Route
Medellín ──── coach, ~2 h ──── Guatapé
(1,495 m) (~1,900 m)
│
Malecón ─ Calle del Recuerdo ─ Piedra del Peñol
Guatapé sits on the edge of an artificial reservoir east of Medellín, in a landscape of drowned valleys and green islands. The town is known for its zócalos, the painted relief panels along the base of almost every house, showing animals, plants, tools and local scenes. The reservoir was created in the 1970s for hydroelectric power and flooded the original town of El Peñol, whose people moved to a new site on the shore.
Coaches leave from Terminal del Norte and take about two hours. Book a seat for the Monday morning after the race, when queues for the Sunday-night return are over. Services are frequent but fill at weekends, so buy a ticket in advance.
September in Guatapé
At about 1,900 m the air is cooler than in Medellín, with highs of roughly 22 °C and fresh evenings. Rain is likely on some afternoons. A fleece and a light waterproof are enough. Early mornings are often clear.
Night one: the town
The recovery walk is the malecón along the reservoir, which is flat and paved. A slow lap takes under an hour, with benches and ice-cream stalls along the way. Then walk the Calle del Recuerdo, the cobbled street with some of the best zócalos, and up to the plaza and church. The cobbles are rough, so shoes with a cushioned sole help.
Boat trips cross the reservoir to see the islands and the shore. The trips are cheap and last an hour or so. A boat is a good way to see the landscape while sitting down. Agree the price and the route before boarding.
For a bed, pick a family-run posada or small hotel within a few streets of the malecón, so the walk to dinner is short. Prices are modest by international standards, but rooms fill on long weekends, so book ahead. Check whether the room has hot water and a ground-floor option.
Eat trout from the reservoir, grilled or fried, with patacones. Restaurants on the malecón serve it at tourist prices; the plaza has cheaper set lunches.
Day two: the rock
La Piedra del Peñol is a granite monolith about 200 m high, a short taxi ride from town. Around 700 steps climb a crack in its side to a viewing platform, with a panorama of lakes and islands. The climb is hard after a marathon, so wait until the second day, climb slowly, use the rest platforms and descend carefully, because the knees complain on the way down. Arrive early to avoid the crowds and the afternoon cloud. Entry costs a small fee; check the current price.
Night two and the way home
Spend the evening back in town. On the next morning, take a coach back to Medellín. The airport at Rionegro (MDE) is on the way, and some coaches stop at a junction near it, which is useful for a flight from there.
Getting home
José María Córdova airport (MDE) is about 45 minutes by road from the Guatapé area. Ask the coach company whether a service stops near Rionegro, and check the timetable at Terminal del Norte before you travel.