We drive about 1.5 hours from Medellín north, down hairpin turns through beautiful green mountains. Along the way, we see small picturesque houses and drive through the longest tunnel in South America. As much as 5 kilometers long. The more we drive down, the warmer it gets. Until we arrive at our destination: Santa Fe de Antioquia, where time is stuck in the year 1826.
Once the capital of Antioquia, now a small colonial village in Colombia
This small town with now more than 23,000 residents was founded in the year 1541. Located at an altitude of 550 meters, 80 kilometers north of Medellín, Santa Fe de Antioquia was declared the capital of the Department of Antioquia in 1584. Until 1826, the government moved to Medellín. Since then, Santa Fe de Antioquia has gone through life as just another cute little mountain town.
The oldest settlement in the region
Now Santa Fe de Antioquia is known as the oldest settlement in the area. Something that is immediately noticeable as we drive into the old town. Narrow streets with picturesque white houses, with beautiful typical Antioquian woodwork around doors and windows. Beautiful, quiet green courtyards and the large square with stalls, above which the white cathedral towers. The cathedral was destroyed by fire many years ago, but rebuilt in 1837 to what it is today. You will also find an old church, Iglesia de Santa Bárbara, built in the second half of the 18th century, which adds to the feeling of having stepped back in time.
Puente de Occidente: do you dare to cross it?
Then there is also, about 5 kilometers away, that 291-meter-long bridge over the Río Cauca: the Puente de Occidente, built in 1895. A wooden bridge that you can basically cross by car or on foot. Didn’t seem like a good plan when I caught sight of that long wooden bridge. So we stayed safely on the right side of the bridge. Incidentally, not entirely unfounded fears, as the bridge has not always been well maintained resulting in broken wood and fatal falls. Watching the bridge from a distance is just as beautiful, and a lot more relaxing.
By the way, did you know that this is where Who Is The Mol #WIDM 2019 began?
Santa Fe de Antioquia: a fun day trip from Medellín!
Santa Fe de Antioquia was absolutely worth it: cute, historic and beautifully located. But that low elevation at 550 meters also makes it well over 30 degrees here. As beautiful and fun as this town is: after a few hours of strolling in this temperature, we really can’t take another step. By now, we have also come across about three Turkish steam baths and are giddy just thinking about why anyone would want to take a steam bath in this heat. So we order cold fruit juice and then make our way back to the car, quickly turning on the air conditioning and returning to cooling Medellín with screeching tires.
Who Is The Mole 2019: in Santa Fe de Antioquia
The beginning of Who Is The Mole 2019 , a Dutch TV show, was shot in this beautiful village. Want to know what the participants had to bike through and experience historic Santa Fe de Antioquia for yourself? Then visit this village on a day trip from Medellín or stay here overnight!
Can’t stand heat either? Not to worry: around the village there are plenty of pools to take a refreshing dip. On the contrary, do you like high temperatures? Then there is plenty of room for you in one of the many steam baths….
