Medellín to Minca Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 13 October, 2026

Medellín to Minca is about 519 road miles (835 km): roughly 10 h 32 min at the wheel if you don't stop.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Colombia — Level 3, Reconsider Travel

Read the full advisory before you go: Colombia. Advisory issued: Colombia March 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.

On the roads, the State Department says:

  • Colombia: “Mountain roads may lack safety features such as crash barriers or guard rails.”
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, GirardotaCasa del TelegrafistaQuinta de San Pedro AlejandrinoMedellínMinca
Route from Medellín to Minca with the 3 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance by road519 mi (835 km)
Drive time without stops10 h 32 min
Main roads, in order90-07A
Departments on the routeAntioquia, Santander, Cesar, Magdalena
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 20.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below3

Driving Medellín to Minca: the shape of the trip

90-07A (10 mi) carries about 2% of the 519 miles. It runs through 4 departments: Antioquia, Santander, Cesar, Magdalena. Of the 3 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

Roads you'll take from Medellín to Minca

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miDepartment
local roads0–501501Antioquia, Santander, Cesar, Magdalena
90-07A501–51110Magdalena
local roads511–5198Magdalena
  • Mile 107 of this route: Antioquia → Santander (department line)
  • Mile 230 of this route: Santander → Cesar (department line)
  • Mile 434 of this route: Cesar → Magdalena (department line)

Where to stop on the way to Minca

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Girardota (mile 16)
  • Museums and history: Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Girardota (mile 16), Casa del Telegrafista (mile 462), Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino (mile 511)

Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Girardota

Mile 16 · Cathedral · 0.8 mi from the route

Girardota Cathedral is a Neo-Romanesque church of exposed brick, designed by French architect Charles Émile Carré and built over 32 years.

Casa del Telegrafista

Mile 462 · Museum · 2 mi from the route

Casa del Telegrafista is a museum in Aracataca, the town where author Gabriel García Márquez and photographer Leo Matiz were born.

Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino

Mile 511 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

Built in 1608, the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino in Mamatoco, Santa Marta, is the hacienda where Simón Bolívar died on December 17, 1830.

More drives to Minca

From Medellín to other places in Colombia

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to drive from Medellín to Minca?

About 10 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 519 miles.

What is the driving distance from Medellín to Minca?

About 519 miles (835 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.

What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Medellín to Minca drive?

The U.S. State Department rates Colombia Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Read the full advisory before you go.

Where can you stop on the way from Medellín to Minca?

Closest to the road: Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Girardota (cathedral, mile 16, 0.8 mi from the route); Casa del Telegrafista (museum, mile 462, 2 mi from the route); Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino (museum, mile 511, 1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.

How we put this guide together

Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.

Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.