Concepcion

Concepcion was founded in 1770 and sits in a valley in eastern Antioquia at around 1,900 metres, and the reason it looks as it does is access - the road in is long and partly unpaved, so it never got the traffic or the redevelopment that reached comparable towns, and the cobbled streets, whitewashed two-storey houses with timber balconies and the plaza survived largely intact. It was declared a heritage town. The population is around four thousand and the pace is slow; there are a few small guesthouses and restaurants and not much else, which is what people come for. Trout farms and waterfalls are in the surrounding hills. It is well off the standard Antioquia circuit and receives comparatively few visitors.

What you actually see

• Cobbled streets and timber balconies - largely unaltered.
• A village founded in 1770 - preserved by poor road access.
• Around four thousand people - and very little tourism.
• Waterfalls and trout farms - in the surrounding hills.

When to go

Year round. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The road in is partly unpaved and slow - allow much longer than the distance suggests. Services are minimal. There is little to do beyond walking the village. Rain makes the road worse.

Nearby

Santo Domingo is west; Barbosa is on the Medellin road.