Santa Fe de Antioquia Day Trip from Medellín

From $123 USD per person

Two hours west of Medellín the road drops out of the mountains into the Cauca valley and the temperature climbs with it. Santa Fe de Antioquia was the capital of Antioquia for nearly three centuries, founded in 1541, and it still has the cobblestones, the whitewashed facades and the shaded plazuelas to prove it. This is a full private day there, including the Puente de Occidente, the town’s museum and lunch at your own pace.

How the day works

• Your guide and driver collect you from your hotel in Medellín and head west, descending through mountain scenery into the warmer Cauca valley. About two hours.
• You stop at the Puente de Occidente, the 19th-century suspension bridge that connected Antioquia to the departments beyond it.
• You visit the Juan del Corral Museum: 496 objects across seven rooms of colonial art, archaeology and ethnography.
• You walk the cobbled centre and three of the town’s plazuelas, Jesús Nazareno, Santa Bárbara and Chiquinquirá, each with its own character.
• You sit down to Paisa cooking at a traditional restaurant in town, then drive back to Medellín. Eight hours door to door.

What’s included

• Private English-speaking guide
• Private hotel pickup and drop-off in Medellín
• All-risk insurance

Not included

• Breakfast
• Lunch, available at a traditional restaurant in town
• Personal purchases

Good to know

• Santa Fe is warm, roughly 23°C to 30°C. Light breathable clothing, trainers, sunglasses and a cap are the right kit.
• The town sits lower than Medellín and feels noticeably hotter. Bring sunscreen and drink water.
• Lunch is not included. Bring cash for your meal and anything you want to take home.
• The drive is about two hours each way, through mountain scenery.
• The tour runs in all weather.

Frequently asked questions

How does this compare to Guatapé?

Guatapé is the rock, the reservoir and the painted zócalos, and it is busy. Santa Fe is colonial, hot and much quieter, with a museum and a bridge instead of a climb.

Is there much walking?

A comfortable amount, on cobblestones in the heat. Nothing steep, but flat soles and water make a difference.

Do we cross the Puente de Occidente?

Yes, it is a stop on the route, not a view from the car.

Why is lunch not included?

So you eat what you want at your own pace. Your guide takes you to a traditional restaurant and you order from the menu.

How long is the day?

About eight hours from hotel to hotel, with roughly two hours of driving each way.