Where We Be
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| You'll be hard-pressed to find a cuter town than Guatape. This umbrella-covered lane leads to Plazoleta de los Zocalos. |
| Guatape, Colombia |
Guatape is a lovely little town with cobblestone
streets and raised “murals” on most buildings
known as “zocalos.” Plazoleta de los Zocalos at
the heart of town has the most brightly painted
buildings and murals. An umbrella-covered
lane leads up to it (shown left). It's a pleasure
to explore the narrow streets around this plaza
and take in all the differently colored murals.
Each mural shows a subject close to the heart
of the owner -- so a baker's shop might have a
mural of a baker and a horse-lover of horses.
A 2-hour bus ride is all it takes to get from
Medellin to Guatape so many people do it as a
day trip -- but then they miss out on seeing the
town in the morning or evening when it's
untouristed. The town is so quaint and colorful
it has become a victim of its own success, but
that's easily remedied with an overnight stay.
Of course the main reason for coming here is
the nearby Rock of Guatape (next page), but
the town itself ranks as a close second.
streets and raised “murals” on most buildings
known as “zocalos.” Plazoleta de los Zocalos at
the heart of town has the most brightly painted
buildings and murals. An umbrella-covered
lane leads up to it (shown left). It's a pleasure
to explore the narrow streets around this plaza
and take in all the differently colored murals.
Each mural shows a subject close to the heart
of the owner -- so a baker's shop might have a
mural of a baker and a horse-lover of horses.
A 2-hour bus ride is all it takes to get from
Medellin to Guatape so many people do it as a
day trip -- but then they miss out on seeing the
town in the morning or evening when it's
untouristed. The town is so quaint and colorful
it has become a victim of its own success, but
that's easily remedied with an overnight stay.
Of course the main reason for coming here is
the nearby Rock of Guatape (next page), but
the town itself ranks as a close second.
| Our favorite mural just might be this one of Botero's Mona Lisa magically transported to Guatape -- but there are so many others to choose from |
| There are so many worthy contenders! |
| Everywhere you go you'll find beautiful murals to appreciate |
| The town is small enough that an hour-long stroll lets you see it well |
| The reservoir bordering town is another attraction. While water levels are low this time of year (Feb.), the reservoir fills up in other months. |
| Keep your eyes open -- moments like these are fun to capture! |
| This was the scenic view from our balcony |
| The cobbled streets all around Plazoleta de los Zocalos are a pleasure to explore |
| Locals must put in a lot of time and effort to keep their buildings so lovingly painted |
| Obviously there's no covenant about which paint colors to use -- other than the brighter the better! |
| As a point of comparison, this is what Plazoleta de los Zocalos looks like on a typical day around 3 pm! |
| Abundant colors make this little plaza a photographer's dream |
| So much better at 9 am! |
| If you're a photographer you're gonna love it here |
| This may just be the most colorful town in Colombia -- and possibly the world |
| Nearby Calle del Recuerdo -- Street of Memories -- is another must-see spot. It was built in memory of the old neighborhood La Aldea, which was flooded by the reservoir. |
| Calle del Recuerdo as seen from its other end -- so lovely with its cobblestones and colors |
| Even the sign near the waterfront has colorful "murals" on it |
| The church is beautiful too. Parroquia Nuestra Señora Del Carmen Guatape sits on the town's main square (Parque Principal), which is different than Plazoleta de los Zocalos. |
| Cobblestones still wet with last night's rain |
| This is the time to go -- Guatape is almost impossibly photogenic at this hour |
| We went on a morning photo expedition around 8:30 am when the town was virtually empty of tourists |
| Plazoleta de los Zocalos completely empty of tourists |
| Montage of some of our favorite murals in Guatape |
| Tasty pad thai and red curry at Thai Terrace near our Airbnb |
| Picking your favorite is no easy challenge here |
| Even the gift shops and the tuk-tuks that get you around town are colorfully painted |
| We stayed at a lovely Airbnb right in town (listed as Apartamento en Guatape) |