More about
Santa Fé de Antioquia
Santa Fe de Antioquia is a Colombian Heritage Town that keeps the most important historical treasures of the Colonial and Republican period in the department of Antioquia. It was founded in 1541 by Jorge Robledo and was the capital of the province of Antioquia until 1826. It is also known as the “Mother City”.
Located an hour and a half from Medellin, Santa Fe de Antioquia can be reached by land, along the highway to Urabá . It has a warm climate that ranges between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius, a place where you will be surprised by the vegetation of the city’s parks, and the decoration and design of the houses as you walk through its cobbled streets under the blue sky
Information about
Santa Fe de Antioquia
Region
Western Antioquia
Limits
To the north with the towns of Giraldo and Buriticá, to the northeast with the towns of Buriticá, Liborina and Olaya, to the east with the towns of Olaya and Sopetrán, to the south with the towns of Ebéjico, Anzá and Caicedo, and to the west with the towns of Caicedo, Abriaquí and Giraldo.
Area
493 Km2
Average Temperature
28 °C
Altitude
500ms. above sea level
Distance from Medellin
58 Km (Approximately 1 hour)
Demonym
Santafereños
Time Zone
UTC -5
Foundation Date
1541
Nicknames
Mother City, Cradle of the Paisa Race
Important
dates
- Foundation on December 4, 1541
- Tamarind Festivals
- Diablitos Day (December 22 -31)
- Holy Week
- Holy Week for kids (2 weeks after Easter)
- December’s holidays
Tourist
Attractions
- Historical Center
- The bridge of the West
- Juan del Corral Museum
- Church of Santa Barbara
- Simon Bolivar Park and Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
- Chinca Church
- Maria Centeno Trail
- Tonusco River
- Religious Art Museum
- House of the Two Palms
How to get to
Santa Fe de Antioquia?
From Medellin
Santa Fe de Antioquia is located in Western Antioquia. It can be reached by public transport (buses) or by private vehicle.
How long
to stay?
Santa Fe de Antioquia is a perfect place to enjoy hot and humid weather near Medellin.
Located only 1 hour away, you can easily visit for a day, but we recommend staying the night to enjoy this beautiful town during the day , sunset and at night.
If this is your first time, we recommend at least 3 days, 2 nights to get to know all the places the historic center has to offer and at the same time take time to rest and relax in the hotel. As one of the Heritage Towns of Colombia, it has a wide range of things to do, foods to try and tours to discover.
When is the best time
to visit?
It all depends on your preferences, if you prefer tranquility, disconnect and explore, we recommend visiting on weekdays and low season, if on the contrary, you like to crowds, music and nightlife, then weekends and high season are perfect for you .
All weekends are high season, especially those with holidays, at the end of the year and the first weeks of January.
You can get better hotel rates and more privacy if you visit from Monday to Thursday (except during high season, holidays) and by booking directly with us.
What should I
bring or pack?
The weather in Santa Fe de Antioquia is HOT and HUMID.
The average temperature is 28 °C. The average maximum daily temperature is 33 °C and the average minimum is 23 °C.
These are our recommendations for packing your suitcase:
Comfortable summer clothes
light and fresh fabrics
Comfortable walking shoes
Solar Protection
Sunscreen, Hat, Sunglasses, Caps
Swimwear & Repellent
Where to
stay?
In Santa Fe de Antioquia you can find a wide variety of accommodation offers from Boutique Hotels, Hotels, Hostels, Inns, Famihotels, Farm Hotels and more. Your choice depends on the type of trip, budget and if you prefer in the urban area or in the rural area.
Our Casa Bixa is ONLY FOR ADULTS. A place to rest and relax, with excellent services, spacious, complete and modern rooms, personalized service, without leaving the urban area, to easily walk to all the most important places
What to do in
Santa Fé de Antioquia?
There are many activities that you can enjoy in Santa Fé de Antioquia. These are the main tourist sites
WALKS THROUGH SANTA FE DE ANTIOQUIA: The best thing to do in Santa Fe de Antioquia is wandering around its streets (on foot, by bicycle or by motorcycle taxis). During the day you can visit jewelry stores where traditional artisans masterfully work gold filigree and delight in the craft markets, where you can buy all the fruits and sweets that make this land famous for. After sunset, enjoy the romanticism and the magic of its cobbled streets wrapped in the freshness of the night.
For nature enthusiasts, a quiet walk down the “María Centeno” trail, where the best landscapes of the region can be appreciated is always a good idea. A walk by the “Río Tonusco” is another option, a natural bathing spot by the river, where musical performances are often taking place. Finally, there is a place near Santa Fe de Antioquia called “Jalisco”, where you can go fishing and spend some quality time.
Santa Fe de Antioquia shows us a concept of Colombian tradition and beauty that is worth considering as an option to live or vacation in a different environment, full of natural and enriching landscapes, tranquility and good people, where you can enjoy these and other natural wonders that belong to this unique region.
SIMON BOLIVAR PARK AND CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: The main park of Santa Fe de Antioquia, called Parque Simón Bolivar in honor of the Liberator of Colombia, is one of the main attractions of the city. A beautiful park with cobbled streets, an impressive water fountain in the center, surrounded by trees and gardens, crossed by walking paths and benches to sit and enjoy. As the center of administrative, commercial and tourist activity in the city, it is surrounded by restaurants and cafes with outdoor tables.
The park has many buildings around it, where it stand out the Municipal Mayor’s Office and mainly, the Cathedral of Santa Fe de Antioquia, officially named the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, a cathedral church of Roman Catholic worship dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception. The cathedral was built between 1797 and 1837 and has a neoclassical-Renaissance style. Used as a priest prison in the past, now features numerous jewels and an art gallery in the sacristy.
JUAN DEL CORRAL MUSEUM: Don Juan del Corral, a Colombian of Galician descent who settled in Santa Fe de Antioquia at the end of the 18th century, has a legacy that continues to live on. It is a museum that bears his name and celebrates 60 years of operation. The Museum’s collection today has 718 pieces, out of which we highlight the table where the act of total independence from Spain was signed, the 1903 stamp with the image of Don Juan del Corral, Mompox’s tribute to the death of the hero and the ivory cameo with his image and his bronze bust. Also, the altarpiece of the Virgin of Chiquinquirá, which is a true treasure, and the book Mission Letters, authored by the Holy Mother Laura.
BRIDGE OF THE WEST: An 8-year construction that started in 1887 and was completed in 1895, designed by José Maria Villa, it is a suspension bridge with 291 meters in length. The bridge connects Santa Fe de Antioquia with Olaya, passing over the Cauca River. It was declared a national historic monument in 1978.
The construction of the Bridge of the West over the Cauca River was an odyssey, entrusted to the Antioquian engineer Jose Maria Villa, who had already collaborated in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York; Villa ordered most of the iron, steel, and cables from England while he built the wooden structure.
SANTA BARBARA CHURCH : The “Grandmother of the churches of the Province of Antioquia” is how the local poet Julio Vives Guerra called the church of Santa Bárbara, one of the most important Catholic temples in Santa Fe de Antioquia, characterized by its popular baroque style. It is located two blocks from the main square and in its construction, dating back to 1728, brick and stone stand out.
CHINCA CHURCH: Neoclassical style with baroque detail. It served as a cemetery and had a room destined to be a prison for clerics. The church of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá is a temple of Catholic worship dedicated to the Virgin Mary, under the patronage of the Virgin of Chiquinquirá. It is located next to the Plazuela Martínez Pardo, three blocks from the main square of Santa Fe de Antioquia (Antioquia) and belongs to the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe de Antioquia.
