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13 Things You Should Know When Traveling to Medellin

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If you’re planning a trip to Medellin, it can be somewhat challenging because the destination is so new on the travel scene, and authentic and insightful information can be lacking. It is, however, growing in popularity and many more people are now traveling to Medellin, including a growing travel blogger community that often just visits briefly and writes superficially about the city.

I wanted to do something different though… I wanted to write about this city that I know and love from a more authentic, respectful, and honest perspective. I’ve spent a few years now living in Medellin, Colombia , I know the place extremely well, and in a way that goes beyond the surface level.

Since you’re here, I want to help you plan a better trip to Medellin with some of these important tips or insights… These are the types of things you should know when traveling to Medellin for the first time, the types of things that can make your trip amazing, unforgettable, and go beyond the stereotypes, or at least beyond the typical advice I see others writing online.

In this comprehensive Medellin travel guide, we are going to be covering a bunch of travel tips ranging from where to stay, what to eat, safety in Medellin, how to deal with money, the Spanish language, and so much more.

Are you ready? Buckle up, this is a big one… Let’s get on with these 13 things you should know when traveling to Medellin for the first time — and don’t miss #13 as it covers the critical issue of safety and security.

If you’re pressed for time, you can also get these travel tips and much more delivered straight to your inbox for future reading or reference with my FREE Medellin Travel Guide:

Where to Stay in Medellin

Ninety percent (or more) of the foreign travelers that come to Medellin stay in Poblado, but there are a number of pretty awesome barrios or neighborhoods to stay in Medellin that are worth considering.

My top picks for where to stay beyond Poblado include Laureles (my favorite neighborhood) and Envigado (although you won’t find any hostels here). The Estadio neighborhood is probably the second most popular area for budget travelers with a myriad of great lodging choices available.

Finally, there is also El Centro, which may appeal to those budget travelers who like more off-the-beaten-path type experiences that many gringos never explore or even appreciate (there are actually a lot of cool things in El Centro, to be honest).

If you’re staying in Poblado, I’d recommend the Manila or Provenza sectors, or the Golden Mile if you’re looking for the high end.

Poblado: #1 Hostel in Poblado: Los Patios Boutique Hostel (Manila)  #1 Budget Hotel in Poblado: Kolor Hotel Boutique (Provenza) #1 Mid-Range Hotel in Poblado: Celestino Boutique Hotel (Parque Lleras) #1 Luxury Hotel in Poblado: Medellin Marriott Hotel (Milla de Oro – the Golden Mile) — Read my in-depth review

Laureles : #1 Hostel in Laureles: Backpackers Inn Medellin #1 Budget Hotel in Laureles: Hotel Pomarosa   #1 Mid-Range Hotel in Laureles: Inntu Hotel  

Estadio: #1 Hostel in Estadio: Hostal Cattleya Medellin #1 Budget Hotel in Estadio: Obo Hotel   #1 Mid-Range Hotel in Estadio: El Portón de San Joaquin  

Envigado : #1 Best Hotel in Envigado: Arame Hotel (it’s actually the only hotel, but it’s good). While not technically iN Envigado, I would still recommend the Fairfield by Marriott Sabaneta for a great mid-price hotel!

El Centro : #1 Hostel in El Centro: Medallo Social Hostal (Boston) #1 Budget Hotel in El Centro: Hotel Gallery (Bombona)

For longer stays, my top recommendation is Airbnb ( new users can get a free travel credit here ), also don’t overlook travel hacking to get points for free hotel stays (like the expensive Marriott), and be sure to read my guide to finding cheap accommodation .

If you need more help trying to decide on the best neighborhood, be sure to read more about where to stay in Medellin or my comprehensive guide to the best Medellin hostels .

Look Beyond Poblado

Poblado is a popular place to stay for foreigners in Medellin… But I’ve got a little secret for you: I don’t particularly love Poblado. I’ve stayed there before, I visit every once in a while, but it just isn’t my favorite neighborhood. I mention this Medellin travel tip because it can dramatically change your perspective and experience of the city, so pay close attention.

Poblado is right for some travelers and very wrong for others.

Every travel blogger who comes through for a couple of days stays in Poblado, of course, and they go on to write about Poblado, and then everyone else who comes through after follows in their footsteps. It becomes a sort of feedback loop.

One of the most prominent travel bloggers recently traveled to Medellin for the first time and went on to write about how Medellin didn’t feel “real” and was just full of chains like Dunkin’ Donuts or Domino’s Pizza.

Another prominent travel blogger said (privately, at least) that he couldn’t see what people really liked about Medellin… And left town with a sour taste in his mouth.

I can understand their perspective because both of these guys were staying in Poblado, in the middle of gringolandia , constantly surrounded by gringos, socializing with gringos, and only left that bubble on organized tours or excursions… Seriously.

These self-proclaimed travel experts were so far from the “authentic” Medellin that they missed the real draw here and what makes this place special. Then other travelers like you read their advice about where to stay and what to do and end up leaving slightly disappointed or let down. That’s a shame.

If you are looking for any semblance of the “real” Medellin, then you should NOT stay in Poblado. Look, it’s a fine place to visit (I do go there once in a while myself!) but I wouldn’t (and don’t) make it my home base. If you do stay in Poblado (totally fine, if it’s right for you), at least make a concerted effort to get out of that bubble on a regular basis.

Medellin is not Poblado, and Poblado is not Medellin.

It all depends on what type of traveler you are… Do you like to be surrounded by English and other travelers? Do you feel uncomfortable only seeing locals and hearing Spanish? You definitely want Poblado.

Personally, I travel to interact with locals, practice the language, learn from people unlike me, etc, and not be surrounded by other travelers doing the same thing as me. That’s part of why I travel. If I wanted to hang out with other foreigners, speak English, and eat the same chain food as always, I would have just stayed home and never left.

Here’s a thought exercise to determine what kind of traveler you are:

• If you go to New York City, do you think Times Square is the best place and never leave or are you more interested in neighborhoods like the Meatpacking District, the Lower East Side, Harlem, etc? Do you want to eat where New Yorkers eat or where the tourist bus lets you off?
• If you go to Las Vegas do you prefer to stay on the Strip or in the Old Town / Fremont area?
• If you go to Cancun do you stay in an all-inclusive resort and only leave on organized Cancun tours or do you prefer to stay in town and experience more of the authentic Cancun?

If you answered the former to any of those, then Poblado is right for you, if you answered the latter, then it is wrong for you.

Poblado is great for nightlife, foodies, and people who like a little luxury at a more affordable price, but if you want to get off the beaten path (even slightly), have a more local experience, talk with Colombians, and so forth, then it is best to look elsewhere.

Honestly, you can get nightlife, food, or even a bit of luxury in almost any cool neighborhood in Medellin.

Getting Around Medellin

Public Transport: Medellin has a pretty excellent public transportation system. Granted it isn’t on the scale of places like Mexico City , but it is nonetheless quite impressive. It features a two-line above-ground metro system (subway) which connects to an integrated streetcar route, gondola system (MetroCable), and bus rapid transit (BRT) lines known as MetroPlus.

If you are staying in any of the principal areas, you will have easy access to the public transportation system. You should get a Tarjeta Civica as soon as you can upon arrival which is available from a few different metro stations like San Antonio.

You can get the Tarjeta Civica for free with your passport. This allows you to use the integrated transportation system and pay reduced prices for connecting services.

Taxis: Taxis are available basically everywhere in Medellin. You can easily flag down taxis pretty much anywhere, although this is not always recommended due to safety issues (more on that later). A better bet is to try and use either an official taxi stand or (if you have a SIM card) to use an app like Cabify to call a taxi with your GPS location.

That being said, I generally don’t worry about flagging down taxis from the street during the daytime, but I am more cautious after dark.

It is rare, but the majority of problems that people have here in Medellin happen while in taxis. There are some bad apples out there who work with robbers and tip them off when they have a good target (you) in their cab.

The rules of using taxis here are to sit in the back, keep the windows almost all the way up, lock the doors, and never use your phone or show valuables in the back seat.

Uber: Uber is actually illegal here in Colombia but that doesn’t stop people from driving for them or utilizing the service. I tend to trust Uber drivers more than taxi drivers, but using Uber can have its own complications here if drivers are reluctant to stop near you (if they see transit police nearby). Normally, they will want you to sit up front with them (like a friend) rather than alone in the back (like a taxi), which is done to avoid problems with the law.

Bike Share: There is a growing bike share service here in Medellin called Encicla. With the previously mentioned Tarjeta Civica, you can use the bike share service here in Medellin and Envigado by enrolling in Encicla online. Neighborhoods like Laureles or Estadio are much more conducive to this type of transport since it is flat and has bike lanes. You must enroll for Encicla online with your Tarjeta Civica, so it is only practical for longer stays in Medellin.

Getting to Medellin from the Airport: The Jose Maria Cordova Airport is actually about an hour outside of Medellin (don’t be fooled by that airport in the middle of town, that one is not used for international flights). Getting from the airport is pretty easy, you’ve got options for either a bus (cheapest), shared town car (cheap), or private town car (best).

I pretty much always go by private car when coming from the airport to Medellin. They go door to door, it’s a stress-free way to travel, and it isn’t expensive. The rate is fixed based on destination and you can expect to spend about $20.

Alternatively, you can ask at the airport for a colectivo (they are the same white cars) which charge about $5 (22.000 pesos) and need four passengers, and will drop you off at the San Diego Shopping Mall, from there you can grab a taxi to your final destination.

Getting to the Airport from Medellin: In terms of going to the airport from town, I prefer to go by shared town car which you can grab from the San Diego Shopping Mall at the base of Las Palmas (go here by taxi and tell the driver “ los colectivos al aerpuerto ”. The shared ride will wait to fill up with four passengers and costs about $5 per person. Unless you’ve got a really weird flight time, I’ve never had to wait more than 10-15 minutes to leave.

These cars are much better than the bus, believe me, don’t go by bus — it’s slower, more nauseating, and doesn’t save you much money. If you’re worried about the whole airport and transport thing, you can also book a private car in advance .

Eat Like a Local

There is a growing and vibrant food scene here in Medellin which is one of the things that makes it so great to live here and call this place home over the long term, but this type of food is definitely expensive for local standards (but cheaper than home standards).

One way you can save a lot of money and eat well though (instead of eating at these more upscale restaurants) is to eat as the locals do…

This is especially true for lunch and the set menus of the day “menu del dia” where you can score good food including soup, main dish (salad, rice, meat, and maybe a plantain), along with fresh fruit juice for about $3. Perhaps one of the best reasons to visit Colombia is just to try some of the incredibly exotic Colombian fruits and all the juices!

That’s a pretty hard price to beat… If you eat in a restaurant you can expect to pay around $8 just for comparison.

At these same local restaurants, you will usually find a cheap and hearty breakfast (eggs, arepa with cheese, and coffee) for about the same price as lunch.

Dinner, on the other hand, doesn’t have these cheap and affordable menus of the day, unfortunately, as they all close up shop after lunch. In this case, you’ll need to hit up a restaurant — there are some local restaurants where you can order off the menu — or go from some fast food (also very popular here) or street food.

Be sure to consider going on a traditional food tour while here if you want a great introduction to Paisa food.

The street food choices can be pretty good and definitely cheap, but it pays to ask for tips from someone in the neighborhood. What most locals do for dinner is to eat an arepa at home, but if they have to grab something, they will usually get an empanada or pastel (stuffed meat pies, basically) to eat with a coffee.

Lunch here is the biggest meal of the day and dinner is relatively modest.

Read more about what to eat with my guide to Colombian food .

Do You Need Spanish in Medellin?

Tourism in Medellin is still relatively new… This isn’t like going to Cancun or something where everybody at your resort speaks English. Now, do you need Spanish here? No, plenty of people get by. But you should try to have as much Spanish as possible before you arrive.

It will make your life here a lot easier in terms of getting around, getting what you need, etc. Not to mention the fact that the locals are friendly! People all over Colombia really like to chat with foreigners… If you’re open to it, they will chat with you.

Small talk is like a sport here, seriously. Expect people to spend five minutes greeting one another asking how they woke up, what’s new, and beyond, and another five minutes (at least) to say goodbye. It’s almost comical sometimes.

You will find that if push comes to shove, there are quite a lot of local Paisas that do speak English — often way better than your Spanish — but they are too shy or timid to use it until like 20 minutes into the struggling conversation.

In summary, you don’t need Spanish, but you should have at least the basics, and the more you have the better. Medellin is a great place to study Spanish , as well, in my opinion, thanks to the friendly locals and the relative clarity of the local accent.

Read more about the best resources to learn Spanish on your own.

About That Medellin Weather

Medellin has gotten the nickname “La Ciudad de Eterna Primavera” — the City of Eternal Spring. This nickname comes from the fact that the city is quite green, flowers are always in bloom, and the weather is supposed to be moderate thanks to its elevation of 4,905 feet.

I always joke though that it is more like the City of Eternal Summer. According to locals, the temperatures have increased quite a bit in recent years, and back in the day Medellin had truly incredible weather when it was never too hot or too cold, and that Eternal Spring name really made sense (although it still makes sense with year-round flowers).

Of course, the temperature and humidity here are nothing like it is on the Colombian coast, and for a city in the tropics, it is a pretty agreeable climate. But the daytime weather is more often between 80 and 90 degrees year-round… Those average annual temperatures of 72 or rarely exceeding 78 like you might have read online seem to be a thing of the past.

For me, as a fair-weathered Seattlite, the temperatures from about 11 am to 3 pm are way too hot and I try to avoid going out, or if I do, I stay in the shade while walking down the street. But the temperatures at night here are pretty much perfect. For reference, I basically always use t-shirts even at night and don’t sleep with anything more than a bedsheet and my underwear.

There are basically only two seasons here in Medellin: dry and rainy. They also used to be much more predictable, but have gotten a little more off-kilter and unpredictable lately. They should be:

• December to March = Dry Season,
• April to May = Rainy Season,
• June to August = Dry Season, and
• September to November = Rainy Season.

That being said, if you come to Medellin in the rainy season, it isn’t a deal-breaker, because the rain is fairly predictable, striking in the mid to late afternoon. More often than not, it rains really hard and goes away pretty quickly too. That means you can still usually get out in the evening for dinner or drinks after the rain.

Keep in mind that due to its location in the tropics, sunrise and sunset are basically consistent year-round. It gets light at about 6:30 am and dark at 6:30 pm. The early darkness can affect safety which we’ll discuss below.

Read more about the best time to visit Colombia for weather and tourist crowds.

What to Wear in Medellin

So, given the (mostly) beautiful weather here in Medellin, what should you wear? At first blush, it seems like perfect shorts and t-shirt weather… And it really is! But everyone says not to wear shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops here because no locals wear that and you will stick out like a sore thumb.

Honestly, unless you’ve got black hair and mestizo features, you’re probably going to stick out no matter what you wear.

Beyond that though, I think the whole No Shorts and No Flip Flops thing is totally overblown. Truth is, you’ll see locals wearing shorts and flip-flops here in their local barrios.

It’s almost a sort of game for me at times where I will count how many locals I see dressed like that when I’m out. The other day on the bus I counted nine people out and about in like five minutes…

That being said, locals do tend to dress up a lot more than your average traveler. There’s a big difference between shorts and flip-flops and someone dressed like an Argentinean busker with mangy dreads, dirty clothes, and filthy feet in sandals about to fall apart. Don’t go for the homeless look.

On the flip side, you also don’t want to dress up too fancy because if you look like you’ve “got money” then you can often become a target for thieves.

Your best bet is to go middle of the road… Bring along some nice shorts, wear t-shirts all the time if you want, bring along a pair of decent jeans or long pants. That’s all you need.

Women tend to dress up even more here, but you can most definitely wear open-toe shoes or sandals and wear those tank tops or similar shirts. Many local women do so as well, just with lots of accessories, make-up, and a little bit of plastic surgery.

It’s also important to note that the place or context is also important in terms of what you choose to wear. If you’re going out for a night on the town, yeah, shorts and flip-flops are under-dressed. Nice-ish restaurant, same thing. Fancy mall, you guessed it. Wandering around doing tourist things, who cares?

If you’re the type that tends to get cold easily, then you may also want a light jacket or sweater here to use at night time. On a rare occasion, I will use one, but I’m mostly a nice pair of shorts or pants and a t-shirt kind of guy in the daytime and jeans and t-shirt kind of guy at night time. I almost never need a long sleeve shirt or jacket here for the cold (I’m from Seattle, so it always seems super hot here).

Bring DEET?

You’re going to be heading to the tropics, not far from the Equator… That means jungles and mosquitoes and all sorts of communicable diseases… West Nile, Malaria, Chikungunya, and god knows what else…

Thankfully, mosquitoes are not a big problem here. Medellin isn’t the jungle, and indeed, mosquitoes are actually pretty rare here. I’ve spent years living in Medellin now, and I only see mosquitoes occasionally, usually after a heavy rain, and usually in sectors where there is heavy vegetation or water nearby.

When they do come around, it is usually just one or two coming through your window in the evening, and not like a swarm or never-ending nightmare like other parts of the world (I’m looking at you, Cancun). If you’re in a place where the windows shut completely or have screens, you’ll probably never even see a mosquito during your trip.

Even so, from all the research and accounts I’ve read, the mosquitoes here don’t pose a significant risk of communicable diseases… That is something more common on the coast or in the jungle. Those types of diseases in Medellin aren’t a worry thanks to its climate and altitude.

Here’s the CDC malaria map for Colombia , you’ll notice there is NO known risk in the entire area surrounding Medellin. 

Don’t Drink the Water?

If there is one thing almost every traveler has heard about traveling to Latin America, it’s that you should NEVER drink the water because you will undoubtedly get sick. Having traveled through virtually all of Latin America myself, this is definitely a good rule of thumb.

But that’s just not true in Medellin. The water quality in Medellin is excellent and is one of the few destinations in Colombia where you CAN actually drink the water without concern.

I drink the water all the time, I drank the water when I first got here, and I’ve never had any problems. The tap water in the city is totally safe and quite good unless you are staying in some supremely run-down place with questionable pipes.

Ditch the plastic bottles or water bags for a while and drink the local water… It’s the rest of Colombia where you gotta be cautious. While traveling throughout Colombia and the rest of Latin America, I do keep on hand a small ultraviolet purification device called a Steripen which works great.

How to Handle Your Pesos

Cash is king here in Colombia, so you better get used to handling the Colombian Peso. A few helpful notes: the exchange rate has been around 4,400 pesos per $1 USD. Quick and dirty conversions can be done by dropping three zeros and dividing by three. So 50,000 pesos gives us 50/4, or about $12. 

The rate has been getting even better lately, but I still do the above back-of-the-napkin calculations… But prices are actually even cheaper for you in the end! The current official rate for 50,000 is about $11.30 USD. 

Money in Colombia

Paper bills are most commonly seen in denominations between 2,000 and 50,000 pesos. Keep in mind that 50,000 peso bills can be difficult to break in most small stores or with small merchants (even with taxi drivers). For one thousand and below, you’re likely to see coins (there is a 1,000 peso note, but it is increasingly rare).

Scams in Medellin

Overcharging or gouging tourists here in Medellin is NOT very common. I’d say that it’s rare, actually. As someone who has lived here for so long, I know prices, and I honestly never see any attempts to overcharge on the street. On the contrary, most local merchants here are overwhelmingly honest and will give you back money even if you accidentally overpay.

When people talk about “gringo prices” here in Medellin, they are generally referring to things like renting apartments or other things more associated with ex-pat life, which can be difficult and thus are made easier for foreigners by charging more.

The one group to watch out for is taxi drivers. They have a bad reputation all over the world, same for Medellin. Thankfully, there are taxi meters here in Colombia that display the price (unlike in other big cities in Colombia), and you can generally tell pretty easily if you are getting the run around in terms of the drive since the majority of most routes have to stick to the few main roads (the Regional, Las Vegas, Av. Poblado, etc).

If you are scammed in Medellin it will most likely be by a taxi driver. A good practice is to always pay with exact change (or as close as possible). If you have to pay with a big bill like the 50,000 peso note, try to get into the practice of holding it up to the light and acting like you are examining the bill before handing it over.

The most common scam is a quick switch of a legitimate bill with an obvious fake… Then they play nice guy showing you that you must have been duped, what is wrong with the bill, and how to avoid problems. Then they hand you the fake (when you really gave them a legit bill) and they get another big bill off of you for payment.

ATMs in Medellin

The best practice is to only withdraw money from ATMs inside big box stores or malls. It is best to avoid withdrawing money from the street. Malls are everywhere here, so it is pretty easy.

When you do so, be sure to withdraw a small amount from the ATM rather than carrying around big wads of cash. You get hit with ATM withdrawal fees each time, so that’s why I recommend a bank that will reimburse you for all external ATM withdrawal fees. I use Charles Schwab .

Withdrawing money on the street or taking out big wads of cash is an invitation to problems with robbers. I usually go to the mall, withdraw cash first thing, then wander around for a while.

Anytime you go to larger restaurants, major stores, or bigger hostels/hotels, you should be able to use a travel credit card rather than cash. Do this whenever you can to reserve your cash, just be sure that your credit card has no foreign transaction fees.

Read more about travel banking fundamentals and how I handle money.

Locals Hate Vice Tourism

I wish this one didn’t even have to be said, but there is an ever-growing amount of vice tourism here in Colombia, especially among people traveling to Medellin (when compared to Cartagena or Bogota , for instance).

This vice tourism is mainly from two groups: young dudes who want to engage in drug tourism and old dudes who want to engage in sex tourism. You can skip this section if it doesn’t apply to you.

It’s true that drugs can be cheap and readily found in Medellin, but they are not exactly legal here. Some people even go on tours to cocaine processing facilities, which is just a terrible idea. Prostitution, on the other hand, is actually legal here.

Regardless, both groups of vice tourists are generating increasing bad will or outrage by the locals. There are even public campaigns and signs around town lashing out against both. If you’re in one of those groups of people, you are better off staying at home because they don’t want you here.

First of all, if drugs or prostitutes are your primary motivation for travel, that’s pretty lame, to be honest. Medellin (and Colombia) has so much to offer and it goes well beyond those stereotypes.

Second, know that by doing so, you will dramatically increase your odds of running into big problems here in terms of getting ripped off, robbed, drugged, or even killed (the few foreigners killed here in Medellin are like 90% linked with drug or sex tourism, while the other 10% is resisting a robbery).

Scopolamine druggings (pretty much the most terrifying thing ever ) are almost entirely linked to both, although it does also happen while just out having drinks (so never leave your drink unattended).

Third, you give a terrible name to other travelers by doing this stuff. Honestly, I didn’t like Medellin much at first because I was surrounded by a bunch of these horrible tourists like the Russian chick who blew a hole in her nasal passage from doing too much cocaine in Medellin, or the American dude whose afternoon ritual was to go to the whorehouse before hanging out at the bar all night drinking dollar beers (the last part ain’t bad).

Once I got out of that shared living situation and started seeing more of the “real” Medellin, my opinion of the city changed almost instantly.

Look, if what you are wanting to do is illegal in your home country and something you don’t normally do, then Medellin is not the place to do it and certainly not the place to start. This isn’t Thailand or Amsterdam, stuff happens here, seriously.

Medellin is not a huge city, physically speaking… But there are nearly three million people crammed into the Valle of Aburra. The size of the city would suggest that you don’t really need to focus highly on trying to coordinate or optimize your visits to different parts of town because you should be able to easily go back or get around the city.

That’s kind of a mistake though, because while the city isn’t big, traffic here is terrible, particularly during rush hour. If you’re going to go explore El Centro or Envigado or wherever you should try to plan a solid itinerary to pack in everything you can in an individual place.

If you’re going by Uber or taxi and you get caught in the morning or early evening traffic, you can expect massive delays. The shape of the valley here and the general infrastructure basically funnels all the traffic into a north-south pattern along just a few roads. Traffic is only growing worse each year.

You’re better off taking public transport like the metro, although if you go at rush hour, you should expect tons of people and an almost sardine-like experience. Be sure to watch your pockets and belongings in those situations — pickpockets aren’t super common, but those are the situations to watch out for.

There are a ton of things to do in Medellin , so you shouldn’t be left bored, even if that just means exploring the many awesome restaurants and cafes. But if you’re looking for a more logical way to coordinate your activities, check out my suggested itinerary for 3 days in Medellin .

Organized Tours

I’d also encourage you to do a few organized tours in Medellin to give you a better perspective on the history and culture of this city. A few top choices are:

• Medellin Free Walking Tour in El Centro
• Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour
• Barrio Transformation Tour
• Exotic Fruits Tour

Pablo Escobar Tours

The one tour that you should not do, please, is the infamous Medellin Pablo Escobar tour … Locals hate Pablo and are growing ever more irritated with the tourists flocking to Medellin because of Pablo and the Narcos series on Netflix.

He was a terrorist and patronizing these types of tours only serves to glorify a hated man. You would never go on a Hitler tour so you can take happy selfies at his grave, so I’m not sure why people take Pablo tours in Medellin… Read more about this touchy and complicated subject .

Instead of a Pablo tour, maybe check out one of these other top Medellin tours instead? There are so many options that are much better!

Read more about the best Medellin tours . 

Is Medellin Safe?

Medellin is a long way gone from the bad ol’ days of Pablo Escobar, FARC, kidnappings, and all the terrible ways it made the news in the 90s. I’m sure your parents almost fainted and your family told you that you were nuts when you said you were going to Colombia.

Look, things aren’t perfect here, but the bottom line is that Medellin is more or less safe.

Mas o menos…

Bombings and kidnappings and all that is long gone and not of concern, today the main concern is street safety and the potential for robbery.

That type of thing is honestly a concern here, but not overwhelmingly so… It is basically the same throughout all of Latin America. If you’ve traveled to any big Latin American city, you probably know the drill, but let’s rehash.

Safety Precautions in Medellin

• Be very careful about showing valuables on the street, especially cell phones. This also applies while in taxis, as mentioned earlier. Cell phones are the biggest targets for thieves who are known to rob at gunpoint for a cell.
• Never, ever resist a robbery. Give them what they want. Not doing so is what causes tourists to get killed here .
• Be very cautious of motorcycles, they are most likely to rob you, rather than some guy on foot. Be especially cautious of two men on one motorcycle.
• Don’t walk around in unfamiliar areas after dark, particularly if there is light foot traffic. Walking back drunk is also a recipe for trouble. This is what they call “dando papaya” or giving Papaya which is basically an invitation for someone to rob you — more on that in a second.
• Unlike the US, it isn’t as simple as saying “avoid the bad neighborhoods” because you are actually probably more likely to get robbed as a tourist in Poblado rather than in El Centro — El Centro has higher crime figures overall, but Poblado is a popular target because that’s where the “rich people” are. To date, the only robbery I’ve witnessed here was on the corner of Parque Lleras at midday on a Sunday.
• Don’t carry around more money than you need for the day.
• Use ATMs only inside large malls or big box stores — avoid taking cash out from ATMs on the street. Take out small amounts of money rather than big withdrawals.

Colombia may not be the best destination for someone entirely new to Latin America, but if you are a bit streetwise and exercise common sense, you’re not likely to become a victim. Indeed, it is rare that something happens.

No Dar Papaya

In Colombia, they have a saying “No Dar Papaya” which means don’t give papaya… Basically, they are trying to say, never offer up papaya (which is anything, really, a cell phone, money, etc) because someone will take papaya if it is “offered” to them. 

This is a bit of victim-blaming, unfortunately, but it is ingrained into Colombian life. Never Dar Papaya, else you make yourself an easy mark and a likely target for robbery. It’s better to always lean toward the cautious side here in Medellin or throughout Colombia.

On the whole, people here are very nice, honest, friendly, and want to make sure you have a good time, just don’t provide a window of opportunity to the bad apples that might be out there.

There is still a lot of poverty and huge economic inequality here… Just imagine, the price of the cell phone you are carrying in your pocket is basically a few months of income at minimum wage here (~$250/month for 48 hours of work per week).

Solo Female Travel

Obviously, this is a tricky thing for me as a guy to talk about, so I’ll refer you to this post about solo female travel in Colombia by Adventurous Kate .

I think she gets things mostly right in her article although there does seem to be some outdated or misguided things like the discussion of walking alone after dark as a woman (guys have the same concern since the bad things here are robberies, not sexual assault), or the whole “don’t travel by bus between places,” or “don’t travel by bus at night” thing. Although if your local knowledge and travel experience level is low, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to follow her more conservative advice.

I can speak a little bit about my perspective for female travelers here based on so much time living here, all that I’ve seen on the streets, talking with fellow travelers, and based on the perspective of my girlfriend who is a local Paisa…

Street Harassment: This is something that is generally quite rare. Men here will not hesitate to get a good, long look if they like what they see (leering), but I rarely see things escalate to even the catcall level. Not saying it doesn’t happen, but it happens way less than in places like Italy, for example. From my perspective as a Seattlite, the whole leering thing in Colombia borders on creepy, but what is acceptable differs from culture to culture.

Colombians speak much more affectionately than most may be accustomed to, so don’t mistake “ mi amor ” from the taxi driver as flirting… That’s just how many speak to women in general, whether it is an older lady or an attractive young woman. I can be sitting there right beside my girlfriend and locals will use terms of endearment like that (which at first struck me as weird). It’s no different than old ladies calling younger guys “ mijo ”.

Kisses on the cheek between men and women (or women and women, just not between men and men like Argentina), even among people that don’t know each other very well, are also super common. If you ever go to a family event, expect to kiss like a thousand tias on the cheek.

Purses: I would strongly recommend against using a purse at all here, especially the cross-body type. Just put your spending money for the day in your pocket (even get a money clip) as well as your cell phone. Purses can be easy targets for those motorcycle thieves and a grab-and-go theft (which can throw the victim to the ground, causing injuries) is not unheard of.

Travel Insurance for Medellin

I’ve personally never been the victim of a robbery, theft, or any violent crime in Medellin, and that’s after a number of years here and many instances where I was giving papaya (according to my girlfriend). My girlfriend, on the other hand, has firsthand experience this sort of insecurity a few times, but that’s with a lifetime living here.

In any case, it is a very good idea to purchase travel insurance for Colombia and Medellin in order to protect yourself against not just theft, but also illness and injury. I use and recommend World Nomads , and would encourage you to protect yourself while in Colombia, just in case. It’s cheap and offers peace of mind.

Traveling to Medellin?

In any case, I hope these comprehensive travel tips and this guide help you better understand the ins and outs of traveling to Medellin. It is truly a pretty incredible place, I’m excited that you’ve chosen to travel here, and I hope that I’ve helped you get a little more out of your trip.

Traveling to Medellin soon? Be sure to book your lodging today on Booking.com to save. Don’t forget to purchase your travel insurance to protect against illness, injury, and theft. I use and recommend World Nomads .

Did you enjoy this post about things to know when traveling to Medellin? Please take a second to share it on Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter. Thanks!

Colombia Travel Tips

Important tips and resources for planning an amazing trip to Colombia, based on my years of traveling and living in Colombia.

Colombia Trip Planning

• Lonely Planet Colombia
• Momondo Flight Search
• ViaHero Itinerary Planning
• Booking.com
• SafetyWing Travel Insurance
• Get Your Guide Tours

Instructions

• Book a cheap fligh t to Colombia with Momondo , or better yet, start travel hacking so you can fly for free. Traveling between major cities is much better by flying, trust me.
• Plan a rough itinerary and how long you will spend at each destination. Use an itinerary planning service for custom recommendations and pick up Lonely Planet Colombia .
• Work a little every day to teach yourself Spanish , you'll want to know as much as possible before you arrive.
• Book cheap accommodation in advance, at least for the first destinations -- For hostels use: Booking , for cheap hotels use: Hotels.com , for apartments use: Airbnb .
• Reserve your on the ground tours and activities through Get Your Guide .
• Purchase travel insurance for Colombia with SafetyWing to protect yourself from illness, injury, and theft while in Colombia. VERY important. And be sure to read my article: " Is Colombia Safe? " for my honest opinion and safety tips.
• Sign up for my free emails about planning a better trip to Colombia, and be sure to check out my comprehensive guide about traveling to Colombia .
• Learn more money-saving tricks with my top budget travel tips .
• Put together your Colombia packing list .
• Enjoy this incredible country!

I hope this helped you plan your travels in Colombia! I know it can be a struggle to find accurate and on the ground information when traveling to a new place like Colombia, which is why I started writing so extensively about it!

If you have any questions about Colombia, budget travel, or anything else shoot me an email at [email protected].

(I love getting questions! That is how I get ideas for my blog posts and what to write about!)

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© Getty Images / EyeEm / Fabian Schmiedlechner

Situated in a narrow valley, Medellín packs the punch of a city twice its size. Its skyline reaches for the heavens, setting high-rise apartments and office buildings against a backdrop of jagged peaks in every direction. Its pleasant climate gives it its nickname – the City of Eternal Spring – and the moderate temperatures put a spring in the locals' steps, at work and at play. It's a bustling place of industry and commerce, especially in textile manufacturing and exported cut flowers. On weekends Medellín lets its hair down, its many nightclubs attracting the beautiful people.

Best Time to Visit

Best neighborhoods, leave the planning to a local expert.

Experience the real Medellín. Let a local expert handle the planning for you.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Museo Casa de la Memoria

This harrowing museum dedicated to the urban conflict in Medellín is a must-visit for travelers wanting to fully understand the city (and Colombia). There…

La Comuna 13

Once one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Medellín, the Comuna 13, which clings to the mountainside above the San Javier metro station, has…

Museo de Antioquia

In the grand art deco Palacio Municipal, Colombia's second-oldest museum (Museo Nacional in Bogotá is the oldest) houses one of the country's most…

Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellín

Set around a refurbished industrial building in Ciudad del Río, 'El MAMM' showcases changing exhibitions of contemporary art. The large new wing houses…

Monumento a la Raza

Rodrigo Arenas Betancur, Colombia's favorite designer of monuments, has a number of pieces around Medellín, but the most impressive work is this one in…

Casa Museo Pedro Nel Gómez

Located in the house where the artist lived and worked, this fine museum has an extensive collection of pieces by prolific local painter Pedro Nel Gómez …

Plazoleta de las Esculturas

This public space in front of the Museo de Antioquia is home to 23 large, curvaceous bronze sculptures by renowned local artist Fernando Botero, including…

El Cerro de Moravia

The densely populated neighborhood of Moravia was once Medellín's municipal rubbish dump with an open-air mountain of trash surrounded by a large shanty…

Top picks from our travel experts

Medellín's top free things to do are also the city's must-do activities.

A high-end mall with fashion outlets and a multiscreen cinema.

For some shopping or just to rub shoulders with Medellín high society, head to the upscale El Tesoro mall. It has a variety of European and American…

Parque Arví

Accessible by the fantastically scenic Metrocable Linea L from the Santo Domingo interchange (COP$4850 one way, 15 minutes), Parque Arví is a big chunk of…

Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip.

Medellín is no small country town. When you need a break from this city of 2.5 million, there are easy day trips in every direction - here are the best.

Free Things to Do

From public art to dazzling parks to experiences only found in ‘The City of the Eternal Spring,’ here are the best free things to do in Medellín.

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Experience the real Colombia

Let a local expert craft your dream trip.

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Home > Colombia > Medellin > Medellin Travel Guide

Medellin Travel Guide: An Instruction Manual for an Unforgettable Trip

Go Beyond the TripAdvisor Top 10

This post is part of Everything to Know Before Visiting Medellin , a collection of no-B.S., unique guides to an unforgettable stay in Colombia.

We made this atypical Medellin travel guide because we're tired of travel guides that tell us exactly what's "must do" but are really just rewrites of the TripAdvisor top 10.

Instead of telling you what to do, we're going to share with you what we think you should know about Medellin: what's where, what's unique, what's tasty, and what's nearby and worth checking out too.

We'll also make some specific recommendations, but those are more to give you an idea what's out there.

Try some things we recommend for sure, but also make your own discoveries. That's how we had our favorite experiences during our six months living in Medellin, and that's how you will too.

Ready? Listos?

Let's get into this Medellin travel guide.

Medellin Travel Guide Outline

• Before You Go – How to decide where to stay, and useful things to know before coming
• Things to Do – What's overrated and underrated, and our absolute favorites
• Food and Drink – How to stuff your face full of unforgettable goodness
• Medellin Getaways     – Hikes and towns near Medellin for fresh air, and a fresh perspective
• Elsewhere in Colombia  – Bogota, the Pacific Coast, and an epic trek
• Favorite Resources – Other online sources of Medellin tips

Before You Visit Medellin

Is medellin dangerous.

The parts of Medellin you're likely to visit are more dangerous than comparable areas in North America or Europe.

For instance, we heard no shortage of stories of friends and friends' friends and readers getting mugged, mostly when they were drunk and stumbling home alone, but even in broad daylight.

On the other hand, the vast majority of people we know and met, including many idiots who were asking for trouble, had no issues.

To stay safe, keep your valuables (including your phone) concealed in public, dress and act to blend in, heed locals' warnings about certain areas, and be extra careful at night. Common sense.

Where to Stay in Medellin

The mistake most newcomers make—we made it too—when trying to figure out where to stay in Medellin is to ask, "Should we stay in El Poblado or Laureles (or even Envigado)?"

Those districts are too huge. Your best bet is to find the barrio within one of those districts that's best for you.

Our guide of where to stay in Medellin ranks the city's top  barrios  in 12 criteria including food, safety, and affordability. That way, you can pick the ones that matter most to you and decide on the perfect place.

If you're too "busy" to go through that whole guide, here's a super-fast intro to the top 10 barrios we recommend you consider:

• Central Poblado: Most popular area for both tourists and long-term foreign residents. I sometimes almost forget I’m in Colombia when I’m in this part of town.
• Lower Poblado: More conveniently-located and low-key than Central Poblado. Still unmistakably Gringolandia.
• La Florida, Poblado: Swanky high-rise hotels and apartments, malls, and not much street-life.
• Central Laureles: Far from the metro, but full of cafés and eateries. It's where people who think El Poblado is "too gringo" go.
• La 70, Laureles: Closer to the metro than Central Laureles and more lively, for better and for worse.
• Northern Laureles: Laid-back, almost too laid-back, and well-to-do residential neighborhood.
• Central Envigado: Envigado’s small but happening “downtown” feels like you’re not in Medellin anymore, which was indeed the case not too long ago.
• El Dorado, Envigado: A true neighborhood feel, with row houses that have shops, bars, mini-markets, and other small businesses all along its narrow streets.
• Northern Envigado: Less street life than El Dorado, but a larger fine-dining / entertainment district, La Calle de la Buena Mesa.
• Downtown Medellin: On the rise and in the middle of the action. The most central for tourists during the day, but not the best at night.

Check out our Medellin neighborhood guide to decide which of these is best for what you're looking for.

Things to Know Before Coming to Medellin

Like everywhere, there are ups and downs to Medellin. And like everywhere, nobody tells you them before you get there.

Here are some of them—a quick cheat sheet of 10 good, bad, and fun things to know before coming to Medellin.

For all the details and twelve more things to know before coming to Medellin, see the full post .

Things to Do in Medellin

Our Top 10 Favorite Experiences

In the six months we lived in Medellin, we tried to see and experience everything. We gave the touristy things a go and explored all sorts of spots even locals had no idea about.

Of all our amazing (and not-so-amazing) adventures, these were our top 10 absolute favorites (in no particular order):

• Hiking Parque Arvi through the back door
• Forgetting Narcos and doing the Real City walking tour
• Gorging on as many menu del dias as we could all over the city
• Eating the most humongous piece of "mega-bacon" we've ever seen at  La Gloria de Gloria
• Heading for the hills to go hiking
• (This one's a secret)
• Escaping Medellin and visiting pueblos like Venecia , Jardin , and Jerico (NOT Guatape)
• Feeling like a superhero while paragliding
• Spending an afternoon checking out the highlights in Laureles
• Enjoying the best of El Poblado

For all the details on these amazing experiences, a handful more that just barely missed the list, and some things we recommend not to do, check our atypicial guide of things to do in Medellin .

Overrated and Underrated Medellin Attractions

We have the sometimes contentious opinion that some Medellin's "top" tourist attractions should be on the bottom of your to-do list.

They're not all terrible (except Pueblito Paisa). It's just that there are likely better ways to spend your time and money.

Here our favorite examples:

• Overrated:  Laureles, Parque Arvi, Pueblito Paisa, Uber, Poblado farmers market, Guatape
• Underrated:  Envigado, every other Medellin park, Cerro Pan de Azucar, taxis, Mercado Minorista, Jerico

Don't Overlook Envigado, Medellin's Version of Brooklyn

Located right next to the high-flying, rapidly-modernizing El Poblado district of Medellin, Envigado remains a hard-working, urban, unpretentious town that's yet to be swallowed up by globalism (or hipsters).

It's a pre-hipster Brooklyn.

We lived there for two amazing months. Here are some of our favorite things about it:

• The Neighborhood Feel: There aren't many "highlights" in Envigado, but it's a great place to wander. Kids play on the streets, old men sit on tables drinking guaro while watching life pass by, and crazy Christmas displays decorate the whole town in December. And nowhere did we feel safer.
• The Restaurants:  There's a fine-dining area called La Calle de la Buena Mesa, where you can pick where to eat based on your cravings that evening. In super neighborhoody El Dorado are some of our favorite spots like Pedacito de Amor and Pizzeria Burro . And there are La Gloria de Gloria and Trifasico with their enormous slabs of meat.
• Otraparte:  The coffee isn't that good and the WiFi sucks, but even so El Cafe de Otraparte is the cafe / hang out area we miss most about Medellin.

There's A LOT more than this, of course, which you can read all about in our comprehensive Envigado guide .

What Everybody Other Blogger Recommends for Medellin

When we moved to Medellin we read a lot of blog posts on what to do and see.

Then we had the idea of compiling all those recommendations into one.

Things quickly got out of hand.

By the end, we had consolidated tips from over fifty travel blog posts. The compilation is enormous and overwhelming, but maybe you'll find it helpful. 

Check it out .

Eating and Drinking in Medellin

Medellin's Best Restaurants for 20 Unique Occasions

We can't honestly tell you which are the "best restaurants in Medellin" because we haven't been to every one and tried every dish. Nobody has. But we can recommend some restaurants for specific occasions and cravings. For example:

• If you want to impress your partner with a romantic picnic in the park , go to In Situ
• If you need a rest, refresh, and refueling in Mercado Minorista (Medellin's city center produce market), go to Aqui Paro Lucho
• If you want Colombian cuisine with a modern, adventurous, and delicious twist , go to Alambique  (probably our favorite restaurant in Medellin)
• If you want to get high and/or eat really good gelato , go to  Nuovo Fiore

We have twenty recommendations in total. Check out our Medellin restaurant guide for all of them.

Medellin's Best Lunch Specials

Lunch is the best time to go out for food in Medellin. You can get high-quality, delicious meals including soup, a main course, a drink, and sometimes dessert for $3 to $6 USD. These specials are called menu del dias .

There are so many restaurants with menu del dias that it can be overwhelming, so Chris went a bit overboard to help you out. He went to over hundred places then made a list of his forty favorites.

See them all in his huge menu del dia guide .

The Best Colombian Coffee, Beer, Cheese, and Aguardiente

Are you sure your tastes aren't affected by branding and appearances?

And that's why do blind taste tests. In Medellin, we did some to determine who truly has the best coffee, beer, cheese and aguardiente in Colombia (or at least Medellin).

Here are the surprising blind taste test results:

• Best coffee : Rituales Cafe . Hands down. Read the full post here
• Best lager beer:  Heineken. Ugh. We can't believe it either. Read all about it here .
• Best Colombian cheese:  None. But if you force us, we'd take queso pera. Learn all about the weird Colombian cheeses here .
• Best aguardiente: Aguardiente is the local liquor and the best from our taste test (here) was Amarillo de Manzanares. More importantly, and regardless of which aguardiente brand you drink, read these nine surprising facts first.

An Intro to Colombian Drinks

You already know about Colombian coffee, but do you know what  viche ,  mazamorra , and  guarapo  are?

Here's a quick vocab lesson:

• Chicha : A fermented corn drink that was the locals' drink of choice before the Spanish came and screwed things up.
• Viche:  A home-brewed moonshine made from sugar cane that’s popular on Colombia’s Pacific Coast
• Chocolate Santafereño:  Hot chocolate with cheese inside.
• Limonada de Coco:  A hugely popular and super delicious and refreshing blend of coconut and lemonade.
• Mazamorra and Claro: Corn-infused milks that often come with your menu del dia (lunch special).
• Guarapo and Aguapanela : Drinks made from sugarcane. Guarapo is typically made by pressing the cane itself. Aguapanela is agua mixed with panela, unrefined cane sugar.

And there are even more Colombian drinks to know about. To see them all, where to get them, and how to drink them, check out our guide .

Medellin Getaways

Medellin Hikes

The quality and quantity of hikes near Medellin (many accessible by public transit!) was something we didn’t expect before coming. From waterfalls to caves to natural pyramids to Escobar’s old prison, whenever we ventured into the hills we were always rewarded for doing so. And every single time the views are incredible.

If you want to get some fresh air and develop a tight round tush the old-fashioned way (instead of artificially, like many women do in Medellin), we highly recommend it.

Some hikes are hard to find, so we've helped you out with a list of our favorite hikes in and around Medellin . For each hike, you’ll find a guide complete with directions, maps, and photos

Nearby Pueblos

Please, please, please don’t spend time in Medellin without visiting at least one of the nearby pueblos. It will completely change your understanding and perception of what Colombia and Antioquia is about.

And Guatape doesn’t count.

We went to a handful of pueblos and recommend them all highly, but there are plenty of others where you're sure to have an extraordinary travel story too. Here are the pueblos we wrote guides to:

• Jerico – A traditional town for religious pilgrammiges, it's now worth going to for an artisanal food pilgrimage, colorful sunsets, colorful waterfalls, colorful people, and colorful architecture. See what there's to do in Jerico , and what to eat on your own food pilgramage .
• Jardin  – Jardin is a bigger, lusher, and more tourist-friendly version of Jerico. Here are our favorite things we did there .
• Venecia – Venecia is for you if you don’t want to see any other tourists and/or plan to hike Cerro Tusa (the world’s largest natural pyramid). Read more here .
• Urrao  – The town itself wasn't our favorite, but it was cool for a couple of nights. Most importantly, it's close to the unbelievable and unforgettable Paramo del Sol. Check out these mind-boggling photos in our guide .

Elsewhere in Colombia

Paramo del Sol Trek

The trek to the Paramo del So is so mind-bogglingly cool that you forget to worry about how cold it can get (…well almost). Up at the highest point in Antioquia, there’s nowhere in the world with scenery like it. Read our guide here . Even if you don't like reading just go there for the amazing photos by our friend Oskar.

The Pacific Coast

Colombia's Pacific Coast was a no-go zone for a long time. It only very recently opened up for tourism again and started to appear on tourists’ radars. In other words, if you’re an adventure traveler now’s the time to go.

And from Medellin, it's an easy flight from the city center Olaya Herrera Airport .

Not knowing anything about it beforehand, we explored the Bahia Solano area for about a week. It turned out to be is a jungle, waterfall, and deserted beach paradise.

There’s so much to do that we couldn’t help but compile four different guides for the area:

• 15 travel tips for Colombia's Pacific Coast – Things you should be aware of, including how worried you should be about bugs and rain, what tour not to miss, and how not to miss your flight home.
• Where to stay around Bahia Solano – The pros and cons of all the options: remote beaches like Playa Mecana and Playa Cuevita, popular spots like El Valle and Playe El Almejal, or places in between like Playa Huina.
• El Valle travel guide –  Your extensive guide of to this small town El Valle that is so under-covered by tour guides and blogs that even Google Maps doesn’t show its streets.
• The Right Way to do the Cascada El Tigre tour – This is the only waterfall we've ever seen that falls right onto a beach. It's Chris' wet dream. And if you visit it the right way, you'll see a few more waterfalls and save some money.

You might assume Bogota isn’t worth visiting. It’s too big, busy, dangerous, and cold. That's what we thought.

We were wrong.

You might be as surprised as we were by what Colombia's capital has to offer. Check it out .

And once you've had enough of Bogota and are ready to return to Medellin, consider taking the bus and maybe stopping off somewhere along the way. We went to a town called Honda. It wasn't our favorite, but it was an experience nonetheless. Read all about how (and why) to bus between Bogota and Medellin, and what Honda's like, here .

Favorite Other Sites

Resources and communities that helped us discover many of the items on this Medellin travel guide.

• Catalyst Weekly  is the go-to resource to find out what foreigner-friendly events are going on while you’re in town.
• The Medellin Expats group on Facebook . It's full of lunatics, idiots, and self-promoters, but if you dig around you can find some truly helpful tips.
• Kinkaju Hikes and Adventures . Go on a hike, or a beer crawl, with a diverse and friendly group of people including local expats, local locals, and visitors.
• Tom Plan My Trip.  This guy went super deep with info to help you plan your trip to Colombia. You'll find lots of stuff we didn't bother to write because he already said it.
• Wikiloc.  It's the go-to app for finding and sharing hikes in Colombia. You'll have to pay $2.99 US to use it, but it's worth it.
• The Unconventional Route. That's us. Check out our extensive collection of Colombia-related advice here , ask us questions in the comments, or, if it's private, email us at info at theunconventionalroute.com.

How to Have an Awesome Medellin Trip

For all the ingredients you need to put together a magnificent Medellin trip— where to stay , what to do , what to eat , where else to visit in Colombia —see our Medellin Travel Manual.

Medellin Travel Manual

Our collection of blog posts that reveal the real Medellin.

And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions to share with other readers, please share them in the comments!

Disclosure: Whenever possible, we use links that earn us a cut if you pay for stuff we recommend. It costs you nothing, so we'd be crazy not to. Read our affiliate policy .

13 thoughts on “Medellin Travel Guide: An Instruction Manual for an Unforgettable Trip”

You guys rock! Headed to Medellín. On Thursday, have done almost zero research, this post just made my day, and soon to be vacation! Thanks!

Nice list. Also lived in Medellin for six months, back in 2017…we have the same consensus on Pueblito Paisa. ( https://hippospit.com/2019/04/24/pueblito-paisa/ )

What did you think of Colombian cheese? I’m rather impressed that you bought 18 and did a blind taste test…once, when we were living in Envigado, the refrigeration for half of our local Carulla was out for a week. They never bothered to replace the dairy stock…many leaps of faith were made.

Also wrote a little something about safety in Botero Plaza a little while ago…in case anyone is reading and considering a visit. https://hippospit.com/2018/11/13/botero-plaza/ Be careful.

Thanks R. Your description of Pueblito Paisa is spot on. Keep up the good work!

I'd say that if anyone thinks that any description of any city encompasses the totality of reality, then they have never been to a city. There is no city that isn't variegated from places you shouldn't go to, to places that are perfectly safe…from boring to exciting, etc. I couldn't disagree more with the conclusion that one needs to quickly walk away from Plaza Botero to the metro because it's dangerous or unsavory. I guess unsavory is in the eye of the beholder, but please…cities have all sorts and varieties of people all over the place. Pointing out a transgender prostitute (perhaps not transgender at all – perhaps just a cross-dresser, and presuming that person is a prostitute seems rather judgmental.) So what? That's life in the big city, and they are hardly threatening one's security. I'd also like to point out that there is an ebb and flow over months/years as to what is happening in any particular area. What may have been a couple of years ago may be totally different today. That's also part of the danger of writing/reading reviews.

Hey Phil. I don't understand: Which pointing out of prostitutes and hurrying from Plaza Botero to the metro are you referring to? I don't believe we mentioned that on the site. Or are you using these as examples to illustrate common misperceptions about Medellin overall? I also hope we aren't giving the impression of claiming to completely explain and outline Medellin with our blog. Like you said, we can't, especially since every person's perception differs. We just want this blog to give readers the tools and motivation to explore with their own fresh and unbiased perspective, which seems to be what you believe in as well! Enjoy Medellin!

Congratulations, that's a really good post. I will add maybe having a chocolate con queso up in Las Palmas Viewpoint (Medellin).

Thanks for the suggestion, Mr. Moto!

one of the best recaps i've read on medellin! well done!

Thanks Stephanie. I'm worried it might start getting out of date. Please let us know of your discoveries and recommendations. Enjoy!

Why the f*ck would you recommend Heineken, are you nuts? Colombia has amazing domestics and for cheap. Pilsen, Club Columbia, Poker, Aguila, the list goes on. GTFO out of here with that mess.

Try a Colombian beer blind taste test, like we did. We included Heineken as an outsider and it was the clear winner. We didn't choose. Our palates did. I'm not proud of it.

And thanks for censoring your commment with the *.

Just visited Medellin, and I can say this was a pretty bad guide. Guatape is not overrated, and Medellin is safer than several U.S. cities. Trying to scare people is classic gringo behavior. Uber is also safer than some of the taxi services, even though it is technically illegal.

Fair enough. It's a bit long in the tooth. And the guide is my subjective opinion.

Don't know where you get the impression I'm trying to scare people.

What do you think? (Leave a Comment.) Cancel reply

Travel Guide to Medellín, Colombia

TripSavvy / Lara D'agostino

Medellín is Colombia's  second largest city and is nestled in the Aburrá Valley of the Andes Mountains. It was founded in 1616 but remained a small, under-the-radar locale until the Colombian  coffee boom . It later became the center of a textile industry, and today is a modern, vibrant city. Medellin is a principal manufacturing and industrial area, as well as a commercial flower-growing region, particularly focused on orchids. In fact, Medellín is often called the Capital of The Flowers and The Land of Eternal Spring.

How to Get There

Many international airlines fly into Medellín using the international José María Córdoba airport, just 20 miles southeast of the city. Regional flights use the older Olaya Herrera airport. Affordable flights can be found on LATAM Airlines, Copa Airlines, and JetBlue, as well as budget carriers like Spirit. Once you land, you can take a shuttle from the airport into downtown.

If you're already in the country, look into bus services, which are available between most  major Colombian cities  from the Terminal del Norte or the Terminal del Sur. Those who plan on venturing outside of the city should rent a car.

Medellín is the first Colombian city to have a metro system. It serves the city in both north-south and to the west, which makes getting around the city very convenient and easy.

The equator runs through the center of the country, so Colombia has warm, moderate weather year-round. The temperature varies depending on the altitude. Cities closer to sea level (about 80 percent of the nation) have hot 80-degree days, whereas cities higher and near the Andes, like Medellín, tend to have comfortable 70-degree weather. Although there are no traditional seasons, tourists may want to avoid visiting between April and May, as well as September through November, when the country experiences the most rainfall. Early August is an ideal month to travel to Medellín when the  Fería de Las Flores  festival is in full bloom.

Things to Do and See

Medellín may be smaller than the Colombian capital of Bogotá , but that doesn't mean it has any less cultural sights and museums for visitors to enjoy.

• The Medellín Metro Cable system has three cable car lines across the valley floor. Ride them to the top for scenic views of the city and mountains beyond.
• Basilica de la Candelaria is one of the few colonial buildings left.
• The Basilica Metropolitana,  in the Parque de Bolivar, was completed early in the 20th century and is thought to be the largest brick church in South America.
• Pueblito Paisa is a replica of a typical Antioquiana village, complete with handicraft shops.
• Plaza Botero displays a number of works by Fernando Botero, a famous Medellín sculptor who specializes in oversized human figures. More of his works are in the Museo de Antioquia.
• The JardÍn Botánico JoaquÍn Antonio Uribe has an annual orchid exposition in the Orquideorama.

Holidays and Events

Colombia has some of the most festive holidays of any country in South America. Medellín celebrates many regional festivities, as well. Fería de Las Flores is one that should not be missed. The festival begins with a  caballero  (horseback) parade through the city that lasts the entire day. Music, dances, and cultural events celebrate the Antioquiana customs, but the highlight is the  Desfile de Silleteros , where campesinos come down from the mountains carrying baskets of beautiful wildflowers. In July, the annual Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín, or International Poetry Festival, brings artists, writers, and musicians from far and wide.

Travel Tips

Before you jet off to Medellín, there are some things you may want to plan ahead for.

• A tourist visa is not required to visit Colombia unless you plan on staying longer than 90 days.
• The water in Medellín is safe to drink, although most hotels will provide bottled water just in case. If you're traveling to rural areas outside of the city, it's smart to only drink bottled water.
• The Colombian peso is the only currency accepted at small, local stores, and there are many ATMs around the city for getting more cash out. Most hotels and upscale restaurants accept credit cards.
• The local attire is a bit formal, so leave flip-flops at home. Men should wear long pants, and women should pack nice sundresses.

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14 Things to Do in Medellín (and the ONE thing NOT to do!)

Once considered one of the deadliest cities in the world, Medellín has undergone a transformation over the last fifteen years that has made it one of the most modern places in all of Colombia .

The city has become a lot safer, and there is a fantastic metro and cable car system that could rival the best in Europe. Medellín is filled with lots of parks, new buildings, libraries, restaurants, and a growing tech scene.

The city has changed a lot, and you can tell the residents are very proud of everything they’ve accomplished. There’s a palpable sense of possibility in Medellin. Optimism and excitement are in the air.

Medellin is one of the best destinations for remote workers and is now one of “it” cities in the world. Tourists swarm here, and foreigners ( especially young digital nomads ) are settling and retiring here in droves. It was the most cosmopolitan and international city I visited in Colombia.

I spent close to a total of three weeks in Medellín and lvoed my time there. Here is a list of my favorite things to do and see after spending so much time there:

Table of Contents

1. Explore the Numerous Parks and Plazas

2. wander parque arvi, 3. explore jardín botánico, 4. see a soccer match, 5. take a day trip to guatapé, 6. take a free walking tour, 7. tour comuna 13, 8. visit the museo de antioquia, 9. wander the cementerio museo de san pedro, 10. see the casa de la memoria, 11. visit the museo de arte moderno, 12. take a food tour, 13. visit a microbrewery, 14. visit comuna 8, finally, don’t do the escobar tour, where to eat in medellín, is medellín safe.

Medellín’s year-round temperate climate makes it a perfect place to spend a lot of time outdoors, where people are always lounging around and vendors are peddling food and drinks. Two must-visit parks are:

• Plaza Botero – Botero is a famous artist from Medellin known for his drawing and statues of oversized people. This plaza is home to 23 Botero sculptures and is always packed with people taking photos, street performers, and artists. Located in the Old Quarter, you’ll find a couple of museums in the square too.
• Parque Lleras – Located right in the center of Poblado, this park is full of people all day and night. There are street vendors, food sellers, musicians, and people drinking into the wee hours of the night. It’s a wonderful place to people-watch and one of the best places to have fun in the city!

The park spans 16,000 hectares (almost 40,000 acres) and includes trails that date back over 1,500 years. At the park entrance, you’ll find a small market where local vendors and farmers set up shop as well as trails to hike. Most hikes are relatively easy too.

Admission is free, though if you want to take a guided tour, it’s 60,000 COP (in Spanish only).

The botanical gardens, a quiet retreat from the noise and chaos of the city, hosts numerous events, concerts, and festivals throughout the year. It covers over 14 hectares (35 acres) and is home to around 4,500 flowers and some 139 different bird species.

There’s also a nice (if not overpriced) restaurant in the center called Restaurante In Situ if you feel like spending more time here relaxing and taking in the scene. There’s also a more casual eatery with local dishes called Del Bosque Restaurante Café nearby as well. The Gardens are open 9am-4pm daily.

Soccer is religion here, and if there are games when you’re visiting you should really try to see one. Medellín has two local teams: Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín. Supporters of each team occupy bleachers at opposing ends of the stadium since things tend to get rowdy and violent when they are near each other.

Ticket prices are 20,000-50,000 COP. For a guided group experience, you can also join a tour that includes tickets, a jersey, beer, face painting, and a bilingual guide who will share their love and knowledge of the sport. Joining a group is a great way to meet other travelers too!

The main attraction is El Peñol, a granite monolith with over 700 concrete stairs etched in its side. For a few thousand pesos, visitors can climb to the top for breathtaking 360-degree views of the region.

Guatapé is a long day trip from Medellín (hostels in the city organize trips throughout the week, or you can pre-book with a local tour company online . I recommend trying to spend at least a night here so you aren’t rushed and can enjoy the area a little more. If you do the day trip, it’s around 11 hours, and includes both Guatapé and El Peñol, lunch, and a cruise. Expect to pay around 122,000 COP.

Real City Walking Tours has a great free tour that will give you an informative introduction to the city. You’ll get a lot of information, and the guides are wonderful. It’s the best free walking tour in town. Just be sure to tip your guide at the end!

However, thanks to its street art (which was a reaction to heavy-handed police raids) there has been a huge influx of tourists. That has made part of the area safer and led to a rise in business and commerce. It’s really changed the fabric of the community. Local residents are even coming here now, figuring that if the tourists are going, it must be good!

You can visit by yourself or go on a tour (where a guide will explain the history of the area and the artists). There are a ton of companies offering tours here. Some of the better ones are:

• Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour – This four-hour tour runs daily at 10am and 3pm. Tickets are 90,000 COP per person.
• Zippy Tour – This tour lasts two and a half hours and runs every day at 10am, 2pm, and 4pm (no 4pm tours on Sundays). While technically free, don’t forget to tip your guide at the end!
• Medellín City Tours – Tours offered daily 9am and 2pm. Tickets are around 118,000 COP per person.

Founded in 1881, this interesting art museum is home to numerous pre-Colombian works as well as national and international works by famous artists (there are a bunch of Boteros here too) and a wide variety of photographs and sculptures. There are a lot of works by native muralist Pedro Nel Gómez as well. It was the second museum established in the entire country (and the first in the Antioquia region).

Cl. 52 #43, +57 4-251-3636, museodeantioquia.co. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-5:30pm. Admission is 30,000 COP per person.

Built in 1842, this cemetery is also a museum where you can see the monuments and graves of many famous Colombians while learning about their lives and contributions. There’s a lot of large marble mausoleums and statues here. Keep an eye out for special events such as midnight tours and movie nights. The cemetery is small but it’s also close to the botanical gardens so you can do both one after the other.

Cra. 51 #68-68, +57 4-516-7650, cementeriosanpedro.org.co. Open daily 8am-5pm. Admission is free.

The Memory House Museum opened in 2012 and examines the history of armed conflict in Colombia, including all the conflicts with the drug cartels that plagued the city for decades. It sheds light on the struggles the people of Colombia have had to overcome to get where they are today. There are lots of multimedia displays, including photos, videos, and recordings from people who experienced the conflicts and massacres. It’s a very sobering and solemn place but it offers some important insights into the city and its people. Don’t miss it.

Parque Bicentenario, +57 4-520-2020, museocasadelamemoria.gov.co. Open Tuesday-Friday 9am-5:30pm and weekends 10am-3:30pm. Admission is free and includes a free audio guide. Guided tours are available on Tuesdays and Fridays (contact the museum for details).

The Museum of Modern Art, located in a refurbished industrial building, is an awesome work of art in itself. There’s a ton of open and exposed space, giving it a really charming feel. Many people have a love-hate relationship with modern art (it’s not my personal favorite, I admit) but even I enjoyed my visit here.

The collection is small, but there’s also a beautiful photography section on the bottom floor. Even if it’s not your thing, it’s worth spending a couple hours here to get a sense of the modern art scene in the city.

Cra. 44 #19a-100, +57 4-444-2622, elmamm.org. Open Tuesday-Friday 9am-7pm, on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 11am-6pm. Admission is 24,000 COP per person.

If you’re looking to taste a sample of what Medellín has to offer, there are a couple of food tour companies that can help. It’s a great way to get a taste for the local cuisine while learning about the country’s traditions in the process. There are plenty of options, including:

• Food Tour with Medellín City Tours – Choose to experience breakfast, lunch, or dinner on daily tours at 9am, 2pm, and 6pm. Tickets start from 176,000 COP.
• Street Food and Poblado Rooftop Tour with a Local – On this tour of the Poblado neighborhood, you’ll enjoy five street food snacks while learning about the area. Tours start at 129,000 COP.
• Coffee Tour With Tastings and Lunch – Visit D’arrieros Coffee Farm just outside the city to learn about the coffee production process and taste some of the farm’s coffee. You’ll get to take home a bag as well. Tours start at 195,000 COP and include round-trip transportation from Medellín.

If you find yourself parched after an afternoon of sampling the city’s delicious cuisine, consider taking a brewery or craft beer tour to quench your thirst. There is an up-and-coming craft beer scene in Colombia, and Medellín has dozens of breweries and microbreweries. These are some of the best places to try a local beer:

• 3 Cordilleras – Runs tours Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, offering five samples for 50,000 COP per person.
• OlBroder Cerveza Artesanal – A community-oriented brewery and taproom founded by two brothers. They focus on using local ingredients and regularly host live music and tasting events. Tastings are around 25,000-30,000 COP per person and advanced booking is required.
• 20 Mission Cerveza – Has great beer, tasty food, and is a fun place to hang out and meet people. They offer tours of the brewery and they also host music events and DJs. It’s super popular and one of the best places in town to grab a beer.

Much like Comuna 13, this area was one of the poorest in Medellín — and it still is. This district was really isolated until the city built a gondola from downtown, allowing people to get to work a lot more easily.

La Sierra runs a tour to teach people about the history of the area, and, unlike Comuna 13, it’s not overrun with tourists. It’s a small district and the tour doesn’t last long, but you get a much more authentic look at the city and its people and history than you do in Comuna 13 (where the focus is more on street art). I highly recommend it; it was one of the most insightful experiences I had in Medellín. Reservations are required.

The locals here are not fans of Pablo Escobar. His violent life and legacy caused untold amounts of harm to the city and its population, and while it’s always good to learn about the history of a destination, glorifying this is not something I want to support. You can learn about his life online in a way that doesn’t spit in the face of the locals, many of whom don’t even speak his name. Out of respect for them, I encourage you to skip the Escobar tour.  

• Restaurante Mondongo’s El Poblado – Traditional Colombian food in a relaxed atmosphere. Try the mondongo , a traditional tripe soup. It comes with a ton of side dishes (including giant avocados). Come early, as this place gets packed. Try to avoid the weekend. (Cl. 10 #38-38)
• Carmen – High-end gastronomy with some of the best food in all of Colombia. It’s expensive but worth it. It was the best splurge meal I had in the country. (Cra. 36 #10a-27)
• Mercado del Rio – An awesome food court offering all sorts of delicious food from dozens of vendors. There’s something for everyone here. (Cl. 24 #48-28)
• 20 Mission – A great microbrewery with delicious food too! Try the IPA. (Cl. 16 #43f-66)
• Pergamino Café – A chill café with some of the best coffee in town. I spent a lot of time working here. They make great breakfast food, BLTs, and empanadas. (Cra. 37 #8A-37)
• 37 Park – Another great bar and restaurant with a rustic outdoor garden. (Cra. 37 #8A – 4)
• Hatoviejo – This is one of the best places to get traditional Colombian food. It’s pricey when compared to some of the hole-in-the-wall restaurants you’ll find throughout town. (Cl. 16 #28-60)

“No dar papaya” is a common saying in Colombia, which translates as “don’t give papaya.” It means don’t give anyone the chance to steal your stuff by walking around and being flashy or reckless. You should be cautious here.

That means no walking around with your phone out, never keeping anything in your pockets (especially when on public transport), and always keeping hold of your bag. If you are eating out, keep your backpack on your lap or place your foot or a chair leg through your strap. It is very common for someone to try to do a bag swap (meaning they swap their empty bag for yours).

For more in-depth coverage of how to stay safe in Colombia, check out this post that answers some frequently asked questions and concerns.

Lastly, make sure to purchase good travel insurance before you go. I recommend SafetyWing if you’re on a budget and just need basic coverage and World Nomads if you want something more comprehensive.

I was never bored in Medellín . In a country full of hype, this hyped-up city is all that it’s cracked up to be. It has enough activities to fill weeks on end. Combined with the low cost of travel and living, it’s no wonder more and more people are visiting the city.

(And, while it’s easy to get lost in Gringoland here, try to get out of Poblado or Laureles and see the locals’ side of town. That’s where the magic of Medellín happens!)

Book Your Trip to Colombia: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. Two of my favorite places to stay are:

• The Wandering Paisa

If you’re looking for more places to stay, here are my favorite hostels in Medellín !

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• Safety Wing (for everyone below 70)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want More Information on Colombia? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Colombia for even more planning tips!

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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3 Days in Medellin: The Perfect Medellin Itinerary for First-Timers

It’s crazy to think that Medellin was once considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world. However, over the past few decades, the city has drastically changed and is now a popular tourist destination in Colombia.

If you’re planning on visiting Medellin for the first time, then this 3 day Medellin itinerary will be perfect for you. I will guide you through the must-visit attractions, delicious food spots, and unique experiences that will make your trip unforgettable.

I’ve also added some extra attractions to check out if you have more than 3 days in Medellin, plus some of my top recommendations for where to stay, how to get around, and when to visit.

* Disclosure: This post contains a few affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link. *

Table of Contents

Are you planning a last-minute trip to Medellin?

If your trip is coming up soon and you still haven’t booked anything, we have you covered! Below you can find our top picks when it comes to hotels, tours, getting around, and more.

Best Tours and Experiences in Medellin

• Day trip to Guatape El Peñol (top-rated day trip from Medellin you absolutely can’t miss)
• Comuna 13 History & Graffiti Tour (must-have tour to learn about Medellin’s transformation)
• The Real Pablo Escobar Tour (a controversial but popular tour that takes you through the life of Colombia’s most notorious drug lord)
• Coffee Tour with Tastings (for coffee lovers, a tour of Medellin’s coffee farms is a must-do)

Best Places to Stay in Medellin

• Hotel San Fernando Plaza (most popular 5-star hotel with outdoor pool in El Poblado)
• The Charlee Hotel (luxury boutique hotel with pool, spa, and prime location in El Poblado)
• Sites Hotel (great-mid-range option with rooftop pool in El Poblado)
• Hotel Bolivariana Plaza (budget-friendly hotel near Parque de Laureles)

Can’t speak Spanish very well?  As people in Medellin (and in Colombia in general) don’t really speak English, our best tip is to download Spanish on Google Translate so you can use it offline! Trust us, you’re going to need it.

Overview of Your 3 Days in Medellin

Breakdown of your medellin 3 day itinerary.

• Day 1: Historic center of Medellin, Museo de Antioquia, Jardin Botanico de Medellin, Parque Explora, Pueblito Paisa
• Day 2: Comuna 13, El Poblado, Parque Arvi
• Day 3: Day trip to Guatape

Map for your 3 days in Medellin

Below you can find a customized map that includes all the locations you’re going to visit on this Medellin itinerary.

I marked your 3 days in Medellin with different colors – I used blue for the first, green for the second, and red for the third day, so you can easily see which places you’re going to visit each day.

How to use this map: This map is fully interactive, so you can move around, zoom in/zoom out, and click on the icons. If you want to see a larger map, click on the bracket in the upper right corner. To see more details and the different layers, click on the tab in the upper left corner. If you want to save it for later, click on the star icon next to the name of the map. Then simply open Google Maps either on your desktop or phone, go to ‘Saved’/’Maps’, and open the map whenever you need it.

Day 1 of Your 3 Day Medellin Itinerary

Walking tour in the historic center of medellin.

The historic center of Medellin, also known as “El Centro,” is one of the must-visit places in the city.

Although Medellin has undergone a lot of change over the years, you will still have to exercise some caution in this area. Generally speaking, the main streets are safe during the day but you have to make sure not to wander off into the smaller side streets.

We visited on our own after getting local advice on where not to go but it was still an overwhelming experience and definitely not my favorite memory from our 3 days in Medellin.

That’s why I would strongly recommend joining a walking tour of the Historic Center. Not only will you feel safer with a knowledgeable guide, but you’ll also learn a lot about the history and culture of Medellin.

We did a similar walking tour with Beyond Colombia during our Bogota itinerary and it was one of the highlights of our trip. I really wish we would have done the same in Medellin!

You can join the free Walking Downtown Tour of Medellin , which runs every day except Sundays from 9:30 am. The tour lasts around 3 hours and takes you to the main attractions in the Historic Center such as Plaza Botero, Parque de las Luces, and the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Walking tours in Medellin are typically free of charge, but be sure to tip your guide at the end, as they really are fountains of knowledge and bring the city’s history to life.

Museo de Antioquia

As the tour concludes, make your way back to Plaza de Botero to the Museo de Antioquia, an art museum that’s a treasure trove of Colombian artworks.

Housing a huge collection of pieces from Colombian artists like Fernando Botero and Pedro Nel Gomez, the Museo de Antioquia is set over four levels. Through the fascinating paintings and sculptures, this museum tells the story of Medellin’s complex history.

Many of the pieces are incredibly unique and diverse, so it’s best to allow yourself around two hours to explore each floor in depth. 

Entrance to the museum costs 24,000 COP ($6 US) and you can buy the tickets directly at the museum.

Jardin Botanico de Medellin

The next stop on your Medellin itinerary is a visit to the Jardin Botanico de Medellin, the city’s peaceful botanical gardens.

With such a diverse assortment of plant life, this place could give some of the country’s national parks a run for their money!

From the Museo de Antioquia, hop on the A metro line at Parque Berrio station and get off at Universidad Cll.73 station. From there, it’s a short walk to the Jardin Botanico.

The gardens are free to enter and open daily from 9 am to 4 pm (closed on Mondays). Take your time strolling through the different sections of the garden, which includes a butterfly exhibit, orchid pavilion, and a small lake.

While you’re here, keep an eye out for the iguanas that frequent the gardens. Some of them are surprisingly big, so they’re super easy to spot.

Parque Explora

Less than 10 minutes from the botanical gardens is Parque Explora , Medellin’s much-loved science museum.

This is no ordinary museum, as Parque Explora is also where you’ll find the city’s huge freshwater aquarium, which is the largest of its kind in South America, a planetarium, and a bunch of play areas. Should you have worked up an appetite by now, there’s a lovely cafe available onsite.

The thematic exhibitions are all hands-on and interactive, and I can confirm they’re just as entertaining for adults as they are for kids! If you’re traveling with your kids, they’ll have a blast at this museum, and you could easily spend an entire day here.

Some of the displays you’ll stumble upon include their famous dinosaur exhibit, their music showcase, and numerous physics demonstrations.

However, when you’re trying to discover Medellin in 3 days, it’s probably best to keep your visit to around two hours.

General admission is 48,000 COP ($12 US), and adding a trip to the planetarium will set you back 72,000 COP ($18 US) in total. You can buy your tickets online in advance or directly at the museum.

Pueblito Paisa

Hop in an Uber and make the 10-minute journey to Pueblito Paisa, where you’ll wrap up the first of your 3 days in Medellin.

If you’re feeling energized, a combination of the metro and a 25-minute uphill walk will get you here too but I personally wouldn’t waste my time on this.

Pueblito Paisa is a replica of a typical local village, and as well as being oh-so-charming, it’s also where you’ll catch some of the best views in Medellin.

Consisting of a cobblestone courtyard, an open-air theater, and colorful houses, Pueblito Paisa has been renovated as recently as 2021 and is now home to a cluster of Colombian eateries, food stalls, and souvenir shops.

If you time your day right, you’ll get here just in time for sunset. The crowds tend to disperse after the sun goes down, but I think it’s worth waiting around a little longer and seeing Medellin light up from above as the evening sets in.

Visiting Pueblito Paisa was hands down one of my favorite things to do in Medellin so definitely don’t skip it!

Day 2 of Your 3 Day Medellin Itinerary

Comuna 13 tour.

No Medellin itinerary would be complete without a visit to Comuna 13, one of the most interesting and inspiring areas in the city.

Comuna 13 is one of my all-time favorite spots in all of Medellin, and it’s hard to believe that this neighborhood was once considered among the most dangerous in Colombia.

With colorful hillside houses, eye-catching murals, and funky graffiti everywhere you look, if you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to put your camera down.

Today, the area is dynamic and lively, but you have to join a guided tour here to fully grasp how art and creativity have helped this neighborhood shed its dark and brutal past.

Comuna 13 is a testament to the local’s desire for change, something that you’ll see through many of the pieces.

Not only will you get a history lesson and a chance to appreciate local art, but the tour also includes a scenic cable car ride, a street dance show, Colombian ice cream, and a drink at a nearby bar.

Although the area is very steep and hilly, there are escalators on the street to take you all the way up, so you don’t have to worry about the physical demand. That being said, wearing comfortable shoes is still a great idea!

Experience an entirely different Colombian neighborhood with a visit to El Poblado, Medellin’s most affluent and high-end area. As it’s so tourist-friendly, there’s a good chance you’ll be basing yourself here during your visit.

The meeting point of the Comuna 13 tour is the El Poblado metro station and this is where the tour will end as well, which makes you already in the neighborhood, and ready to explore.

There’s always something happening in El Poblado, and the high-rise apartment blocks, fancy restaurants, and glamorous bars are an indication of the upmarket vibe of this pocket of Medellin.

Although it’s often credited as Medellin’s nightlife hotspot, its cafe scene is just as impressive. There’s no shortage of top-quality coffee here, but Pergamino Cafe really proves why Colombian coffee is so sought-after.

Pair your freshly roasted coffee with a slice of their famous red velvet cake for the ultimate treat. For those of you feeling particularly peckish, I can personally recommend their smoothie bowls and sourdough sandwiches.

Parque Arvi

You’ll spend the second half of the day around an hour outside of central Medellin at Parque Avri, which is famed for being an archaeological site and a nature reserve.

Ask anyone what to do in Medellin in 3 days, and I can guarantee you that you’ll be encouraged over and over again to visit Parque Avri. There are many things to see and do here, so you’ll need to pick and choose your activities.

Horseback riding and ziplining are always popular choices, but most people flock here for the hiking opportunities.

Depending on whether you’re looking for views, wildlife, or flora, you’ll have your pick of different routes, and most of them are quite easy and take less than two hours.

Even if you don’t feel particularly active, I would still suggest taking the cable car to Parque Arvi purely because of the views you’ll get to soak up along the way.

I don’t think I’ve seen any other city in the world where cable cars are part of the public transportation system, so this is an experience you definitely shouldn’t miss.

To get to Parque Arvi, you have to take metro line A from El Poblado, then transfer to the K line at Acevedo Cra.63, and finally take the cable car L from Santo Domingo all the way to Parque Arvi.

The A and K lines are connected so you don’t need to leave the metro to change, nor do you need another ticket. However, you will need to leave the metro and buy a separate ticket for the L cable car.

We visited Parque Arvi on our first day in Medellin and I was a bit afraid of using public transportation so I figured since the L line runs separately, we would be safer to take an Uber to the Santo Domingo station and hop on the L cable car there. Huge mistake!

Our Uber driver was really nice but the route was just awful. We practically drove through a very steep and very sketchy neighborhood.

We also got caught in a traffic jam near the station and since I saw it was only a 5-minute walk, I offered that we get out and walk. Luckily our driver stopped us and warned us that it was a very dangerous area and we should wait in the car.

All in all, I would definitely recommend taking the public transport option instead of Uber. The metros and cable cars are 100% safe and the view from the cable car is much more enjoyable than traffic lights anyways.

Day 3 of Your 3 Day Medellin Itinerary

Day trip to guatape.

Medellin is just a two-hour journey from the mesmerizing town of Guatape, a place so picture-perfect that it’s worth venturing to during your 3 days in Medellin.

Getting to Guatepe is pretty straightforward. From Terminal de Norte, Medellin’s northern bus station, you’ll be able to catch a bus directly to Guatape, and it should only cost you around 14,000 COP ($3.5 US). Head down to the ground floor of the station and look for booth 14.

Once you arrive, you’ll have a bunch of things to see and do in Guatape. The most famous attraction is the massive Guatepe Rock, which was one of my favorite places during our 2 weeks in Colombia .

It’s a steep climb of over 700 steps to the top, but the views of the reservoir you’ll be treated to at the summit are some of my favorite in all of Colombia.

Other must-do activities include hopping on a boat tour that sails past Pablo Escobar’s former holiday home and wandering around the adorable brightly-colored streets, with Calle del Recuerdo being the most famous.

If you’re feeling a bit uneasy about using public transport to get to Guatape, there are plenty of organized day trips that’ll take care of the planning for you. 

This excursion is made up of all the activities I ran through above, and it’s also inclusive of hotel pick-up and drop-off, breakfast, and lunch.

If you have more time, it’s also worth staying the night in Guatape to truly experience the peaceful atmosphere of this charming area. Guatape is a great place to try glamping in Colombia as it’s home to some of the most unique bubbles and luxury tents in the country.

We stayed a night at Bosko and it was an absolutely amazing experience. The bubble itself was very comfortable and the views were out of this world. Plus, the pool overlooking the lake was a lovely bonus!

If you’re interested, you can read more about our experience in this complete hotel review of Bosko Guatape .

More Great Places to Visit in Medellin 

As I mentioned earlier, Medellin is truly bursting with interesting and diverse things to do.

In addition to the activities outlined in this Medellin 3 day itinerary, below are some of the other places I recommend visiting if you have some spare time.

• The Real Pablo Escobar Tour – Dive into the infamous drug kingpin’s past with visits to his old home, grave, and his very own prison with this guided tour. Your guide will also detail the brutal impact of Escobar’s exploits on everyday Colombians and how Medellin is bouncing back.
• El Castillo Museum and Gardens – Located near El Poblado, this museum has a huge collection of antiques, sculptures, and ceramics, though its fairytale setting and manicured gardens are what it’s best known for.
• Casa de La Memoria – History buffs won’t want to miss this one, as this museum chronicles the tragic and violent history of Colombia through a mix of informative and interactive exhibits. If you’ve already completed the walking tour, you’ll get a tonne of additional information here.
• Coffee Tour with Tastings – You don’t have to be a connoisseur to appreciate Colombia’s coffee, and this coffee tour is the perfect way to learn the ropes of this country’s most beloved export. Of course, plenty of tastings are included in your ticket, too.
• Paragliding in the Colombian Andes – Get your adrenaline pumping with a paragliding experience overlooking Medellin from the Andes. This tour also includes round-trip transportation and a short lesson beforehand.
• Museo de Arte Moderno – Discover the world of contemporary Colombian art at the Museo de Arte Moderno, which displays works by famous local artists, including Débora Arango. The unconventional architecture alone makes this spot worth visiting.

Useful Info for Spending 3 Days in Medellin

Where to stay in medellin .

Medellin is broken up into multiple neighborhoods and districts, though some are more suited to tourists and are conveniently located close to the main attractions. 

The upscale El Poblado area is usually most visitor’s first choice. As well as being served by a wide array of cafes, restaurants, and bars, El Poblado is also one of the safest parts of Medellin and has a strong police presence. Poblado metro station makes getting around easy, too.

Laureles is an up-and-coming neighborhood that tends to be popular with students and expats. It’s slightly more laid back than El Pobaldo, but there’s always something going on, thanks to the buzzing music and dining scene. This is the place to go for a less touristy stay.

A little further south of El Poblado is Envigado, a primarily residential area with good metro connections to the major tourist spots. Envigado is where you’ll get the most authentic Medellin experience, but it might be a bit too quiet if you’re hoping to make the most of the city’s nightlife.

Check out my top hotel recommendations below, with options for every budget and travel style.

• Luxury | Elcielo Hotel & Restaurant – A swanky boutique hotel in the heart of El Pobaldo, Elcielo Hotel & Restaurant is brimming with top-class amenities, including a chic pool area, a spa, and a fantastic restaurant.
• Mid-range | Sites Hotel – With stylish rooms, a rooftop sun deck, and a convenient location, Sites Hotel in El Poblado is the ideal place to rest and recharge. They also offer apartments if you prefer to do your own cooking.
• Budget | Hotel Bh El Poblado – You don’t have to break the bank to find a sophisticated hotel that’s close to everywhere you need to be. Hotel bh El Poblado features sleek rooms, a well-equipped fitness center, and an onsite restaurant.

How to get to Medellin

Unless you’re arriving from another Colombian city, you’ll probably touch down at José María Córdova International Airport, Medellin’s main airport. It generally takes around 30 minutes to reach the center and areas like El Poblado from here.

You’ll have a couple of options to get you to your hotel, but booking a private transfer is certainly the most comfortable and straightforward mode of transport.

This is especially useful if your flight gets in late at night or early in the morning, and it’s ideal for groups as you can easily split the cost. 

The most budget-friendly option is to take the public bus. This is super cheap, normally costing just 10,000 COP ($2.5 US), but you’ll likely need to get a taxi or Uber from the bus stop to your accommodation.

Another option you have is to take a local white taxi from the airport to the city. Ordering an Uber is a great alternative if you don’t have cash and are prepared to walk a little past the main arrivals area. Bear in mind that this can be tricky without data on your phone. 

How to get around Medellin

Getting around Medellin is much easier than you might think.

The city’s modern metro system is very user-friendly and affordable. Consisting of two lines, you usually won’t have to walk too far to find a station near you, and many of the top attractions are just a short stroll away. 

Simply buy your tickets at the machines inside the station for just 2,880 COP ($0.7 US). Each line typically runs between 4:30 am and 11 pm from Monday to Saturday and from 5 am until 10 pm on Sundays.

Medellin also has a well-connected public bus system. This can be a little more challenging to navigate than the metro, but it can come in handy when you want to reach somewhere that’s far from a metro station.

Uber is an excellent way to explore Medellin, particularly if you’re headed from one side of the city to the other. You’ll generally be able to get a driver in minutes, and it’s often cheaper than traditional taxis.

Best time to visit Medellin

Medellin has earned itself the nickname of the ‘City of Eternal Spring,’ as it’s blessed with a temperate, year-round climate.

For this reason, it’s fair to say that there’s never really a bad time to visit Medellin. Temperatures tend to stay between 17-27°C (62-80°F) throughout the year, so warm weather is pretty much guaranteed.

December until February is Medellin’s driest months, while April, May, September, and October receive the highest amounts of rainfall. Despite this, the downpours rarely last all day, so you’ll still have plenty of time to explore the city, even during the wetter months.

As the host of some brilliant events, it’s worth keeping an eye on the upcoming festivals before your visit. Some exciting happenings to look out for include:

• Feria de las Flores – Medellin’s biggest and brightest event, the Festival of Flowers, takes place every August. Street performances, parades, and endless blooming flowers are what it’s all about.
• Fiesta de la Musica – Traditional and contemporary Colombian beats take over Medellin every June, with live music from every genre you can imagine on offer. 
• Alumbrados Navideños – The Medellin locals don’t hold back when the holiday season rolls around, and their Christmas Lights festival is an unbelievable display of festive cheer. This event attracts millions of visitors every November and December.

Planning a trip to Colombia?

Then you might want to take a look at all our other travel guides about Colombia. I promise, they are just as awesome as this article was!

• The Ultimate 2 Weeks in Colombia Itinerary
• 3 Days in Cartagena: The Perfect Cartagena Itinerary for First-Timers
• 18 Best Things to Do in Cartagena You Can’t Miss
• Where to Stay in Cartagena: 6 Best Areas & Hotels
• How to Spend 3 Days in Bogota: The Ultimate Bogota Itinerary
• Where to Stay in Bogota: 5 Best Areas & Hotels
• 10 Unmissable Things to Do in Salento, Colombia (+ Tips for Visiting)
• 3 Days in Medellin: The Perfect Medellin Itinerary for First Timers
• Top 20 Things to Do in Medellin You Absolutely Can’t Miss
• 13 Best Things to Do in Guatape, Colombia
• Luxury Glamping in Guatape: Bosko Hotel Review
• Glamping in Colombia: 17 Stunning Bubbles & Luxury Tents to Book

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Home » Travel Guides » Colombia » 25 Best Things to Do in Medellín (Colombia)

25 Best Things to Do in Medellín (Colombia)

The second city of Colombia, Medellín has transformed itself perhaps more than any other city in the world. Though its violent, tumultuous past is well-known, today the city is modern, innovative, and just generally lovely.

Nicknamed the “City of Eternal Spring” for its nearly perfect weather, you’ll find plenty of parks and plazas where you can enjoy the sunshine with a fresh juice from a street food vendor and a couple of empanadas.

Make sure you learn all about the city’s past in order to appreciate how far it’s come – there are plenty of museums and tours that’ll educate you, along with authentic markets and neighborhoods to explore. The city is also home to great restaurants, cafes, bars, and even clubs that’ll have you salsa dancing the night away… or trying to anyway.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Medellín :

1. Museo de Antioquia

A former city hall turned museum, this place houses a great collection of works by Fernando Botero.

He’s one of Colombia’s most famous artists, and he had a penchant for painting all things chubby.

Born in Medellín, the artist patronized his hometown museum by donating many of the works himself.

Guides recommend starting on the top floor with his earlier pieces and making your way down to see his evolution as an artist.

The museum also houses works by international artists and offers an audio guide if you want to learn even more.

There’s a small cafe and courtyard here where you can take a break.

2. Free Walking Tour

The free walking tour in Medellín by Real City Tours is one of the most popular walking tours in the world.

Learn all about the city’s difficult past from an insightful and experienced guide.

This is a good way to get out of Poblado and see more of the city, taste some local foods, and hear how the local people really feel about Pablo Escobar.

You’ll see places like Parque Berrio, the Forest of Lights, and Parque San Antonio.

Do this tour at the beginning of your stay in Medellín so you’ll have lots of historical background on the city – plus your guide will give you great food and nightlife tips! Be sure to sign up ahead of time so you get a spot, and know that it’s not totally free – you’re supposed to tip at the end of the 4-hour tour.

There’s also a Pablo Escobar tour in Medellin.

3. Take the Metrocable Up to Parque Arvi

The metro and metrocable system of Medellín has received lots of praise for bringing a city of many different neighborhoods together.

You can get all over the city with your metro ticket, and if you want to venture up for great views and fresh air, pay a little more to take the metrocable from Santo Domingo to Parque Arvi.

The 15-minute ride provides great views of the city and neighborhoods below.

At the top, there are places to stop for some snacks made from local Colombian products (like grilled mushrooms) while you enjoy the views.

Check out the tents and street vendors selling trinkets and then head out onto the walking trails of the park.

Related tour : Medellin Innovation: 4-Hour Metro Tour

4. Santo Domingo and Biblioteca España

If you take a ride up the metrocable, you’ll get a glimpse of a few of the poorer barrios on your way up and down.

It’s an authentic look into life in these colorful neighborhoods which were once in the center of a warzone.

During the day it’s fine to stop in Santo Domingo to have a look around – maybe grab a beer and some fried chicken and arepas from one of the small local restaurants.

Many people also get off here to check out the Biblioteca España, a massive, modern library built from black slate that’s become like a local community center.

5. The Botanical Gardens

A natural oasis in the center of Medellín, they city’s botanical gardens contain more than 1,000 species of wildlife and 4,500 flowers.

There’s a butterfly garden, a cactus garden, and a huge collection of orchids.

Entry is free and you can go explore the area to find critters or just lie on the grass in the sun with a book.

There’s even a 65-foot-high wooden mesh structure called the Orquideorama which collects rainwater and protects the orchids and butterflies below.

Have a picnic, check for live events, and be sure to visit if you’re here during the city’s Festival of the Flowers, it’ll be even more impressive.

6. Parque Explora

Everybody loves Parque Explora, even adults and those folks without kids.

It’s an interactive science museum combined with South America’s largest freshwater aquarium.

There are over 300 interactive exhibits housed in the building’s four red cubes, plus a planetarium, 3D auditorium, and a television studio.

Located in Zona Norte near the botanical gardens and shopping malls, it’s easy to spend a whole day here playing and learning about science and technology, but it’s also a convenient stop on your way to other attractions.

Parque Explora is totally interesting and fun, and you’ll enjoy it even more if you do have kids with you.

7. Check Out Poblado

Chances are you might be staying in this upscale neighborhood anyway because it’s where most of the gringos, expats, and backpackers in Medellín choose to rest their heads.

It’s a beautiful area of shady streets with a solid café culture and a range of different types of international food options.

Coffee shops and free wifi abound, plus there are bars, spas, gyms, and all the other comforts from home here.

Whether you want to do a serious coffee tasting (try Cafe Toucan) or hit the clubs for the night (check out Calle 9), you’ll find it in Poblado.

8. Casa de la Memoria

This museum is both upsetting, enlightening, and informative, and it’s the place to go if you want more insight on Colombia’s dramatic and violent history.

From drug cartels and gangs to a terrible civil war, Casa de la Memoria aims to amplify the voices of victims and preserve their history so that we might learn more about it and avoid these pitfalls in the future.

Entry is free, and the whole place is well-curated – the interactive exhibits, emotional photography, and artwork are all sure to inform and move you.

9. Visit Guatapé

It’s the must-do day trip from Medellín, but it’s even better if you’ve got a night or two to spare there.

Guatapé is a picturesque, colorful lake town about two hours outside the city.

Take photos of the vibrantly painted exteriors of homes here, and visit the Plaza de Zocalos for the most colorful town square in Colombia.

Along the lake and throughout town you’ll find cheap street foods like empanadas and churros, and of course, the restaurants will supply you with plenty of freshly cooked lake trout and fish soup.

The most popular activity in town, however, is climbing the 740 steps up El Peñol, a giant rock, for an amazing view of the islands and water beneath.

Recommended tour : Guatape: Full-Day Tour from Medellin

10. Parque Lleras

Poblado is one of the biggest hotspots for nightlife in Medellín, and for locals and tourists alike, Parque Lleras is often the place where you start out the night.

It’s just a little park filled with trees where you’ll find vendors selling art by day and crowds of folks drinking by night.

The park is surrounded by bars, restaurants, and clubs, plus it’s close to many of the hostels in the area, so there’s always young people around.

Grab a bottle of the anise-flavored Colombian spirit, Aguardiente, or just a few Aguila beers and head to this lively park to hang out before heading out.

11. Go Salsa Dancing

Whether you’re an old pro or just want to learn a few steps, this city is the place to do it.

While Cali might be the salsa capital of Colombia, Medellín can get you started with salsa lessons or local bars and clubs filled with salsa music and dancing.

DanceFree in Poblado is a super popular place for private or group classes, and on the weekends they have a bar with dancing too.

For live salsa music and dancing (with locals and tourists alike showing off), check out the Son Havana or El Eslabon Prendido.

Available workshop : Medellin Salsa Like a Local Evening Workshop

12. Plaza Botero

A great place for people watching and art appreciation, check out the lively Plaza Botero for some larger than life sculptures by the square’s namesake, Fernando Botero.

There are 23 voluptuous bronze statues scattered about the plaza, all donated by the artist himself.

It’s a great place to meander around or sit with a fresh juice or empanada from one of the street vendors before or after visiting the Museo de Antioquia.

The area has transformed an otherwise run-down part of town, and you’ll find street performers, trinket salesmen, and food stalls all around.

13. El Castillo Museo y Jardines

Wait, there’s a castle in Medellín? Yep, for a small entry fee you can check out this French-inspired, 20th-century castle and its gardens, fountains, and pathways.

Take a little tour to see the inside as well, with its four-poster beds, porcelain collection, and giant dining room table.

It was built in 1930 and it opened as a museum in 1971, but in between those years it served as a home for the wealthy and a place for entertaining high society visitors from Europe.

14. Go Paragliding

This area of Colombia is renowned for paragliding, or parapente in Spanish, and it’s easy to arrange trips from Medellín, even on short notice.

The experience of leaping off a mountain into thermal currents with incredible deep green views beneath you is exhilarating (and maybe a little nerve-wracking), but professional guides will put you at ease.

They provide transportation out to the launching point, strap you to your guide, and teach you how to take off.

Some companies allow you to pay a little extra if you want GoPro footage of your adventure – check out Dragon Fly and Paragliding Medellín.

Book online : Paragliding the Andes from Medellín

15. Plaza Minorista Market

Get an authentic look at Medellín food culture by visiting one of the city’s markets.

Plaza Minorista is a huge farmer’s market filled with local vendors selling everything from fresh produce and fish to just-butchered meats and ready-made corn arepas.

It’s a great place to bring your camera to capture all the bright colors and characters here.

Take a tour to do some fruit tasting or just buy some of what looks good for yourself – prices are cheap! There are plenty of little restaurants in Minorista where you can grab a set meal or a full breakfast, plus things like fish stew, coconut rice, and freshly squeezed fruit juice.

16. See a Fútbol Match

Football (soccer) in South America is close to religion, drawing excited and loyal fans to the stadiums to watch their teams play.

Medellín is no exception, and if you want to attend a sporting event doubles as a cultural experience, go see one of the city’s teams play.

Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín are the two local clubs, and you can usually get tickets between $12 and $25 USD. Buy them a couple days in advance and get advice on where to sit, depending on if you want things to be rowdy or (relatively) calm.

Even if you’re not a soccer fan, go for the energy of the stadium – the rambunctious fans, the singing, the shouting, banners, and even firecrackers going off during games are a one of a kind experience.

17. Parque Berrío

A plaza with fewer people trying to sell you things and ask for money and more folks just trying to meet up and hang out, Parque Berrío feels very local.

Tons of people gather here in the afternoon to sit and listen to street musicians play after buying beers and snacks from local vendors.

Old men gather to play games like dominos, and the locals here are pretty friendly.

Once the site of the old public market and home to public executions, the park was transformed in the early 90s when the area made way for the nearby metro station.

You can visit the old Iglesia la Candelaria on one side and a few blocks away is the much more touristy Plaza Botero.

18. Eat Colombian Food, Especially Bandeja Paisa

If you don’t know much about Colombian food, Medellín is the perfect place to get acquainted.

From the many exotic fruits to mondongo (tripe soup) to cheese-filled arepas, you’ll have no shortage of options.

The one thing you must try here is the local specialty, bandeja paisa, a gut-busting combination of meats like sausage and pork cracklings alongside beans, plantains, rice, a fried egg, and a few avocado slices they’ve thrown in for good measure.

Hatoviejo, Hacienda Junin, and Mondongo’s are all great places to try local cuisine.

19. Comuna 13 and Las Escaleras

Once part of the city you’d never even consider visiting, the government and local artists have joined forces to make Comuna 13 a better place to live.

The addition of colorful artwork, escalators, and increased safety measures have opened the neighborhood up to tourism and brought the community closer together.

Comuna 13 used to be so dangerous that only its residents would think of climbing the steep slopes to enter, but the addition of escalators as a form of social and democratic infrastructure have made it more approachable.

Visit to see the many murals, people, police officers, colorful hillside homes, and transformation that has taken place here.

Recommended tour : Medellín: Comuna 13 Neighborhood Tour

20. Go Biking or Ride ATVs Outside the City

The lush surroundings, hills, and mountains around Medellín make it a great playground for adventure-seekers.

To explore them, head out with a tour company who’ll set you up with a mountain bike or ATV, transport you about an hour outside of town, and let you speed around challenging trails.

It’s a great chance to go off-road and visit some sites that not a lot of tourists make it out to see.

Guanabana Tours will combine biking and ATV riding with parasailing, river rafting, and even trips to Guatapé.

Medellín Adventure Trails will take you around the rugged terrain on bikes or ATVs (or both) and include a stop for lunch at a trout farm.

Available tour : Medellin Off-Road Adventure Tour by Quad Bike

21. Museo de Arte Moderno Medellín

A very cool work of modern architecture itself, this small but edgy museum is home to modern artwork by Colombian and other Latin American artists.

While somewhat compact, the MAMM features several permanent and temporary exhibits, including paintings, videos, sculptures, and 3D creations both inside and out.

Modern art isn’t for everyone, so the museum does a good job providing explanations of each of the pieces.

The theater here shows movies occasionally, and the gift shop sells super unique souvenirs created by artists.

There’s a great terrace with views of the city, and a restaurant downstairs where you can have a drink.

22. Mercado del Río

A popular spot for eating and socializing, check out Mercado del Río for a choice of over 40 restaurants.

It’s a lively food court with a cool ambiance and many trendy options located near the MAMM. This place is packed at lunchtime and dinnertime with young professionals from nearby office buildings, so getting a seat might be a challenge.

A cool spot to come with friends, you’ll have your pick of everything from sushi, hamburgers, and paella to mexican, vegan, and mediterranean dishes.

You can also grab beers, cocktails, or a glass of wine and hang out over a few shared plates.

23. Go Shopping

Medellín is a great place to do some shopping, whether you’re after dirt-cheap knock offs or luxury stores.

El Hueco is where you’d go for a little bit of chaos, haggling, and lots of shops and street vendors selling fake brand-name goods and other odds and ends you might need.

For a more modern mall experience with a broad range of stores, check out the huge Centro Commercial Santa Fe or Oviedo.

For a unique, high-end experience just a few blocks away, check out Río Sur, a group of repurposed buildings which now contain upmarket boutique shops, salons, and lots of nightclubs, restaurants, and bars.

24. Cañón Del Río Claro Reserva Natural

This little piece of paradise is about three hours outside Medellín, and it’s a great place to spend a few nights relaxing in nature and exploring.

You can go hiking, ziplining, rafting, birdwatching, or cavern trekking around the Río Claro Valley and reserve.

As far as accommodation, there’s an eco-friendly lodge, plus cabins and camping available – be sure to bring cash! It’s a rustic place, but it’s surrounded by pure natural beauty, like the river which cuts through a marble canyon and jungle-like forests.

You’ll spot plenty of exotic wildlife here too, with monkeys, scorpions, massive butterflies, and tons of birds from parrots to toucans to hummingbirds, all at your doorstep.

25. Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe

You won’t be able to avoid seeing this unique and imposing building, because of course you’ll be visiting the Plaza Botero.

Chances are you’ve never seen anything like its intricate and dizzying black and white facade though.

The architect who built it received so much public criticism for his work that he walked off the job (totally insulted), and the city finished his work in a completely different style (you’ll see, it’s very obvious). If it’s open, head inside to see the lovely courtyard with its fountain and gardens.

While the interior has fallen into disrepair a bit, there is some artwork to view and you can climb to the top for views of the city and plaza below.

25 Best Things to Do in Medellín (Colombia):

• Museo de Antioquia
• Free Walking Tour
• Take the Metrocable Up to Parque Arvi
• Santo Domingo and Biblioteca España
• The Botanical Gardens
• Parque Explora
• Check Out Poblado
• Casa de la Memoria
• Visit Guatapé
• Parque Lleras
• Go Salsa Dancing
• Plaza Botero
• El Castillo Museo y Jardines
• Go Paragliding
• Plaza Minorista Market
• See a Fútbol Match
• Parque Berrío
• Eat Colombian Food, Especially Bandeja Paisa
• Comuna 13 and Las Escaleras
• Go Biking or Ride ATVs Outside the City
• Museo de Arte Moderno Medellín
• Mercado del Río
• Go Shopping
• Cañón Del Río Claro Reserva Natural
• Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe

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Medellin Travel Tips: A Guide to Visiting Medellin, Colombia

If you’re planning a trip to Colombia, then it’s more than likely you’ll be heading to Medellin, one of the most visited cities in the country. If you’ve landed on this page whilst researching the city, then we hope you’ll find everything you want to know prior to visiting Medellin in this travel tips post.

This guide aims to answer every question you might have, such as how to get to Medellin and get around the city, where to stay and eat, how to stay safe, the best time to visit and how many days you should plan to spend there.

If you’d like to see what we got up to in the city, then make sure to watch our dedicated  Medellin video  on our  YouTube channel . For more Colombia videos check out our  Colombia Series .

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission if you click a link and purchase something. Clicking these links won’t cost you anything, but it will help us to keep this site up and running! Learn more about our affiliate policy.

Table of Contents

Introducing Medellin, Colombia

Medellin is located in the Aburrá Valley, over 400 km northwest of the country’s capital, Bogotá . Due to an elevation of 1,495 m (4,905 ft) above sea level, the city enjoys mild temperatures all year-round. For this reason, Medellin is often called the City of Eternal Spring.

With a population of over 2.5 million people, Medellin is Colombia’s second most populous city. It was founded in 1616 by Francisco de Herrera Campuzano under the name San Lorenzo de Aburrá. The name was changed again before the city became officially known as Medellin.

Located on the main route between Bogota and the Caribbean Coast, Medellin became an important transport hub in the 20th century. During this time, it also became a major centre for coffee production.

Unfortunately, between the 1970’s and 1990’s, drug-related violence and crime increased dramatically in Medellin. Since the 1990’s, the city has undergone a massive transformation, and in 2013 it won the Urban Land Institute’s Innovative City of the Year Award.

Today, Medellin is one of the most popular cities to visit in Colombia . In recent years, it’s also become a favoured hub for digital nomads and remote workers.

Is Medellin Safe to Visit?

Safety is one of the questions travellers always have, especially when it comes to countries like Colombia.

There’s no denying that Medellin has had a very troubled past, and that it used to be a city people would avoid. However, Medellin has undergone huge positive transformations, and safety in the city has improved massively.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It is still a huge city with some best-to-avoid areas. We’ve heard and read stories about many petty crimes happening in the city. There are also some scary and violent stories on the internet. Despite this, Medellin is considered one of the best digital nomad cities in South America , with plenty of foreigners staying in the city for longer periods.

Top Medellin Travel Tip. We never go anywhere without travel insurance, so make sure to buy one prior to your visit too. There are many different companies out there offering varying levels of cover depending on your needs. We personally use  SafetyWing , who offer a high level of coverage at a much more affordable price than most other insurers.

Crime Related Medellin Travel Tips

• Follow the  ‘no dar papaya’  rule, which means don’t make yourself a target for crime.
• Don’t walk alone at night. Places like La Candelaria/El Centro can become unsafe after dark, so pre-book a taxi or get an Uber instead.
• Be extra vigilant in busy plazas, bus terminals and on public transportation. Keep your valuables hidden where possible and wear your backpack on your front just like the locals.
• Phone snatching is probably the most common type of theft you might encounter. Make sure not to walk out of a building with your phone in your hand. Instead, look where you have to go before you leave a building so you won’t look lost.
• Try to avoid using public transportation during rush hours. It’ll be super crowded and you’re more likely to get pickpocketed. We used  money belts  to store our cash and travel cards and always felt more secure with these on.
• We recommend having a physical SIM card or an eSIM so you have a local phone number with 4G coverage. For an eSIM you can use  Airalo , which is an app that allows you to download a prepaid eSIM to your phone.
• Make sure to also have a VPN to avoid hackers accessing your personal data when using public WIFI. We use  Surfshark , which is the only VPN that offers one account on unlimited devices. 
• Research and book your accommodation in safer neighbourhoods, so you don’t have to worry about your belongings when you’re out exploring.

Health and Safety Related Medellin Travel Tips

One thing you want to avoid on your holiday is getting sick, especially in a foreign country where you might not even speak the language. Here are a few of our personal health and safety related tips to reduce the risk of getting ill or injured during your trip. For more official information, check out Colombia-specific health advice from the  National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) .

• Drinking tap water in many big cities in Colombia is considered safe. However, it can still upset your stomach if you’re not used to it. We recommend using a filtered bottle such as  WaterWell , or buying bigger bottles of water and filling up a reusable water bottle, if you’re concerned.
• Don’t take drugs or talk about Pablo Escobar. This is a very sensitive topic and people don’t want this to be the main reason tourists visit the country. Under the influence of drugs you’re also more vulnerable and an easy target.
• Don’t leave your food or drink unattended, especially in bars at night, to avoid getting spiked.
• There are many pharmacies in Medellin where you can buy medicine, so only bring your prescribed medication and some basic painkillers.
• Don’t flush toilet paper down the toilet because it can block the system.
• Make sure to watch where you’re going otherwise you may end up in a random hole with a twisted ankle. More than anywhere else we’ve been in  South America , Colombia is just full of pavements with uncovered manholes.
• Protests can happen on short notice, which can impact roads and transportation. Make sure to check the local news for up-to-date information.

Can You Use English in Medellin?

The official language in Colombia is Spanish. Generally speaking, in big cities like Medellin there very likely will be some people who speak English, especially in the touristy areas. Medellin is also a huge digital nomad and expat hub, so you’ll hear more English as you walk around in areas like El Poblado. You can also book English speaking tours and many of the museums have descriptions in both languages.

However, don’t rely on only using English, especially if you’re planning on staying in less popular areas, using the public transport system or exploring the city without guided tours. We highly recommend learning some basic phrases in Spanish prior to your visit. It’ll come in handy when taking taxis, ordering food in restaurants or asking for directions. Colombians are very friendly and helpful.

Don’t forget to download the Google Translate app, which can be a lifesaver. Practicing a country’s native language is always nice and people will appreciate your efforts.

Top Tip  – You can always ask the person if they speak English first, but come prepared in case they don’t.

Best Time to Visit Medellin, Colombia

Medellin enjoys a spring-like climate all year round thanks to its elevation of 1,495m (4,905 ft) above sea level. The average temperatures range from 18-22°C (64-72°F). Regardless, the city still has two main seasons; wet and dry. The wet season is from April to November and the dry one is between December and March.

How Many Days to Spend in Medellin

Medellin is a big city and there is plenty to do. To get a good feel for the city, we recommend spending a minimum of three days in Medellin. That way you can take a tour of Comuna 13, visit its historic centre and wander around El Poblado. You can also squeeze in a day trip to Guatapé and La Piedra del Peñol.

However, if you have some additional days to spare, we suggest adding an extra day to your Medellin itinerary. This would allow you to explore the city at a slower pace, go on a day trip to Parque Arvi for a well needed nature retreat, or spend an additional night in Guatapé.

Read Next: 3 Week Colombia Itinerary – How to Plan a Trip to Colombia

How to Get to Medellin, Colombia

By Plane. The easiest way to get to Medellin is by plane. The city has two airports, Jose Maria Cordova International Airport (MDE) and Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH). The first one provides both international and domestic flights, whilst the latter is only for domestic flights. It depends on where you’re coming from, but there are many direct flights between Medellin and other major cities in Colombia, such as Bogota and Cartagena. There are also a few direct international flights to Medellin from North, South, and Central America, as well as some from Europe. You can check where you can fly direct to Medellin from on  this website.

From the airport you can reach the city centre via airport taxis, shared taxis (taxi colectivo) or the airport shuttle bus. It’s worth noting that only white taxis are allowed to serve the airport.

Find Flights to Medellin ✈️

By Bus. Bus travel between cities in Colombia is a popular and affordable way to travel for both locals and backpackers alike. Travelling by bus will also give you the chance to stop at other places of interest along the way.

There are two bus stations in Medellin, Terminal del Norte and Terminal del Sur. You will arrive to the North Terminal if you’re coming from cities such as Bogota or Cartagena . If you’re arriving from places like Jardin or Cali, you would arrive to the South Terminal. Some of the bus companies you can use are Expresso Bolivariano ,  Expreso Brasilia , and Rapido Ochoa .

Our main online sources that helped us to find bus routes and companies operating to and from our next destinations were  Busbud.com , Bookaway  and  Rome2Rio .

How to Get Around Medellin, Colombia

Whenever we can, we enjoy exploring a new place on foot. You can discover so much more whilst walking than by taking taxis everywhere. Most attractions are close together once you’re within the La Candelaria / El Centro, El Poblado or Comuna 13 districts, so are great to see on foot.

If you’ve just arrived in the city, it’s always a good idea to  join a free walking tour  where you won’t just see, but also learn, a lot about Medellin.

Top Tip. If your visit lands on a Sunday, then make sure to join in with the tradition called Ciclovia. As part of this initiative, sections of some of the bigger avenues are closed to car traffic and opened up for cyclists and pedestrians. There are Ciclovias all across the city, such as on Avenida El Poblado.

Safety Tip. Whilst you can walk around La Candelaria / El Centro on foot, make sure to be cautious because you can quickly end up on a street that isn’t considered safe for tourists. We also don’t advise walking around on your own at night here either.

To move between neighbourhoods and visit places located further away we recommend using Medellin’s Metro. It is part of the Aburrá Valley Integrated Transport System (SITVA – Sistema Integrado de Transporte del Valle de Aburrá ), and is the only metro system in Colombia.

There are currently two metro lines: Line A (north to south) and Line B (city centre to west).

In order to use the metro you’ll need to purchase a travel card, called Cívica Eventual, which costs 10,000 COP / $2.50 USD. Then you can top that up with however much credit you need for your rides across the city. A one-way journey is normally 3,210 COP ($0.80 USD). For more information on rates and routes you can check out the  official website .

You can check out Medellin’s Metro Map to see which station is closest to you.

Cable Car (Metrocable)

A cable car system also operates in Medellin, connecting neighbourhoods located on the hillsides with the metro stops.

There are currently six Metrocable lines. You can use your Cívica Eventual card for the gondolas as well as the metro. The best part is that if you’re already on the metro system and wish to transfer onto the cable car, there’s no extra charge. The only route where you have to pay extra is for Line L to Parque Arvi. For this journey, a one-way ticket is 13,700 COP ($3.50 USD).

Another way to get around Medellin is by taxi. You can hail one down or pre-book them through your hotel or hostel. You can also download apps such as Tapsi, Cabify, or Easy Taxi to book a ride.

Drivers can drive a little aggressively and the traffic in Medellin can be a bit mad! Many people use motorbikes to avoid the rush, and they can come out of nowhere from any direction, which can feel quite chaotic when you’re in a car. Seatbelts are also rarely available in the back seats.

It’s always good practice to have a local SIM card so you can follow your route on Google Maps. We always do that to make sure we’re not being taken the long-way around or somewhere completely different to where we want to go.

Now, Uber is actually not legal in Colombia, but in big cities such as Medellin it’s well-used. However, ride sharing apps like Cabify pretty much work like an Uber and are legal.

Where to Stay in Medellin, Colombia

Medellin is split into 16 different comunas or neighbourhoods. The most popular one visitors and digital nomads stay in is El Poblado. It is considered a safe area, although it’s worth highlighting that no district is completely safe.

The leafy neighbourhood of El Poblado has a great variety of hotels and hostels. You’ll also find a ton of cool cafes, bars, and restaurants here. It also has great nightlife, making El Poblado a good option if you want to experience the city after dark.

Click here for hotel options in El Poblado.

Another popular area to book your stay in Medellin in is Laureles . It is slightly more affordable than El Poblado but still has plenty of amenities such as cafes and restaurants. Laureles has more of a local atmosphere than the upscale El Poblado.

Click here for hotel options in Laureles.

Similar to Laureles, Belén is also a great option when staying in Medellin. It’s affordable and more authentic, with less tourists and expats compared to El Poblado. There are still plenty of amenities, but it’s harder to meet other travelers, and you’ll likely need to use Spanish more.

Some might consider booking a place in El Centro / La Candelaria , however that area doesn’t have the best reputation, even in daylight. If you do end up staying in the centre, then just make sure not to walk on your own after dark and be extra cautious when entering or leaving your accommodation.

Tips for booking your accommodation. Make sure to read the reviews and check the area thoroughly before booking your stay. This is especially important if you’re in Medellin for longer than a few days. We personally don’t mind spending a little extra on accommodations in buildings with better security.

Where to Eat in Medellin, Colombia

There are plenty of places to eat in Medellin and you definitely won’t get hungry as you’re exploring the city. Below are some of the favourite spots we ate at during our stay:

• Naturalia Cafe is a lovely cafe in the Laureles neigbourhood serving lunches and deserts, including plenty of vegetarian and vegan options.
• Pergamino is another great food spot in Laurales. It serves some really good coffee, light lunches and cakes.
• Restaurante Vegetariano Govindas is a vegetarian restaurant serving some filling lunch menus in the heart of La Candelaria / El Centro.
• Mercado del Río is a trendy food market in a huge warehouse in El Poblado. It has over 50 food and drink stalls where you can try both Colombian or international cuisine.
• Apilados de Autor serves delicious and healthy meals in El Poblado.
• Cafe Velvet is a great spot in El Poblado serving really good coffee.
• Juan Valdez Cafe  is basically the Starbucks of Colombia. Whilst it’s a large chain, we definitely enjoyed popping in here for a quick coffee and some pastries.

Do you want to learn more about Colombian cuisine? Then make sure to  book a street food tour  to have a fantastic gastronomic experience.

• 9 Things to Do in Medellin
• How to Visit Comuna 13 in Medellin
• Guatape and Piedra del Peñol: A Day Trip from Medellin

Final Thoughts on Medellin Travel Tips

Before arriving to Medellin we did a ton of research. Backpacking across Peru and Ecuador , we met fellow travellers who shared their own experiences in Colombia. We definitely received mixed feedback on the country, so didn’t arrive with very high expectations.

However, Medellin is a city that absolutely blew us away and became one of our favorite cities anywhere in the world. We can see why it has become so popular with digital nomads and expats.

With that being the case, Medellin is generally considered a safe city, but we were still cautious and stayed vigilant even in the safest neighbourhoods. We visited most places on foot or by metro and never had an issue. Whilst you can sometimes end up in unfortunate situations through no fault of your own, if you follow the general rules around safety you’ll most likely be fine.

Have you ever been to Medellin before? If so, what was your experience? If not, would you feel more confident spending a few days in the city after reading our guide? Let us know in the comments below.

Now, let your adventure begin,

Our Top Travel Resources

Accommodation:  For hotels we always use  Booking.com  and  Hostelworld  for hostels. We also book longer stays on Airbnb or  Vrbo.

Flights:  To find the best flight prices we always check  Skyscanner ,  Google Flights  or  WayAway.  Then we also check the airlines’ websites too for comparison.

Car Rentals:  We use  Discover Cars  when we want to rent a car as it compares local, national and international companies.

Activities:  If we book organised tours we always check either  GetYourGuide  or  Viator.

Foreign Currency:  Whenever we can we prefer to pay in local currency and for that we always use our  Wise card.   We can easily withdraw money from the ATM or pay by card at most shops and restaurants.

Travel Insurance: We never go anywhere without travel insurance. You never know what will happen on your trip, so good travel insurance like SafetyWing can protect you in case of injury, illness, theft and cancellations.

eSIM and VPN: To get data abroad we use  Airalo which is an app that allows you to download a prepaid eSIM to your phone in over 190 countries. Make sure to have a VPN to avoid hackers accessing your personal data when using public WIFI. We use  Surfshark  which is the only VPN that offers one account on unlimited devices. 

Remember…It all starts with a Pin…

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Wander-Lush

2 Days in Medellin Itinerary: The Best of Colombia’s Second City

Food, coffee, street art, markets, galleries, history and amazing city views: Medellin has it all and then some. This is undoubtedly one of the best cities in South America.

With as little as one or two days in Medellin you can experience the best of this mesmerising city – just be prepared to wake up early!

Read on for a detailed, tailor-made two day itinerary for one my favourite places in Colombia .

Please note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). Learn more.

Is 2 days in Medellin enough?

To be completely honest, two days is pushing it. Medellin is a huge city that’s very spread out, with lots of different neighbourhoods.

There are enough things to do in Medellin to keep you busy for a week or more. I spent a full three weeks in the city and still didn’t get to see everything.

Knowing that not everyone has the luxury of time, I’ve tried to condense my favourite parts of Medellin into a practical short itinerary. But know that with just 48 hours in Medellin, you’ll inevitably have to make a few sacrifices.

This itinerary focuses on El Centro (the historic district) and includes parts of San Javier ( Comuna 13 ), El Poblado and Laureles. There is one major omission: Parque Arvi.

If you have an extra morning or afternoon in Medellin, try to find time to visit this green space to experience the walking trails and waterfalls. It’s very beautiful, as is the Metrocable ride over the hills and valleys to get there.

Where to stay in Medellin

If you only have 48 hours in Medellin, you’ll want to stay somewhere central to avoid losing too much time to transportation.

I recommend the Laureles neighbourhood, which has connections to both El Centro and El Poblado. There are dozens of great restaurants, cafes and bars in this district. The northern part of Laureles is especially convenient because it’s close to the metro line (with the closest station being Estadio).

El Poblado is another great option, especially if you’re looking to experience Medellin nightlife.

The Wandering Paisa

• Laureles district
• Dorms & doubles

• El Poblado district
• Doubles & singles

Quinta Ladera

• Doubles & suites

Factory Lofts

• Self-contained doubles

Check out this list of awesome Airbnbs in Medellin for apartment rentals in Laureles, El Poblado and beyond.

How to get from Medellin Airport to the city

Medellin’s international airport, José María Córdova, is located 20-25km from the centre of the city or around 45-60 minutes by road.

Taxis are available, but for ease, I recommend you pre-book an airport transfer to your hotel. My preferred provider Impulse Travel offers 24/7 transfers to any hotel in Medellin starting from $25.

Someone will be there to meet you at arrivals, and since payment is made online before you go, you don’t need to worry about having pesos on you.

Alternatively, the airport bus ‘busetas’ runs every 15 minutes 24/7 and costs around 10,000 COP. The buses depart from outside gates 2A and 2B. Tickets can be bought from the driver using cash. The bus stops at San Diego Mall before continuing to Hotel Nutibara in the centre. From there, you’ll need to walk or take a taxi the rest of the way to your accommodation.

How to move around Medellin

Medellin has a top-notch public transport system that makes it easy and affordable to get around the city. During the day, you can travel virtually anywhere using the interconnected metro rail and Metrocable (gondola) system.

A single metro fare currently costs 2,750 COP (around 70 US cents). You can save money by picking up a free rechargeable Civica card, currently available to buy at several metro stations including Itagüí, San Antonio and San Javier (bring your passport). You can top up your card at the station or at these locations around the city .

Civica fares are slightly cheaper (2,430 COP), but the main advantage is not having to queue for a single ticket, which can take a very long time during peak hour. It’s best to avoid the metro altogether between 5pm and 7pm Monday to Friday as it’s very crowded.

After dark, you should stick to using taxis and avoid walking or using the metro. I recommend downloading a taxi app such as Cabify or inDriver.

Day one in Medellin: El Centro & El Poblado

Get the perfect introduction to medellin on the free walking tour.

My number one thing to do in Medellin – and one of the best things you can do in Colombia as a whole – is join the Free Walking Tour hosted by Real City Tours.

Everyone who takes this tour raves about the knowledgeable guides and I’m no different. In my case, I have Caro to thank for giving me the best introduction to Medellin possible.

The itinerary focuses on downtown (El Centro) and traverses the city’s major streets, parks and plazas, including the Square of Lights, National Palace, Botero Square, Berrio Park, Junin pedestrian street, and Bolivar Park. Along the way, you’ll pick up tons of information about the city’s history and transformation along with practical travel tips – including what it means to ‘not offer papaya’ whilst in Colombia.

Tours depart Monday to Saturday at 9.30am from Alpujarra metro station. Average duration is 3.5-4 hours. Online reservations for the Free Walking Tour are essential – book here , and don’t forget to confirm your place by following the instructions on the website.

If your first day in Medellin is a Sunday or a holiday when the free tours don’t operate – or even if you just prefer a one-on-one tour – this private 5-hour city tour covers a similar itinerary with a few additions and includes hotel transfers.

Bandeja Paisa for lunch at Hacienda

After a long morning on foot, it’s time to recharge the batteries with a hearty Colombian feast. Bandeja Paisa (‘Paisa platter’, Paisa being the name for people from this region) is the country’s national dish and it has its roots in Medellin and the coffee farms of Antioquia Department.

The traditional worker’s lunch (or breakfast) is essentially a heavy medley of beans, blood sausage, chorizo and chicharrón (deep-fried pork rind) served alongside rice, arepas, and topped off with fresh avocado and a fried egg. If it sounds like a heart attack on a plate, that’s because it kind of is. But heck, it’s totally worth it.

Everyone has their own opinion on who serves the best Bandeja Paisa in Medellin. Personally, I really love the finca-to-table version served at Hacienda. Their Juna branch near Parque Berrio is convenient to reach from the end-point of the Free Walking Tour, and it has a lovely open-air dining veranda where you can sit in the fresh air.

With a side of Patacones (plantain fritters), one portion of Bandeja Paisa is enough for two people, or you can opt for a single-serve ‘Mini Bandeja’. Order a glass of icy cold lemonade to wash it down.

The Museum of Antioquia

With a full belly and a full heart, briefly return to Plaza Botero (a key stop on the Free Walking Tour) so reexamine any of the 23 Botero sculptures that caught your eye first time around. The bulging forms might hit a little closer to home now that you have the first Bandeja Paisa under your belt!

The Museum of Antioquia (Museo de Antioquia) is my top choice of museum in Medellin and opens directly onto the plaza. Budget around 45-60 minutes to stroll through the permanent exhibitions of Botero and Pedro Nel Gómez paintings. The museum’s Mona-Lisa-moment is standing in front of Botero’s ‘Death of Pablo Escobar’ (1999), which depicts the infamous gangster’s demise on Medellin’s rooftops.

The museum is open 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday. Entrance costs around 18,000 COP. If you’re planning to visit Medellin in high season, you may want to pre-purchase a skip the line ticket to save time.

Before departing El Centro, take a moment to duck into the Rafael Uribe Palace of Culture (also on Plaza Botero). On your way to Parque Berrio metro station, pop back to Berrio Plaza for the Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria, Medellin’s oldest church.

A great view of the church facade over the treetops can be found from the station platform.

Spend the afternoon cafe-hopping in El Poblado

Ride the metro A line south to Poblado station and set about exploring one of Medellin’s most vibrant districts by foot. El Poblado is a cornucopia of coffee shops, street art and hip bars. Sample Colombian specialty at Pergamino ahead of an early dinner at Carmen .

Optional: Sunset at Pueblito Paisa

Party on at one of the bars near Park Lleras in El Poblado, or if you have the energy, take a 20-minute taxi ride across the river to the top of Nutibara Hill. As well as astonishing sunset city views, you can see the cute Pueblito Paisa lit up at twilight.

Pueblito Paisa is a model Antioquian pueblo or small town with a central square and colourful facades built using materials salvaged from a real pueblo near Guatape. As one of the most popular attractions in Medellin, it’s very touristy and can be overcrowded, but it’s a nice spot nonetheless especially at blue hour.

Grab a quick drink or a late-night snack at one of the bars before heading back to your accommodation by taxi. The park closes at 9pm.

Day two in Medellin: Markets, street art & barrios

Wake up early for the plaza minorista fruit market.

The Plaza Minorista José María Villa is one of Medellin’s many vibrant fruit markets where you can taste the tropical delights Antioquia Department (AKA Colombia’s Fruit Bowl) is so famous for.

It kicks off bright and early at 4.30am daily; I recommend arriving by 9am to see the most plentiful array of produce and experience the full-throttle energy that grips the market in the morning trading hours.

The multi-storey market hall houses more than 3,000 stalls. You can find all kinds of Colombian fruits here, from the slimy to the spiky, including maracuyá, zapote, mangosteen, curuba, avocados as big as your head, and much more.

Take the stairs to the upper concourse to peer over the balcony onto the market floor. Before you depart, grab a juice from one of the stalls – the fruit combo of your choice blended fresh to order over milk or ice – but save breakfast for the next stop.

Breakfast at Placita de Florez

Take a taxi or bus 3.5km to Bombona district and the Placita de Flórez, your second market of the day. The oldest covered market in Medellin (it first opened in 1891), it’s not quite as atmospheric or photogenic as the Minorista, but it’s still very much worth a visit.

After a quick lap of the ground level to admire the fresh-cut orchids and bouquets, head downstairs for the star attraction: A delicious breakfast of arepas de chócolo , sweet corn arepas served with a slab of soft, salty queso cheese on top. These babies are life-changing and this particular shop sells some of the best in the city.

Memory House Museum

Staying in the Bombona district, walk 5 minutes east to the Memory House Museum (Museo Casa de la Memoria). Founded in 2006 by the Victim Assistance Program of Medellin City Hall, this is a unique space created for local people and outsiders to reflect on Medellin’s history of gang violence and armed conflict.

You need at least an hour to read the moving first-hand accounts and watch the interactive displays. It’s beautifully curated and not at all in-your-face; though sombre, it will deepen your understanding of modern-day Medellin and prepare you for your afternoon to come.

The museum is open from 9am Tuesday to Friday and from 10am on weekends (closed Mondays). If you have time, a stroll around Bicentenario Park along the Santa Barbara stream behind the museum is a nice way to end your visit.

Lunch in Laureles

Take a bus or taxi back across the river to Laureles, one of Medellin’s leafy suburban districts. As well as beautiful churches and parks, you’ll find a surplus of outdoor restaurants in this area serving up Menu del Día or Menu of the Day specials.

A fixed price lunch normally includes a cold drink, a soup or salad, a hearty main meal and a small dessert for around 15,000 COP (3.80 USD). Naturalia Café (vegetarian), Saludpan and Achiote Bistro are all fine choices.

Comuna 13 street art tour with a local guide

After lunch, it’s time to head up into the hills and visit Medellin’s most iconic barrio , San Javier – better known as Comuna 13 .

It’s essential to visit with a local guide both for practical reasons and to make the most of your time. This private Comuna 13 tour starts at 2pm and includes hotel pick-up. Rendezvous with your driver and guide somewhere in Lareles.

To get to Comuna 13, you’ll be riding the iconic Metrocable cable car over the Alburra Valley. Soak up the views from the gondola window as you zip along the scenic J Line to San Javier.

Once a violent city, Comuna 13 is now a symbol of the ‘new Medellin’ and a powerful reminder of the country’s social transformation . Your guide will lead you to the most poignant murals and the most scenic viewpoints, accessed via the famous escaleras electricas (outdoor escalators).

As with the Free Walking Tour, a local guide is invaluable for adding context and colour to your experience. You’ll hear personal (often heart-wrenching) personal tales, and get a chance to stop and speak with other people who call Comuna 13 home.

Optional: End your 2 days in Medellin by listening to live tango at Salon Malaga

The tour wraps up at around 7pm. Request a transfer back to your accommodation or if you’re still buzzing from your epic day, get dropped off on Calle 51 in La Candelaria for one more truly unforgettable Medellin experience.

A Medellin institution since 1957, Salón Málaga is one of the city’s last remaining traditional piano bars. It beats even the best Medellin nightclubs any day if you ask me. Find a seat amongst the vintage jukeboxes and listen to the smooth sounds of live tango or salsa over a shot of anise-flavoured Aguardiente .

If you feel like cutting a rug, mix it with the locals who love to dance the night away here (until closing time, around 11pm, anyway).

Take a taxi back to your accommodation and say “goodnight” to Medellin one last time.

Colombia trip essentials

Here are some of the websites and services I recommend for planning a trip to Colombia. Remember to check out my full list of travel resources for more tips.

FLIGHTS: Find affordable flights to Colombia using the Skyscanner website .

VISAS: Use iVisa to check if you need a tourist visa or a Health Declaration form for Colombia and apply for your documents online.

TRAVEL INSURANCE: Insure your trip to Colombia with HeyMondo , my preferred provider for single-trip and annual travel insurance.

AIRPORT TRANSFERS: Book a safe and reliable private transfer from the airport to your hotel in Medellin , Bogota or Cartagena (prices start from $18 per group).

ESIM FOR COLOMBIA: Stay connected during your trip – pre-purchase an eSIM for Colombia and get online as soon as you arrive without having to visit a phone shop.

CAR HIRE: Use the Discover Cars website to compare prices and features across all the major car rental companies.

ACCOMMODATION: Find the best Colombia hotel deals on Booking.com .

CITY TOURS & DAY TRIPS: Browse the Viator website to find the best day trips, city tours, Colombian cooking experiences and more.

Further reading for Medellin & Colombia

• 30 best things to do in Medellin , your travel bucket list
• Best markets in Medellin , Colombian fruit, flowers and more
• 30 authentic Colombian souvenirs , the best things to by in Colombia
• Visiting Medellin’s Comuna 13 , things to know before you go
• Things to do in Colombia , your ultimate Colombia bucket list
• Guide to Jerico , Colombia’s loveliest pueblo
• El Despertar Hotel , Jerico’s best accommodation
• Guide to Jardin , Colombia’s most colourful small town
• Colombian coffee tour , from bean to cup in Concordia
• 20+ things to do in Bogota , Colombia’s capital on the fly
• Colombian cooking class , in the kitchen in Bogota
• 30 best places to visit in Colombia , the ultimate bucket list

For anyone planning to follow this itinerary, DO NOT get the metro to PLAZA MINORISTA FRUIT MARKET. Although the metro is safe and easy to use, the walk to the market from Plado is NOT safe. We had to jump in a taxi, the driver telling us it was a really bad area and ended up skipping the market and heading straight to plaza botero

Thank you Sinead for the information!

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Medellín Travel Guide: Where to Stay, What to Do, and More

Looking for travel adventure, eats, and endless experience in a perfect urban mountain metropolis? Medellín, Colombia should be high on your list. Medellín is almost always between 63 and 83 degrees Fahrenheit. In Colombia, the weather is dictated by elevation rather than location. With its borders both above and below the equator, the country remains hot n’ steamy at sea-level Cartagena, cool on Bogotá’s plateau high in the Andes Mountains, and, not unlike the best of Goldilocks’ burglary, Medellín is juuust right, tucked into the Aburrá Valley under mountains that keep the warm air in and the rain out.

Where to Stay

What to eat, how to save money on your trip.

There are almost endless places to visit, view, and eat under the Medellín sun. Colorful homes line up next to colonial hotels, modern museums, and swanky hotels . Music adds spice to the air, as do grilling meats and the lights that splash across the evening. After you’re done with consumption, the city offers an abundance of urban retreats. Swim, hike, fly across the sky via this Manual guide.

(*Speaking of flying, a State Department Advisory warns that there is still a pandemic and it hasn’t missed Colombia. Like many places, however, new cases have dropped precipitously since the third wave of the pandemic has ebbed. Proof of COVID-19 is required for travel to the country.)

There are a number of wonderful neighborhoods to explore in Medellín. To find the best place to stay in is to choose between the various barrios, likely between the La Laureles and Poblado larger districts.

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With over 300 neighborhoods to choose from, visitors should start with the handful where most expats and visitors begin. These include, but are not limited to Central Laureles, Northeastern Laureles, Central Poblado, Lower Poblado, and La Florida, Poblado.

Marquee Medellín

Here’s all the Marquee has to offer: Panoramic views of the city, soothing dark brown walls under a warm light color scheme that brings out a stunning collision of modern chic and Old World charm in a snappy downstairs bar. On the rooftop is the requisite sleek outdoor swimming pool and view out over Medellín. And when you’re ready to feast, head to the Marquee Restaurant for a solid selection of Colombian chef-designed meals.

The Marquee is situated in the heart of Parque Lleras and the crowded, popular El Poblado neighborhood. International flights to Medellín land at José María Córdova International Airport (MDE), which is situated in the city of Rionegro, approximately 13.5 miles east of the Marquee Medellín.

Terra Biohotel

How about contributing a positive impact to your environmental stamp on Medellín in a hotel designed for comfort and sustainability ? The Terra Biohotel instituted an intelligent use of resources to create a pleasant environment where you and the planet can breathe more comfortably.

From lush vertical gardens to solar-powered heating, you won’t find a more eco-friendly hotel in Medellín. Ask for one of the upper-floor rooms, and you can look down from your balcony to the city’s spectacular spread. And head out from Terra to the tree-lined Conquistadores neighborhood, one of the Medellín city center’s greener spots, with iconic Nutibara Hill just a couple of blocks away. Terra Biohotel sits 15 miles east of the José María Córdova International Airport.

There are plenty of fruit and veggies , Paisa, food from the Antioquia region (of which Medellín is the capital), is heavy and laden with meats, sausage, beans, eggs, and rice. It’s not nearly as spicy as you’ll find food in Mexico to be and there’s also plenty of sweet to go along with the savory, combining to create a pleasant combo.

• “$” = budget-friendly or cheap
• “$$”= average
• “$$$”= expensive

At Carmen, you’ll get to try innovative Colombian cuisine in a lush setting lined with plants & trees. Accolade after accolade assures that gastronomes need to find their way to Carmen.

Run by an American-Colombian couple (both Cordon Bleu chefs), Carmen’s menu melds Colombian flavors with a strong Californian influence. Revel in innovative meat and flavor combos like tamarind pork belly or in fresh fish swimming in sweet sauce.

At Carmen, diners have various eating areas to choose from. An elegant, naturally lit dining room overlooks an open kitchen and greenery outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Step outside of this 1950s retro ambiance into the verdant garden to dine in the conservatory.

Best for lunch and dinner; $$$.

Browse the Menu

For a more Continental take on typical Colombian food in El Poblado, you can’t miss Ocio. Modern European influences give old school Colombian dishes new life. influences such as the amazing Chicharron.

Parisian trained chef Laura Londoño partners with her husband Santiago Arango to bring fresh-picked, slow-cooked delights like pork belly salad, beef braised for 12 hours, and irresistible ‘Tres Leches’ for dessert.

The cherry on top? There are 1980s tunes always overhead and a select wine and cocktail list in front to enjoy a meal with no pretense.

Best for dinner; $$.

The city abounds with parks, public spaces, cafes, libraries, museums, and walking the vibrant streets, much of it accessible by outdoor escalators and public cable cars . In the City of Eternal Spring, flowers have their own fairs, colors and art abound amidst a green space that leads up to forests dotted by small village life and surrounding nature reserves.

Enjoy the Café Culture

Though Colombia is the best place in the world to grow coffee , it was difficult to find a cup of Colombian coffee in Medellín a decade ago. Most of the country’s best coffee has been exported, so until a few years ago, most Colombians didn’t actually drink their own homegrown brew. This, however, is now changing for the better and you can find some fantastic local coffee in the city.

This couldn’t be more true than the endearing Café Aroma del Barrio. The heart of the infamous Comuna 13 neighborhood was once a no-go zone but now has turned into an artistic and entrepreneurial hub. Here at the Aroma del Barrio, the baristas here know how to whip up some of the best cappuccinos, limonada de coco (coconut limeade), and other quality coffee drinks Medellín has to offer. The tiny places numerous local and international visitors, a list which includes former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Explore Parque Arvi

Looking to fly in Medellín (or at least be carted up a steep green mountain flank)?

Parque Arvi is worth a visit to get the flavor of the outdoors surrounding the springtime city. Take the gondola right from the subway to the park’s entrance and get a wonderful vista of the city’s hills, descending valleys, and cityscape.

Parque Arvi spans 16,000 hectares and includes over 1,500-year-old trails. At the park entrance, you can stop in for supplies at a small market and use the place as a launching place for a self-guided or tour-guided walk. It costs 5,000 to 7,000 Colombian pesos ($1.50-$2.25) depending on the trail (most trails are 2-4km long).

Visit dozens of different bird and butterfly species along the way.

View the Park

First, a word: You do need to take care in Colombia as it is the gateway between two continents. This means opportunity for crime as people and goods flow through maybe the most biodiverse nation in the world. Medellín is like most other places: Be mindful of where you go, what you do, and where you stay.

That being said, saving money in Medellín is as easy as traveling there. The American dollar goes very far compared to Colombian pesos. Be mindful of that when deciding on where to spend your money. If you can have an incredible time and contribute to the local economy, all the better.

Experiences

Medellín is large, so you’ll find the need for transportation to many places. Taxis and semi-legal Uber rides will cost you, but when you get to your destination, there’s often plenty to be experienced around you. Save money by taking a walking tour of any of the neighborhoods. There’s no shortage of free or cheap tours.

Real City Walking Tours , for example, offers an excellent free tour and an informative introduction to the city. You’ll get a lot of good tips, and the guides are great people. Be sure to tip when the tour wraps up!

Selina Medellin sits in the heart of the hip Provenza neighborhood and is surrounded by culinary hotspots, buzzing bars, and authentic coffee shops. Selina Hostel is not the cheapest, but it is the perfect location from which to launch your Medellín adventure. There’s a range of accommodations options to suit every travel budget. Included are coworking space, a nice bar and cafe, a wellness area to practice yoga, and even a rooftop music studio.

This curated programming stretches into art, photography, and cooking alongside a melting pot of people from around the world. You can even dance away long evenings with local DJs spinning electronic music late into the night.

Vehicle Rentals

Localiza has some of the best deals as the most reputable local agency, renting cars for about $30/day. Others like Alamo and Enterprise are also available.

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Here's what you need to know on where to find the best that Big Bend National Park has to offer. The Lay of the Land Photo by Robbie, licensed under Creative Commons, and made available by Flickr Image used with permission by copyright holder

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The Top Things to Do and See in Medellin, Colombia

While it may not be as big as Colombia’s capital Bogotá , Medellín has just as much to offer. The city is jam-packed with museums, restaurants, bars and clubs to keep you entertained during your visit. Check out the top 10 things to see and do in Colombia’s second largest city.

Appreciate artwork in plaza botero.

The sculptor Fernando Botero Angulo hails from Medellin and the Plaza Botero is the best place to see his larger-than-life figures. Centrally located in the “old quarter” of the city, it can be reached via the nearby Parque Berrio metro station. While you’re there, make sure you also check out the Museo de Antioquia. Entrance is free and inside you’ll find many of Botero’s paintings, as well as work from other famous Latin American artists.

Admire the rainbow colors of Guatapé

Take the free Medellín walking tour

If you spend any time in a backpackers hostel in Medellín, you’ll certainly hear about the Medellín city walking tour . The tour guides are all locals and take you on a knowledgeable journey round Medellín’s downtown (El Centro). Completely free to attend, the guides instead accept tips from attendees as payment. The tours run morning and afternoon on weekdays and are extremely popular, we recommend booking a place in advance through the website .

You can also enjoy a guided walking tour of Medellín with a local insider on Culture Trip’s exclusive eight-day Colombian Andes adventure .

Parque Lleras nightlife

Located in the ritzy neighborhood of El Poblado, Parque Lleras is a great place to go out any night of the week. The areas welcomes a varied mix of locals and foreigners looking to let loose and have a good time. Around the park there’s a great range of venues, from small salsa bars to bigger, mainstream clubs. Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it here, just don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes.

Sample bandeja paisa

Bandeja paisa is considered to be the national dish of Colombia and is native to the area surrounding Medellin. Originally, this caloric meal was created to provide peasant workers with enough energy to keep them going throughout the entire day. With rice, plantain, an arepa (corn cakes), avocado, minced meat, chorizo, black sausage, fried pork rind and with a fried egg thrown on top, just in case you’re still peckish. Found all over the city, ask a local and hunt down the best bandeja paisa you can find. You won’t need to eat for the rest of the day.

Relax and spot wildlife in Parque Arvi

Medellin’s Metrocable is an impressive transport system that connects the hustle and bustle of the city with the residential areas built up on the hillsides. It expands all the way up to Parque Arvi, a large nature reserve in the hills of Medellin and a great escape from the city. Visit the park for a bit of peace and quiet and observe the vast array of wildlife. Nearby is the town of Santa Elena, where you can grab a bite to eat or even lodge up for a night or two.

Dance salsa at Eslabón Prendido

Small, chaotic and somewhat a sweat box, Eslabón Prendido provides an authentic Colombian dancing experience. This nightclub is a salsa lover’s paradise and the unpretentious atmosphere means you needn’t be an expert to come and shake your body. Drinks are well priced and you don’t even need to bring a partner to dance with. We recommend visiting on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when a live band plays, for an authentic night out.

Enjoy a trip to the Joaquín Antonio Uribe Botanical Garden

An oasis of calm in the busy city center, the beautiful botanical gardens are home to an amazing variety of flora and fauna and are completely free to enter. With their own butterfly house and great places to stop, sit, and admire the surrounding nature, these green gardens are a fantastic place to visit and relax for a few hours.

Discover the quirky world of Fonda Dulce Jesús Mio

A club inspired by the typical bars found in rural pueblos, the Fonda Dulce Jesús Mio is not your typical club. Staff wear regional dress, huge plastic Pink Panthers and fairy lights adorn the interiors and cheesy music and live acts dominate the nights. Extremely popular with Colombians and foreigners alike, this is the place to come if you’re looking to let your hair down in a slightly different way.

Shop ’til you drop at Santa Fe Shopping Centre

The people of Medellín know a thing or two about looking good and this mega-mall has every shop and service you need to feel fabulous. You’ll find big brands such as Zara, Forever 21 and H&M, as well as a great range of Colombian chains and high-end smaller boutiques. If you get peckish, there’s numerous restaurants to grab some food to fuel your long day’s shopping.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips , compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips .

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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Actividades, Excursiones y Tours en MEDELLIN

Tour guatape - peñol.

Una experiencia donde conocerás uno de los sitios turísticos mas importantes de nuestra región Antioqueña La Piedra del Peñol y  el pueblo mas visitado y colorido de Colombia, Guatapé con sus famosos zócalos.

TOUR MEDELLIN + COMUNA 13

El tour  medellín que realizamos por los sitios mas importantes de medellín donde viviremos la experiencia de ser paisa por un día, recorriendo parques, calles, monumentos y la comuna 13 de  medellín referente de nuestra ciudad y su famoso graffitour., comuna 13 tour, en este recorrido, descubrirás una medellín joven y renovada que, a través de la música y el graffiti , ha encontrado nuevas maneras para expresarse y para vivir en paz. son miles de turistas los que cada año vienen a la comuna 13 para conocer esta hermosa cara de medellín , en el que el  arte callejero  es el gran protagonista. uno de los mejores tours en medellin, pablo escobar tour.

Al igual que las personas, las mejores ciudades son las que han logrado salir adelante después de hacer frente a la adversidad. Así es  Medellín , Recordaremos una época difícil para nuestra ciudad y pais en los años 90’s que logramos superar hasta convertirnos en ejemplo de desarrollo e innovación . 

¡MEDELLIN! DESCUBRE ESTA HERMOSA CIUDAD

¿ por qué reservar con nosotros .

Pocas experiencias viajeras hay tan recomendables como conocer el encanto y el alma de una de las ciudades más innovadoras del mundo: Medellin Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera. 

1. Todos los lugares y actividades son cuidadosamente seleccionados por nosotros

2. ¡Tours garantizados y sin complicaciones!

3. Operador Turistico en Medellin 100% certificado

4. Cientos de clientes por año toman nuestros servicios  

Descubre los mejores tours en Medellín para una experiencia inolvidable

Tours en Medellín, Colombia: Descubre la vibrante ciudad con la mejor agencia de turismo local.

Bienvenido a Medellín, la capital del departamento de Antioquia en Colombia, conocida por su historia fascinante, su cultura rica y su impresionante belleza natural. Si estás buscando una experiencia inolvidable en esta maravillosa ciudad, ¡has llegado al lugar correcto! Nuestra agencia de turismo en Medellín ofrece una amplia gama de tours y actividades para que puedas disfrutar al máximo de tu visita.

Nuestros tours están diseñados para sumergirte en la verdadera esencia de Medellín, mostrándote lo mejor que la ciudad tiene para ofrecer. Desde recorridos por los emblemáticos barrios de Comuna 13 y Pueblito Paisa, hasta visitas a los impresionantes museos de la ciudad, como el Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellín y el Museo de Antioquia, te ofrecemos una experiencia única y auténtica.

Además de nuestra amplia gama de tours culturales, también ofrecemos actividades de aventura en la naturaleza que te permitirán disfrutar de las bellezas naturales que rodean a Medellín. Puedes disfrutar de emocionantes recorridos en bicicleta de montaña, senderismo en el Parque Arví o incluso aventurarte en una experiencia única de parapente para disfrutar de vistas panorámicas incomparables.

Nuestros guías turísticos son expertos locales que conocen a fondo la historia, la cultura y la idiosincrasia de Medellín, lo que te permitirá sumergirte en la vida cotidiana de la ciudad y conocer a su gente amable y hospitalaria. Además, nos enorgullecemos de ofrecer un servicio de alta calidad, con transporte cómodo y seguro, y atención personalizada para asegurarnos de que tengas una experiencia inolvidable.

Si estás buscando una experiencia auténtica y completa en Medellín, no busques más. ¡Contáctanos hoy para reservar tu tour y descubre la belleza de Medellín con la mejor agencia de turismo local en Colombia!»

SERVICIO DE TRANSPORTE Aeropuerto - Medellin

Medidas preventivas covid 19.

En Medellín estamos trabajando de la mano de las autoridades sanitarias y empresarios de todos los sectores  para acogerte de nuevo recargados con la mejor energía y nuevos protocolos de salud y seguridad para que vivas experiencias lindas que la ciudad tiene para ti en restaurantes, hoteles, museos, tiendas, recorridos y mucho más, estamos listos para seguir adelante y recibirte como siempre con nuestros brazos abiertos.

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Medellin Vacations from $536

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Your Medellin Vacation

You'll find plenty to like about Medellin, from its spectacular views to its cosmopolitan vibe and beyond. When you're ready to spend some time in this captivating city, our Medellin vacation packages will be perfect for you. You'll want to sightsee during your trip to Medellin. Drop by big-name attractions such as Botero Plaza , Atanasio Giradot Stadium and Lights Park . Expedia has what you need to escape the everyday. Tailor your vacation to Medellin to suit your style of travel, whatever that may be.

The Latest Medellin Vacation Packages

Apartment La Volcana by HOUSY HOST

Reviewed on Mar 16, 2024

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Casa Santa Ana By Wynwood House

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Where to stay in medellin.

Golden Blocks brimming with commercial activity, El Poblado offers vibrant nightlife at Lleras Park, cultural attractions like El Castillo Museum, and ample shopping options with multiple malls. Accessible via Medellín Metro and bus lines.

Laureles is known for its ample dining options, and you can make a stop by Second Laureles Park and Unicentro Shopping Center while in the area.

If you're spending some time in Provenza, Lleras Park and Lokkus Contemporary Art are top sights worth seeing.

Laureles - Estadio

While you're in Laureles - Estadio, take in top sights like Atanasio Giradot Stadium or Second Laureles Park, and hop on the metro to see more the city at Estadio Station or Suramericana Station.

If you're spending some time in Zona Rosa, Lleras Park and Linear Park President are top sights worth seeing.

Medellin Essential Information

Medellin hotel deals.

Reviewed on Apr 24, 2024

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Where to go when

Frequently asked questions, discover the most popular places to visit in medellin, santafé mall.

During your visit to Medellín, you can search for that perfect souvenir at Santafé Mall. Check out the top-notch restaurants or lively bars in this walkable area.

Botero Plaza

Walk among comically obese statues made by the illustrious artist Fernando Botero in this spacious plaza full of artisans and restaurants.

Atanasio Giradot Stadium

Catch an event at Atanasio Giradot Stadium during your trip to Medellín. Check out the shops and lively bars in this walkable area.

What to do in Medellin

Medellín: comuna 13 district tour with cable car ride, medellín: paragliding in the colombian andes, medellín: private pablo escobar and comuna 13 tour, other vacations you might like.

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10 Cities With the Best Public Transportation, From Medellín to Stockholm

By Laura Walsh

From the cable cars of Medellín to London’s double-decker buses, cities with the best public transportation systems make it easy to travel efficiently, affordably, and sustainably—all while offering a unique glimpse into a society's values.

In some cities around the world—as in Stockholm and Moscow —public transportation isn’t just about getting from point A to point B either. Instead, these transitory spaces have been elevated to become attractions in their own right, featuring impressive feats of art, architecture, and design. Most of the cities included on this list have also excelled at providing step-free access, making independent travel accessible for those using wheelchairs or strollers.

These are truly exceptional global systems: well-designed with residents and dignity at their core, but thoughtfully executed to warmly welcome travelers from around the world. Below, see the 10 cities with the best public transportation around the world—ranked in no particular order—based on a variety of factors including accessibility, sustainability, efficiency, dependability, cleanliness, and design.

1. Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s public transit system offers such extensive, affordable, and accessible service that the majority of residents do not own cars.

Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway has an unbelievable on-time rate of 99.9%, with 97 of its 98 stations accessible from the street level. Additionally, each station offers free WiFi, charging stations, and clean public toilets; many now include breastfeeding rooms, too. With rides that cost only about 60 cents, it is impossible to find a cheaper, faster, or more predictable way to get where you want to go.

You can also take in the spectacular sights of the city while riding the double-decker Hong Kong Tramway, or gaze down below from the impressively steep heights of the Peak Tram funicular. For island hopping, take the Star Ferry across the harbor from Hong Kong Island to visit Kowloon while enjoying the jaw-dropping skyline.

How to experience it: Take the 10-minute Star Ferry from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon for $3.70 HKD (US$ 0.50) for an upper deck seat.

The Delhi Metro is a beacon of cleanliness and a model of safety and efficiency. India’s largest mass rapid transit system connects the country’s capital to adjoining satellite cities with a total of 12 color-coded Metro lines and 288 stations (an additional 45 new stations expected by 2026). The Delhi Metro was also the world’s first transit system to receive UN carbon credits for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and today gets 35% of its power from renewable sources.

Trains run every 2-5 minutes during peak hours (and every 10 minutes during off-peak). With clean bathrooms and elevators at every station, the Delhi Metro is ahead of many in providing a transportation system that affords independent access with dignity for all.

To help prioritize a safe environment, the Delhi Metro introduced women-only carriages in 2010 that are now available on each train.

The trains and stations are all air-conditioned, making Delhi's metro a fast and comfortable way to traverse the vast city that’s often hot and humid. Fares are calculated based on distance and start at just $0.12.

How to experience it: Relax in Delhi on the Yellow Line: explore the Garden of the Five Senses (Saket Station) or Lodhi Gardens (Jor Bagh Station).

The Moscow Metro cruises onto this list thanks to its unwavering commitment to efficiency and its extraordinary stations. During rush hour, the trains of the Moscow Metro run every 90 seconds. But once you step into these breathtaking stations—also known as the “palaces of the people”—you may find yourself slowing down to take it all in. Emulating the grandeur of Russia’s historical palaces, Moscow’s Metro is an attraction in itself and demonstrates that even something as seemingly basic as public transportation is deserving of care and artistry.

The Moscow Metro probably won’t win any awards in the easy-to-understand category, but with almost 300 stations and 17 lines—including two circular lines which eliminate the need to travel to the city center for transfers—it is the fastest, most affordable, and the most inspiring way to get around.

How to experience it: Stations you won’t want to miss: Park Kultury, built with five types of marble and connected to Gorky Park, the stained-glass filled Novoslobodskay, and Mayakovskaya station, named for the famed Soviet artist.

Tokyo’s metro is vast, clean, fast, and reliable. It’s a breeze to figure out where you need to go—even if you don’t know the Japanese alphabet. Thanks to the sensible naming, numbering, and color-coding of the stops, there are numerous ways to locate your destination all while enjoying a comfortable ride (in almost virtual silence).

Convenient to almost every attraction in the city of Tokyo, the metro serves nearly 7 million people every single day and is globally recognized for its rigorous cleaning and maintenance (the trains are deep-cleaned every 15 days). Tickets are available for purchase at every station; adult fares start at 180 Yen (around $1) and increase depending on how far you’re traveling.

Many stations are equipped with elevators and lifts, making the metro accessible for those using wheelchairs or with strollers or luggage.

How to experience it: Check out Shinjuku Station, the Guinness Book of World Records holder for the world’s busiest train station serving over 2.7 million passengers per day on 12 different train lines.

Steph Koyfman

Shannon McMahon

Charlie Hobbs

5. Singapore

Singapore is a city and a nation rolled into one on an island nearly the same size of New York City. As the third-most densely populated country in the world, well-designed transportation that can move millions is essential for this small nation.

Singapore’s MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) currently has 6 lines with 140 stations and is scheduled to double in size by 2040. In a country of just over 5.5 million people, Singapore’s MRT carries an outstanding 3 million every day.

The MRT’s trains are fast and predictable, running every 5 to 7 minutes most of the day and every 2 to 3 minutes during the morning rush. The MRT’s reach is complemented by the LRT, a light rail system with 2 lines and another 40 stops.

With station signage and announcements in Singapore’s four official languages—English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil—the MRT makes it remarkably easy to navigate without a car or a care. They have also installed protected walkways on every quarter-mile leading to every MRT station, making it easier to walk to transit, monsoon or shine.

How to experience it: Don’t miss Singapore’s breathtaking Garden by the Bay located at the MRT station with the same name on the Thomson–East Coast Line.

London’s transit is such an integral part of the city that their red double-deckers are instantly recognizable as national symbols of the UK. Pioneers of the world’s first underground railway, London’s transit system is vast and continues to expand. The “Tube” serves 5 million people every day on 11 lines and 272 stations—nearly half of which operate 24 hours a day.

Beyond the traditional Underground is the newest addition to London's transit system, the Elizabeth line . First launched in 2022, the new energy-efficient railway connects London's outer suburbs to the heart of the city, bringing an additional 1.5 million people within a 45 minute commute of central London. Visitors can travel from Heathrow Airport to central London in 45 minutes onboard Elizabeth line trains that run every half-hour.

Numerous above-ground options allow for simultaneous sightseeing, like the Overground with 6 lines and the iconic double decker buses with 675 routes, the IFS Cloud Cable Car, or the robust bikeshare system tied to an ever-expanding network of “cycleways.”

How to experience it: Stroll through one of London’s 3,000 parks, like Hyde Park, located at the Paddington Station on the Elizabeth line.

Seoul is home to some of the world’s largest, fastest, and most reliable public transit systems. The city goes the extra mile to make sure its public transportation is easily navigable by people from all over the world.

For example, stations have signage in Korean and English and stops are announced in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese. To make navigation even easier, each line is color-coded and numbered, and every station has a corresponding number for identification. Many stations also feature restaurants, shopping boutiques, convenience stores, and even surprise concerts.

Buses are also color-coded by distance and destination type, and all bus stops are clearly marked—plus, many offer heated seats. Every metro station is accessible by elevators, climate-controlled, and equipped with clean public restrooms and breastfeeding rooms.

Onboard the trains, every subway car has yellow “priority seats” reserved for the elderly, those with physical disabilities or illnesses, and people with young children. Additionally, every car has pink seats reserved for pregnant women.

How to experience it: Take Seoul’s metro to Anguk Station (Line 3) to the 1000-year-old Changdeokgung Palace , a UNESCO Heritage site with opulent grounds and gardens featuring 56,000 plants.

8. Medellín

Medellín’s metro system is a stellar example of how well-executed transit can be fun, functional, and help uplift an entire city.

The Metro de Medellín opened in 1995 and is the only rail-based transit system in Colombia . In addition to its clean and rapid rail options, the city is also served by a tram, a bus rapid transit line, and hundreds of other bus lines—many of which can be used in conjunction with the Metro.

The real show stopper is the Metrocable, a gondola lift system with a 7-line network that soars over the city and connects numerous neighborhoods.

Though cable cars have typically been used for tourism, Medellín was the first city to include them as part of a mass public transportation system. The cable cars connect downtown Medellín to communities isolated by the steep hills surrounding the mountainous city—in some cases cutting a 2 hour commute to just 30 minutes. Medellín’s Metro was thoughtfully-planned with community input and is a symbol of pride for the city.

How to experience it: Take in the lush hillsides around Medellin while riding Metrocable Line K to Parque Arvi where you can find unbeatable bird-watching, wildflowers, and over 50 miles of hiking trails.

9. Washington, DC

Washington, DC’s transit system is the second busiest in the United States and serves the nation's capital as well as surrounding areas in Virginia and Maryland. With extensive rail and bus service, complemented by a bikeshare system, the DC Metro makes it incredibly easy to live in or visit Washington, DC without a car.

Each Metro station is reachable by elevator, ensuring everyone, including those with strollers or wheelchairs, has access to the entire system to travel independently—without having to rely on the kindness of strangers.

DC’s Metro stations also demonstrate a commitment to health and hygiene. Last month, the Metro completed renovations of all 169 of its public restrooms, a massive undertaking that took 14 years.

Trips on the DC Metro start at just $2 within Washington, DC but traveling to/from Virginia or Maryland is distance-based.

How to experience it: The Smithsonian stop on the Orange, Blue, and Silver lines is home to numerous free museums like the African American History and Culture Museum and the Air and Space Museum .

10. Stockholm

Last but certainly not least is Stockholm . Sweden's capital city is made of 14 islands connected by a robust public transport network including a metro system with 100 stations, ferries, buses, and trams.

Stockholm’s metro, the Tunnelbana (or T-bana) forms the world’s longest art gallery . Though initially envisioned as a way to reduce traffic, Stockholm’s underground embraces another worthy goal: making art accessible to people of all economic backgrounds. Today, 94 of the T-bana’s 100 stations feature the work of 250 artists, including paintings, sculptures, and large-scale installations.

The art at most stations depicts the history and culture of the surrounding neighborhoods, providing a colorful escape from the city’s gray winters. If you have a chance to visit, don’t miss the otherworldly Rådhuset station or Solna Centrum. The red cave-like ceiling mimics a forest sunset—look closer and you’ll find sporadic wall illustrations depicting social commentary from 1970s Sweden. Free guided art tours are available from June to August every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 3p.m., starting from the SL Customer Centre at T-Centralen.

As you’d expect, the Stockholm metro is clean, climate-controlled, and sustainable. When you’re done soaking in the stunning stations of Stockholm metro, you can also see the city and attractions by ferry, for the same price as a bus or metro ticket (SEK 42 or about $3.86).

How to experience it: To see Stockholm from the water, hop on the SL ferry line 80 and visit popular tourist attractions such as the Abba museum or wander around nature in Djurgården, a National City Park.

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