Medellín and Guatapé

Medellín lies in the Valle de Aburrá, a narrow valley of the Central Andes at about 1,500 meters of altitude. It is the capital of the department of Antioquia and the second-largest city in Colombia, famed for having spring-like weather year-round: afternoons are usually mild and nights cool. Neighborhoods climb the slopes on both sides of the valley, and the city is traversed by metro, the country's only metro system, linked to urban cable cars, the Metrocable.

In the center are Plaza Botero, with 23 bronze sculptures donated by the artist, the Museo de Antioquia and the Palacio de la Cultura, with a black-and-white Gothic façade. To the west, Comuna 13 has become a street-art stroll, with graffiti, music and outdoor escalators installed on the hillside. In the north are the Jardín Botánico, with the Orquideorama, and the Metrocable that goes up to Parque Arví, a reserve of woods and pre-Hispanic trails above the valley. On Cerro Nutibara, Pueblito Paisa recreates an Antioquian village with views over the city.

El Poblado, in the south, concentrates hotels, restaurants and bars around Parque Lleras and Provenza. Paisa culture, as people from Antioquia are called, appears in the food — with the bandeja paisa and the arepa — in the music and in the Feria de las Flores in August, with the silleteros parade who carry flower arrangements on their backs.

About 80 km to the east, Guatapé is a small town on the shore of a large reservoir, with houses decorated with zócalos — colorful raised panels on the facades. Nearby, the Piedra del Peñol, a rock monolith with about 700 steps to the top, displays the maze of islands and peninsulas of the reservoir. It is the most common day trip from Medellín.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Medellín, Guatapé.