The east of Antioquia is the first destination that appears on the agenda of most international travelers arriving in Medellín. Guatapé has global recognition. But the east has more to offer and Guatapé is only one point on the map. El Retiro, the El Peñol reservoir and the municipalities of the eastern highlands form a circuit that can be explored in a full day or a complete weekend with Binn Hotel in El Poblado as the base.
The difference between doing that journey well and doing it average comes down to the early departure, knowing what to expect at each stop and having a place to return to that justifies the effort of the day.
Guatapé: what you already know and what is worth adding
Guatapé is approximately 80 kilometers from Medellín, between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on traffic. It is the most visited destination in the east of Antioquia and the one that appears most in the international traveler’s searches before arriving in the city.
The Peñol Rock is 220 meters high with 649 steps to the top. The panoramic views over the reservoir and the islands from above have the visual quality that justifies the effort. For the experience of Guatapé from the sky, the hotel has information about small plane flights that give a completely different perspective of the reservoir and the Rock.
The town of Guatapé has streets with hand-painted zócalos, lakeside restaurants and the option of a boat ride across the reservoir. What the first-time visitor does not always know is that the town and the Rock are several kilometers apart: they are two separate stops within the same journey.
The recommended departure from El Poblado is before 7:00 a.m. to be at the Rock before 10:00 a.m., when organized tourism groups start arriving and the ascent becomes slower. With that timing you can have lunch in town, take the boat across the reservoir and return to Medellín before 7:00 p.m.
El Retiro: the municipality the luxury traveler should know
El Retiro is approximately 40 kilometers from Medellín, between 45 minutes and 1 hour along the Las Palmas road. It is the least well-known municipality in the eastern Antioquia circuit among the international tourist circuit and the one with the proposition most aligned with the profile of the traveler staying at Binn Hotel.
El Retiro has a well-preserved colonial plaza, flower-lined streets and a concentration of art galleries, antique shops and interior design stores that make the municipality a luxury shopping destination without the crowded atmosphere of Medellín’s shopping centers. El Retiro’s antique route is known among Colombian collectors and has furniture pieces, folk art and design objects that the discerning traveler does not find with that concentration and accessibility anywhere else in the country.
Parque El Estadio, the streets adjacent to the plaza and the Los Alpes sector are the three points of the circuit that justify the detour from Medellín. La Fogata restaurant, with decades of tradition in the municipality, is the gastronomic reference for those who want lunch before returning to the city.
For the traveler who has a free day in Medellín and wants something different from Guatapé, El Retiro has the right scale: less than an hour from El Poblado, with enough content for three or four hours of exploration and without the logistical pressure of more distant destinations.
The eastern highlands: San Vicente, La Ceja and Marinilla
The eastern Antioquia highlands have a páramo geography and cold climate that contrasts directly with the Aburrá Valley. Marinilla, La Ceja and San Vicente Ferrer are municipalities with religious tradition and colonial architecture that are visited less than Guatapé but have a more authentic character precisely for that reason.
Marinilla has one of the best-preserved colonial churches in Antioquia and a craft market that operates on weekends. La Ceja has a flower and plant offering that explains why the east of Antioquia is one of the country’s most important flower-growing areas. San Vicente has the coldest climate in the circuit and the kind of high mountain landscape that Bogotá travelers know but the international traveler rarely expects to find two hours from Medellín.
These three municipalities work better as stops within a longer journey toward Guatapé than as independent destinations from Medellín.
How to organize the circuit from Binn Hotel
The guide to destinations from Binn Hotel covers the main Antioquia circuits with real travel times. For the east specifically, there are two formats that work depending on available time.
A full day: departure before 7:00 a.m., Guatapé and the Peñol Rock in the morning, lunch in town, return via El Retiro in the afternoon if time allows. Arrival at Binn Hotel between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. with time for Etro Rooftop if the evening calls for it.
A weekend: El Retiro on Saturday morning with lunch in the municipality and return to the hotel for the afternoon at B Wellness. Guatapé on Sunday with an early departure and return in the afternoon. That pace allows both destinations to be done without rushing and without sacrificing the hotel experience between excursions.
The Binn Hotel concierge team can guide you on routes, updated times and road conditions. Transportation is managed independently by your own vehicle, Uber or local tourism agencies in Medellín.
Frequently asked questions about the east of Antioquia from Medellín
How long does it take to get to Guatapé from Medellín?
Between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on traffic and the departure point in the city. On weekends traffic on the road can extend the time to 2.5 hours. A weekday early departure is the most efficient option.
Can El Retiro and Guatapé be visited in the same day?
Yes, with a departure before 7:00 a.m. El Retiro is on the route toward Guatapé if you take the Las Palmas road. You can stop for one or two hours in El Retiro and arrive in Guatapé before noon.
Was the east of Antioquia affected by the August 2026 earthquake?
No. The earthquake primarily affected Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Caldas and Quindío. The east of Antioquia is not in those zones. Guatapé, El Retiro and the highland municipalities are operating normally.
Is there public transportation from Medellín to the east of Antioquia?
Yes. From Medellín’s Terminal del Norte there are buses to Guatapé, Marinilla and other eastern municipalities with regular frequency. For El Retiro, buses depart from the Terminal del Sur along the Las Palmas road.
Which eastern destination do you recommend for a first visit?
Guatapé for those who want the greatest visual impact with less planning. El Retiro for those who prefer a quieter, culturally richer circuit closer to Medellín.
