Santa Fe de Antioquia: Colonial Streets and the Bridge of the West

Cross the mountains west of Medellín and the air turns hot and the houses turn white. Santa Fe de Antioquia, founded in 1541, is the oldest town in the region and was its first capital. Its cobbled streets, churches and wooden balconies make it one of the best-preserved colonial towns in Colombia, and it's an easy day trip.

The colonial town

Santa Fe was founded in 1541 by Jorge Robledo and is known in Antioquia as the 'ciudad madre', the mother city of the region. Walk around the main square and its cathedral, and get lost in the side streets of whitewashed houses, carved wooden doors and window grilles. It is at its best early in the morning and in the late afternoon, when the heat eases.

• Try the local tamarind sweets (dulces de tamarindo), sold around the main square.
• The heat is serious: bring a hat, sunscreen and water, and plan a long lunch in the shade.
• Many hotels have swimming pools that offer day passes, a good way to cool off after walking.

The Puente de Occidente

© Edgar Jiménez · CC BY-SA 2.0

A few kilometers from town, the Puente de Occidente crosses the Cauca River. Finished in 1895 after eight years of work and designed by the Antioquian engineer José María Villa, this 291-meter suspension bridge was one of the longest of its kind in the Americas when it opened. Today it is open to pedestrians and motorcycles only, so walk across and enjoy the view of the river. With a private driver you can stop here on the way into town.

How to get there

With a private car the trip takes about 1.5 hours, and your driver can stop at the Puente de Occidente on the way, which is hard to reach otherwise. There are also public buses from the Terminal del Norte throughout the day.