pablo Escobar.

Other lakeside activities include a reasonably long zipline and renting jet skis.

A tuk-tuk parked outside Guatape's main church.
A tuk-tuk parked outside Guatape's main church

The rest of Saturday afternoon was spent walking around Guatape -- it's not large; however, it's very idyllic, and as such, lends itself well to lingering around without purpose. 

There were a lot of little observations to be made.

The popular gambling game in a tent across the street from the church.

The teenage kids are walking around with gallon bottles of Aguardiente or cheap wine, again, across the street from the church.

The variety of panel art on the facades of homes and businesses, each depicting unique aspects of the regional geography, culture, and lifestyle.

A gambling game in Guatape's main plaza.
Across the street from Guatape's main church, in the central plaza, was a tent with a gambling game that always drew a crowd. The premise was simple, bet on the color that the rolling ball will come to rest upon

Saturday night, we found ourselves in a larger club more reminiscent of what you'd find in Medellin. 

It's safe to say a lot of the kids in there drinking and dancing that night were from Medellin.

Bandeja con Pollo is a traditional Antioquian dish.
Bandeja con Pollo is a traditional Antioquian dish, including chicken, beans, rice, egg, salad, arepa, and plantains.

Sunday afternoon was spent visiting El Penol, a monolith in a nearby town by the same name.

Check back tomorrow for more about our visit to this giant rock, which is also a popular day-trip destination from Medellin.

____________

Medellin Travel GuideMy 138-page, all-original Medellín Travel Guide is available for Kindle and PDF.

 

 

 

 

.

Related Stories

  • Colorful Cartagena
    10 Best Things To Do in Cartagena, Colombia
  • Carnaval de Barranquilla (photo: Dawin Rizzo).
    Travel Visa Requirements for Colombia
  • View of Providencia
    Providencia Island, Colombia: A Travel Guide
  • Johnny Cay, San Andres
    San Andres Island, Colombia: A Travel Guide
26 shares
  • Share
  • Email

About Dave Lee

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 68 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.

Comments

  1. Fabrice_dubesset says

    September 28, 2010 at 8:04 pm

    Looks great!
    Sur, i will go here in some months!
    A frequent reader from France;)

    • Dave says

      September 28, 2010 at 10:16 pm

      Hola Fabrice, thanks for reading. Colombia awaits!

  2. GlobalButterfly says

    September 30, 2010 at 12:09 am

    Una ciudad preciosa!!!

  3. Rich Holman says

    October 01, 2010 at 3:09 am

    Awesome place, magical, heartwarming and relaxing. Beautiful Piedra del Peñol standing in the middle of it all, Guatape is as close to heaven as you can get.

  4. Don Lee says

    October 03, 2010 at 7:40 pm

    Nice article and great photos Dave. The Bandeja con Pollo shot brought back memories of all the great meals I had in Colombia washed down with some of the best cervezas I've drank anywhere.

  5. Stephen says

    October 06, 2010 at 3:15 pm

    Cool. Sounds like a good side trip from Medellin, where I am headed in a few days.

  6. Tomas Andersson says

    October 15, 2010 at 8:34 pm

    Ist das jetzt dein Ernst? Ich hoffe nicht! Wenn doch: Schlimm!

  7. Pucca says

    October 29, 2010 at 3:47 am

    Since matching for some time for just a proper read in sees to this sort of ecological niche. Assaying in Bing I now spotted this internet site. Looking at this information So i am pleased to bring that I have a very full impression I stumbled onto whatever I was ready for. I'll make sure to don't forget this internet site and dedicate it a look systematically.

  8. Dan says

    May 13, 2012 at 8:44 pm

    Heading there tomorrow Dave! Nice to read a bit more about what to expect. Cheers

    • Dave says

      May 14, 2012 at 9:44 am

      Guatape is my favorite pueblo in Colombia. Enjoy!

  9. David K. Lee says

    May 26, 2012 at 11:34 am

    Great tips Dave, Going there today!!

  10. Francois says

    February 10, 2013 at 7:47 am

    Wow, this is my next travel for shure.

    Thank you for this precious informations.

    Regards from France

  11. Rich says

    January 12, 2016 at 5:09 pm

    Hey Dave- I think Guatape was gorgeous enough to warrant more photos- Here are a few of mine as well for you and your readers of Guatape (we shot a couple of similar things around town) Guatape, Colombia + The Majestic View from La Piedra hope this adds!

Dave at Ahu Ko Te Riku on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile.

Hi, I'm Dave

Editor in Chief

I've been writing about adventure travel on Go Backpacking since 2007. I've visited 68 countries.

Read more about Dave.

Footer

back to top

About

  • About
  • Archive
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

Follow Us

Contact

  • Contact
  • Work With Us
  • Submissions

Copyright © 2025 Go Backpacking

26 shares
  • 26