The 7 Best Day Trips From Medellin Colombia

Medellin is so popular with travellers right now that it’s basically a guaranteed stop on any trip to Colombia. However, after spending a few days here you might fancy a change of scene, so here are seven amazing day trips you can take from Medellin, from pretty coffee towns to untouched tropical paradises.

1. Guatape

The undisputed king of Medellin day trips is the one that takes you to Guatape and the stunning El Penol rock; if travellers do one day trip from the City of Eternal Spring, the chances are it will be this one. Why? The pretty little lakeside town of Guatape is simply stunning, with its brightly coloured streets and unique architecture, while the views from the rock itself are some of the best in Colombia.

Guatapé, Antioquia, Colombia

The colourful streets of Guatapé | © JoseDGL / Flickr | © JoseDGL / Flickr

2. Parque Arvi

This day trip is a little closer to home; the huge Arvi Park lies to the east of Medellin in the surrounding Andean mountains and is easily reached by the public transport cable-car network directly from the city. Many people choose simply to take a hike on some of the myriad forest trails in the park, but for a really complete trip, make sure to hop on a local bus and pay a visit to the pretty little town of Santa Elena as well.

Arvi Park, Via a Piedras Blancas, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia

3. Santa Fe de Antioquia

Bridge

One of Colombia’s network of ‘Heritage Towns’, Santa Fe de Antioquia lies a couple of hours north of Medellin and is a favoured day trip for those looking for a hot climate and beautiful, traditional architecture. Wandering the pretty, cobbled streets of Santa Fe makes for a relaxing trip out of the city, and the nearby Puente de Occidente bridge over the Cauca River is a true marvel of Colombian engineering.

Santa Fe de Antioquia, Antioquia, Colombia

http://instagram.com/p/BNj4dTwAZLR/?taken-by=santafedeantioquia

5. Jardin

A much longer day trip (it takes about four hours to get here from Medellin), but a truly worthwhile one, Jardin is arguably one of the nicest small towns in Colombia and is the perfect trip for coffee-lovers to take from Medellin. With a delightful central plaza filled with tables and chairs and locals sipping coffee, as well as tours available to local coffee farms and waterfalls, Jardin is well worth the extra effort it takes to visit.

Jardin, Antioquia, Colombia

Street scene in Jardin | © Hugo Pardo Kuklinski / Flickr

6. Cocorna

Cocorna is a small town less than two hours from Medellin and is especially worth visiting for adventure tourism, and in particular for one of the coolest paragliding experiences in Colombia. The take-off site overlooks the town below and your flight takes you over a waterfall in the jungle. Cocorna is one of the lesser-known tourist destinations for a day trip from Medellín, but if you want a truly unique paragliding experience, it’s the place to visit.

Cocorna, Antioquia, Colombia

http://instagram.com/p/BZHBV3ynWWc/?taken-at=260544199

7. El Carmen de Viboral

El Carmen is theday-trip for anyone looking to pick up some truly unique souvenirs from their time in Colombia; the town is world-famous for its unbelievably lovely handmade ceramics. It’s a tradition that dates back to the 19th century, and the ceramics are recognised as one of Colombia’s most important artisan products. No two ceramic pieces in El Carmen de Viboral are the same, and every single piece is uniquely hand-painted. If you’re a shopaholic at large in Medellin, this is the place to visit.

El Carmen de Viboral, Antioquia, Colombia

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.