Santa Fe de Antioquia is a town in Antioquia, near the Cauca river, about 80 km (50 miles) northwest of Medellín. Its weather is hot year round, perfect for holidays or day trips. Santa Fe de Antioquia was founded in 1541 and many houses and churches are over 250 years old, making it the most well preserved colonial town in this part of the country. It was the capital of the Antioquia Department from 1813 until 1826, when Medellín was chosen as the new departmental seat.

Its name is commonly shortened to Antioquia by people from the region, which is confusing because it is the same name as the department (think New York city and New York state).

Get in

By bus

From Medellín North Bus Terminal take a bus for an almost 2-hour ride. Carriers:

• Cootransuroccidente, ticket booth 34, phone +574 2309033.
• Sotraurabá, ticket booth 19, Phone +574 2309296.
• Transporte Gómez Hernández, ticket booth 20, +574 2309551.

As of July 2018, tickets are approximately COP$10,000-COP$14,000 each way.

From the bus terminal, cross the street and follow Carrera 10 for two blocks to reach the main plaza within the historic center.

By car

The opening in 2006 of the Túnel de Occidente (Tunnel of the West, with almost 5 km is the largest for cars in South America), reduced the time and distance between the locality and Medellín. It shortened by 40 minutes the trip and new visitors arrive each weekend to explore and experience what was like to live life in Colonial town.

There is no airport in town. It is not possible to arrive into Santa Fe by boat.

Get around

Like Medellín and many other local cities, the streets are organized in a grid system with numbered Calles running east-west and numbered Carreras running north-south. The historic center is easily walkable and the tourist information center on Plaza Mayor (corner of Calle 9 and Carrera 9) has maps and recommendations for a good walking route.

See

• 1 Bridge of the West (Puente de Occidente). A suspension bridge spanning over the Cauca river and declared a National Monument. 20 min away by car. It connects Santa Fe de Antioquia and Olaya. It's accessible by mototaxi and any car, about 10 minutes from the city centre. (updated Jan 2022)
• 2 Catedral Basilica Metropolitana Inmaculada Concepcion (Catedral basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción de Santa Fe de Antioquia), Calle del Medio (On the main plaza in the city centre). Historic cathedral, completed in 1837. (updated Jan 2022)
• 3 Santa Bárbara church (Iglesia de Santa Bárbara), Calle de la Amargura. Oldest church in the city, dating back to 1726. (updated Jan 2022)
• Plaza Mayor Simon Bolivar, the main square in the historic center, bordered on one side by the cathedral and containing a fountain, gardens, and a statue of Juan de Corral.
• Templo de Santa Bárbara, the oldest church in Santa Fe de Antioquia.
• Palacio Arzobispal.
• La Casa de las 2 Palmas The House of the Two Palms.
• Museum of Religious Art, next door to Templo de Santa Bárbara.
• Templo Jesús de Nazareno, at the eastern end of the historic center
• Templo Nuestra Señora de Chiquinquirá, at the western end of the historic center, with a park (and occasional artesans' market) in front.
• Wander throughout the historic center for examples of colonial architecture everywhere.

Do

• Cinema: There are two annual moving image festivals in town: The Festival de Cine Colombiano during July/August and the Festival de Cine y Video each December.

Sleep

Santa Fe is a weekend getaway destination for residents of Medellin. Several boutique spa hotels cater to couples and those seeking bodily pampering.