Today I went for the second time to El Castillo Museum, a rare and quirky destination that seems to arouse a lot of curiosity among visitors to the city.

It is a palace turned museum that offers an intimate look at the life of the Echavarría family, one of the richest and most powerful families in Medellín during the 20th century.

Are you interested in luxury and antiques? Then you must visit El Castillo. There is no other place in the capital of Antioquia that mixes both in such an exotic way. That’s why I share with you some tips to enjoy the tour and activities such as picnicking in its splendid gardens.

But first a word of warning: if you are looking for a lively experience that allows you to discover the history of the city, there are other plans such as the Graffitour that will surely meet your expectations better.

Personally, El Castillo is not my favorite museum. I have heard that sometimes people leave disappointed because they expected something different. With this post we want you to know what it has to offer and not get unwanted surprises.

Address

The museum is located southeast of the city, in the Poblado sector. Exactly in the street 9 south N° 32 – 269, going up the hill of Los Balsos.

It is a mostly residential area, although nearby, on Poblado Avenue, you will find other destinations of tourist interest such as the Santa Fe shopping center (one of the largest in the city) and the Sanctuary of the Mystic Rose, a religious pilgrimage site much frequented by local devotees of the virgin.

Further south is Envigado, with equally interesting attractions such as the Casa Museo Otraparte, where Fernando Gonzalez, the philosopher and sorcerer (as his acquaintances called him) lived. But for now let’s stay in Medellín.

How to get to El Castillo Museum?

Your options for getting to El Castillo Museum are the Metro system, hailing a cab (or mobility apps such as Didi, Uber and Cabify) or taking a private vehicle.

In the Metro you must take line A to Aguacatala station. When you come out of the turnstiles turn right, be careful! If you see that you are crossing the Medellín River it means that you turned left and are going in the opposite direction.

Down the steps of the bridge are parked the white Metro buses. There are usually several routes that pass by the museum. Ask the driver directly if he makes a stop there. But if you don’t speak Spanish, you’ll be on the fixed route Poblado 133llA. The fare is between $3,400 and $4,155 pesos.

On the way back you will most likely have to ask for a cab or use a mobility app, since the street in front of the museum only goes uphill and you will have to walk several blocks to get back to Los Balsos on the way down. Keep in mind that the fare to sectors such as Laureles-Estadio (or any area further north) will be over $20,000 (4 usd).

In case you drive your own vehicle, the museum has a parking lot that costs $11,000 (2.67 usd) for cars and $7,000 (1.70 usd) for motorcycles. This covers you for the entire time you spend there.

History of El Castillo Museum

Although we began by mentioning the Echavarría family, El Castillo was actually the work of José Tobón Uribe, founder of the Pasteur pharmacy, who was so fascinated by the French castles of the Loire Valley that he had a country house built with the same characteristics.

The work was finished in 1931 and months later Tobón died of a heart attack. Then Diego Echavarría Misas bought it to settle there with his wife Benedikta Zur Nieden, whom he affectionately called Dita. In her honor they named a neighborhood in Itagüí “Ditaires”.

The Echavarría ancestry was already illustrious for having created the San Vicente de Paúl Hospital and the textile company Coltejer, whose building in the shape of a capotera needle was considered the tallest in the country until 1977 and still dominates the downtown landscape.

From the beginning, the couple dreamed of turning their life into a museum. They enlarged and decorated the spaces of the palace with valuable works of art that they acquired through sales and auctions in Paris, New York, London and other cities. Everything seemed to be going well for them.

But this story hides a painful tragedy. The Echavarría couple had an only child named Isolda, who died at 19 from Guilliam Barré syndrome. Just four years later, in 1971, Diego Echavarría was kidnapped and killed by the FARC.

However, that was not enough to put an end to her dream. After returning from exile, Benedikta Zur Nieden decided to open the doors of the castle to the public and turn it into a foundation. Now, thanks to multiple acquisitions and donations, the facilities have the largest collection of decorative art in Medellín.

What to do in El Castillo Museum?

The castle is characterized mainly by the museum and the surrounding gardens.

The latter are so amazing that people reserve them for weddings, photo studios and even filming movies. And you can complement your tour by having a picnic there; just remember that pets are not allowed.

Make sure your visit is during a clear day, as the true charm of the place is experienced when it is sunny. Medellín is known for its changeable weather, so if you see too many clouds, change your destination.

For weekends, my biggest tip is not to spend the whole morning or afternoon in El Castillo. Instead, take advantage of the fact that you will be in Poblado and plan your day to explore other areas like Manila, Provenza, El Lleras and Ciudad de Rio, where you will find delicious food and more entertainment.

Museum

Inside the palace there are 14 rooms filled with all kinds of eccentric curiosities. Don’t forget that Diego Echavarría was the first person in the city to own a limousine.

With such a character, you will come across objects such as the smallest book in the world (a Bible translated into 7 languages the size of an earring), Persian rugs made of camel hair and chandeliers that were once worth more than the entire castle grounds.

Some things to keep in mind are to eat and use the restroom before starting. This is not mentioned in the guides, but the tour lasts about an hour and there are no public restrooms in the building.

You should also know that the guide is only given in Spanish, so it is a good idea to bring someone to translate for you if you do not speak the language.

At the reception desk they sell self-guides. They are small books in English, French and Spanish that narrate the script of the tour, but the experience is not the same if you also have to worry about reading.

There they also take care of keeping your belongings during the tour; this is for the safety of the pieces. They are not supposed to let you take pictures inside the castle, but I recommend that you always take your camera or cell phone with you, because there are specific points where the guides give you time to take pictures with the scenery.

My last recommendation is to think twice if you are going with someone who is very old or has a mobility disability. The ride has very steep stairs repeatedly and there are no ramps to make it easier to get around.

Gardens

The Castle is surrounded by a set of gardens that have the same essence of the building, because they are inspired by foreign aesthetics (mainly French medieval gardens), but keep inside the wonderful local flora.

The main garden in front of the palace is the French Garden and dates back to the times of the Echavarría family. A little more than a decade ago, other spaces such as the Japanese garden, the tropical garden, the succulent garden and the native forest were also remodeled.

So you have many places to choose where to put your tablecloth and eat something with your family or that special person.

Picnic

As for picnics, there are 2 options. You can bring the elements yourself to set it up in the castle gardens. Food is allowed in that part of the castle.

But this alternative has limitations: the group with which you go must not exceed 10 people and you can not put special decoration.

If you want to go with a large group or put decoration, El Castillo offers a great series of country plans with very delicious picnics for 2 or 4 people, whose prices range from $40,000 (9.72 usd) per person and $290,000 (70.47 usd) for 4 people. This service must be booked 2 days in advance through WhatsApp or on their official website.

Although again, whether you plan your visit in the morning or in the afternoon, my advice is to have lunch in the pink zone of Poblado, where there will be restaurants of equal quality but much more varied, at similar or even cheaper prices than the picnics.

Price

I remind you that parking for the entire time you spend there is $11,000 (2.67 usd) for cars and $7,000 (1.70 usd) for motorcycles.

The visit to the gardens and the guided tour inside the castle is worthwhile:

  • Adults: $27.000 (6.56 usd)
  • Children (between 3 and 13 years old) and students (presenting ID): $20.000 (4.86 usd)

Or, in case you just want to have a picnic, your visit to the gardens, without access to the interior of the castle costs:

  • Adults: $22.000 (5.35 usd)
  • Children and students: $17.000 (4.13 usd)

Schedule

Hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

These hours apply for admission, it does not mean that the museum closes at that time; only that they do not accept more people.

The guided tours are assigned at the ticket office on a first-come, first-served basis and according to availability.

For this reason it is recommended that you arrive early, as the wait to start the tour can be 45-50 minutes on weekends if there is a large attendance.

In addition to this, El Castillo occasionally hosts events and temporary exhibitions, so it is good to check before you go on their social networks, where they usually update the schedule.