What to Know Before You Go: Medellín and Guatapé, Colombia

Perched on a few wobbly bar stools, my friend and I shared a beer on our last stop through Medellín and the Comuna 13 neighborhood. Our friendly guide said hey, there’s a teenage girl and her mom wondering if they can say hi and practice some English.

Of course!

What I thought would be a quick, shy exchange turned into full-on roaring laughter, wild gesticulations, and so much fun. They were so patient with my embarrassingly bad Spanish, and I was shocked by how “bad” they thought their English was (spoiler: it was almost perfect). The mom pulled up her teen’s Quinceañera photos on her phone (riding a horse in a gown!) and I shared some photos from my travels and family back home.

Encounters like this happened every day in Colombia, from warm people curious about visitors to those hoping to share some real discourse on true Colombian history. Whether it’s your first time or you’re looking for something fresh on your next visit, I have a personal guide for you that respects this beautiful country and makes space for true relaxation too.

Table of Contents Getting to Colombia: Flying into Medellín Guatapé’s Beauty and Complex History Staying at The Brown Hotel in Guatapé Kayaking and Boating on the Reservoir Don’t Miss Guatapé Town The True El Peñol Experience Off to Medellín Visit Comuna 13 Don’t Miss Gabo Restaurant in Medellín

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Getting to Colombia: Flying into Medellín

Cartagena and Bogotá are the top two destinations most people visit in Colombia. I can’t wait to get there myself, but for this trip I wanted something a little different, so I opted for Medellín. And just outside the city is Guatapé, a place I only knew from photos of crystal-clear lakes and a jutting rock formation overlooking the whole landscape.

I actually flew from Panama City into Medellín, which was a super short hop (although immigration lines at the two big hubs were long!). If coming from the U.S., there are a few direct flights from Florida and Texas into Medellín, with easy connections from the East and West Coast otherwise.

I want to lead with Guatapé, although many people visit just for the day from Medellín. While the city was wonderful and electric, we extended our stay in Guatapé to soak up the natural beauty and enjoy a slower pace.

Guatapé’s Beauty and Complex History

Guatapé lies a couple of hours east of Medellín and is accessible by car, taxi, or bus if you’re feeling adventurous. Decades ago, the government deliberately flooded the valley to build the Peñol-Guatapé hydroelectric dam, displacing farming families who had worked that land for generations. 

The government promised new housing and land, but when families arrived in the newly built town, many had no idea how to adapt. They brought their cows and goats to small government-issued homes with nowhere to keep livestock, and a community that had worked rural land for generations suddenly had to start over completely.

What followed was a difficult few decades. The close quarters, lack of opportunity, and the looming reach of the cartels created real hardship in the area. Guatapé still faces those echoes today: young people are leaving for the cities, and opportunity is thin. But there’s real hope too, in its growing identity as a cultural hub and a destination that’s learning to share its own story on its own terms.

The landscape that emerged from the flooding is now a tourism draw through watersports, gorgeous scenery, and El Peñol, that iconic rocky outcrop you’ve probably seen in photos. Many people come for a quick boat tour or climb, but I found it well worth staying a few days to soak it all in, especially for this rare girlfriend getaway.

A note on the Escobar legacy: The ruins of Pablo Escobar’s mansion, bombed in 1993, still sit in the Guatapé area, and there’s no shortage of tours and activities built around his story. It’s tricky territory. When a friend casually brought up Escobar with our local guide, she made a face, and then gently said: well, it’s complex. His power did real harm, but he also brought hope and resources to communities that saw little from the government.

That nuance is worth holding onto as you travel here. Many Colombians are understandably tired of outsiders reducing their country to one man’s story, and the area has so much more to offer.

Staying at The Brown Hotel in Guatapé

To splash out for this special trip, The Brown was an incredible oasis and honestly one of my favorite hotel properties to date in the Americas. I have to gush a little. This is a destination in itself.

It’s immediately a serene, warm welcome with panoramic views of the water. Carts transport you to and from your room through deep green foliage, with natural wood and textiles setting the tone for tranquil ambiance throughout. I immediately fell in love with the vibe, style, and ease of routine here.

Rooms are spacious enough that a few friends could share easily. The little touches of coffee glassware and soft evening lighting made it simple to enjoy the view, read, and dip into the quiet.

At breakfast, grab a table on the far side of the restaurant for views of El Peñol. On the other side, there’s a modest infinity pool overlooking the lake, plus additional seating and lounging space. The best feature is the smooth rock hot tubs and sunken fire pits surrounded by water that seems to tie together the lake below, sky above, and blueness of the scenery all at once.

The marina and waterfront dining: Grab a tuk-tuk into town anytime, or head down to the on-property marina for watersports. There’s also a gorgeous restaurant at water level, best for lunch or happy hour cocktails.

With a reservoir, there are no natural beaches, but The Brown carved out a small sandy area for swimming and lounging, plus dock chairs along the water.

The Brown is a Marriott Autograph Collection property, so it could also be a great use of points and miles. Both Chase and American Express allow you to transfer points to Marriott, and there are plenty of card options at low annual fees worth exploring.

While I can’t fully compare and contrast, The Brown does seem like one of the premium options in the area without a massive investment. There are a few other high-end properties worth a splurge, and plenty of choices for all types of budgets:

Luxury

Bosko: Adults-only boutique glamping with just ten dome-shaped “Mush-Rooms” tucked into native forest, infinity sky pools with reservoir views, open-air showers, and private decks. A full splurge and a genuinely one-of-a-kind experience. El Boato: Lakefront cabins right on the reservoir, with private jacuzzis, decks, and all-inclusive options covering kayaking, paddleboarding, nightly bonfires, and breakfast. Beautiful setting, more accessible price point than Bosko, and a Michelin Guide property.

Middle and Modest

Hotel Chromatic: Colorful boutique property about 30 seconds from the main square, with individually themed rooms and consistently high marks for staff and location. A solid, cheerful base for exploring town. Kayaking and Boating on the Reservoir

I love a bit of soft adventure and will almost always be outside if the sun is shining. With Guatapé built around the reservoir, there’s no shortage of watersports. The Brown has lots of options, and we opted for the complimentary kayaks one morning. The water is calm, cool, and easy to navigate.

From the balcony, I often heard lively boat tours with Latin music bumping softly in the distance, which looked like a great option if you want something more social. There are sailing excursions available too. If you’re staying overnight in Guatapé, it’s worth checking with your hotel first, since most Viator tours are routed to and from Medellín.

Don’t Miss Guatapé Town

On the surface, this colorful hub is so fun to wander on a sunny afternoon, especially with a cold beer at an open-air bar or a quick bite next to the bustling street. We had empanadas and strolled around, keeping an eye out for the famous Zócalos.

The Zócalos are the decorative friezes you’ll see on the lower half of homes throughout town. They’re not purely decorative: each one tells a story about the family who lives there, the history of the land, or the community’s identity. Newer than they look (the town itself is less than 100 years old), they’re a window into the area’s past if you know what to look for. Also keep an eye out for the new Museo del Zócalo, which is taking shape downtown to bring together local vendors and Guatapé’s history in a central, colorful plaza.

A practical heads-up: I had a lot of trouble with ATMs and cash machines in the area. The Brown is also a cashless hotel, which made paying for rides and anything small a real headache. Get cash in advance.

Book the Guatapé Free Walking Tour

You can book through one of the big third-party platforms, which I generally recommend for vetting and convenience. But if you visit Guatapé, give this women-owned local business a try. Beatriz and her team are exceptional at painting a true picture of the place they grew up in, sharing the stories of neighbors and friends and how the town has evolved through harrowing displacement and decades of outside pressure.

You’ll enjoy the beauty of the town, but you’ll also come away understanding why Guatapé came to be in the first place, and that’s the part that really stays with you.

They also offer a range of interactive tours that support local businesses and keep tourism dollars within the community. We wrapped the evening with a quick drink and some live music at El Bacchanal before grabbing a tuk-tuk back to the hotel.

The True El Peñol Experience

A quick tuk-tuk ride from the hotel brings you to El Peñol, the massive rock that juts more than 7,000 feet out of the landscape. You can buy tickets at the base to climb 708 steps to the summit. The steps are a bit narrow but steady, and quite a feat to finish.

Did I finish? I got halfway! But the view from there was already stunning and I didn’t feel like I missed much. There’s a lovely shrine to the Virgin Mary at the halfway point, and I swear she gave me a wink to call it a day.

Worth knowing: the rock is privately owned by one family. While it’s a spectacular tourism draw, the profits don’t flow back into the surrounding community in any meaningful way. It’s one of those realities of the area, and something your walking tour guide will likely have thoughts on.

For souvenirs, I found better options in town than at the crowded vendor stands near the rock. There were also some “photo op” installations near the base with an entrance fee, so we skipped those.

Off to Medellín

At the end of our time in Guatapé, we took a private car back to Medellín, less than $75 USD total and well worth it for the ease. Transport is easy to arrange through the hotel, and there are plenty of transfer options through Viator as well.

Medellín is most famous internationally for a certain cartel leader who ran the city for decades. While there’s plenty of opportunity to learn about Escobar’s legacy, and just outside the city his former Hacienda Napoles estate is now the biggest theme park in South America, there’s a vibrant, forward-moving identity here that exists entirely outside of that chapter.

Many Colombians have understandably mixed feelings about Escobar tourism: some see it as a necessary part of economic recovery, others find it reductive and exhausting. It’s worth being a thoughtful visitor on that front.

The Binn Hotel was an upscale base, though fairly far from downtown and other points of interest. If you want a knockout rooftop bar, a luxurious breakfast, and a sleek boutique experience, it delivers. The Binn punches above its weight for the price point and sits comfortably among the city’s better boutique options. If you want to go full luxury, a couple of properties in El Poblado are worth the splurge, and for everyone else there’s plenty of range:

Luxury

The Charlee Hotel: Avant-garde design right in the heart of Parque Lleras, with a rooftop pool, wellness facilities, and a vibe that blends art, culture, and upscale amenities. A strong splurge pick for the girlfriend getaway crowd. The Binn Hotel: Where I stayed, and worth flagging as a high-end option in its own right. Boutique, locally rooted, and genuinely good value for the level of experience you get.

Middle and Modest

Hotel 23: Contemporary, sleek design in El Poblado without the rooftop-pool price tag. Solid location, stylish rooms, and a great entry point into the area. Visit Comuna 13 to Sample the Flavor and Artistry of Medellín

With just 24 hours in Medellín, I had to make the most of it. We joined a group tour through Comuna 13, one of the many barrios along the mountainside. The location alone makes navigating the steep walkways dizzying, so I was grateful for a local guide. Vibrant street art is around every corner, with meanings explained in real detail.

Comuna 13 has a heavy history. Cartels ran rampant for years, and the community endured real violence and loss. Our guide grew up watching it unfold, and many residents spent years not knowing what the future held.

But the neighborhood found its own path through, first through community organizing and self-policing, then through creativity and art. The mayor at the time also invested in infrastructure, including a cable car and escalators that improved connectivity for residents and, as a side effect, brought in tourism. That investment is still viewed with mixed feelings by locals: some appreciate the visibility, others wonder whether the money would have been better directed toward community programs and direct aid.

When you visit, come with curiosity and patience. Listen to the stories of people who actually grew up there. The Viator tour I took included a lifelong local guide who seemed to know everyone in the neighborhood and shared a full history, not just a highlight reel.

If you can, stay as the sun sets. The views of the city and the twinkling lights cascading down the mountainside were one of the genuine highlights of the whole trip.

Don’t Miss Gabo Restaurant in Medellín

That evening we had dinner at Gabo, on a friend’s recommendation. Ride shares are simple in Medellín, and while the journey from Comuna 13 was a bit long, it was completely worth it.

The restaurant is a love letter to Gabriel García Márquez, Colombia’s iconic Nobel-winning writer, nicknamed Gabo. The space celebrates Colombia’s biodiversity through floating butterfly installations, and a signed copy of his work is prominently on display. But the dining is the real star.

Start with a well-crafted cocktail: I went sweet with La Candelaria, made with coconut, passion fruit, pineapple, Tahiti lemon, and Campari. The chicharrón bao buns are a fun Colombian-Chinese fusion starter, and the plantain lasagna was a surprise hit.

I have yet to get into his novels, but Netflix has a series adaptation of One Hundred Years of Solitude in Spanish that I plan to tackle after reading the book first.

The culinary scene in Medellín runs deep, and I barely scratched the surface. More to discover next time.

I was partially hosted by The Brown for my visit to Guatapé. All opinions, as always, are entirely my own.

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