best walking tours in medellin

The Best Walking Tours to Take in Medellín

Medellín is a beautiful city with a long and often tragic history and is becoming more and more popular with travellers each year. There are plenty of different ways to experience this destination, but one of the best is on a walking tour of the city. There are loads of excursions to choose from, so here are the very best walking tours to take in Medellín.

Real city tours’ free walking tour.

The undisputed champion of the Medellín free walking tours, the Real City Tours’ Free Walking Tour is the most popular one in the city – and with good reason. As the company has informative, engaging guides, a tried-and-tested route through downtown Medellín, and great customer service, you can practically guarantee a good experience. Covering the entire modern history of Medellín, the tours are informative and fascinating, and well worth a good tip.

Big 50 Medellín Walking Tour

Comuna 13 graffiti tour.

This unique and engaging tour explores how street art and local community projects have transformed the formerly no-go Comuna 13 neighbourhood of Medellín. With passionate guides, many of them from the area itself, and a real commitment to exploding the myths surrounding Medellín’s poorer district, the tour is a must for anyone with an interest in art, social projects, and exploring a different side of the city.

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Exotic Fruits Tour

Another Real City Tours initiative, the Exotic Fruits Tour is the best walking tour in Medellín for any foodie travellers, or for anyone wanting to get to grips with the incredible wealth of delicious fruits that Colombia has to offer. Operating from Monday to Saturday at 9:45 am and lasting up to three hours, the tour visits one of Medellín’s main markets and gives you the chance to sample loads of local fruits and juices.

Barrio Transformation Tour

An excursion on foot through Medellín’s most densely populated barrio , this tour by Real City Tours is a glimpse into the various ways in which the city’s poorest and most deprived neighbourhoods have been transformed through both social and innovative architectural projects.

Bloom Travel Experiences

Bloom Travel Experiences offers a variety of excellent Medellín excursions, including a graffiti walking tour in Comuna 13, historical tours through downtown Medellín and – probably their most unique and fascinating option – a walking tour to see the city’s world-famous Christmas lights, which includes street food and local coffee.

Paisa Tours Medellín

Paisa Tours Medellín offers a walking/metro excursion that takes in the most important cultural and historical parts of the city and ends with a lovely hike along the trails of Arvi Park, a stunning natural park located on the hillsides outside Medellín. The trek passes through a delightful forest full of local flora and fauna and is a perfect way to end a tour of the city.

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FREE WALKING TOUR

BOOKING REQUIRED

More than a city tour! 

This engaging, honest and fun walking tour is the best way to learn about the history & culture of Medellin.

Do your Free Walking Tour around Medellin’s downtown (El Centro) with a local. Explore the historic districts and let this fascinating city come to life through stories, explanations and urban legends. During the tour you will discover some of Medellin’s most traditional parks, squares and streets, while learning about the city’s history, culture and people.

INFORMATION

 Duration:  Approx 3½ hours

Language : English    Price:  Based on tips

• Monday to Sunday
• Several groups a day
• Last-minute booking
• Top-rated tour for 10 years
• Experienced local guides
• Over 250,000 participants so far

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• Local Food Tour www.realcitytours.com/local-food-tour
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Monday to Friday at 10:00am and 2:30pm

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THE 10 BEST Medellin Walking Tours

Walking tours in medellin.

• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Cultural Tours
• Coffee & Tea Tours
• Walking Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Likely to Sell Out
• Special Offers
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Full day to Guatapé from Medellín

2. The dream of flying

3. Coffee Half-Day Tour in Medellín: From the Seed to the Cup

4. Medellin's Nightlife, Make Friends, Free Entries, Local Party

5. City Tour from Medellín

6. Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour

7. green connection

8. City Tour Medellin

9. Jardín Coffee Tour out of Medellín

10. The Best Pablo City Tour In Medellin

11. Hire a Photographer and a Professional Photo Shoot in Medellin

12. Canyoning Cascada El Tagual Waterfall 80 meters

13. ATV Tours from Medellin

14. The best Commune 13 Tours in Medellín

15. Come and meet Comuna 13 with a local

16. Coffee Experience from bean to cup

17. Private tour: hiking to the crystalline MELCOCHO river from MEDELLÍN

18. Full-Day Guatape

19. Private Half Day Tour in Medellin

20. Walking tour, cable car & fruit tasting

21. Medellin Nightlife Tour : Rooftops and Clubs : Provenza

22. Hiking Mountains and Magical Forests

23. Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour And Enjoy Photos y Videos with Dron

24. Comuna 13 & Downtown: From violence to innovation

25. Medellin City Walking Tour plus Metro Cable Cars

26. Exotic Fruit Tour

27. Full-Day Small Group Guatapé Experience

28. Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour And Electric Stairs

29. 4 Hours Pub Crawl Nightlife in Medellin

30. Half day private coffee tour near Medellín

What travellers are saying.

• Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour
• Full day to Guatapé from Medellín
• The dream of flying
• Coffee Half-Day Tour in Medellín: From the Seed to the Cup
• Medellin's Nightlife, Make Friends, Free Entries, Local Party
• Tourguides Medellín
• Beyond Colombia Free Walking Tours Medellin
• Paisa Tours Medellín - Tours en Medellín Colombia
• Culture Colombia Tours
• Medellin, City of Contrasts
• Urban Coffee Tour
• 180 Degrees Medellin
• Free Walking Tour Medellin - Real City Tours
• Primed Community
• Visit Medellin Tours

THE 10 BEST Medellin Walking Tours

Walking tours in medellin.

• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Cultural Tours
• Coffee & Tea Tours
• Walking Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Likely to Sell Out
• Special Offers
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Full day to Guatapé from Medellín

2. The dream of flying

3. Coffee Half-Day Tour in Medellín: From the Seed to the Cup

4. Medellin's Nightlife, Make Friends, Free Entries, Local Party

5. City Tour from Medellín

6. Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour

7. green connection

8. City Tour Medellin

9. Hiking on the old Amaga railway

10. Jardín Coffee Tour out of Medellín

11. The Best Pablo City Tour In Medellin

12. Canyoning Cascada El Tagual Waterfall 80 meters

13. ATV Tours from Medellin

14. The best Commune 13 Tours in Medellín

15. Come and meet Comuna 13 with a local

16. Coffee Experience from bean to cup

17. Private tour: hiking to the crystalline MELCOCHO river from MEDELLÍN

18. Full-Day Guatape

19. Half-day coffee tour at a coffee farm in Medellin.

20. Walking tour, cable car & fruit tasting

21. Medellin Nightlife Tour : Rooftops and Clubs : Provenza

22. Hiking Mountains and Magical Forests

23. Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour And Enjoy Photos y Videos with Dron

24. Comuna 13 & Downtown: From violence to innovation

25. Medellin City Walking Tour plus Metro Cable Cars

26. Exotic Fruit Tour

27. Full-Day Small Group Guatapé Experience

28. Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour And Electric Stairs

29. 4 Hours Pub Crawl Nightlife in Medellin

30. Half day private coffee tour near Medellín

What travellers are saying.

• Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour
• Full day to Guatapé from Medellín
• The dream of flying
• Coffee Half-Day Tour in Medellín: From the Seed to the Cup
• Medellin's Nightlife, Make Friends, Free Entries, Local Party
• Tourguides Medellín
• Beyond Colombia Free Walking Tours Medellin
• Paisa Tours Medellín - Tours en Medellín Colombia
• Culture Colombia Tours
• Medellin, City of Contrasts
• Urban Coffee Tour
• 180 Degrees Medellin
• Free Walking Tour Medellin - Real City Tours
• Primed Community
• Visit Medellin Tours

• Work With Us

The Best Free Walking Tour in Medellin (Real City Tours Review)

Updated on December 9th, 2023

The Real City Walking Tour in Medellin is top-rated and the best way to see the city with an expert guide! Learn what to know about taking this tour in downtown Medellin during your trip.

This article may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commissions when you purchase via those links — and it's free for you. It's only us (Becca & Dan) working on this website, so we value your support! Read our privacy policy and learn more about us .

Posted in Colombia

Table of contents

• What is the Medellin Free Walking Tour?
• How to sign up for a Medellin walking tour
• Who are the Free Walking Tour guides?
• How to stay safe during the walking tour
• What to expect during the Free Walking Tour (where does it go?)
• Tipping the Free Walking Tour guide (“propina”)
• Tips for taking the Medellin Free Walking Tour
• More tour ideas for Medellin

One of the BEST things we did on our second trip to Medellin was to take the Free Walking Tour from Real City Tours.

There is no better way to learn about a big city than directly from a local, and this was true for our insightful and wortwhile experience walking on this tour with our group and guide.

Is the Medellin Free Walking Tour something you should book for your trip or getaway in Medellin, Colombia? Read on, and hopefully you’ll be inspired to put it on your list!

What is the Medellin Free Walking Tour?

The Medellin Free Walking Tour is the best way to see and experience Medellin, especially at the start of your trip. I think I just keep wishing we did it on our first trip to Medellin, rather than our second!

This walking tour is much like others, if you’ve done walking tours around the world. You probably know that if you take a free tour, it is expected to tip the guide at the end. At the bottom of this review, I comment on how to tip your guide (in cash).

The Medellin Free Walking Tour will hit all the most famous sights in Medellin’s downtown Centro area, and your local guide will tell stories, give you historical facts and answer questions. Truthfully, I never could’ve figured out Medellin’s Centro and how to see everything, and I speak advanced Spanish! The walking tour was awesome for packing in all those landmarks and more.

It’s no wonder that this walking tour has thousands of 5-star reviews on TripAdivsor !

How to sign up for a Medellin walking tour

Sign-ups start approximately 36 hours in advance before tour times. We were serious about this, and knew that we wanted to do an early Saturday tour. You can do your sign-up at the Real City Tours booking page .

Sign-ups start at 6:15pm for the tours that happen two calendar days later, so on Thursday night, we could sign up for any Saturday tour. Spots are first-come first-serve, and that’s to keep the groups intimate. It’s also safer for everyone to be in a small group, going through crowded areas of downtown Medellin Centro.

During high travel season, spots can fill up rather quickly. If you’re interested in taking the walking tour, sign up early! If you cannot attend, make sure to cancel your reservation to help out someone else if the tour is all booked.

Who are the Free Walking Tour guides?

Free Walking Tour guides are talented Colombian locals who are fluent in English, and of course, native in Spanish. They are helpful, passionate, well-spoken and all-around awesome. They want to help you understand the city of Medellin as well as the country of Colombia and they are typically able to answer any question you have.

Our guide Maribell was a phenomenal guide. Her theatrical background helped her explain the history of Medellin in a captivating way. She called the main players ‘actors’ and used clear hand motions to describe the timelines of the conflict, the war and the developments afterward. She answered all our questions about the Colombian identity, Medellin and its people, Medellin today and where to go for the best food or soccer matches.

How to stay safe during the walking tour

If you are staying in El Poblado or Laureles and haven’t been to Medellin’s “Centro” yet, the difference in these areas will be quite obvious. Even though you will be with a guide, keep in mind that as a foreigner, you might stand out, as a tourist with a nice camera or phone.

In order to avoid theft or scams, read our Medellin safety guide before your day out. (Don’t be alarmed, though! The threat of crime is quite low, especially when touring the sights with a guide.)

What to expect during the Free Walking Tour (where does it go?)

The Medellin Free Walking Tour took us through Medellin Centro. Here are a few of the memorable stops and what we learned.

Visit the Old Railway Station & Parque de las Luces

Our first stop was the Old railway station, and we learned that trains used to play a part in the Colombian economy. From there, we passed the Alpujarra administrative center, where we sat down for a history discussion, and then we crossed a major road to see the Park of Lights (Parque de las Luces).

This is a fascinating area that used to be a large city market. After a fire, the square fell into disarray and had some bad times. The city revamped it and created the tall installations that light up at night, giving the park its new name.

A stop in Botero Square

Botero Square is another memorable place, and it was here that we had a snack break and got to enjoy the wacky Botero sculptures! They’re popular with locals, too.

Fernando Botero is perhaps the most famous ‘paisa’ (name given to those who come from the Medellin region) artist, and his art is rather prevalent all over Colombia. His signature style reflects “unnatural proportions,” so his sculptures are humans and animals, and are worth seeing in this public collection of his works.

Berrio Park

In Berrio Park, we saw local Medellin life and Maribell brought us to a circle of men who were playing guitar and singing. They played some tunes for us and we felt very welcomed.

See local Medellin street vendors

As we walked past the shopping arcades, we marveled at street vendors selling our favorite fruits: pitahayas (yellow dragon fruit), pineapples, papayas, bananas, small oranges and mangoes.

Parque San Antonio

The tour ended at San Antonio Park, where we listened to the striking story of the 1995 bomb that was placed under a Botero sculpture of a bird during a concert. The terrorist bombing resulted in the deaths of 20 innocent people.

Instead of removing the bird sculpture that was half blown apart by the explosion, the city kept the original and placed a new sculpture next to it. Together, they are a reminder of the past and hope for a peaceful future. This was an emotional story to hear from Maribell, and she told it very well.

Tipping the Free Walking Tour guide (“propina”)

At the end of the Real City Walking Tour, it is customary to tip the guide. All the guides are truly excellent, so it was a pleasure for us to tip our guide for her hard work. Recommended tips are between 20,000 and 40,000 pesos (between $5-10 USD).

While it may sound daunting to set aside 3-4 hours of your sightseeing time in Medellin, the Real City Walking Tour is both an efficient and meaningful way to spend your trip. We learned so much about Colombia and the city of Medellin through our guide and through seeing parts of Medellin we would not have visited on our own.

Tips for taking the Medellin Free Walking Tour

• You’ll be walking for a long time, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes. See what I recommend in my travel shoes guide .
• Look at the weather forecast before you leave. Although Medellin’s weather can be very unpredictable at times, you might want to bring a travel-sized umbrella or a rain coat.
• Drink lots of water, especially if you take the tour during the summer, because it can be hot and humid. Don’t worry, though: you’ll have plenty of opportunities for bathroom breaks if needed.
• There are opportunities for snacks, but if you’re not feeling adventurous to eat street food, bring snacks of your own.

More tour ideas for Medellin

visit the free walking tour website from Real City tours to book this particular tour. For more ideas, there’s the Barrio Transformation Tour , and more tour ideas in our Medellin travel guide as well as our list of the best day trips from Medellin , some of which are half-day tour ideas.

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Best medellin walking tour: don’t miss the real city tours free walking tour.

Medellin is a fascinating place. Less than 30 years ago, it was the “Murder Capital of the World.” You couldn’t walk down the street in the city center without risking getting shot. But today, you’d never know it. With a year-round perfect climate, incredibly friendly locals, and fantastic dining scene, it feels more like a traveler’s paradise. The best way to learn about the city’s transformation is to take a Medellin walking tour.

Real City Tours offers a phenomenal walking tour of the downtown area. Along the way, you’ll learn about the city’s history from its earliest days through the drug war and up to today. You’ll learn about  paisa  culture. And you’ll get to see some of the top attractions in Medellin too.

The Real City Tour follows the free walking tour model. This means you pay nothing upfront. But if you’re satisfied with the experience at the end, you should tip your guide however much you think the tour was worth. (Details at the end of this post.)

In short, Real City Tours offers the best Medellin walking tour. This is the one activity you can’t miss when you visit Medellin, Colombia. In fact, it’s one of the best travel experiences I’ve ever had — and I’ve done free walking tours everywhere from Bucharest to Windhoek ! In this post, I’ll cover what to expect from your tour and a few practicalities to make it more enjoyable.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to purchase through these links, I receive a percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you, which helps me keep this site up and running.

Starting your Medellin walking tour: Booking and meeting point

In order to join the Real City Tours walk around Medellin, you need to book in advance. Bookings open 36 hours before the tour. You can book online here . There are a few different departure times each day.

I recommend signing up for your Medellin walking tour on your first or second day in town. The tour will help you get oriented with the city center. You’ll be able to explore feeling 100% safe with your guide and group at your side. And you’ll get some great tips from your guide about where to eat , drink and hang out during your time in Medellin.

On the day of your tour, you’ll meet your guide at the Alpujarra Metro Station. If you’re staying in El Poblado, its just a few stops north. Allow 15 minutes to get there. Finding the tour isn’t hard — just look for the big crowd of gringos and the handful of guides in red shirts.

You’ll stand in line and sign in by showing a confirmation of your reservation. Then, the staff from Real City Tours will break you into a smaller group. Even though they often take 75+ bookings for each tour, no individual group is larger than 25. And you won’t see the other groups again until the end of the tour.

Beginning of your Real City Tours Medellin tour: Get to know your guide

Once you meet your guide and your group has all arrived, you’ll walk a little ways outside the metro station and find a quiet corner to sit down in. Here, your guide will ask everyone to introduce themselves. Then they’ll begin the tour by telling you a bit about themselves.

All the guides with Real City Tours are native to Medellin. My guide, Milo, had grown up there and was extremely proud of his city. So he started the tour with a personal story — how as a small child, he’d been walking home from school one day and found a body in the street — a victim of the drug war. This was a dark time in Medellin’s history. But today, the neighborhood where he grew up has a library, easy access to the city center on the Metrocable, and a radical reduction in violence.

So how did Medellin go from being one of the most dangerous cities in the world to what it is today? This is the subject of the first part of the Medellin walking tour.

Before your guide dives into the history, they’ll start with a couple of ground rules. Most notably, your guide will never say Pablo Escobar’s name in public. Escobar is still such an emotionally charged figure in Colombian culture that simply overhearing his name can cause passersby to engage in an argument or fight.

However, you are welcome to ask questions about the harder parts of Medellin’s past. You just have to choose your language carefully. And if a local does decide to challenge you or your guide, Real City Tours’ policy is to ask them to share their opinion so guests like you can hear all sides of the story.

The history lesson

After the initial meet-and-greet, the first part of your tour involves a 20-minute discussion of the history of Medellin.

Your guide will start by explaining the term  paisa  — the name for people from Antioquia, the department that Medellin is in. They’ll walk you through how Medellin was isolated for most of its early history, due to the large mountains surrounding it. But in the 20th century, the coffee trade took off and Medellin became a major business center.

Then the drug trade came to Medellin. The city was home to notorious kingpin Pablo Escobar, who wreaked havoc on the city . Bombings were common. Murders were a daily occurrence. Even after Escobar’s death, the violence continued.

So the government stepped in and began several massive public works projects, starting with the Metro system. Not only do the trains ferry passengers around the downtown, but the ingenious Metrocable links the poor barrios in the mountains to the city center. This has led to a drastic reduction in crime as people have access to better jobs outside of their neighborhoods. Additionally, the city invested heavily in public education and architectural design to repurpose former sites of horror into public spaces. The Medellin walking tour takes you to many of these locations.

Finally, your guide will go into a discussion about current views on Escobar. Some Colombians still see him as a positive figure — almost a Robin-Hood-esque symbol. After all, he did invest in poor communities across the country. However, many people from Medellin will tell you that the media’s glorification of Escobar ( through TV shows like Narcos ) has contributed to seeing him in a more positive light through inaccurate portrayals.

Parque de las Luces and the Library

During Medellin’s darkest period, Plaza Cisneros in the city center was a popular meeting point for drug dealers and robbers. It was dangerous to walk around day and night.

Most cities trying to clean up their act would either install a massive police presence in such a place, or reconstruct it entirely. But not Medellin. Instead, the city government opted to install 300 light poles in the center of the plaza. Today, it’s known as Parque de las Luces — the Park of Lights.

Locals and foreigners alike can now safely enjoy the plaza throughout the day. It’s no longer a haven for violent crime. However, like most of central Medellin, it can get dodgy after around 8 pm — so I’d recommend visiting on your Medellin walking tour just to be safe.

At one end of the plaza is the city’s massive central library. It hosts regular exhibitions and special events and has become a cultural hub for the community. You’ll go in for a few minutes and check it out (while also taking a restroom break).

After you visit the library, you’ll stop for your second history lesson. This time, your guide will take you through how the Colombian government has sought to combat the drug trade — and how those profiting from it have stymied those efforts. While the country has made incredible progress, most Colombians aren’t optimistic that the violence will end until North America reduces the demand for cocaine.

A Medellin walking tour stroll down Carabobo Street

After exploring a little more of the architecture in the area, your free Medellin walking tour with Real City Tours will continue to Carabobo Street — or, translated into English, “Stupid Face Street.”

This is where the history lesson ends and the topic of the tour shifts more to culture. Namely, shopping culture. You’re in the heart of Medellin’s counterfeit-products district, where people come from all walks of life to pick up knockoff designer goods.

Carabobo Street is a pedestrian-only zone. It’s pretty crowded — be careful with your belongings, as pickpockets work this area. Street vendors hawk lemonade, ice cream and other treats as you walk.

After about five minutes, you’ll reach the Palacio National. This building was designed by a European architect and looks like it should be something important. But in reality, it’s another mall. You’ll go inside for another restroom break. The coffee shop in the center of the first floor has good beans from local farmers, and if you order politely you’ll get a discount!

As you walk around central Medellin with your free walking tour group, you’ll notice many people coming up to say hello and welcome you to their city. This is typical — remember to always be polite back, even if you don’t speak any Spanish. And if someone affectionately yells “gringo” at you, respond by calling them “paisa” — you’ll definitely get a laugh!

The role of religion in Medellin

The next stop on your walking tour is a small church in an otherwise unremarkable plaza. But you’re really here for what it represents.

See, the plaza that the church occupies is one of the most popular places in Medellin for people looking for sex workers. Their clients frequently come straight from the church to employ them. (Male, female, or gender-fluid, it doesn’t matter — you will definitely  be propositioned while roaming around here. Remember to be polite and just say “no gracias!”)

It’s a strange mix; the most religious place in the city being a gathering place for so many sleazy men. But as your guide will explain, once Colombians go to confession, all their guilt about their bad behavior goes away.

Take a peek inside the church for a look at its gorgeous architecture. If you’re not a church person, don’t worry — one of the best places in the city to buy bunuelos (fried pastry snacks) is in this plaza as well. Your guide can point you to it.

Botero Square: Sculptures from Medellin’s favorite artist

Renowned Colombian artist Fernando Botero was born and raised in Medellin. Today, the city maintains a huge collection of his sculptures and paintings — mostly depicting very round people and objects. The biggest collection of public works is in Botero Square, which your Medellin free walking tour will stop at next.

Along the way, you’ll pass a couple notable churches. Look out for the building — now the Palace of Culture — that looks halfway like the Palacio National and halfway just like any other cement construction. The architect who designed the Palacio National began building this as well, but the people of Medellin became outraged that an outsider was being brought in. They said they could do better. In the end, they abandoned the fancy design — but they’re even more proud of the final product as an honest representation of the city.

Your guide will give you a few minutes to wander around Botero Square to look at all the different sculptures. Then, you’ll gather for a group photo in front of one of the sculptures.

San Antonio Park and the Peace Bird

Your Medellin walking tour is coming to an end. You have one final stop — and it’s the most fascinating of all. You’re going to visit San Antonio Park, the site of Botero’s famous Peace Bird sculpture.

Before taking you into the park, your guide will give you a chance to ask any random questions you have about Medellin. Where’s the best coffee? Good craft beer/brewery tours? Vegetarian food? How to buy football tickets? Which Metrocable line to ride for the best views? This is your chance to get a local’s take on how you spend your time in Medellin!

Then, your guide will explain the history of where you are right now. In the spring of 1995, San Antonio Park hosted a large outdoor concert. Over 500 people attended. During the show, a terrorist’s bomb went off, killing 30 people and severely damaging a sculpture of a bird by Fernando Botero.

In the aftermath of the bombing, the government wanted to remove the damaged sculpture. But Botero refused. Instead, he offered to make a new bird to stand side-by-side with the damaged one, as a symbol of the city’s rebirth. The city took him up on his offer and the two sculptures are still there today.

San Antonio Park is the one place you’ll visit on your free walking tour of Medellin that isn’t entirely safe to wander around on your own. Stay with your guide the whole time you’re there, and keep your valuables in front of you.

End of your Real City Tours walk through the Medellin city center

Your guide will finish the tour with one last speech. Many people wonder how Medellin’s locals have kept such a positive attitude despite all the violence in their city. Your guide will explain the  paisa  attitude toward living life to the fullest. It’s a great end to a fantastic overview of Medellin’s tragic history and transformation.

Finally, your guide will help hail taxis for anyone who wants one, and walk with the rest of the group back to the San Antonio metro station. From here you can visit one of the restaurants or bars nearby (there are lots of good ones), or hop on the metro back to El Poblado.

Be sure to tip your guide before you depart!

Practicalities to make the most of your walking tour of Medellin

If you’ve just finished reading about the Real City Tour and you’re excited to book, great! Below are a few practicalities to know before you go.

How long is the Medellin walking tour?

The Real City walking tour takes between 3.5 and 4 hours — usually on the longer end of that range.

I know, that sounds like a really long time. Most city tours you pay for don’t last that long! But trust me, it’s worth every minute and you won’t be bored at all.

Your guide will stop a few times throughout the tour for you to use the restroom, pick up a snack, or stop for a coffee. The time flies by. The one thing to note is if you take the afternoon tour, it will start to get dark by the end. So make sure you know your way back to your guesthouse or hostel.

How much should you tip your guide?

Since Real City Tours is a free walking tour, your guide will expect a tip at the end. And they will definitely have earned it, as I’m sure you’ll agree after you go.

Make sure you bring enough cash for a decent tip. Most people tip around 30,000 COP per person. If your budget doesn’t allow or you didn’t enjoy the experience, you can tip less. Of course, if you had a great time, your guide will surely appreciate more!

What should you bring?

The most important thing to bring on your walking tour of Medellin is a good pair of walking shoes. The weather may be warm, but after four hours on your feet you won’t want to be wearing flip-flops!

Bring your camera or phone to take pictures with, and a little bit of money for tips and snacks along the way.

Additionally, be sure to pack an umbrella. It rains frequently in the afternoons in Medellin. The rain never lasts very long, but you won’t want to get soaked while walking around.

Finally, don’t buy bottled water — bring a reusable water bottle. You can drink the tap water in Medellin!

After your Medellin walking tour with Real City Tours, you’ll surely agree that this is one of the most incredible cities you’ve ever visited. Don’t miss out during your trip through Colombia !

Did you love your walking tour with Real City Tours? Consider booking their Barrio Transformation Tour (NOT to Comuna 13) or their Exotic Fruits tour as well. Both get great reviews!

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Read more about Colombia here

Carrie is the founder of Trains, Planes and Tuk Tuks. For more than seven years, she's been solo-backpacking around the world to places few other tourists dare to explore -- from Ethiopia to Nicaragua to Jordan and beyond. When she's not on the road, you can find her hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains and eating the world's best barbecue in her home city of Asheville, NC.

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I love free walking tours! I especially like to start my trip with them because the insight helps me get orientated in a new city. Thanks for mentioning that the water is drinkable, I would have never known that!

I loved our guide at Real City Tours! 🙂 Medellin is absolutely wonderful and Colombia is honestly one of my favorite countries! Hope I get to go back soon

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• August 26, 2021

Best of Medellín: The Ultimate Guide to the Best of Medellín – 2021 Update

We look at the best of Medellín with an ultimate guide to the best of Medellín including 260+ things to do, restaurants, pueblos, museums, malls and much, much more, updated for 2021.

Over the past four years, we have published a total of 26 popular articles with curated lists of the best things to see and do in Medellín in many categories. These articles have been very popular with a total of over 400,000 page-views.

We continue to receive many questions about the best of Medellín from readers. So, we published this ultimate guide to the best of Medellín – which includes over 260 of the best things to see and do and many of the best restaurants in several categories.

Our guide to the best of the city is broken up into 26 different categories corresponding to our 26 best of Medellín articles. And there are a few places repeated in this list, as some of the best fall in more than one category.

Top things to do in Medellín and nearby

1. 35 Top Things to Do in Medellín and Nearby: Top Tourist Attractions

Medellín has become a popular tourist location in Colombia with more tourists visiting the city each year and we look at 35 top things to do in the city and nearby.

• Feria de las Flores – Medellín’s Flower Festival
• Medellín’s Christmas Lights
• Museo de Antioquia
• Parque Arví
• Jardín Botánico
• Walking Tour of El Centro (Downtown)
• Hacienda Napoles
• Plaza Botero
• Parque Explora
• Santa Fe de Antioquia
• Museo de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Museum)  or MAMM
• Barbosa, Antioquia
• Parque Piedras Blancas
• Parque Sabaneta
• Museo El Castillo
• Viva Envigado Mall
• Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Bello
• Museo Casa de la Memoria
• Parque Lleras
• Catedral Basílica Metropolitana
• Pueblito Paisa
• Comuna 13 Tour
• Eat Bandeja Paisa
• Plaza Minorista
• Mercado Del Rio
• Try Colombian Street Food
• Drink Colombian Coffee
• Cerro El Volador
• La Sierra Tour
• Santafé Mall
• Cerro de Las Tres Cruces

FREE things to do

2. 21 Best FREE Things to Do in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley

We look at 21 of the best FREE things to do in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley. It turns out that many of the best things to do in the city are totally FREE.

Medellín offers tourists visiting the city many free things to do that are absolutely free of charge. So, if you are on a tight budget it is quite possible to see many of the things to do in the city for FREE.

In addition, we recommend getting a Civica card when visiting the city. This will permit you to use the Medellín Metro  to get around the city for only 2,255 pesos ($0.71) per trip and save 11.6 percent compared to the fare without a Civica.

• See Feria de las Flores – Medellín’s Flower Festival
• See Medellín’s Christmas Lights
• Visit Parque Arví
• Visit Jardín Botánico
• Take A Free Walking Tour of El Centro (Downtown)
• Enjoy the Sculptures at Plaza Botero
• Visit Museo de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Museum)
• Visit Parque Sabaneta
• See Religious Art at Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Bello
• Visit Museo Casa de la Memoria
• Visit Catedral Basílica Metropolitana
• Hike to Pueblito Paisa
• Visit Plaza Minorista
• Hike to Cerro el Valador
• Hike to Cerro de Las Tres Cruces
• Visit Museo Universidad Antioquia (MUUA)
• Hike to Cerro Pan de Azucar
• See the Tombs at Museo Cementerio San Pedro
• Visit One of the Malls in Medellín
• Visit Casa Museo Otraparte
• Visit Parques Del Río

Top Kid-Friendly things to do

3. Top 17 Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Medellín – Family Friendly

Medellín has many kid-friendly things to do for families with children. We look at 17 of the top kid-friendly things to do in the city and nearby.

Medellín is no longer a place that only attracts single male tourists. Single foreign women also frequently visit the city. And an increasing number of foreigner families with children are visiting and even moving to the city. Also, there are some single foreigners with children.

In addition, a number of foreigners who have married Colombians have children. So, Medellin Guru is receiving more questions about kid-friendly things to do in Medellín. So, we looked at many of the kid-friendly things to do in the city and nearby.

• Medellín Christmas Lights
• Parque Norte
• Parque Zoológico Santa Fe
• Museo del Agua
• Bowling in Medellín
• Medellín Movie Theaters
• Planetario de Medellín
• Parques Del Río

Malls in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley

4. 14 Best Malls in Medellín

Paisas love to shop and Medellín and the Aburrá Valley has a huge number of centro comercials (shopping centers or malls). We looked at several of the largest malls in the Aburrá Valley to find out the 14 best malls in the metro area.  

• Viva Envigado  – one of the newest malls in the Aburrá Valley located in Envigado, which is reportedly the largest mall in Colombia
• Santafé  – one of the largest malls in Medellín located in El Poblado
• Mayorca Mega Plaza  – a popular mall in Sabaneta with several outlet shops
• El Tesoro  – Medellín’s popular mall with a view in El Poblado
• Premium Plaza  – one of Medellín’s largest shopping malls with entertainment on the third floor
• Puerta del Norte  – the largest and most popular mall in Bello
• Arkadia  – the newest mall in Medellín and the nicest mall in Belén
• Los Molinos  – the oldest Western-style mall in Belén
• Oviedo  – the oldest mall in El Poblado.
• San Diego  – the oldest mall in Medellín.
• Unicentro  – the largest and most popular mall in Laureles-Estadio
• Monterrey  – Medellín’s technology mall in El Poblado
• Forida Parque  – the only Western-style mall in the Robledo comuna in Medellín
• La Central  – the only Western-style mall in the Buenos Aires comuna in Medellín

Some of the best Medellín Museums

5. 12 Best Museums in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley

We look comprehensively at 26 Medellín museums including museums in other municipalities in the Aburrá Valley to find the 12 best museums in the metro area. Medellín is home to many excellent museums.

• Museo de Antioquia – the most popular museum in Medellín, worth visiting. It’s best known for a collection of art of Medellín-born artist Fernando Botero.
• Parque Explora – a popular interactive science museum and aquarium. It has over 300 activities and the largest freshwater aquarium in South America.
• Jardín Botánico – the free botanical gardens that is also considered a museum with over 1,000 different living plants on display.
• Medellín’s Museo de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Museum) – worth a visit with an intriguing mix of exhibitions located in a striking building.
• Museo El Castillo – Medellín’s beautiful Gothic-style castle that is a museum.
• Museo Casa de la Memoria – a museum dedicated to honoring the victims of urban conflict in Medellín and Colombia and is worth seeing to better understand the city and country.
• Museo Universidad Antioquia (MUUA) – a museum located on the University of Antioquia’s campus with a huge collection of nearly 40,000 archaeological and natural history pieces.
• Pedro Nel Gómez Casa Museo – a museum located in Aranjuez that is dedicated to the life and works of important Colombian artist Pedro Nel Gómez who is best known for his extensive work as a muralist.
• Museo Cementerio San Pedro – a cemetery that is also a popular museum in Medellín worth visiting. It also has a church with many beautiful stained-glass windows.
• Casa Museo Otraparte – a hidden gem in Envigado consisting of a museum, cultural space and café dedicated to the life and works of Colombian philosopher Fernando González.
• Planetario de Medellín – the Planetarium and space museum that is very popular and worth seeing, particularly with kids.
• Museo del Agua – the popular Medellín water museum.

Pueblos near Medellín

6. 8 Best Pueblos Near Medellín Worth a Visit Including Hidden Gems

We look at the eight best pueblos near Medellín worth a visit including Guatapé, Santa Fe de Antioquia, Jardín and Jericó. We also look at four hidden gem pueblos that you won’t find in most of the English language guidebooks.

Guatapé, Santa Fe de Antioquia, Jardín and Jericó are four of the best pueblos near Medellín that are the most visited by foreign tourists. But there are other hidden gem pueblos that aren’t yet visited by many foreigners but are worth a visit.

Some of these best pueblos near Medellín are fairly close to the city. So, they can be easy day trips from the city. And others are further away so are better for a longer visit like on weekends.

Here is our list of the eight best pueblos near Medellín that are all worth visiting:

• Guatapé – a very popular pueblo known for its huge rock and lake.
• Jardín – a tranquil get-away from Medellin that boosts breathtaking mountain views and less tourists than Guatapé.
• Santa Fe de Antioquia – known for its well-preserved colonial architecture and cobbled streets.
• Jericó – a picturesque pueblo known for its religious attractions, well-preserved colonial architecture and heritage, generous nature all around, hiking, paragliding, amazing landscapes and much more.
• San Carlos – a hidden gem surrounded by rivers, waterfalls and nature.
• Barbosa – an overlooked pueblo very near Medellín with streams, waterfalls, natural swimming pools, hiking, horseback riding and many other things to do.
• Abejorral – another hidden gem surrounded by waterfalls and dazzling landscapes with many opportunities for hikers and rock climbers.
• El Carmen de Viboral – the heart of Colombia’s ceramics industry.

View from Cerro de Las Tres Cruces

7. 7 Best Panoramic Views of Medellín: The Best Scenic Views

Medellín is located in the Aburrá Valley in the Andes mountains, offering fantastic panoramic views. This gives the second most populated city in Colombia, an incomparable charm with many very scenic views in the city. And we look at seven of the best views in the city.

Medellín offers breath-taking scenic viewpoints (miradors) over the entire city which makes it a wonderful opportunity to contemplate the horizon with friends (and a drink)! We discovered the seven best panoramic views:

• Mirador Las Palmas
• Cerro Nutibara (Nutibara Hill) where Pueblito Paisa is located
• Santo Domingo
• La Octava Marvilla Mirador

Buildings in some of the best neighborhoods in Medellín

8. 5 Best Neighborhoods in Medellín

We looked at the 5 best neighborhoods in Medellín for foreigners including comparing the neighborhoods in terms of cost of living, safety and walkability and several other categories.

The five best neighborhoods in the Medellín metro are the most popular with foreigners living in Medellín or visiting the city. By neighborhoods we mean comunas of Medellín and separate municipalities in the Aburrá Valley.

In Medellín, there are 16 comunas and in the Aburrá Valley there are 10 municipalities. Note that barrios (neighborhoods in Spanish) are way too small to compare.

• Laureles-Estadio

Plaza Botero and Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture in El Centro seen during walking tours

9. Best Walking Tours in Medellín: Explore the City on Foot

Walking Tours have become one of the best ways to explore a city. A critical factor in the success of these walking tours is often the use of locals to guide these tours. This adds a realism and more personal touch to the tours that provides a stronger understanding of the dynamic of a city.

We looked at two of the best walking tours in Medellín but one of these is not longer offered:

• Real City Walking Tours – only uses tour guides who are born and raised in Medellín. And they can best be described as story tellers rather than guides.
• Toucan Street Food Walking Tours – includes all public transportation, street food at six points, a juice and a bilingual guide (no longer offered as Toucan Spanish School is closed )

Top churches in the Aburrá Valley

10. Top 14 Churches in Medellín: The Beautiful Churches in Medellín

Medellín and the Aburrá Valley area has many beautiful Catholic churches and we look at the top 14 churches in the metro area.

These top 14 churches use several architectural styles including Byzantine, Colonial, Eclectic, Gothic, Greek-Roman, Neo-Byzantine, Neo-Gothic, Neo-Romanesque, Renaissance and Romanesque.  

• Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Rosario – a church located in Bello that is arguably the most beautiful church in the Aburrá Valley
• Iglesia Jesús Nazareno – another of the most beautiful churches in Medellín.
• Catedral Basílica Metropolitana – the main church of the Archdiocese of Medellín and the largest church in the city.
• Iglesia San Joaquín – a beautiful church in the Laureles-Estadio comuna in Medellín that is reportedly the second largest church in Medellín.
• Iglesia del Señor de las Misericordias – a neo-Gothic-style church located in the Manrique neighborhood.
• Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro – a beautiful Gothic-style church.
• Iglesia de Santa Gertrudis – a beautiful church in Envigado located next to Parque Envigado.
• Iglesia de Santa Ana – a very popular church in Sabaneta located next to Parque Sabaneta.
• Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Rosario – a Neo-Romanesque-style church located in the Girardota municipality.
• Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá in La Estrella  – a beautiful church in La Estrella with a Neo-Gothic-style.
• Iglesia San Antonio and Plaza San Antonio  – the church with the largest dome in Medellín located next to Plaza San Antonio with four Fernando Botero sculptures.
• Iglesia de la Veracruz  – a colonial church with a history that goes back to 1682, which makes it one of the oldest churches in Medellín.
• Iglesia de La Candelaria  – the oldest church in Medellín, which is also a National Monument of Colombia.
• Iglesia el Calvario – a Romanesque-style church in the Aranjuez comuna.

Best Mobile Apps

11. 22 Best Mobile Apps to use in Medellín

We provide a curated list of 22 of the best and most popular mobile apps to use when traveling to and living in Medellín and Colombia. These mobile apps can help you navigate the city and country, find the best restaurants, chat with friends, make translations, order taxis and much more.

• WhatsApp Messenger
• Metro de Medellín
• Google Maps
• Google Translate
• Microsoft Translator
• XE Currency
• TripAdvisor
• Ciudadanos Científicos
• Domicilios.com

Food from some of the top restaurants in Sabaneta, Colombia

12. 28 Best Restaurants in Sabaneta, Colombia

We look at 26 of the best restaurants in Sabaneta, Colombia. Sabaneta is the smallest municipality in Colombia and is located south of Medellín and south of Envigado in the Aburrá Valley.

I have lived in Sabaneta for over three years and during this time have eaten at well over 100 restaurants in Sabaneta. The following is my list of the 28 best restaurants in Sabaneta created with the help of my Colombian wife.

Sabaneta has been growing rapidly and is adding restaurants at a fast pace. For example, when  Mayorca mall  in Sabaneta was expanded in late 2015, it added many new restaurants.

TripAdvisor for Sabaneta is missing many of the best restaurants in Sabaneta. So, be careful with TripAdvisor restaurant ratings for Sabaneta.

• El Veijo John
• Mama Santa Parrillada
• El Sombrero
• Crepes & Waffles
• Kitchen Warrior
• Daisuki Sushi Wok
• Anotonella’s
• Pizza en Leña
• Ragazzi Pizzas y Pastas
• La Octava Maravilla
• Chef Burger
• Sports Wings
• ArteSano Lounge Grill
• La Hija de Stella
• Ladrillo y Verde
• El Encanto de Nuquia
• La Costa Antiquena
• Pica Rosso Pizzeria
• Mas Q Alitas, Burgers and Ribs
• Pinche Guey
• El Peregrino

Food from some of the best restaurants in Laureles

13. 20 Best Restaurants in Laureles in Medellín

We look at 20 of the best restaurants in Laureles. Laureles is a popular neighborhood for foreigners in Medellín and has many good restaurants.

Laureles is the name of a barrio and also a comuna. The Laureles barrio is located in the Laureles-Estadio comuna. In our list of best restaurants in Laureles we considered restaurants located in the entire Laureles-Estadio comuna.

• Barbaro Cocina Primitiva
• Delirio Exquisito
• Ammazza Pizzeria & Gin Garden
• El Correo Carne y Vino y Amada
• Romero Cocina Artesanal
• Pizzeria Olivia
• Voraz Restaurante
• Caduff Pasta Fresca
• Café Cliché
• Barbacoa Burger & Beer
• Grill Station Burger
• Lo Exquisito del Mar
• Chilaquiles
• Opera Pizzeria & Restaurante

Food from some of the best restaurants in Envigado, Colombia

14. 17 Best Restaurants in Envigado, Colombia

We look at 17 of the best restaurants in Envigado near Medellín. Envigado is a popular area for foreigners living in the Aburrá Valley and it has many good restaurants.

Envigado is a separate municipality located directly south of El Poblado. Over the past eight years I have eaten at well over 60 restaurants in Envigado.

Envigado has been growing rapidly and is adding restaurants at a fast pace. For example, when the huge  Viva Envigado mall  that opened in late 2018, it added many new restaurants.

TripAdvisor for Envigado is missing several of the best restaurants in Envigado and appears to be missing all the restaurants in the new Viva Envigado mall. So, be careful with TripAdvisor restaurant ratings for Envigado.

• Lucio Carbon y Vino
• La tRES uno
• El Rancherito
• Black Pepper Steakhouse
• Ragazzi Pizzas Y Pastas
• Restaurante Con Sabor a Mar

Very good thin-crust pizza can be found in the city

15. 15 Best Pizza Places in Medellín: The Best Pizzerias in the City

Pizza is very popular and we look at 14 of the best pizza places in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley with very good pizzas.

• Ammazza – a popular chain of three pizzerias in Medellín with excellent thin-crust pizzas.
• Café Zorba – a very popular pizzeria in El Poblado with very good vegetarian thin-crust pizzas.
• Pizzeria Centro – a pizzeria in El Centro with very good thin-crust pizzas.
• Due Amici Pizzeria – a pizzeria in Suramericana with very good thin-crust pizzas.
• Pizzería Olivia – a popular chain of nine pizzerias in Medellín.
• Bigotes – a chain of three German pizzerias in Medellín – owner is German.
• Antonella’s – a popular pizzeria located in Sabaneta with good pizza located a few blocks from Parque Sabaneta
• Ná Pizza – a popular pizzeria in Envigado with very good thin-crust pizzas.
• Pizza en Leña – a chain of two pizzerias in Sabaneta – owner is Dutch.
• Lorenzza Pizzeria – a popular pizzeria with good thin-crust pizza located in the Manila barrio of El Poblado in Medellín
• Ragazzi Pizzas Y Pastas – a chain with three pizzerias in the Medellín area.
• Opera – a pizzeria in Laureles with good thin-crust pizzas.
• Pane y Pomodoro – a chain of two pizzerias in Medellín with good thin-crust pizzas
• Sicilia in Bocca – a small pizzeria in El Poblado.
• Cavieli Ristorante Caffe – a popular pizzeria in Belén near Clínica las Américas.

Burgers from some of the top burger places

16. 10 Best Burgers in Medellín: Best Burger Places in the Aburrá Valley

Burgers are popular in the city and we look at 10 of the best burger places in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley with very good hamburgers.

Also, everyone’s tastes are different so a ranking is very subjective. In addition, I don’t trust the rankings on TripAdvisor. So, the burger places in this article are ordered by the number of locations each has and then alphabetically.

• Chef Burger – a chain of 11 gourmet burger places in Medellín with very good American style burgers.
• La Pampa – a chain of six Argentinian steakhouses that specializes in steaks but also has some good burgers.
• Barbacoa Burger & Beer – a chain of four gourmet burger restaurants in Medellín with good American style burgers.
• Grill Station Burger – a chain of four popular gourmet burger restaurants in Medellín with American style burgers, which use Brangus beef in their burgers.
• Jack and Roll – a small gourmet burger restaurant located in Envigado and Laureles with good burgers and it won a burger competition in Medellín.
• Medellín Beer Factory – a chain of two sports bars with good burgers.
• Classic Diner – a restaurant in Envigado with a classic American diner feel and good burgers.
• Hello Burgers & Beer  – a gourmet burger restaurant in El Poblado with burgers you can customize with your favorite ingredients.
• Medellín Burger Company – a burger restaurant Laureles with burgers that only uses Angus beef.
• Patrick’s Irish Pub – a large sports bar in Parque Lleras in El Poblado with good burgers.

Very good steaks can be found in the city

17. 12 Best Steakhouses in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley

Steaks are popular and we look at 12 of the best steakhouses in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley with very good steaks. And all these steakhouses are good places to go on special occasions.

In the United States, we’d call these places steakhouses, but here in Colombia and South America they are known as a parillas, restaurants where grilled meats are served. All these restaurants specialize in steaks but they all have some other things on the menu.

• Lucio Carbon y Vino – a popular steakhouse in Envigado with very good steaks.
• Barbaro Cocina Primitiva – a popular steakhouse with two restaurants in Medellín with good steaks.
• El Correo Carne y Vino y Amada – a steakhouse chain with three restaurants in Medellín.
• San Carbon – reportedly the largest steakhouse in Medellín.
• Cambalanche – a popular Argentinian steakhouse in the Patio Bonito barrio of El Poblado.
• La Pampa – a chain with six Argentinian steakhouses in Medellín.
• Malevo – a popular Argentinian steakhouse in the Manila barrio of El Poblado.
• Voraz Restaurante – a popular steakhouse in Laureles.
• Toro Restaurante – another popular steakhouse in Laureles.
• La tRES uno – a small steakhouse in Envigado with good steaks.
• Black Pepper Steakhouse – a popular steakhouse in Envigado.
• Mama Santa Parrillada – arguably the best steakhouse in Sabaneta.

Stuffed Zucchini at one of the best Vegan and Vegetarian restaurants in El Poblado, photo by @thisisaliceko

18. 12 Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in El Poblado

Colombia may be famous for its arepas, cheese and meat, but there is a good range of options for herbivores as well. In El Poblado in Medellín, many of the restaurants have vegan options readily available, and much to my surprise and delight, there are a fair number of really good vegan and vegetarian-only restaurants.

Here are our top 12 picks for vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants in El Poblado:

• Veg Station
• Mundo Verde
• Lenteja Express
• Shanti Cocina Vital
• Justo Restaurante
• Kebab House
• Helecho Restaurante

Food from some of the top Colombian restaurants

19. 8 Best Colombian Restaurants in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley

Colombian food is obviously very popular in Medellín. From Bandeja Paisa to ajiaco, Colombian food is hearty and authentic and we look at eight of the best Colombian restaurants in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley that are popular with good food.

• El Viejo John
• Ajiacos y Mondongos

Food from some of the top Italian restaurants

20. 9 Best Italian Restaurants in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley

Italian food is popular and we look at nine of the best Italian restaurants in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley that are very popular with good food.

• Romero Cocina Artesanal – a popular chain of four Italian restaurants in Medellín with good Italian food.
• Parmessano – a popular chain of 12 Italian restaurants in Medellín with some good Italian food.
• Pizzería Olivia – a chain of eight pizzerias in Medellín with great brick-oven cooked pizzas as well as very good Italian food.
• Della Nonna Tratoria – a popular chain of Italian restaurants with two locations in Medellín and one in Llanogrande.
• Il Castello – a popular Italian restaurant in El Poblado with good Italian food and they make their own pasta in a factory.
• Caduff Pasta Fresca – a popular Swiss-owned Italian restaurant in Laureles with good food.
• Palazzetto D’Italía – a hidden gem Italian restaurant in El Centro with good food.
• Dante – a popular Italian restaurant in El Poblado in the La Strada building with good food.
• Il Forno – a chain of 21 Italian restaurants in Medellín that has good Italian food.

Brunch at Al Alma

21. 8 Best Places for Brunch in El Poblado, Medellín

Brunch.  That one word conjures up a myriad of emotions and images. Lazy Sundays. Endless cups of coffee. Long chats with friends. Scrambled eggs. Crispy bacon. Freshly baked bread.

After seeking out all of the establishments that I could find that offer brunch in El Poblado – and after extensive tasting – we offer our selection of the nine best places in which to while away the weekend:

• Best for Something Different – Botanika
• Best for Food – Ganso & Castor
• Best for Extensive Variety – D’Andre Gourmet 
• Best Alfresco Dining – Park 37
• Best Chain Restaurant – Crepes and Waffles
• Best 5 Star Brunch – The Charlee
• Best for Coffee – Pergamino and Velvet

Mexican food from some of the best Mexican restaurants

22. 14 Best Mexican Restaurants in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley

Mexican food is popular in the city and we look at 14 of the best Mexican restaurants in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley that are popular with good food.

• Delirio Exquisito – a popular Mexican-Asian fusion restaurant in Medellín with some very good and creative food.
• El Sombrero – a Mexican-owned restaurant located in Sabaneta that has good and authentic Mexican food.
• Guadalupe – a hidden gem Mexican restaurant chain with two locations in Bello and one in Medellín with good Mexican food.
• Agua Fresca – a new Mexican restaurant in El Poblado, with a Mexican chef.
• Wajaca – a popular chain of eight Mexican restaurants in Medellín with good Mexican food
• Zacatecas – a popular chain of Mexican restaurants in Medellín with hood food
• El Guero – a chain of three Mexican restaurants in Medellín with good food.
• Poblanos – a Mexican restaurant with some good Tex-Mex style food.
• Mi Pico E Gallo – a Mexican restaurant in Medellín that has been open for about 25 years with good food.
• Chilaquiles – a small, hidden gem restaurant in Laureles-Estadio with good Mexican food.
• Emiliano la Taqueria – a Mexican restaurant chain with two locations in Medellín, which has very good tacos but hasn’t been discovered by many expats
• La Bronca – a popular restaurant/bar in El Poblado with good Mexican food.
• Milagros – a popular chain of six Mexican restaurants in Medellín with good food.
• Orale! – a Mexican-owned restaurant in Medellín with authentic Mexican food.

Food from some of the best restaurants in El Centro in Medellín

23. 8 Best Restaurants in El Centro in Medellín

We look at eight of the best restaurants in El Centro in Medellín. There are hundreds of restaurants in El Centro and we look at six of the best.

• Hacienda – a popular chain of Colombian restaurants with six locations in Medellín.
• Hato Viejo – a popular chain of restaurants with four locations in Medellín with good comida tipica.
• Pizzeria Centro – a pizzeria located in El Centro in Medellín, which is a hidden gem and hasn’t been discovered by many foreigners.
• Lupita – a Peruvian restaurant located in El Centro in Medellín with good ceviche and other seafood that hasn’t been discovered by many expats.
• Versalles – n Argentinian restaurant in Medellín located in El Centro that is popular with good empanadas plus a bakery and other good Argentinian food.
• Repostería Astor – a chain of Swiss cafés in Medellín that are famous for pastries, cakes and chocolates with a history tracing back to 1930, with its largest location in El Centro.
• Palazzetto D’Italía – a hidden gem Italian restaurant located in El Centro in Medellín with some good Italian food.
• Emiliano la Taqueria – a Mexican restaurant chain with two locations in Medellín including one in El Centro, which has very good tacos but hasn’t been discovered by many expats.

Coffee at Pergamino Cafe

24. 5 Best Independent Coffee Shops in El Poblado

After some extensive research, we provide our top picks of the best independent to small coffee roasters in the El Poblado area of Medellín.

These are in no particular order. We much prefer all of these coffee roasters to the  Starbucks  coffee shops that have been popping up in El Poblado.

• Hija Mia Coffee Roasters
• Pergamino Cafe

Rituales Compañía de Café in Laureles

25. 8 Top Coffee Shops in Laureles

We looked at the eight top Laureles coffee shops. These are some of the most inviting and delicious coffee shops in Laureles.

• Rituales Compañía de café
• Café Revolución
• Algarabía Café
• Paraíso Resto-Café
• Café Zeppelin
• La Taza Tienda de Café

TorreAlta craft beer

26. Craft Beer: The 5 Best Nano/Micro Breweries in Medellín

Until recently, Colombia wasn’t particularly well-known for having a craft beer scene. Certainly nothing on the scale of the exploding plethora of breweries now common place in the United States.

But Medellin now boasts over 30 different craft breweries. So, you can find several nano/micro breweries in Medellín and we look at five of the best.

• TorreAlta Brewing Project
• Metamorphosis
• Sierra Blanca
• Aburrá Valley Brewing Co.

Warning: TripAdvisor Can’t Be Trusted for Colombia

TripAdvisor is a popular travel website with restaurant and hotel reviews but it can’t be trusted for Medellín and Colombia. The TripAdvisor website has top restaurant ratings for Medellín and other cities in Colombia. But some of these top restaurant ratings can’t be trusted for many reasons.

Also, TripAdvisor has lists of the best things to do, best hotels and best hostels. But these best lists are not very accurate in my opinion.

Be careful of TripAdvisor lists of the best of Medellín. The biggest problem appears to be fake reviews that are used by some places to manipulate the system and rank higher on TripAdvisor. So, don’t rely on TripAdvisor exclusively. Also, we previously looked in detail at why TripAdvisor can’t be trusted for Colombia .

The Bottom Line: The Best of Medellín

We have comprehensively covered the best of Medellín in 26 different articles on the Medellin Guru website and also the above article. Furthermore, if you click on the heading in any category above you can see our article for each category with more details.

But we aren’t done. There is still much more to cover. So, expect to see more articles on the Medellin Guru covering the best things to do and see website. For example, we haven’t yet covered the best of several types of restaurants such as the best seafood and the best Asian restaurants in Medellín.

Also, if there any “best of Medellín” topics you would like to see covered that we haven’t yet covered, please leave a comment below.

Sign up for the Free Medellin Guru Newsletter  – You can see all of the previous  Medellin Guru weekly email newsletters and sign up here .

Editors note: updated on November 15, 2019 to add the new Arkadia mall that opened in Belén.

Editors note: updated on January 19, 2020 to add Café Moreno Cocina Bar to the list of best restaurants in Sabaneta.

Editors note: updated on January 26, 2020 to add Café Cliché to the list of best restaurants in Laureles.

Editors note: updated on January 31, 2020 to add Saludpan to the list of best restaurants in Laureles.

Editors note: updated on February 20, 2021 with current information of 2021 including removing some places that have closed.

Editors note: updated on August 26, 2021 with current information of 2021 including removing some places that have closed and adding some new restaurants.

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4 thoughts on “Best of Medellín: The Ultimate Guide to the Best of Medellín – 2021 Update”

What a compendium! Thanks for this update.

Thanks, no problem

Love your best of Medellin series. Look forward to more best restaurant posts. Also how about covering the best furniture stores?

Hi Tom, thanks! We covered some furniture stores in our article about furnishing apartments – https://medellinguru.com/furnishing-apartments/ . And I added “best furniture stores” to our potential future topics list.

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13 Things to Consider Before You Book a Comuna 13 Tour in Medellin

Comuna 13 is known for its street art – but there’s a lot more to this neighbourhood than pretty murals and selfie spots. Here’s everything you should know before taking a Comuna 13 tour in Medellin, Colombia based on my personal experience.

J ust a few short years ago, Comuna 13 was considered the most dangerous area in Medellin , itself the most dangerous city in the world.

Tourists didn’t dare set foot here – they had no reason to. And many locals, as our Comuna 13 tour guide Laura told us, were too ashamed to admit that they lived in the ramshackle suburbs that cling to a mountainside on Medellin’s western fringe.

Now, it’s a very different story. Over the past decade Comuna 13 has undergone an almost complete transformation – or so it seems.

The area is no longer known for gang violence, police raids, cartels and illegal trafficking.

These days, Comuna 13 is more readily associated with graffiti, street art performances and walking tours. New infrastructure, including a cable car system and six outdoor escalators, has made life in Comuna 13 a whole lot easier for residents and opened the area up to tourists like never before.

Many people view Comuna 13 as a symbol of Medellin’s (and indeed Colombia’s ) social transformation. It’s one of the most vibrant and intriguing places we visited in Medellin and a must-see, even if you only have a couple of days in the city .

However, there are still a lot of misconceptions surrounding Comuna 13, especially regarding safety. Part of the joy of visiting is discovering these contrasts and contradictions for yourself. But there are a few things I wish I had known before we signed up for our Comuna 13 tour .

Here are 13 things I think you should consider before you go, plus my recommended Comuna 13 walking tour itineraries.

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.

Recommended Comuna 13 Tours

Option 1: 4-hour graffiti tour with a local guide – This top-rated tour includes metro tickets, snacks, and invaluable insights from a local guide. Two departures daily in the morning and afternoon. Prices start from $25. (Also available to book here on Viator .)

Option 2: Private Comuna 13 tour with hotel pick up – An in-depth Comuna 13 tour tailored to your interests. Flexible start time and hotel transfers included (great for families, solo travellers or groups). Prices start from $37.\

Option 3: Full-day city tour with cablecar and Comuna 13 walking tour – Longer walking tour (5+ hours) that shows you the best of Medellin downtown as well as Comuna 13. If you only have a day in Medellin, this is a great option. Prices start from $46.

Option 4: Social Transformation Tour – This walking tour with hotel pickup focuses on the neighbourhood’s history to give you an in-depth understanding of Comuna 13. I have personally travelled with Steven, the company operator and main guide, and was extremely impressed with his knowledge and attention to detail. Prices start from $61.

Option 5: Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour and Street Food Tour – The ultimate combination of street art and street food for a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of local culture. Includes empanadas and ice cream.

Before you go…

If you’re planning to visit Medellin and you want to learn a bit about Comuna 13 and Colombian culture before you go, why not try a virtual travel experience where you can meet and chat to a local.

This Airbnb Online Experience with a local takes you through the basics of Colombian history and culture – it’s the perfect way to prepare for your trip!

What is Comuna 13? A very brief history of Medellin’s most notorious neighbourhood

One of the most important things you can do before visiting Comuna 13 is take the time to read a bit of background information. You’ll learn lots on the tour, but it helps to have a general understanding of the area and its turbulent past.

Comuna 13 started out as an illegal settlement. In the 1960s and 70s, around 1,500 families displaced by conflict in different parts of Antioquia Department settled here. The neighbourhood was unplanned: They built their houses from basic materials, and there was no running water or electricity.

Comuna 13 rose to notoriety in the 1980s and 1990s at the height of Colombia’s drug and gang era. Because of its location on the edge of the city and the way its organised (winding streets and an awful lot of places to hide), the barrio became a transit point for drug traffickers, guerillas, gangs, and otherwise unsavoury characters. Soon enough, paramilitary groups ELN and FARC were fighting for control of the commune.

The idea to ‘clean up’ Comuna 13 started in 2002 when a newly elected President Alvaro Uribe took a heavy handed approach and launched 10 military operations. The two biggest, known as Mariscal and Orion, were designed to root out the paramilitary. As you can imagine, many residents – regular working families and innocent civilians – got caught up in the fray. At least 20 people lost their lives, almost 250 were arrested, and many more simply disappeared.

In 2006, Comuna 13’s image finally started to change. Medellin Mayor Sergio Fajardo Valderrama took a different tact and set about improving living conditions for underserved families by involving them in the process. He invested massively in infrastructure, including a new metro station (2008) and outdoor escalators escaleras electricas (2011), to reintegrate the commune with the rest of the city. This approach turned out to be much more effective.

The Comuna 13 of today is a very different place. With greater accessibility came less stigma, and the narrative surrounding Comuna 13 slowly started to shift. The streets became safer, and the neighbourhood was once again a playground for children and artists alike. Now responsible tourism is a major contributor to social change in the barrios.

When you visit Comuna 13, you can witness this incredible transformation up close. No one has forgotten the past, but everyone is looking towards a brighter future. It really is a remarkable story and a special place.

13 things to know before signing up for a Comuna 13 tour

1. it’s not a place for dark tourism or ‘narco tourism’.

Colombia’s own brand of dark tourism, ‘narco tourism’, is a thriving industry in Medellin. What many partakers don’t realise is just how offensive many locals find it. If you want to do paintball at one of Pablo Escobar’s former residences, then be my guest. I’m not here to judge.

But Comuna 13 is not the place to gawk at the horrors of the past.

Transformation, rebirth and hope are themes that come up again and again in Comuna 13. These are the things your guide will focus on, not the violence of the 80s and 90s.

Comuna 13 has undergone a massive physical transformation in recent years, as documented in memoirs like this one . But what’s even more important than the aesthetic changes is shifting the way people think about the area. And that has involved a transformation of the psyche.

There are countless books about Colombia (fiction and non-fiction) that can give you a deeper insight into this chapter of national history before you arrive in Medellin. But the best way to learn is to experience it on the ground.

Most people in Comuna 13 (and Medellin) choose to look forward, not back. Memories of past violence are still very raw for families in this area, with many thousands of people still unaccounted for.

Bottom line: Be respectful and sensitive, and please leave your Pablo Escobar t-shirt at home.

2. Comuna 13 isn’t one neighbourhood

There’s a common misconception that Comuna 13 is one discrete barrio . In truth, it’s a commune (one of 16 in Medellin) that incorporates around 12 separate neighbourhoods spanning more than 2 square miles.

The name ‘Comuna’ does not only refer to the low socio-economic hilltop barrios around the city, either. El Poblado and Laureles are comunas too. El Centro, for example, is a district within Comuna 10.

It’s important to understand that Comuna 13 is huge. Some areas are safe for tourists to visit, while other barrios should be avoided. Most walking tours focus on the Las Independencias and 20 de Julio area, where most of Comuna 13’s street art is located.

Because of the size and layout, it’s very easy to get disorientated in Comuna’s 13’s labyrinth of narrow laneways and private entries – that’s another reason why it’s a good idea to visit with a guide.

3. A Comuna 13 tour involves a lot of walking (and stairs)

Most tour companies instruct you to wear comfortable shoes when you book a tour. But I wasn’t prepared for just how much uphill slug is involved in visiting Comuna 13. Just getting to the street art area from the metro station takes a good 15 minutes of walking up a steady incline.

Comuna 13 is set on a steep hillside, so stairs are an unavoidable reality. Comfy, lightweight shoes are essential, as is plenty of drinking water, sunscreen, and a good hat or an umbrella . Just be glad you don’t have to carry your groceries or push a stroller!

The saving grace are the six interlacing outdoor escalators that replace 350 of the steepest stairs. Free to ride, they operate from the early morning until late at night and will always be running in the daylight hours when tours take place (including on Sundays and holidays).

Once you reach the top of the escalators, the terrain evens out a little. This is where you’ll find wide concrete pedestrianised areas (like the one in the first picture above) that feature seating and lighting.

4. It’s better to go with a local

There are dozens of companies in Medellin that offer tours of Comuna 13. As more and more people visit, the commercialisation of the community’s grief is becoming a serious issue. It’s something you should keep in mind when booking a Comuna 13 tour.

The most responsible and ethical option is to go with a local guide. Zippy Tour guides, for example, all grew up in Comuna 13 and know the streets (and the stories) well.

They incorporate personal anecdotes and authentic accounts without dramatising or romanticising things. And in our experience, they are truly grateful for the chance to show tourists around their barrios.

Our guide, Laura, taught herself English so that she could show visitors around the streets she grew up on.

The photo above was taken on the balcony of her family home – how many walking tours do you know of that make a stop at the guide’s house!? That’s just how generous and open the local guides can be.

5. It feels a lot safer than you might expect…

I can only speak to our experience, but we felt completely safe in Comuna 13 – both when we were with our guide and at the end of the day when we were walking back to the Metrocable alone.

Exercise common sense and caution as you would anywhere else. But don’t let fear or hearsay stop you from visiting Colombia or Comuna 13.

Remember that it’s easy to get lost, so stick close to your guide and don’t wander off track. At the end of the tour you may have the option to walk yourself back to the metro station, in which case your guide will provide directions.

If you prefer to stay with a guide at all times, choose a tour itinerary that includes transfers back to downtown, either by bus or Metrocable.

6. …But that doesn’t mean there’s no crime or violence

Comuna 13 has changed a lot, but poverty and violence are still big issues here. We were told that a few weeks before our visit, another tour group had to take cover from gunfire after fighting broke out between rival gangs.

It’s perfectly safe to visit Comuna 13 during daylight hours. But just like the rest of Medellin, it’s not recommended to walk around after dark.

7. The locals are extremely welcoming

I get the feeling that foreign tourists are still a bit of a novelty in Comuna 13. We were warmly greeted everywhere we went in Medellin, but the smiles and buenoses we received in this part of the city were more animated and generous than anywhere else.

After our Comuna 13 tour ended at the top of the escalators, we decided to walk ourselves back to the metro instead of riding the bus with our guide.

It was interesting to see how people’s reactions toward us changed once we were no longer travelling with a group. It felt like people were even kinder to us than before.

Like in any residential area, most people in Comuna 13 are just going about their daily business. Be respectful of people’s privacy (especially of accidentally trespassing) and use common courtesy when taking photos.

8. There are plenty of places to eat, drink and shop for souvenirs

We passed by dozens of restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and bars during our Comuna 13 tour. There is a large concentration of local eateries around the San Javier Metro Station, while plenty of ‘tourist-friendly’ venues (with English menus and clean bathrooms) have opened up around the street art zone. If you like ice cream, there are a few places that sell popsicles!

There are also several small galleries and market stalls dotted along the main pedestrian route where you can buy art prints and other souvenirs .

I expect that many more venues will open up as Comuna 13 continues to grow in popularity.

Note that most tours include a stop off at at least one cafe or restaurant.

Tip: Did you know that there is a district in Bogota that’s similar to Medellin’s Comuna 13? If you’re visiting Colombia’s capital, why not join a Social Transformation Tour of Barrio Egipto .

9. The street art in Comuna 13 is not just for decoration

You don’t need me to tell you that Comuna 13 is all about the street art. Not only does it look fantastic and form a perfect backdrop for tourist selfies (guilty as charged!), the murals are also symbolic.

There are dozens and dozens of large-scale works throughout the area, manly concentrated around the escalators. Any and every surface can be used as a canvas.

As our guide Laura explained to us, graffiti is actually illegal in Medellin. For a local artist to create a mural, they first need to obtain permission from the area’s chief artists as well as the owner of the building.

Murals in Comuna 13 definitely aren’t just for decoration: They also serve to memorialise the past and express hope for the future.

Your Comuna 13 tour guide will point out the best pieces. Special motifs to look out for include white cloths (a reference to May 2002, when a mother flew a white sheets from her rooftop as a request for ceasefire after two of her sons were injured by gunfire; anything in red, yellow and blue (the colours of the Colombian flag and a stand-in for national pride); and birds (another symbol for peace).

My favourite symbol in Comuna 13 is elephants, which represent the barrios’ pledge to never forget the events of the past.

Many families have painted their houses in bright colours to match the murals, making the whole area feel vibrant and uplifting.

10. There are other kinds of art to look out for, too

There are plenty of other art forms visitors should keep an eye out for, including performance art, music and breakdancing.

During our tour, we watched a short performance by Black and White, a local hip-hop crew.

Another group you might encounter is C15 Collective, a coalition of young graffiti artists, music producers, rappers, photographers and DJs from Comuna 13.

They oversee up to 90% of the street art in the area and run a physical exhibition and performance space, Casa Kolacho , where people can come together to collaborate and develop new art forms.

All these different artistic formats – some organised by community leaders, some organic and self-managed – are designed to provide an alternative pathway for youth in Comuna 13.

11. You should visit Casa de la Memoria first

For a better understanding of Comuna 13’s art scene and how creatives grapple with sensitive and raw topics, I highly recommend visiting Medellin’s Museo Casa de la Memoria (Memory House Museum) near Parque Bicentenario first.

My main takeaway from the museum was that art is used to interpret and make sense of past events, which often means it’s quite abstract.

Our visit to the museum gave us a bit of background knowledge and prepared us for our Comuna 13 tour. Even if you decide against visiting Comuna 13, Museo Casa de la Memoria is a must-visit in Medellin .

12. Comuna 13 offers some of the best views of Medellin

It’s not exactly difficult to get a good view in hilly Medellin, but I was surprised by the vistas from Comuna 13. This area is high , and in my opinion offers the best outlook over the city.

From Comuna 13, you get an appreciation for the scale of the city. The viewpoint also allow you to look down over the colourful rooftops and beyond to the green hills that form the city’s western border.

The views get better with each escalator you ride or set of stairs you climb, so persevere! There are lookout points with handrails dotted all along the way where you can stop for photos.

13. By visiting, you’re helping a community rebuild

Every family in Comuna 13 has been negatively impacted by violence in some way. By taking a Comuna 13 tour, you’re not only supporting local guides and local businesses in financial terms, you’re also helping people shed the stigma.

It’s just one of the ways responsible tourism is contributing to social transformation in Colombia .

Our guide, Laura, was very honest in telling us that families from Comuna 13 were openly discriminated against in the past. Hence why many people didn’t want to admit they lived here.

That reputation is changing with every tourist group that visits, and now young people like Laura are proud, not ashamed, to call Comuna 13 home.

If you do decided to visit Comuna 13 and like us you have a positive experience, review your guide, spread the word back home, and encourage others to go, too.

I can guarantee you that your Comuna 13 experience will stay with you long after you’ve left Medellin.

How do you get to Comuna 13 from El Poblado?

Comuna 13 is located on the western side of Medellin, about 6 miles (10 km) northwest of El Poblado. The closest metro station is Estación San Javier , the final stop on the east-west metro Line B.

To get to San Javier from Poblado Metro Station, first take Line A (red line) in the direction of Niquia to Antonio Station (4 stops in total). Here, you’ll need to change to Line B and ride it all the way to the final station, San Javier.

From the station, you need to walk approximately 20-30 minutes uphill to reach the escalators and the heart of the street art zone.

Alternatively, you can take bus 225i the rest of the way (recommended). To find the bus, turn right after the metro station exit and look for the green bus stop at the traffic lights. The fare is 1500 COP payable with the same metro card (the transfer is free if you’ve just alighted the metro).

A taxi costs approximately 10,000 COP or a little less if you use an app such as Uber.

Most Comuna 13 group tours meet at the San Javier Metro Station so you don’t have to worry about finding the bus or making your own way up the hill – just rendezvous with your guide and they will show you the way.

What time should I go to Comuna 13?

The best time to visit Comuna 13 is in the morning. There are two reasons for this: Firstly, the area tends to get much more crowded in the afternoon ; and secondly, if it’s overcast, it can get foggier as the day progresses.

Because of the altitude (Medellin is 1,495 metres above sea level) and the unusual micro-climate, there is often poor visibility in the city. High humidity and low clouds can make the skies look grey and obscure your views.

Most tours of Comuna 13 start at either 9am or 10am. If you’re booking a private tour and you have the option to choose your start time, I recommend picking one of the earlier timeslots.

Is it safe to go to Comuna 13?

Yes, it is safe to visit Comuna 13 provided you use common sense. Take care of your valuables (as you would anywhere in Colombia), and if you have a backpack, consider wearing it on your front.

The biggest thing to remember when visiting Comuna 13 is not to wander off-track . The streets are a bit of a maze and it’s easy to get disorientated and accidentally walk onto someone’s private property. Stick to the main walkways.

An added element of safety comes from being with a tour group and having a local guide with you. This is another reason I highly recommend signing up for a tour rather than visiting independently.

Is Comuna 13 accessible?

Comuna 13 is located on fairly difficult terrain, with lots of steep hills and streets pitched at precarious angles. As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of stairs. Even with the escalators and cable system, it’s still fairly difficult to get around.

Not all parts of Comuna 13 are wheelchair friendly or suitable for anyone with mobility issues.

Accessible travellers can still visit the area – if that’s you, I highly recommend contacting one of the recommended tour companies below (and ideally booking a private tour) so they can plan a more appropriate route for you.

Can you go to Comuna 13 on your own?

It’s definitely possible to visit Comuna 13 independently and walk yourself around the neighbourhood. But there are several reasons why I don’t necessarily recommend it.

First and foremost, you will miss out on all the information and anecdotes you get from a guide . Meeting a local who has lived and breathed Comuna 13 for their entire life really is a huge privilege and you’ll learn so much more through this process.

Some of my best memories of visiting Medellin are of the chats we had with our guide, Laura, on the terrace of her family home. Sure, it’s possible to stop and talk to everyday people in the neighbourhood – but remember that English is not at all widely spoken, so unless you have fluent Spanish, it’s not really viable.

Secondly, as I already mentioned, it’s very easy to lose your way in the winding backstreets . If you want to go beyond the main pedestrianised roads, you’ll certainly need a guide to show you the way. Furthermore, Google Maps isn’t particularly reliable in this part of the city. While the area is generally safe, you definitely don’t want to accidentally wander into an area where you shouldn’t be.

There was one point during our tour that I almost got lost. I was taking a photo of a washing line (the one pictured just above) and when I looked up from my camera, my husband and the rest of the group had vanished. I panicked and froze, not knowing what to do. (Turns out they had gone down a nearby staircase – as soon as they popped up again on the next terrace over, I was able to rejoin them.) It was only 10 seconds or so, but it was not a good feeling to be disorientated and alone. This moment made me very grateful that I was with a guide who knew the area like the back of her hand.

An organised tour will give you peace of mind to enjoy your day fully – and I can guarantee you that you’ll come away with a much better understanding of the area and its history.

Top Comuna 13 tour companies

Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour: This company uses local guides and covers a lot of terrain over 4-plus hours of walking. The focus is firmly on the street art, making this a great tour for anyone whose primary interest is seeing he murals. The price includes metro tickets and snacks. Online bookings are available through GetYourGuide. Check prices and availability here .

Epic Tours Medellin: Another local company focused on Medellin city, Epic Tours offers a private tour of Comuna 13 with hotel transfers included. What I like about their tours is that they include other street art areas in downtown Medellin first, helping to put San Javier into context. Online bookings are available through GetYourGuide. Check prices and availability here .

Zippy Walking Tour: Free walking tours of Comuna 13 led by guides who grew up in the area. Tours are available in both Spanish and English and depart twice daily (see here for the schedule and to book). Remember to tip your guide at the end of the tour! The suggested tip is 25,000-30,000 COP per person.

Visit Medellin Tours: These popular tour programs combine Comuna 13 street art and views with a taste of local street food. Sample the best empanadas and mango ice cream during your walk around the neighbourhood – it doesn’t get more local than that. Check prices and availability here .

Lets Colombia: Steven, the freelance guide who showed us around Medellin’s fruit markets , also leads tours of Comuna 13 with his own company, Lets Colombia. Visit his Facebook page for more info.

Where to stay in Medellin

As you can probably gather from my photos of Comuna 13, Medellin is a pretty big city! It’s very spread-out, so you need to be strategic about where you base yourself. And just a heads up, you probably don’t want to stay in Comuna 13.

We spent 3 weeks in Medellin and stayed in the lovely Laureles neighbourhood. It’s leafy, it’s very walkable, there are hundreds of amazing restaurants and cafes – and it’s away from the busy downtown area, giving it a local feel. The northern part of Laureles is especially good because it’s close to the metro line.

If you prefer to be in the thick of it, El Poblado is the beating heart of Medellin. It can be a bit touristy, but on the flip side, that means lots of options for eating and drinking.

Budget hostel: The Wandering Paisa in Laureles is one of Colombia’s most-loved hostels. Choose from mixed dorms or budget-friendly private doubles.

Mid-range hotel: 574 Hotel is boutique on a budget near Lleras Park in El Poblado, with bright, tidy rooms and breakfast included.

Boutique hotel: Hotel Quinta Ladera has minimal, well-appointed rooms that will make you feel right at home in El Poblado.

High-end hotel: For an iconic Medellin experience, I highly recommend staying at Hotel Nutibara in El Centro. The 1940s Art Deco building is an architectural masterpiece.

Self-contained apartment: Factory Lofts has chic rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and views over the beautiful Laureles neighbourhood. Choose a room with a full kitchenette if you want to cook at home.

Prefer Airbnb? Check out my round-up of Medellin’s best Airbnb rentals here .

Have you been on a Comuna 13 tour? What was your experience? If not, is it a place you think you’d be interested in visiting? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Comuna 13 tour tips: Pin it & share it!

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 , my Medellin city guide
• 2 days in Medellin , the ideal itinerary for first-timers
• Top 3 markets in Medellin , Colombian fruit, flowers and more
• 30 best places to visit in Colombia , the ultimate bucket list
• What to do in Colombia , memorable experiences
• What to buy in Colombia , the best authentic souvenirs
• Guide to Jerico , Antioquia’s loveliest pueblo
• El Despertar Hotel , Jerico’s best accommodation
• Guide to Jardin , Colombia’s most colourful town
• Colombian coffee tour , bean to cup in Concordia
• 20 best things to do in Bogota , how to spend 1-2 days in the capital
• Colombian cooking class , in the kitchen in Bogota

36 Comments

It was so amazing on article you described about comuna13 medellin, can you provide me guide Laura information as you mentioned,may i check does she local tour guide ?

Hi Egene, thanks for your comment. Laura was our guide through Zippy Tours. Have a great time!

This article is right on the money. Our visit in July 2019 was great. We toured with Gate1 but hired a local gentleman for our Comuna13 tour. Best part of our 3 city trip. Felt safe and he was very informative. We follow himon FB and keep in touch and recommend him to people planning a trip to Medellin as he was recommended to us by our local guide in Cartegena! He was greatful for opportunity as he makes more money on the side doing tours than ge does as a civil engineer! It felt great we helped a local supplement their income.

Sounds like a wonderful experience, I’m glad you enjoyed your visit!

What an interesting discovery for me! Thanks.

Thanks for an interesting article on comuna 13. A friend of my visited this part of the world not all long ago. I’m unlikely to ever see this A lot of the photos seem to be take on the go and the documentary style suffers where the composition is all over the place. Do you take most of the pics yourself ? I wondered what phone/camera you take most of your pictures with?

Hi Pete, I use an Olympus OMD em10 Mark II. It’s lightweight and great for travel.

Thanks a lot, Emily! Loves this guide, we will take the Zippy Tour then, it sounded best! thanks for all the details, perfectly prepared now! We wanted to go on our own but it surely make sense to take the tour. Can’t wait to listen to the background stories. Few guys from our hostel joined a tour (not sure which one) yesterday, they said it was 5h long instead of 3. They loved it! Matt

Great to hear that, Matt! Enjoy the tour!

I just visited Comuna 13 today and it was an amazing and vibrant community. You are right about the welcome you feel when arriving. The artwork is stunning, the colors are beautiful and the feeling was safe and joyful. I would definitely recommend going there to experience it for yourself. Yes, the young guides (many of them, rappers and graffiti artists who work with the young kids to mentor them) are knowledgeable and do help navigate the streets. This is a great experience!

So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Beverly! I couldn’t agree me.

Thanks for your comment. Enjoy the rest of your time in Colombia!

Fantastic article! Really looking forward to going on this tour next month. Do you recall how long the tour took? Trying to determine if we can go the morning before our flight out (4pm). Thank you!!

Hi Erin! Good question. From memory the tour was around 2 hours. It’s possible to leave early if you need – a few people wandered off at different points because they had to be somewhere else.

I hope you get time to do it. Enjoy Medellin!

Hello, we booked the tour for the 1st of June, I wonder how much would be a appropriate tip?

Great to hear! And good question. It’s up to you, and it depends on the price and duration of the tour you chose. We tipped a little higher for the free tour since our guide was so fantastic and that’s the way the free tours work 🙂 From memory, I think we tipped the equivalent of around $10 each.

I hope you have a fantastic tour!

Visited this past week and this is a great walking tour. Referred to the best tour guide ever, Juan. Used him for our complete needs. Safe, reliable local.

I agree 100% with Emily’s experiences and advice.

Thanks so much for the feedback, Sebastian! Glad to hear you enjoyed your experience.

Safe travels.

I didn’t realize that Medellin is built on a hillside and thus will have very steep streets to climb. This makes me wonder if there are touring services that offer scooter rentals for those who would prefer a more relaxing tour of the city. In my mind, this would be the best way to see the country while still having the flexibility to visit local markets and tourist attractions.

What a thoughtful review of a tour. It sounds like an authentic and enriching experience. I always appreciate the opportunity to see a place with a local. I’ll put this on my list for Medellin!

Great tips for a visit to Comuna 13! I love how you balance our desire to explore and take photos with the need to be respectful and contribute to the communities we visit.

This guide has really inspired me to think about visiting Comuna 13. To hear that you can get guided around by a local who not only knows the streets in and out but can tell you real stories is so fascinating Obviously, a big concern as a solo female traveller is safety so it is really interesting to hear how safe you felt, someone you wouldn’t necessarily expect to do so.

Yes—great point! I think this tour would be an ideal option for solo travellers. Thanks for your comment, Rebecca!

In love with your post! My partner wants to visit Medellin and Colombia the last couple of years now, so this guide is perfect for our planning!

I love how thoughtful this entire piece is, its such a refreshingly holistic take from a traveler. I especially appreciate your emphasis on ethical travel choices and the perspective of the local community who lives in the village and would prefer to focus on hope for the future, rather than grief over the past. Really great writing.

Thanks for the kind words, Megan! It was a special experience.

Interesting. This definitely seems like a very educational experience and one that could showcase the ingenuity and artistry of local people. You mention that people seemed to see tourists as novelties, but do you think the tour was intrusive at all?

Great question. I didn’t feel like it was intrusive. The tour focused on public areas (parks, pedestrian zones), and being with a local guide was a great help—knowing where to go and where to avoid. I think if you ventured out to explore independently—as with any neighbourhood—it would be easy to venture into private spaces.

Psychologically and emotionally, I think our guide did a great job of balancing storytelling without naming names or intruding on anyone’s privacy. It’s always a tricky balance when a residential area opens up to tourism, but I genuinely felt like the community is very welcoming of visitors.

I oved the fact that you stressed on mindful travelling and respectfully exploring the place. Yes, people can be very sensitive about the past and we as tourists shouldn’t hurt those sentiments. Glad to see a dangerous community becoming safe again. Kudos to the efforts and planning. Thank you for sharing this journey. I really enjoyed reading it.

Thanks for your thoughts! I totally agree.

What a fascinating place! I love the idea of taking a tour with a local – they really know the place and you know that you’re having a positive impact on the locals. I had no idea that Medellin was so hilly. Those views. Between the art, history and views, I’ll definitely be looking up this tour when I finally make it to Colombia. Thanks for sharing!

So many hills = great views everywhere you go! Thanks, April!

What a fascinating area, I love the colourful street art – I would happily spend hours walking the streets watching and learning. Would love to visit Colombia.

Wow, the street art there looks incredible.

I love that you bring up what Comuna is NOT–a place for narco-tourism. It’s a real community on the upswing after experiencing a lot of strife.

Absolutely!

Fantastic tips for the future if i ever visit! Amazing how a place can change that much. It would worry me a bit after hearing what it was like but going with a local or tour group would put me at ease 🙂

Really helpful info, thanks for sharing!

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Colombia's "Eternal Spring", Medellín, is a colourful city, with works by Fernando Botero everywhere. However, the true colour of Medellín can be discovered in Comuna 13, the former "Cradle of Pablo Escobar", a neighbourhood that has now become a tourist attraction in the city and where you can delight in its countless examples of Urban Art, such as its Graffity murals.  Comuna 13 was the epicentre of drug violence during the worst years of the social conflict. A shantytown built on the slopes of the mountain, with small houses similar to the Brazilian favelas, steps, narrow streets and lookouts to control when the forces of law and order entered the commune.  After these hard years, thanks to the impulse of the Government with different programmes of social inclusion, and, above all, thanks to the community formed by its 12,000 neighbours, Comuna 13 has undergone an unprecedented transformation, being today a quiet and safe neighbourhood, touristy, that receives thousands of visitors every year, to discover its extensive sample of Urban Art, buy souvenirs in its shops or enjoy the good atmosphere that is breathed in its cafes and restaurants.  To get to Comuna 13 from the centre of Medellín you can use the metrocable, a funicular that connects the centre with the upper neighbourhoods. It is also possible to get there using the metro, for which you have to travel on line B, the orange one, and get off at the last stop, San Javier.  One of the distinctive architectural features of Comuna 13 are its free escalators, which replace the old 350 steps and have contributed significantly to the opening up of the commune and its transformation. You can use these escalators from the metro to get to Comuna 13.  Once in the neighbourhood you can walk through its streets, an explosion of colours thanks to the Urban Art created by the young resident artists, who have been graffitiing the walls of the poor houses in the neighbourhood and creating large murals and works of art.  Among the urban artists with works in Comuna 13 are @chota_13 and @yesgraff. Walking through the narrow streets of Comuna 13 discovering large murals and colourful spaces at every step, enjoying its atmosphere and safety, is one of the tourist experiences you can't miss if you travel to Medellín.

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