Zócalo square
A colourful stairway.
Adriana García — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Javier Perez Montes — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Javier Perez Montes — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Javier Perez Montes — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Javadumper — CC BY-SA 3.0
A small town on the shore of the reservoir, one of Colombia's most colourful, about 1,890 metres up. It is known for houses painted in bright colours and for the raised carved panels along the lower part of their walls, called «zócalos». Each zócalo tells a story: some show the owner's trade, such as farmer, fisherman or baker, others animals, landscapes and geometric patterns, in bold colours repeated from house to house. The loveliest street is the Plazoleta de los Zócalos, a colourful stairway lined with fully decorated houses. On the lakeshore a small promenade is the starting point for boat trips among the islands, and pedal boats. Restaurants serve lake trout and local dishes. The town is very crowded at weekends, while weekdays are calmer. It is usually paired with El Peñol rock on a day trip from Medellín, and staying a night lets you enjoy it quietly.
A colourful stairway.
Trades and animals.
Among the islands.
Centre of Guatapé town and the Plazoleta de los Zócalos, about 79 km east of Medellín
Raised, painted carved panels on the lower walls of houses, showing the owners' trades, animals or scenes, and the town's signature.