Caldas
Explore Caldas with verified places and an interactive map.
- 9 places
- 8 zones
- 7 categories
- average
- Top ratedCatedral Nuestra Señora de las MercedesCentro (Parque Santander)The heart of the town: an eclectic-style cathedral with a crypt, facing Parque Santander with its bandstand and the Fuente de los Amantes.
- Top ratedRefugio De Vida Silvestre Del Alto De San MiguelVereda La ClaraAlto de San Miguel is where the Medellín river begins, and that fact alone justifies the climb. There is no single spring: the river forms from the meeting of five streams — La Vieja, La González, La Moladora, El Tesoro and Santa Isabel — and the reserve is where the water supplying much of the valley is captured and regulated.
- Top ratedRestaurante Sabor AmbrosíaCentroThe highest-rated restaurant in Caldas: authentic Chilean cooking (ceviches, pastel de choclo, machas) in a cosy atmosphere.
- Top ratedAlto de La CruzVereda La CorralaAlto de la Cruz is Caldas' short climb: about thirty minutes on foot from the main square, on a moderate path with steep stretches that tops out at 2,168 metres.
- DOLCE RestobarEl CarruselRelaxed restobar serving Italian cooking, pizzas, crêpes and artisan Italian ice cream; a good choice for a quiet outing.
- Top ratedMuseo de la Loza y la Cerámica contemporáneaLa LoceríaCaldas is, alongside El Carmen de Viboral, the other Antioquian town with a ceramics tradition, and this museum explains why. In August 1881 the Compañía Cerámica Antioqueña was founded here; it went on to be called Locería Colombiana and ended up as the Corona company.
- Restaurante El Costillazo PaisaAlto de MinasAn almost obligatory stop at Alto de Minas: ribs, chicharrón, posta and chorizo in generous portions for travellers to and from the south of Antioquia.
- Varsovia BarCentroCaldas's go-to rock bar for more than two decades; a meeting point for hanging out with good music.
- El RancheritoVereda La TolvaEl Rancherito is one of the most widespread Antioquian food chains in the department — nine branches — and this is its house in Caldas, at the southern end of the valley.
Before you go
Caldas closes off the Aburrá Valley to the south. It is the town where the city turns into mountain: cooler, greener and with a small-town pace you feel as soon as you reach the main square, in front of the cathedral of Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes. The road to Antioquia's southwest starts here, and much of what it offers is aimed at people passing through or looking for lunch outside the city.
What makes Caldas special is its nature. At Alto de San Miguel, a wildlife refuge, the river that later runs through the whole valley is born, and it is a favourite spot for birdwatching; Alto de la Cruz is another hike with a view. On the cultural side, the Museo de la Loza recalls the ceramics tradition that shaped the town. For food, there are traditional and roadside restaurants in the $$ range, such as El Rancherito, and the centre has sit-down options and a rock bar or two.
The Metro runs to La Estrella, and buses connect from there to Caldas; for rural areas and reserves, a car or taxi is better. Bring a warm layer and a rain jacket, because it rains often and gets colder than in Medellín. If you are visiting the reserves, ask in advance whether you need a guide or a booking.
