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• Half-day Coffee Tour – 4.5 hours
• Coffee Farm & Guatape Tour – 9.5 hours
• Coffee Tour & Horse Riding -8 hours
• Coffee Tour & ATVs – 8 hours
• Coffee Farm & Graffiti Tour – 8 hours
• Coffee & Chocolate Tour – 9 hours
• Coffee Tour in Jardin Town – 12 hours
• Coffee Tour with War Victims – 9 hours
• Guatape & Coffee Farm Tour – 9.5 hours
• Guatape & Avocado Farm Tour -9.5 hours
• Guatape & Paragliding Tour – 9.5 hours
• Guatape & Horse Riding Tour – 10 hours
• Guatape & Jet-Ski Ride Tour – 9 hours
• Guatape & Graffiti Tour – 10.5 hours
• Guatape & Boat Ride Tour – 9 hours
• Guatape & ATVs Tour – 9.5 hours
• Just Guatape Tour – 8 hours
• Guatapé & Flower Farm Tour – 10 hours
• Just Horseback Riding – 4 hours
• Horse Riding & Coffee Tour – 8 hours
• Horse Riding & Guatape Tour – 10 hours
• Horse Riding & ATVs – 7 hours
• Graffiti Tour: The Off The Beaten Path Option – 3 hours
• Graffiti & Cable Car & Fruit Tasting – 5 hours
• Graffiti & Cable Car & City Tour – 5.5 hours
• Graffiti Tour & Tejo Sport – 5 hours
• Graffiti & Former Landfill – 8 hours
• Graffiti & Guatape Tour – 10.5 hourss
• Graffiti & Coffee Farm Tour – 8 hours
• Just Graffiti Tour – 3.5 hours
• Just ATVs Tour – 4 hours
• ATVs & Coffee Tour – 8 hours
• ATVs & Horse Riding – 7 hours
• ATVs & Guatape Tour – 9.5 hours
• ATVs & Paragliding – 7 hours
• Cacao/Chocolate Tour – 6 hours
• Food Tour – 4 hours
• Former Landfill/Transformation Tour – 4.5 hours
• City Tour – 4.5 hours
• Helicopter Tour in Medellin – 2.5 hours
• Paragliding Medellin Go-Pro Included – 3 hours
• Santa Fe de Antioquia – 7 hours
• Flower Farm & Arví Park Tour 4.5 hours
• Comuna 13 in Medellin: History and Present
• Piedra del Marial: The Giant Sister Of Guatape Rock
• Cerro de los Valores: An Example Of Resilience in Medellin
• The History Of Colombian Coffee: A Brief Journey To The Past
• The Perfect Get Away: Introducing Restaurant El Gran Cacao
• The Best Blood Sausage in Medellin: La Morcilla de Estela
• Playing Tejo: A Must Do In Medellin
• Covid-19 Information
• Multi-trip Discount Program
• Cancelation & Refund Policy
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Just Guatape Tour

Do you have any clue what the Guatapé Rock is? A meteorite? READ MORE!

Fantastic, authentic adventure

Read more “Fantastic, authentic adventure”

Great Guatape tour with the best guide

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One of the best tours I have ever been on.

Read more “One of the best tours I have ever been on.”

WOW! Could not be happier with our visit to Medellin/Antioquia!

Read more “WOW! Could not be happier with our visit to Medellin/Antioquia!”

Great experience, amazing tour! (Guatape Rock Tour)

Read more “Great experience, amazing tour! (Guatape Rock Tour)”

BEST DAY TRIPS!!!

Read more “BEST DAY TRIPS!!!”

Amazing day exploring the outskirts of Medellin!

Read more “Amazing day exploring the outskirts of Medellin!”

Great trip experience!!

Read more “Great trip experience!!”

Fantastic tour of El Penol and Guatape

Read more “Fantastic tour of El Penol and Guatape”

Amazing experience!

Read more “Amazing experience!”

Great!! So you are thinking about visiting the rock of Guatapé and its beautiful town.

We can take you there and tell you the amazing history of the rock, plus stories about the flooded town under Lake Guatapé, as well as the tradition of Zocalos in Guatape.

However, in our Guatape Tour we would like to go beyond and provide you a more complete experience, something truly memorable.

This is why our Guatape Tour has 3 optional activities, all of them unique, so you can combine them and take the most out of this day trip.

Naturally we also have the option of just the Guatape tour.

Our options are:

• Just Guatape Tour (this one you are reading).
• Guatape Tour with Horseback riding.
• Guatape Tour & coffee plantation tour.
• Guatape & Graffiti Tour
• Guatape & Paragliding
• Guatape & Boat Ride
• Guatape Tour & flower farm tour.
• Guatape & ATVs Tour
• Rock Climb the Guatape Rock

Just Guatape Tour Description:

The following tour description applies to all the Guatape Tour optional activities:

First Stop: Exotic Fruit Tasting

Medellin Day Trips has always been characterized by offering more complete tours with fair prices and our Guatape Tour is not the exception.

Therefore, to make your experience more enjoyable our first stop is a fruit tasting.

In this brief but substantial stop we provide you different exotic fruits you probably didn't even know exist, with intense sour or sweet flavors.

Have you tried Pitaya, Granadilla, Tree Tomato or Lulo? Wait no more and give them a chance!!!

Second Stop: Climbing Up The Guatape Rock

After eating delicious exotic fruits, we go towards the Guatape Rock known in Spanish known as Piedra del Peñol.

At this massive rock you get the chance to climb it. It has 749 steps and it takes 40 minutes approximately to go up and down.

Once you reach the top, you can stay up there for as long as you wish as you witness one of the most beautiful views you have ever seen.

This is not only our opinion but that of hundreds of tourists we have taken there.

However, our Guatape Tour still has more to offer.

Third Stop: Guatape Town: City of Zocalos

Our next destination is Guatape, one of the most colorful and picturesque towns in Colombia.

How did this Zocalo tradition start and why? Take this tour and find out!!

At this town we take a fully narrated walking tour through the town’s landmarks: church, main square, remembrance street, Zocalos Square and more.

Once the walking tour has concluded we take you to the best restaurant in town to have a traditional delicious lunch (not included in the tour) where you have more than 20 different options to try the local cuisine accompanied by a cold sangria or a craft beer.

After we finish the lunch we start our journey back to Medellin, with a smile in your face and full of good memories and photos.

All in all, you should not miss out this Guatape tour, it allows you to enjoy the beauty of this region in a different and fun way.

Do you like this Guatape tour? Just fill out the booking form below and enjoy it with us.

All our tours can be safely paid with credit or debit card, Paypal or cash.

Please do not forget we give you a multi-trip discount as following:

  *please read the terms and conditions that apply to our loyalty program ..

• Guatape Tour Itinerary

Try up to 7 different exotic fruits from Colombia

We stop at this replica town to explain thoroughly the history of this town and facts about the dam and lake.

Climb the 749 steps to have one of the most beautiful view you will ever see.

Visit all the different landmarks of Guatape and learn the history with a guided tour.

Related products

Guatape and Avocado Farm Tour

Guatape and Avocado Farm Tour: all in one great day, book now!!

Guatape & Jet-Ski Ride Tour: A fun experience in the water

Guatape & Jet-Ski Ride Tour: A fun experience in the water, book now!

Guatape and Boat Ride Tour: Explore Guatape from the water

Guatape and Boat Ride Tour: all in one great day, book now!!

Whether you have questions about safety, money exchange, accomodation, transportation or restaurants, do not hesitate to check our FAQ section .

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That Medellin Day Trips rejects exploitation, pornography, sex tourism and all forms of sexual abuse of minors, illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade and supports the conservancy of cultural attractions and social patrimony at our touristic destinations as stated in law 1336 of 2009.

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Guatapé Free Tour

• 9.70 / 10 14 reviews | 161 travellers
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Explore the enchanting town of Guatapé with our free tour , your gateway to discovering the captivating allure of this Antioquian gem . As we meander through its bustling streets, you'll admire its vibrant Plazas' colours .

Description

We'll meet in front of the Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen  at the indicated time. Once we're all together we'll start our  tour of Guatapé , a small town in Antioquia . Did you know it's one of the most beautiful towns in Colombia ? We'll check it out!

To begin with, we'll tour the main streets of Guatapé, including  Calle   Duque , Julia Pastusa Alley , Calle   Jiménez  and  Memorial Street .

As we explore, you'll notice the eye-catching zócalos adorning the house facades. These designs and paintings not only decorate the buildings but also depict Antioquia's customs, flora, fauna, and symbols in vibrant colours .

Continuing through Guatapé's centre, you'll hear intriguing stories and anecdotes about the town , famous for its reservoir of turquoise waters and the iconic El Peñol stone.

After 2 hours of strolling through the beautiful streets of the town, we'll end the free tour and return to the starting point.

More Information

The activity takes place with a guide that speaks in English and Spanish.

English–speaking guide

Not included

When to book.

You can book up until 1 hour before the activity as long as there are still places. Book now to guarantee your spot.

Type of voucher

Electronic. Show the voucher on your phone.

Accessibility

Not wheelchair accessible.

Sustainability

All services published on Civitatis are carried out in accordance with our Sustainability Code .

Our providers commit to:

• Provide a safe and satisfying experience.
• Reduce, reuse, recycle.
• Incorporate eco-conscious technologies.
• Uphold fair employment standards.
• Foster the growth of local communities.
• Preserve the integrity of local culture.
• Safeguard both cultural and environmental heritage.
• Ensure ethical treatment of animals.
• Operate with honesty and transparency.
• Encourage sustainable behaviors among customers and staff.

This particular activity contributes as follows:

• No printing of documentation required.

Guatapéfreewalkingtour Show more

Corporate name: Astrid Lorena Saldarriaga Velásquez

Frequently asked questions

Q - Why do this activity with Civitatis?

A - At Civitatis we guarantee the best quality and prices, click here if you want to know how we select our activities .

Q - How to book?

A - To reserve the activity, choose the date and complete the form on this page. You will receive your confirmation immediately.

If you have any other questions please contact us.

Free cancellation

Meeting point.

Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen de Guatapé

You may also be interested in

Paragliding in Guatapé

Guatapé Coffee Tour

Guatapé Helicopter Ride

Fly over the most beautiful spots of the Guatapé Reservoir and the Piedra del Peñol with this exciting helicopter ride for an experience you'll never forget!

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A Guide to Visiting Guatapé, Colombia

When planning a trip to Colombia, one of the first places I wanted to visit was Guatapé in Antioquia. This colorful pueblo outside of Medellín is famous for the surrounding turquoise lake and beautiful scenery.

Since it is such an easy day trip from Medellín, I had the chance to spend a full day exploring.

After spending a day taking in the beautiful views, I only wished I had another day to soak it all in.

It’s very peaceful in the small towns in the countryside (especially after the city chaos). I will share about the day tour we took as well as other options for being able to go on your own.

Visiting South America, I learned there is such a diversity of experiences available. Guatapé is one of those postcard-perfect places you can’t miss when visiting Colombia.

Taking a Guatapé Tour

If you’re short on time and would love a guided trip, a day tour is the best way to see Guatapé.

I opted to book this tour on Viator  for $30 USD a person and it came with both breakfast and lunch (both amazing!), a stop in a small town before Guatapé, time to climb El Peñol, and free time in the town of Guatapé. The transportation was on a bus with air conditioning and we had a driver who took us everywhere. Along the way, our guide shared insight into the area and history. I’m not a huge fan of guided group tour however this was a good option for what we could do. Check tour rates and availability here .

If I had more time, I would have opted to go on my own but I really needed a night or so to do it all properly.

Getting to Guatapé from Medellín

Getting to Guatape from Medellín is quite easy. If you plan to spend the night and not do a tour, you can easily hop on public transportation. It is highly recommended to travel only during light hours (not at night).

Simply head to Terminal del Norte which connects to the Caribe Metro Station, line blue A. You can take a bus from Medellín to Guatapé, which averages from 1.5 to 2 hours pending traffic.

When purchasing your ticket be sure to clarify your stop as there are two, one in the town of Guatapé or at El Peñol (for visiting the rock).

If you’re staying overnight, you’ll want to drop your bags off first at your accommodations.

Transportation within Guatapé without a car is easy as there are local tuk-tuks who can take you around as well as taxis to the sights. Within the small town of Guatapé, everything is available within walking distance.

Guatapé Weather

The weather in Guatapé can change quickly, similar to Medellín, Colombia.

Even in the beginning months of the year, the afternoon was rather hot but it cools down quickly at night.

When visiting, I highly recommend a strong sunscreen and hat — it may not feel like the sun is on you when it’s cloudy out, but it finds a way! I definitely had a good sunburn afterward even though I “never burn.”

Guatapé Hotels

Based on research and recommendations from other trusted travelers, here are a few of the local hotels and hostels to consider (Note: I did not stay overnight due to timing):

• Luxe by the Charlee
• Hotel Bosko
• Lake View Hostel

What To Do in Guatapé

If you’re taking a guided day tour , then you will have the chance to do most of these things. The amount of time will be limited so if you enjoy a bit more flexibility, then going on your own is best.

Explore the Colorful Zocalos in Guatapé

The small town is famous for the zocalos or the painted panels on the houses that portray their trade or history. I spent a couple of hours just walking around, snapping away photos, and soaking in the cheer of the town.

Head Out on Laguna Guatapé

If you have an afternoon to explore, heading out on the lake is an awesome opportunity to relax. You can rent kayaks locally at different vendors on the lake, go explore and soak in the views.

Climb El Peńol

The best lake view is certainly at the top of the rock and is worth the 740 steep steps. You’ll need to pay about $6 USD to enter and climb (bring cash).

At the top the views are beautiful, and there are vendors selling drinks and some small bites as well. It can feel a little touristy but the views were pretty amazing.

Try the Food in Guatapé Town

This place is packed with a ton of restaurants and street food. Arepas were my favorite bite along the way, especially with the fresh cheese.

Day Trip to San Rafael

If you’re looking for another nearby town to visit, San Rafael came as the second most recommended place to visit in the area.

About El Peñol

Meaning “the stone”, El Peńol has a bit of story behind it.

Essentially the area around it had massive flooding after the building of the hydroelectric dam in the 1970s. From it came the lake or laguna you see today, which now has become a tourist destination.

The rock of Guatapé has become an iconic landmark for the area, however, the nearby townships of Guatapé and El Peñol have both claimed ownership of the rock.

There is a “G” and a partly written “U” on the rock that was attempted to spell out the town of Guatapé to take ownership. They did not get far after a local mob saw the attempt and put an end to it.

Since that day, no one has tried to finish the word.

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PS — Are You Booking a Trip Soon? Use My Booking Checklist!

These are the sites I use most to book my own trips. Using the links below is a great way to support Bon Traveler’s travel journalism at no extra cost to you . If you need help organizing your itinerary, get my free travel itinerary template here .

1. Book Your Flights

Use Skyscanner to find the best flights. It searches 100s of airlines and websites across the globe to ensure you’re not missing out on any route options or deals.

2. Book Your Accommodations

Use Booking.com for hotels and guest houses. They have the biggest inventory and consistently offer the best rates.

3. Book Your Tours & Experiences

Use Viator or Get Your Guide to find the best tours and experiences. They are my favorite tour search engines. I always check both as their inventory varies depending on the destination.

4. Book Your Car

Use Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com to find the best car rental deals. I recommend comparing rental agency reviews on Google to ensure you are booking with the best company in that destination, as the reviews are often more accurate than the car rental search engines.

5. Don’t Forget Airport Lounge Access

Get a Priority Pass membership to gain access to 1,400+ VIP lounges and airport experiences worldwide. The Priority Pass app is the first thing I check when I have a layover. I’ve been a member for over a decade, and having a comfortable place to relax before and between flights makes air travel so much more enjoyable.

6. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance

I never leave the country without travel insurance. It provides comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong (ie. illness, injury, theft, and cancelations, etc.). I use it frequently for my travels to stay protected.

My favorite companies that offer the best coverage and rates are:

• World Nomads (best for all-around)
• Safety Wing (best for frequent travelers)

Xx, Jessica

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OUR TOUR INCLUDES:

Enjoy our tour to Guatape FOR ONLY 109.000 COP

DEPARTURE daily

LANGUAGES: Spanish/ English

Duration: 10-12 HOURS

Departure Points:

Parque Principal del Poblado

Time: 7:00AM, AVE. 43A With STREET #9

“ESTADIO” METRO STATION

TimeE: 7:30AM , AVE. 70 With STREET # 47D

• Transportation in  A bus licensed for tourism With A/C , And reclining Seats
• Local, Typical lunch, includes a  drink
• Panoramic view of Marinilla
• Panoramic   view of The  Town  of  “El Peñol”
• Visit the Rock of  Penol (Entrance fee to climb the Rock not included it’s 6 USD)
• Walking tour  in the Town of Guatapè
• Main Square
• Duque’s  Street
• Memory  Lane
• Zòcalos’s Square
• Boat ride on the lake
• Professional guide  and translator
• Travel  Insure

BOOK THE TOUR

IT SELLS OUT FAST!!

CHOOSE YOUR TOUR

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

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Malecón de Guatapé tendrá una segunda etapa

Una comisión de ingenieros y arquitectos recorrió hace algunas semanas el malecón de Guatapé para acordar los detalles de lo que será la segunda etapa del proyecto.

La primera estación de Policía Turística de Antioquia está en Guatapé

Guatapé tiene 8.200 habitantes, sin embargo, cada puente festivo su población llega a casi quintuplicarse, al ser visitado por 30.000 turistas que llegan atraídos por sus bondades.

Peñon de Guatape o Piedra del Peñol

El Peñon de Guatape es una piedra de 240 metros de altura que se extiende sobre tierras Guatapenses

Nuestras experiencias

Sostenibilidad turística

Estamos comprometidos contigo, con el turismo y con el medio ambiente.

Conoce todas nuestras políticas, códigos y compromisos.

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• Premios al buen servicio
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Walking audio tour highlights Brooklyn's abolitionist history

Nestled at the corner of Remsen and Clinton streets in Brooklyn Heights stands an unassuming apartment building with a storied past.

Long before its construction, the site was home to the Hamilton Club, later renamed the Remsen House by its owner, a wealthy Black businesswoman and abolitionist named Elizabeth Gloucester.

What You Need To Know

“more than a brook: brooklyn abolitionist heritage walk” is a three-part audio experience commissioned by the new york city landmarks preservation commission the walking tour travels through three brooklyn historic districts with a heavy concentration of sites connected to abolitionist history and the underground railroad the tour includes plymouth church, where people would travel from all over to hear abolitionist minister henry ward beecher.

"Her story was too important to not include, because she is a wealthy Black woman at the end of the 1800s who is able to be connected to people like Frederick Douglass and John Brown, and doing it at a time when she didn't even have suffrage," said Kamau Ware, founder of Black Gotham Experience.

Gloucester's story is just one of many highlighted in "More Than A Brook: Brooklyn Abolitionist Heritage Walk," a three-part audio experience commissioned by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The walking tour travels through three Brooklyn historic districts with a heavy concentration of sites connected to abolitionist history and the Underground Railroad.

"As we think about this neighborhood and this section of Brooklyn being a place where there were white and Black abolitionists, where there were freedom seekers who were escaping slavery, we also know that churches were a big part of that fight," said Sarah Carroll, chair and commissioner of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The tour includes Plymouth Church, where people would travel from all over to hear abolitionist minister Henry Ward Beecher. Abraham Lincoln famously attended services there too. There are nearly 20 stops on the three-hour tour from the waterfront into the neighborhoods of Brooklyn.

"It's important to be open to work with a range of parties the same way abolition happened in New York. People had different perspectives and positions, but they had a common goal, and now I think the common goal is to make sure people don't come to New York City and think that it somehow was separate from slavery in the North, when New York City's sole purpose was to be part of the slave trade," said Ware, who co-created the experience.

For more information and to hear these compelling stories, visit the  Landmarks Preservation Commission's website .

Exploring Canandaigua's history: A walking tour of iconic bars and restaurants

CANANDAIGUA — Flannigan’s Restaurant opened in 1866 in downtown Canandaigua, and the establishment owned by John ,soon became a popular and well-known place for oysters throughout the region. 

And to end their 19 th -century day, perhaps a drink and a toast to the good men and women of the village of Canandaigua. Yes, that’s right, the village, not the city – not yet anyway. 

Over time, Flannigan, a Democrat, would become an influential behind-the-scenes person in local and state politics and would play a part in Canandaigua becoming a city – and in the process, remaining a place where visitors could drink during a time when temperance was the buzzword of the day. 

Stroll downtown today, and it’s hard to believe in the same place where Peacemaker Brewing Co., Acquilano’s Wine Cellars, the Niagara Bar & Restaurant, Bubby’s Tavern and so many others operate successfully, the likes of Thos. E. Murphy Restaurant, James T. Barry Wines and Liquors and the Coyle Bros. Tavern of another time were threatened. 

And it wasn’t easy for Flannigan and his cohorts. 

The effort required some nifty political tiptoeing, as prior to 1913, two votes to make Canandaigua a dry village had failed. But, according to Benjamin Falter, director of education for the Ontario County Historical Society and leader of a summerlong series of walking tours of the city’s old watering holes, Flannigan and other like-minded businessmen of the day feared a third time could be a charm. 

But they saw a sign of hope in a loophole in state law. 

“If we become a city, then we don’t have to worry about whether or not we’re going to become dry anymore,” Falter said. 

But first, mix up a bee’s knees or grasshopper cocktails, and learn more about the tour. 

Walking into Canandaigua's past

Falter came to the Historical Society from the Rochester Museum and Science Center. His wife saw the job opening here and thought he would enjoy and thrive in the role. 

She was right, and it is a perfect fit, he said. 

Hired in late November 2021, Falter thought there was a real place for a regularly scheduled live walking tour. They first explored the historic churches of North Main Street in Canandaigua, and “that was successful enough that we decided to keep doing them,” Falter said. 

Next up were tours of local cemeteries, the Ontario County Courthouse, Canandaigua Pier and Kershaw Park and an insider tour of the Historical Socety’s museum on Main Street. 

“We’ve had growing success with each tour,” Falter said. “People seem to enjoy getting to walk around and learn about the history of these places. It’s a really exciting program that I really, really enjoy doing.” 

Falter had wanted to do a tour of the downtown area, but he needed a unifying theme. Why not a tour of the places in Canandaigua where you could get a drink before Prohibition?

Francine Bremer, who took the tour with husband Robert, has been on tours that Falter has led, and he does a tremendous job, she said, especially providing details and the history of the area. 

“I like the topic, number one,” Francine Bremer said. “He’s very good so I figured it would be a fun time.” 

And that’s the way Falter approached it, as a fun way to look at the history of Main Street and how it’s changed and evolved over the years.  

That and the alcohol business is nearly a universal human experience. 

“Humans have been making alcohol since civilization began. Beer was made in ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt,” Falter said. “It’s something most people have an experience with even if they weren’t drinkers themselves. It’s all around us. I also think people find Prohibition fascinating.” 

Temperance and Canandaigua

Ten people are meeting up in the public square across from City Hall and near the courthouse, set to begin what is billed as a 90-minute tour, with some stops for history lessons. 

No booze, by the way. 

This is near where the former Canandaigua Hotel used to stand, before it burned down in the 1970s, Falter said. State Sen. John Raines lived nearby; he was responsible for a provision in an unpopular state law that tried to limit the sale of alcohol on Sundays, Falter explained. 

Americans were drinking on average seven gallons of alcohol a year in the 19 th century, compared to a third of that today. 

“There was a reason the temperance movement took off,” Falter said, as he led the tour down Main Street toward Niagara Street. 

Did efforts to limit drinking in Canandaigua take? Not really. 

The Webster House, Boswell & Egan Liquors and the Imperial Hotel are just a few of the old watering holes folks on the tour can learn more about, along with some stories about the people behind them and who frequented them. 

A lot of those buildings are no longer standing, Falter said, but some are, if almost none of them are the businesses that they used to be. 

The Green Front restaurant is an exception. 

The original eatery opened in 1928 and once was a speakeasy, which required a password to enter. 

This was not a well-kept secret, Falter said. 

“People were going to drink,” Falter said, during a stop outside the restaurant under a shade tree. “Americans really liked to drink and really didn’t like Prohibition.” 

Jessica VandeMar, who is working on a history project of her own where she works as marketing manager at the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection, said she didn’t know half of what Falter had been saying on this tour, but said it’s so interesting to hear about the history of the area. 

“We were at the Green Front for lunch the other day,” VandeMar said. “Who knew it was a speakeasy once upon a time?” 

This and all sorts of other historical tidbits await tourgoers. 

Falter tells the tale of the biggest rum-running arrest of the time where historians believe was at the Webster House, which sat where Commons Park is today. 

Revenuers seized 150 gallons of illegal alcohol on an early morning August day in 1926. The rum runner in question, who was charged with unlawful possession and transporting of alcohol, was believed to have stopped for the night as Canandaigua because he was between larger cities. 

Or maybe not. 

“People needed to drink here, too,” Falter said, even if some thought differently, which brings the story back to Flannigan and his restaurant. 

Could one vote in Canandaigua lead to another?

The state Legislature was considering an amendment to the state constitution that would grant women the right to vote at about the time business owners feared losing their ability to sell alcohol. 

Women made up a lot of the temperance movement, Falter said, so if the voting amendment went through (which it did in 1917), women voters could push for another vote that would make Canandaigua a dry village.  

Villages and towns were allowed to exercise a local option when it comes to allowing alcohol in their boundaries, Falter said, but cities were not allowed to exercise that local option and had to abide by whatever the state law was on access to alcohol.  

Meaning, bottoms up in cities. 

Falter said over two weeks, Flannigan and other Canandaigua business leaders persuaded local government to set a public vote on the matter and held it, just over a week after setting the vote. 

“It was very, very quick, this attempt to get it across the finish line before women potentially would gain the right to vote,” Falter said. 

Prohibition in Canandaigua

Canandaigua, of course, became a city, almost overnight, Falter said, and the seats at the bars were filled. 

Until Prohibition came along, that is. 

The walking tour winds up at City Hall, where Falter explains how “absolutely swamped” judges and their courts with alcohol-related cases during Prohibition and how many of the overwhelmed judges had to be lenient, as it seemed every “Tom, Dick and Harry” was before them, Falter said. 

Glenna Renaud of Canandaigua knew some about Prohibition, but joined the tour to learn more about where the old buildings were and what was inside them. 

Renaud walked away with a more extensive understanding of what went on in her hometown. 

“You can read a book and all but it’s better to have someone tell you and show you on a walking tour,” Renaud said. 

To take the Canandaigua Watering Holes tour

Tours will meet in Ontario County Park, at the intersection of Main and Ontario streets, across from Canandaigua City Hall. The tours are free but donations will be accepted.

Be prepared to walk and stand for about 90 minutes.

Tours are scheduled for noon Saturday, June 22; 2 p.m. Friday, June 28; 2 p.m. Friday, July 19; 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2; noon Saturday, Aug. 10; and 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16.

For details on this and other prgrams and exhibits, visit www.ochs.org .