Guatapé Day Trip, Guatape

The town of Guatapé is one of the crown jewels of central Colombia's Antioquia region. There are a few reasons for this, not the least of which is El Peñol, a 7,000-foot (2,135-meter) granite rock that rises out of the ground like a giant silver bullet. A private eight-hour tour of the town includes a guided walk through the village and a mini-history lesson regarding the building of the dam that created the giant lagoon-like reservoir here, which is known as Guatapé Lake. 

Of course, the tour also includes a visit to El Peñol. Activities here include browsing the market stalls at the base of the rock or climbing up the 740 steps to admire the view from the top (entrance fee not included). Halfway up the rock is a shrine to the Virgin Mary, and once at the summit, there are 360° vistas of the sprawling Antioquia countryside that make excellent photo opportunities.