Medellin 4-Day Tour: Guatapé, Peñol Rock & City Icons

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What’s the experience like?

Stepping out of Jose Maria Cordova Airport, I spotted my name on a sign—our guide grinned and waved us over. The air felt warm but not sticky; that famous “eternal spring” thing is real here. Our hotel room had a king bed and cold AC, which was a relief after the flight. There’s always a faint scent of fresh coffee drifting from the lobby in the mornings.

The next day started with a ride on Medellin’s Metrocable. You glide above red-tiled roofs and green hills—kids wave up at you from tiny soccer fields below. At Plaza Botero, we wandered among those big bronze sculptures; our guide told us how locals rub the statues for luck (I saw someone do it). The graffiti tour took us through Comuna 13, where street art covers every wall and you can hear reggaeton beats from open windows. We reached Arvi Park by cable car—suddenly it’s quiet except for birds. On the way back, we drove past Barefoot Park; families were actually walking barefoot on the grass and water features. If you want to pop into Museo de Antioquia for a look at local art, it’s right there by Plaza Botero.

Day three meant an early drive out to Guatapé. The road winds through green hills dotted with cows and roadside fruit stalls selling mango slices with lime. Climbing Peñol Rock is no joke—over 600 steps—but the view at the top is wild: blue lakes twisting between islands and little boats drifting around below. In Guatapé itself, every house has these colorful painted tiles along their walls; we grabbed coffee at Café La Viña while watching people paint new designs right on the street.

On departure day, our driver reminded us to leave early for international flights (traffic can be unpredictable). We stopped for one last photo of Medellin spread out below us—a patchwork of rooftops under soft morning light. If you want to squeeze in souvenir shopping or just soak up the city one more time before heading home, they’ll work with your schedule.