Discover the Stunning Colombian Locations Behind Netflix’s ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’

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Initially, the production team behind Netflix’s popular television series based on Gabriel García Márquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” in collaboration with a studio based in Bogotá (Dynamo, known for “Narcos”), embarked on a quest to locate the fictional town of Macondo.

Initially, a team consisting of authors, producers, and scouts traveled to Aracateca, the hometown of the Nobel laureate located on Colombia’s Caribbean coastline. Subsequently, they explored various other locations including the Guajira peninsula, Colombia’s Pacific Coast, Ciénega Grande marshland, Bogota’s surrounding regions, and Tolima situated in the Andes highlands.

Contrary to their expectations, they never came across a place called Macondo resembling a typical village. Instead, their intention was to construct Macondo anew, embodying the essence of magical realism.

Those fam trips, however, left multiple health hostages to fortune. 

The majority of events depicted in “One Hundred Years of Solitude”, both the novel and series, actually unfold within a relatively narrow region situated in the remote northern part of Colombia’s Caribbean coast.

The series is initially set in a traditional village known as a ranchería, located on the plains beyond Riohacha along Colombia’s Caribbean coast, and directed by Alex García and Laura Mora. Throughout Season 1, the narrative unfolds, first traversing the towering Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta before settling primarily in Macondo, situated north-west of the Sierra and nestled within Ciénaga Grande. Remarkably close to the Caribbean Sea, this location’s revelation later shatters the spirit of José Arcadio Buendía, who founded Macondo.

Instead, the settings for this series span from Guajira in the northernmost parts to Alvarado, Tolima, nestled within the central Andes of Colombia. The choice of these locations mirrors significantly the backdrop of “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” Here are 10 shots and captions:

Looking for Macondo 

Macondo wasn’t just any ordinary town; its selection was crucial due to logistical considerations. As Cristiano D. Toro, the location manager, explained, “The main challenge was to find locations that were visually stunning yet functional.” One condition he specified was that Macondo should be close to an airport. Moreover, being a large-scale production, it was essential for them to have easy mobility, especially when dealing with crew and equipment issues during long shooting hours. Carolina Caicedo, the executive producer of “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” added that having Bogotá nearby was always advantageous.

Macondo Ground Zero: A Wild Tree Hunt

In order to maintain authenticity, the set designer for “One Hundred Years of Solitude” requested that Macondo not be constructed entirely from scratch. Instead, it was built around a massive, real-life caucho cartagénero tree located on an Arizona ranch near Alvarado, about an hour’s drive from Ibagúe (the capital of Tolima) and approximately an hour’s flight from Bogotá. The Western Andes of Colombia serve as the backdrop for this location, with the snow-capped peaks of Sierra Nevada de la Marta visible in the series. This tree-surrounded site served as the main set for two of the largest sets in the first season, depicting Macondo from Episode 4 to Episode 6.

Creating Locations

Which aren’t explicitly in the novel. 

In “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” Garcia Márquez writes that on Sunday, Rebecca arrived after a challenging trip from Manaure, a town situated on the northwestern tip of Colombia’s coastline. Interestingly, he doesn’t specifically point out one of Manaure’s most distinctive characteristics: its vast salt plains.

In 2019, when Netflix acquired the rights to adapt García Marquez’s novel, Mercedes Barcha, his widow, along with her sons Rodrigo García (notable director of “Albert Nobbs”) and Gonzalo García Barcha, emphasized that the series should be filmed in Colombia by local Colombian professionals. Furthermore, Rodrígo García granted directors Alex García and Laura Mora complete creative control over the project.

It’s only fitting, given the highly visual and story-focused nature of television, that they frequently use striking imagery to captivate viewers. For instance, at the end of Episode 2, we have José Aureliano foreseeing someone’s arrival, saying “Someone’s coming.” The climax is both dramatic and visually pleasing: a scene showcasing the remarkable, rose-tinted salt flats of Manaure in all their glory. In the following episode (Episode 3), a cart and donkey traverse the same salt plains, now stark white and as hard as ice, carrying Rebeca. Netflix has popularized the concept that series need to hook viewers within the initial minutes. Here, this series manages to do so in just one minute, thanks to its exceptional location.

One Hundred Year’s Industrial Agenda

Additionally, there’s a commercial motive behind this as well. Colombia currently stands as South America’s leading international filming location, with 64 projects approved for 2023-24, totaling an investment of $249.8 million in the country. To attract even more productions, it’s proposed to highlight Colombia’s production capabilities through a series of advertisements that grab global attention. This is where “One Hundred Years of Solitude” comes into play. Spanning over two parts and 16 hours, this series underscores one key reason why international productions choose their locations: the breathtaking array of settings. As Espinosa explains, the aim of this series is to portray Colombia in all its multifaceted beauty.

Finding Macondo All Over Colombia

Without a doubt, it’s no accident that the series depicts Macondo across 32 provinces of Colombia, from street-corner buildings nestled among modern skyscrapers to preserved dining rooms in private homes and even the facade of a pharmacy from the 1890s. In fact, one of the dining rooms (below) was utilized for filming scenes inside Arcadio’s house, while another dining room (also below) bears resemblance to Ursula’s. Director Alex García filmed interior shots within the pharmacy, and its facade served as inspiration for Alirio Noguera’s shop in Episode 2.

The Dazzling Light of the Caribbean

As a devoted film enthusiast, I can’t help but marvel at how “A Hundred Years of Solitude” vividly portrays the rich tapestry of Colombian landscapes. Among the many stunning locations, the village where cousins José Arcadio and Úrsula originate, where they tie the knot in Episode 1, stands out due to the extensive time spent there throughout the series. This quaint village, nestled in an old ranchería close to Valledupar, the primary town east of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, was painstakingly crafted or recreated for our viewing pleasure. The opening scenes beautifully encapsulate the climate of the Caribbean coastline. At 7 minutes and 48 seconds into Episode 1, Úrsula throws open her window to reveal the brilliant sunlight, azure skies, and low-lying trade wind cumulus clouds characteristic of the Caribbean seaboard, as well as other huts mirroring the mud, cactus trunk wood, and palm roofs typical of a Guajira Wayuu ranchería, as Toro keenly observes.

”Smooth White Rocks Like Prehistoric Eggs”

One of Garcia Marquez’s most renowned descriptions in his novel “One Hundred Years of Solitude” vividly portrays the bank of the River Wide (Río Ancho), where the town of Macondo was established. The River Wide flows from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta towards the Caribbean Sea, close to Dibulla in western La Guajira. Macondo 0-1, the primitive settlement of Macondo, was constructed at Garanchal Ranch, Venadillo, a 20-minute drive north of Alvardo, on the border of the Magdalena River, Colombia’s longest, in Tolima. However, it lacks rocks resembling dinosaur eggs. Thus, scenes along the River Wide, including José Arcadio’s dream, were filmed 700 miles to the north. The art of filmmaking often involves finding suitable locations.

The Series Highpoint

Despite being a tropical country, Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, is nestled high in the mountains, giving it a resemblance to Scotland during rain or hail, with fog blanketing its northern regions. In all of Season 1, there’s no place chillier and more uninviting than the high mountain moors depicted in Episode 1, where José Arcadio’s expedition treks along a precarious pathway halfway up a cliff, with a mule slipping off into the abyss. As rain later pounds their tent, José Arcadia reassures the cold and shivering rest of the expedition that they are almost at the sea. These scenes were filmed in the Páramo de Chingaza, a national natural park located two hours by car east of Bogotá, whose peaks reach 13,000 feet. However, accessibility is crucial, so it’s no surprise that one of its most remote locations also boasts a road winding between the peaks (although this road was not featured in the series).

Securing Locations

Discovering a location is crucial, as is readying it. Espinosa notes that natural locations can shift due to the changing seasons. The team searching for the ideal spot stumbled upon a swamp near Rio Ancho and Palomino, located on the border of Magdalena and La Guajira. This unique area was a blend of mangroves, river, and salt water. Espinosa recalls, “It was breathtaking, with stunning, vibrant water that reflected people up to their chests.

Initially, the locations team expressed concern that the swamp’s surface was excessively slippery for actors, crew members, and animals due to its muddy and root-filled bottom. However, upon their second visit, the water levels had significantly dropped. As a result, they took steps to clean the swamp bed, ensuring it would be safe to traverse even when there was more water. Scenes featuring José Arcadio and his companions wading through the swamp, disoriented, remain some of the most iconic moments from Season 1.

One of the Series’ Most Spectacular Locations is Heard But Hardly Seen

During the expedition, Úrsula gives birth to José Arcadio, fearing he might have a tail of a pig. Dynamo selected an exceptional location: Tolima’s Cuevas del Mohan, a massive 160-foot waterfall flowing into a tiny cave next to a river. Despite challenging accessibility, every effort was made to ensure the site was both accessible and comfortable for the crew and for the baby, who was our top priority on that filming day. Safety measures were taken to make it possible for all the trucks and logistics needed for this night shoot to reach the location. The birth scene is filmed at night, with only brief glimpses of the cave walls seen, but the sound of the waterfall persists. Toro notes that the atmosphere of water was always felt throughout.

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2025-01-20 15:48