Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [175]
The Southern Bus Terminal (Terminal de Sur), 4km southwest of the center, handles all traffic to the west and south, including Manizales (COP$8500, five hours), Pereira (COP$14,000, five hours), Armenia (COP$18,000, six hours) and Cali (COP$45,000, nine hours). From El Poblado it’s a quick taxi ride (COP$3500).
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Getting Around
METRO
Medellín’s Metro (www.metrodemedellin.org.co; single ticket COP$1400; 4:30am-11pm Mon-Sat, 5am-10pm Sun) is Colombia’s only commuter rail line. It opened in 1995 and consists of a 23km north–south line and a 6km east–west line. Trains run at ground level except for 5km through the central area where they go on elevated tracks. The metro company also operates two cable car lines, called Metrocable, built to service the slum-dwelling residents on the surrounding hills, and a third line (to Santa Elena) is planned. The rides themselves afford magnificent views and make for a lovely way to check out the town.
BUS
Medellín is well-serviced by buses, although most travelers will find the metro and taxis sufficient for their needs. The majority of routes originate on Av Oriental and Parque Berrío. Buses stop running around 10 or 11pm.
AROUND MEDELLÍN
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Long off-limits to Colombian tourists, who remained trapped in their cities by La Violencia, the countryside around Medellín is now secure and bustling with crowds. To the east lies the man-made reservoir Embalse Guatapé, a popular weekend getaway spot. Nearby is El Peñol, a 200m-high granite monolith you can climb. From the top you’ll find great views over the lake.
To the north of the city lies Santa Fe de Antioquia, a sleepy colonial town that was once the capital of the department. These days it attracts weekenders from Medellín looking to warm up – set at a mere 550m, many hotels and restaurants have pools you can splash around in. The Puente de Occidente, an unusual local bridge, is also worth a visit.
Three hours east of Medellín is Río Claro. This nature reserve lies along a peaceful river where you can go rafting, kayaking or just paddle around. There are also canopy lines that zigzag back and forth across the river, and several cathedral-sized caves you can visit.
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GUATAPÉ
4 / pop 2000 / elev 1925m
A two-hour bus ride from Medellín takes you to the pleasant holiday town of Guatapé. A ghost town for many years, tourism has returned to Guatapé with a vengeance. There’s a good selection of hotels catering to weekend visitors – prices almost halve during the week – and restaurants serving hearty paísa food. It makes a great day trip, especially on the weekend, when the town is packed with Colombian tourists, and a festival atmosphere reigns. There are boats that can take you out onto the lake – including several with bars and dance floors – and a canopy line that zooms along the shorefront.
Guatapé is also well known for the fresco-like adornment of the traditional houses. Brightly painted bas-relief depictions of people, animals and shapes cover the bottom half of many houses.
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Information
The tourist office ( 861 0555) in the alcaldía (town hall) on the main square was closed temporarily at the time of our visit. On the weekend a small shack on the waterfront dispenses advice and offers free tours of the town.
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Sights
A block up from the main square is Calle de los Recuerdos, a cobblestone street that angles uphill and boasts the best example of the local frescoes.
The small Museo Turístico has an array of pottery shards, old typewriters, and odds and sods. It is open on the weekend and local guides will show you around