Exploring Guatape: Colombia’s Most Colourful Pueblo, Guatape, Colombia (B)

In a country famed for its colourful pueblos, Colombia’s Guatapé is probably the granddaddy of them all. Blessed with a winning combination of extravagantly coloured buildings set amongst a breathtaking landscape of lush hills and a labyrinthine lake, it’s a traveller’s dream. And, just two hours by bus from Medellín, it’s now firmly established as a day-trip destination. But we reckon that to do the place justice you really ought to spend at least one night there. After all, it’s easy to get to and there’s the added advantage of experiencing its main attractions before the aforementioned day-trippers arrive. And they will. So grab an overnight bag, get your camera fully charged, and jump on the earliest Medellín to Guatapé bus you can find. And here’s what we suggest you do when you get there…

We thought that Jardín had its fair share of colour, but Guatapé’s streets just take it to another level. As you wander around it seems as if each building is a perfectly formed work of art. And, judging by the riot of colour on display, someone in town is making an absolute killing with pots of paint. Indeed, whereas part of Jardín’s charm is its slightly grungy approach to maintenance, it’s a different story here. We lost count of the number of people we saw brushing an extra coat of paint to a less-than-perfectly finished wall, railing or door frame. A cynic might suggest that’s because the town’s inhabitants know a good tourist opportunity when they see one. But we’d like to think it’s just the continuation of a tradition going back well over a century. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).