What to Do in Guatape Besides La Piedra

The Town Beyond the Rock

Most visitors to Guatapé follow the same route: bus from Medellín, climb La Piedra, walk the colorful main street, eat somewhere obvious, take the bus back. That route misses most of what makes Guatapé worth the trip.

The zócalos — painted ceramic tile panels covering the base of nearly every building — document local life, history, and identity in a way that’s easy to walk past without realizing what you’re looking at. Each one is different. They take about forty minutes to see properly if you’re paying attention.

The malecón runs along the waterfront of the Embalse del Peñol, the reservoir created when the original town was flooded in the 1970s. The view is quiet in the morning. By midday, boats leave for lake tours.

Free Guided Bike Rides

Three mornings a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:30am — Mountain Bike Colombia runs a free guided ride through Guatapé and the surrounding countryside. It leaves from Casa de Ciclistas on the malecón. Bikes and helmets are included. No experience or special gear is needed.

The ride covers local roads and trails that most tourists never reach: lake views, farmland, the edges of the backcountry. It’s the best way to see the landscape around the town without renting a motorbike or taking a generic tour.

For visitors who want more than a free morning ride, Mountain Bike Colombia also runs half-day and full-day guided routes, and multi-day expeditions across Colombia including a humanitarian expedition into the Amazon.

Dulce Amazónica and the Amazonian Ice Cream

Next to Casa de Ciclistas on the malecón, Dulce Amazónica serves ice cream made from approximately 25 Amazonian fruit flavors — most of which are unknown outside the rainforest. Fruits like copoazú, arazá, borojo, and moriche, sourced from Indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon.

It is also a cultural space. Visiting Indigenous ambassadors from partner communities work at Dulce Amazónica and sell artisan goods directly — textiles, basketry, ceremonial objects — without intermediaries. The proceeds go directly back to those communities. It is genuinely unusual, and there is nothing comparable in Antioquia.

Eating and Coffee

Casa de Ciclistas serves breakfast, lunch, coffee, and sourdough baked from a starter that is 200 years old. It is open from 7:30am. The coffee is single-origin, sourced directly from Colombian growing regions. Not a tourist menu — real food at honest prices.

The kitchen also serves Venezuelan-influenced dishes alongside Colombian staples. Group meals are available with advance notice.

Boat Trips on the Reservoir

Boats leave from the malecón for tours of the Embalse del Peñol and the islands in the reservoir. The flooded town — now submerged beneath the water — left only a church tower visible above the surface, which most boat tours pass by. Tours run throughout the day, typically 45–90 minutes.

The Overnight Option

If you stay the night, the town is a different place in the early morning. The day-trip crowds from Medellín arrive mid-morning. Before that, the malecón and the streets are quiet. The free morning ride on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday is a reason on its own to arrive the evening before.

Frequently Asked Questions

What else is there to do in Guatapé besides La Piedra?

A lot. The town has a waterfront malecón, colonial streets painted with zócalos, a cultural centre with Amazonian ice cream and Indigenous crafts at Dulce Amazónica, free guided mountain bike rides with Casa de Ciclistas, and boat trips on the reservoir. Most visitors who stay longer than a few hours find it more interesting than expected.

Is Guatapé only worth visiting for La Piedra del Peñol?

No. La Piedra is the draw, but the town itself is genuinely worth time. The painted zócalos alone make it worth an extra hour. The food and café scene is better than most Colombian tourist towns. And there are bike routes and lake views that most visitors never find.

Can I do a bike tour in Guatapé?

Yes. Mountain Bike Colombia runs guided rides through Guatapé and the surrounding countryside, including routes along the reservoir and into the backcountry. There are also free guided rides three mornings a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:30am — leaving from Casa de Ciclistas. No experience needed.

Where should I eat in Guatapé beyond the main tourist strip?

Casa de Ciclistas on the malecón. Fresh sourdough, single-origin coffee, Venezuelan arepas, and Amazonian ice cream from Dulce Amazónica next door. Not a tourist trap — open from 7:30am.

What is Dulce Amazónica?

Dulce Amazónica is a cultural experience next to Casa de Ciclistas in Guatapé. It serves Amazonian ice cream made from rare fruits sourced from Indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon, sells artisan goods made by those communities, and hosts visiting Indigenous ambassadors. There is nothing else like it in Antioquia.

How long should I spend in Guatapé if I want to do more than La Piedra?

A full day is enough to climb La Piedra, walk the town, eat at Casa de Ciclistas, visit Dulce Amazónica, and take a short boat trip or bike ride. An overnight stay lets you catch the morning quiet and join the free early ride before the day-trip crowds arrive from Medellín.