The Valley, the Clay, and the Wardrobe
Spend a day in San Nicolas Valley to visit 2 key municipalities in Eastern Antioquia; namely, historic El Retiro and El Carmen de Viboral, which has gained fame all over Colombia for its high-quality ceramics. You'll have time to browse the displays of clay curios and wooden knick-knacks.
The scents of wood will greet you when you enter the carpentry shops and furniture stores in El Retiro, which is home to an 80-year-old heritage of cabinetmaking. In El Carmen de Viboral, be the guest of a local family and learn about the tradition of making pottery.
BEST TIME TO GO
December through March
We recommend that you book this trip at least 2 months in advance.
PRICING
USD 215 per person, min. 3 people;
USD 145 per additional person.
You will be charged in MXN.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
A Spanish-speaking driver and a bilingual guide;
Appreciation of architecture in El Retiro;
Sightseeing in El Carmen de Viboral;
Introduction to the arts of woodworking and pottery;
Visit to local establishments;
Some time to buy a few souvenirs;
Plenty of photo opportunities;
Scenic views;
Traditional Colombian lunch;
Bottled water and a cup of coffee.
Entrance fees, workshop fees, and gratuities are not included.
Craft and Culture Day Trip from Medellin
It takes a lot of training and discipline to become a master potter or woodworker. In the municipalities of El Retiro and El Carmen de Viboral, you will visit local workshops and family businesses to learn about the process of these traditional arts.
Embark on your day trip from Medellin after breakfast for the one-hour drive to El Retiro, where you’ll admire the different styles of architecture as you tour the colonial village. The baroque style is also prominent in some of the churches. The colonial buildings, which reflect Colombia’s Spanish origins, were replaced by models that had English and French influences (known as Republican Architecture) when the country gained its independence in the early 1800’s.
Craftsmanship in the Valley
The number of carpentry and cabinetmaking shops in El Retiro is currently approaching a hundred. You’ll visit one of these traditional furniture stores, as well as the local museum. After a trip to the cultural center and a stop at a local coffee shop, another one-hour scenic ride through the lush landscape of the San Nicolas Valley takes you to El Carmen de Viboral.
Enjoy a traditional Colombian lunch when you arrive in El Carmen. Afterwards, look around the village square and then spend time with a local family to understand the complete process of transforming clay into the ceramic wares on display in their shop. Make your way back to Medellín with your guide after this informative tour.
Insider Notes
El Retiro is nicknamed the Cradle of Liberty due to the historic act of a couple who decided to free their slaves in the mid-eighteenth century. In 1734, during the time when Spanish conquerors occupied Eastern Antioquia, Don Ignacio Castañeda and his wife Doña Javiera Londoño settled in the area with their slaves to exploit the mines of El Guarzo. 30+ years later, the couple signed a testament declaring that they were giving freedom to their 140 slaves, under the one condition that their slaves would pray for the eternal repose of their souls. However, it took 85 more years, through a Presidential Act by José Hilario López, for the chains of slavery to officially be broken. Find out more on your day trip from Medellin.
