Spending a Day at La Via Lactea Theme Park

TLDR? La Via Lactea is a theme park centered around the cow farming and milk industry.

I love farms. Not only am I an animal lover, but I enjoy getting outdoors and enjoying the fresh air. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got to check out the La Via Lactea theme park in San Pedro de Los Milagros.

This town is known for being one of the main milk-producing places in Antioquia, which also has well-known industrial dairy factories and farms. And, at La Via Lactea, you can get up close and personal with some dairy-producing farms. 

Continue reading to find out everything you need to know about La Via Lactea!

Where Is La Via Lactea and How to Get There 

La Via Lactea is located a few minutes from the town of San Pedro de Los Milagros. Here’s how to get to the town and the theme park.

Bus from the North Terminal 

If you want to go to La Via Lactea via public transportation, take the metro to the North Terminal. From there, you’ll need to pick one of the two bus companies that go to San Pedro de Los Milagros:

1. Coopetransa
2. Expreso Belmira 

Ticket rates may vary according to each route and type of bus. However, they generally don’t go over a couple of dollars. 

Once you arrive at the San Pedro bus terminal, you can take another bus to Belmira. When you’re on the bus, make sure to tell the bus driver that you are going to Via Lactea Park. People do it all the time, so even though it can feel a bit funny, don’t worry. 

The bus ride is pretty quick and costs around $1 USD (subject to change). Alternatively, you can take a taxi, which should only take you around five minutes.

Rental Car or Private Driver

If you want to avoid getting on and off buses and avoid worrying about logistics, you can always go to the park with a private driver or rental car. 

There are two routes to get to San Pedro from Medellín:

• Through San Felix: it takes an hour to get there, and the route is 37 km (about 22 miles)
• Through Bello: it takes 1 hour and 7 minutes to get there on a 40 km route (about 25 miles)

For the San Felix route, you have to pay a toll, which you won’t have to do if you go through Bello. Since the routes are about the same, I would advise skipping the toll and going via Bello.

What to Expect at La Via Lactea 

Now that you know how to get there let’s go over what to expect when you arrive at La Via Lactea.

La Via Lactea is a theme park that’s basically a blend of traditional Colombian food, a working farm and dairy factory, and a carnival.

There are things like pig races, cow milking demonstrations, and sports activities. Let’s take a closer look at some of the highlights.

Sport Activities

La Via Lactea has the most rustic activities as well as extreme activities for those who want to get their adrenaline pumping. 

They’ve got ATV rides, paintball zones, zip lines, and horseback riding sessions. Or, you can just stroll around the park and look at all the different animals. 

When you arrive at the park’s box office, you’ll be able to pick what activities you want to buy. They’ve got simple tickets that basically just give you entry to the park as well as all-inclusive tickets that let you try all the different sports.

The all-inclusive ticket isn’t actually that expensive, so I’d definitely recommend going that route!

Manuela, “The Biggest Cow in the World” 

Manuela is the main attraction of this park. It’s a figure of a cow 8 meters high (about 24 feet) by 16 meters long (about 48 feet). There are two elevators in the cow that you can take, one that’s electric and one that’s hydraulic. 

The entrance is through the mouth of the cow, and once inside, you’ll learn about how cows work and produce milk. The path through the cow crosses the throat and reaches the eyes where you get a view of the whole park. 

Then, head down to a simulator that shows you how cows digest grass and produce milk. It’s an educational and fun way to learn a little about the behavior of the most important animal in San Pedro de Los Milagros.

Fun Fact: If Manuela were real, she would produce 10,000 liters of milk per day.

Restaurant and Souvenir Shop

The Via Lactea park has a large restaurant with a view of the mountains of the Antioquia dairy zone. Both the setting and the food are super traditional, so it’s a great place to learn about the local area. 

Better yet, the prices are super affordable. So, even if you didn’t pack your own lunch, you can grab a bite to eat without paying a ton of money. 

Sometimes there are events, live music, and entertainers that make your lunch even more special. 

After lunch, you can watch the cow milking demonstration behind the restaurant. Or, swing by the adjoining souvenir shop to pick up milk products, stuffed animals, cups, and other little trinkets.

Talk about a nice thing to bring home from your trip to Medellín!

Visit Via Lactea Park While in Medellín

Via Lactea Park is an ideal place for the whole family. Not only will you get a chance to get outdoors and explore, but you’ll get to learn something new about Colombian culture. 

Better yet, since the park is so close to Medellín, it makes for an amazing day trip!

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