Welcome to the towns of Antioquia, Colombia
If you would like to practice Spanish while going through the beautiful towns of Antioquia, this article is for you. In this case, we will talk about three towns that are different from each other, but they share the same beauty. We know Guatapé is the most recommended town for tourists who come to Medellín, so today we will recommend others.
Antioquia is a very large department with incredible diversity, with one hundred twenty-five municipalities that in turn are grouped into regions. “Subregions” is the name by which the territorial subdivisions that make up the Colombian department of Antioquia are known. In total, there are nine subregions that are not relevant in terms of government, and that were created to facilitate the administration of the department, in which the 125 municipalities are grouped, including the Valle de Aburrá Metropolitan Area.
Today we will only talk about four of these municipalities, so this would only be a short invitation for you to continue exploring this incredible department and learning Spanish and the lexicon we use here. So keep these recommendations in mind so that you learn and practice Spanish in real contexts, with native people and typical words of each region and their demonyms, which sometimes do not coincide with the name of the town, but that is the invitation, to try to find out the history of those gentilics. It is the case of “El Retiro”.
1. Venecia, Antioquia
This “Venice” is not in Italy, not even flooded. The municipality of Venecia is a beautiful town in Antioquia that is two and a half hours from Medellín, southwest of the capital of Antioquia. There, people are kind and chatty, an excellent context to practice your Spanish with native speakers. The climate is the same as in Medellín due to its proximity. There are many hostels to enjoy a sunny day in the swimming pool.
The main park is very large and is surrounded by a varied garden, it is perfect for having a coffee in the square of the church. Its streets are organized and very pleasant to walk, the houses of the town are striking for their architectural tradition and most importantly, the largest natural pyramid in the world is near this beautiful town. That’s right, “Cerro Tusa”, a huge mountain attended every weekend by tourists and native people, is the perfect context to practice what you learned in your Spanish courses, as well as to challenge yourself and climb to the top and enjoy the incredible landscape enclosed by mountains.
How can you get from the town to the mountain? That’s easy! You must go to the town park, on a corner you will find some small cars, there you can ask and they will take you to the base of the mountain, when you get there, do not forget to ask about the “Piedra de Los Sacrificios”, this is a place full of history. Stand in that place and look straight at “Cerro Tusa” you may be amazed by the fantasy and creativity of the indigenous and ancient inhabitants of these towns.
2. El Retiro, Antioquia
El Retiro is a cold, quiet, and perfect town to go to rest and learn new customs and words in Spanish for a weekend. It is less than an hour and thirty minutes from Medellín, located in eastern Antioquia. The beauty and tranquility of this town are its main attraction, moreover, in its surroundings, there are a variety of trails, waterfalls, and incredible landscapes to walk and discover. It is a town full of history, and stories that any inhabitant of the town can tell you in the park while you drink a hot coffee to mitigate the cold. El Retiro is famous for being a town towns of Antioquia that makes things with wood and you can tour the workshops and see the amazing designs of the carpenters who live there.
Remember the vocabulary from your Spanish classes to buy warm clothes, as it is a very cold town, but this is not to discourage you, on the contrary, it is one of the things that makes it magical. At night, you can enjoy the amazing bars and restaurants of the town, there is a wide variety of food there, and craft beers in the bars. The sausages that they sell in this town are very famous, such as morcilla, chorizo, and chicharrón (this is not a sausage).
All around is perfect for a short or long walk, that depends on the time you have available, because there is a route called “El Paso del Toro”, it has a great ascent, descent and an unforgettable walk along the river. I recommend you not go alone, try to get in touch with a guide or a person who knows the area. At the end of the day, you will probably be very tired but very satisfied with the great experience obtained on your trip through the towns of Antioquia Colombia and the new Spanish wordslearned.
3. Santa Fe de Antioquia
In this town, you will be able to put into practice all the vocabulary learned about the weather in your Spanish classes, as this is perfect for a weekend of pool, relaxation and party, all in the same town. Located in western Antioquia, less than an hour and thirty minutes from Medellín, this town is full of incredible stories and places in its surroundings, for example, the famous Puente de Occidente is nearby, which was essential to connect the department of Antioquia with the world and commerce, it is also an architectural marvel because you can cross it on foot and contemplate from it the incredible Cauca River and the beautiful mountains that accompany the river’s course.
This town has an important history of conquest and settlement by the Spanish when they crossed these huge mountains in search of a myth. Santa Fe de Antioquia is a hot town, so don’t forget your sun cream. Try to speak with native people so that you learn new words and then share them with your teachers when you return to your Spanish lessons in Medellín.
Santa Fe de Antioquia has excellent places to dance salsa and, of course, reggaeton. If you like alcohol and trying the craft drinks of each town in Antioquia, in Santa Fe you should ask for “Candela” the name itself can give you an idea of how strong this is. Therefore, it is perfect for a party night in one of the hottest towns in Antioquia. Do not forget to drink a tamarind juice the other day to mitigate the hangover a little.
4. Jardín, Antioquia
This town is a little more remote than the other two, however, you have to go and put into practice what you learned in your Spanish classes since the diversity and natural wealth of Jardín are ideal to enrich your language about fauna and flora. Jardín is located to the southwest of the city, about three and a half hours away, however, the journey is full of landscapes that will help you not to perceive time.
All that can be said about this wonderful town is little, rivers, trails, mountains, architecture and environment are ideal to live a unique experience, one day is not enough to explore the incredible landscapes of Jardín, you can rest there from your Spanish lessons the whole weekend and then come back and share your experience.
I recommend you contact a tourist agency so that they can guide you around this fantastic place. For example, there is a place called “La Cueva del Esplendor”. It is advisable to get there with a group, you must take a car from the town to a path up the mountain that leads to this place begins, then, you can enjoy doing easy but magical trekking. This journey to the cave takes approximately two hours.
There you will not be able to stop admiring the amazing magic of nature… Once you return, you can enjoy the variety of foods and drinks that the town has to offer you, as well as the incredible coffee, since the entire region of Antioquia is famous for the delicious coffee they cultivate and prepare. In your trip through the towns of Antioquia, Colombia and in your process of learning Spanish, you cannot miss visiting this incredible place.
🌟 Medellín is a great place for learning Spanish, › here you’ll find why ‹
Do not be shy if your Spanish is not that advanced yet. Colombians are really kind and supportive. We are sure they will help you practice and learn Spanish while visiting their beautiful hometowns. Do not worry about making mistakes. Actually, making mistakes will support and reinforce your language skills. Remember, practice makes perfect.
Besides, when you have made your trip through these magical towns, think about what you would add to these descriptions and recommendations after arriving in these incredible places. In this tour, your lexicon and Spanish will have improved substantially, remember to share your experience in your Spanish classes and invite your classmates.
By: Duván Castaño
If you are thinking about learning Spanish Medellín, the time has come! Don’t think twice and let us guide you in your learning process. Remember that you will be hand in hand with the best professionals who will make your experience in the city something you will never forget, contact us now!
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