Day trip to Santa Fe de Antioquia from Medellín

Santa Fe de Antioquia is one of the most historically important towns in the department of Antioquia, Colombia. It was one of the oldest settlements in the region and served as the capital of the province for centuries, until the capital was moved to Medellín. One of the most beautiful things to see is the town’s well-preserved colonial architecture, which has survived for centuries. In this blog post, I’ll share with you a day trip itinerary from Medellín that will allow you to experience beautiful colonial architecture while enjoying plenty of nature along the way.

How to go from Medellin to Santa Fe de Antioquia

You can travel from Medellín to Santa Fe de Antioquia either by car or by bus. If you go by bus, you will have to take it at the Terminal del Norte in Medellín. The journey takes around 1–1.5 hours, with regular services throughout the day, and costs approximately 20,000–25,000 COP each way.

I personally really enjoy the scenery on the way to Santa Fe de Antioquia. You usually pass by beautiful mountains and the climate slowly warms up as you arrive to Santa Fe.

What to do in Santa Fe de Antioquia

Amongst the things to do in Santa Fe de Antioquia is visiting the main square, Plaza Mayor Simón Bolívar, where you will be able to see several colonial buildings.

My absolute favorite thing to do, ever since I was little, is buy the local candies, especially the tamarind pulp, at the local market. The tamarind pulp is soooo good! Since the climate is very different from Medellín’s, some fruits can only grow in warmer conditions like those in Santa Fe. You’ll therefore find unique flavors and local treats that are much harder to find in the city.

After exploring the city center, I would recommend you visit the bridge Puente de Occidente. If you don't have a car, the easiest way to reach Puente de Occidente is by tuk-tuk, also called mototaxi, which takes around 15 minutes. A round trip costs around 35,000 COP and usually includes some time to walk across the bridge and enjoy the views of the Cauca River.

I personally find the views from the bridge absolutely stunning.

After heading back to Santa Fe, you might want to visit a local café. Café La Manchuria is particularly well-known for its high quality coffee.

This guide covers a day trip, but a weekend escape is perfectly possible, even suggested. There are a lot of lovely colonial hotels in the Santa Fe de Antioquia. You might want to look at some of the most known ones like Hotel Mariscal Robledo, Hotel Boutique Al Alma and Casa Bixa Hotel Boutique.