Just down the road from the famous rock is the picturesque lakeside town also named Guatapé, one of Colombia's most uniquely colourful. This is actually a fairly recent development, as these things go - the 1950s, when local artist José María Parra tarted up the façade of his own house, and the practice spread first among his friends and neighbours on Guatapé's best known street Calle del Recuerdo, then to many others in the town.

On weekends, the waterfront promenade is charmingly filled with locals enjoying the views and a variety of foods, art, and crafts vendors. There's a zipline over the lake, and the nearby Peñol-Guatapé Reservoir (created in the 1970s) is popular for water sports and boat rides including attractions such as the ruins of La Manuela, the lakeside mansion of notorious narco-traffickers Pablo Escóbar, and various little islands, most notably "Fantasy Island", with a swimming area, snack shacks, and a lovely view of the famous Peñón.

Read more in our post Get a Piece of the Rock at Colombia's Jawdropping Guatapé.

Jess Kraft