AFAR
AFAR
  • 10 months ago
Guatapé is an easy day trip from Medellin in Colombia. Join AFAR’s Associate Destinations Editor, Chloe Arrojado, as she visits the city and climbs its iconic landmark, La Piedra del Peñol.

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Transcript
00:00 See that? That's a big rock. And that's me, about to climb it. For a bit of
00:09 context, I was touring Guatapé, an Antean town in Colombia's Antioquia
00:14 department. Guatapé was known as a farming and mining town until 1970, when
00:20 a dam was built to provide power for the area. This created a stunning landscape
00:24 of lakes and islands and turned it into a hotspot for travelers.
00:33 The touristic town has a reputation for its colorful streets, but most of its
00:38 fame comes from Guatapé's really big rock called La Piedra de Peñol. The name
00:45 translates to "the rock of Peñol" and I must say, it really deserves its title.
00:51 Guatapé is only about two hours away from the city of Medellín by bus, making it a
00:56 great day trip. So, one weekend, my friend and I decided to go. After getting on the
01:02 tour bus and grabbing breakfast, we were off. First stopping in Guatapé. To be
01:07 honest, after seeing the rock, I was a little intimidated and almost backed out.
01:13 But after some encouragement from the tour guide, I went for it. Then was the
01:19 hard part, the hike up the stairs. Or so I thought. I assumed the hardest part of
01:26 the climb would be walking up the nearly 700 stairs, but as it turns out, visiting
01:32 on a Saturday means tons of other people are visiting too. The hike up seemed more
01:37 like a really long line, with people wanting to stop and take pictures every
01:42 few minutes. But with those views, couldn't really blame them. And I'd be
01:47 lying if I told you I didn't take any pictures too. Even with the long line, it
01:52 only took my friend and I about 45 minutes to get to the main platform at
01:56 the top. There were even food stands and bathrooms there, though I don't even want
02:02 to think about how those operate on a big rock, as well as access to a smaller
02:06 lookout point. The views from the lookout point were pretty magnificent, but the
02:12 long line to walk down the rock? Not so much. All things considered, touring
02:17 Guatepe and La Piedra del Peñol make for a great day trip out of Medellin.
02:22 Tours range from around 20 to 30 US dollars and usually include a meal, so it
02:28 isn't too expensive. If you can, try avoid going on a weekend since it'll be
02:34 super busy. But if you're willing and able to take a few hundred steps, the
02:39 views will be well worth your time. Do you know any must-see spots in Medellin?
02:43 Leave a comment below. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more videos.
02:49 Safe travels!
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