Medellín
In 1988, Time Magazine called Medellín the most dangerous city in the world. It was the home of Pablo Escobar and his drug cartel. Murder rates got extremly high in the early 90’s. Since the death of Escobar, the city started to turn things around and is now one of the safest and modern cities in Colombia. From murder city to hispter city!
Medellín has an amazing above ground metro system which makes it very easy to get around in the city. Now the city, with a population of 2.4 million, is definitely worth a visit for 3 to 5 days! Go visit parks, cable cars, graffiti tours or the Pablo Escobar Tour!
It is after Bogota the second city of Colombia. Getting there by bus from Bogota takes 10 hours and costs 100 00 COP, 20 euro. By plane it is only one hour!
What to do
Comuna 13 was once the most dangerous part of the city. Drugs, crime, poverty and fights between the army and local drug cartels was what this area of the city was about.
Nowadays this is one of the most popular and colourful places of the city.
First, the government installed escalators which makes the steep neighborhood more accessible. After, colorful artwork was added on almost every wall and house by local graffiti artists. This all in combination with street dancers, live music at bars and beautiful viewpoints make it a real attraction!
It is totally safe to go there by yourself! If you want more information about the interesting history of this part of the city, go with a guide!
When you walk around in El Poblado, you would almost think you’re not in Colombia anymore. This area is known for its restaurants, clubs, bars, malls, wide avenues and beautiful parks. It is probably the safest neighborhood in Medellín, so most foreigners stay in this part of the city.
Best restaurants and bars are located around Carrera 34 and Calle 7. The streets are almost a jungle with fun bars and restaurants in between!
Close by is Parque Lleras, one of the best places to party and have drinks. It is for tourists and locals, an amazing place to hang out at night.
My favourite bar in El Poblado is Alambique. You have to find the small doorway and the stairs, but once you are up it is a great spot to have drinks and have some food!
Botero Plaza is located close to the busy shopping streets. The square counts 23 bronze statues, all made and donated by Fernando Botero, a Colombian figurative artist and sculptor who was born in Medellín.
Buy a local juice and do some people watching, it is the perfect place to do!
Museo de Antioquia and the Palace of Culture are both located at the plaza. The Palace of Culture is probably the most photographed building in the city.
Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture (Palacio del la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe) is a very distinctive building located in El Centro in Medellín. It is likely the most photographed building in the city. It was designed by a Belgian architect named Agustin Goovaerts in the Gothic Revival style. Using black and white bicks the building really stands out!
Las Luces Square, or Park of the Lights, is a popular attraction in El Centro, decorated with 300 concrete cylinders of ‘light’. At night, the poles are illuminated with different reflectors in each pole.
The square, right at the old train station, used to be the main farmers square in the city. All fruits, vegetables and goods that came by train to the city, were unloaded here and distributed for smaller markets and stores in the city. When people came to Medellín by train, it was the first thing they would see. Unfortunately, like most neighbourhoods around train stations, it became a dirty place with cheap hotels. That’s why they used to call it El Hueco, The Hole.
The first cable car line in Medellín opened in 2004. Many people in the city live in the hills around, a place with small streets and a lot of traffic. The main city is at the flat part between the hills, not easy to reach from up there. By building cable cars, more neighbourhoods and areas of the city are in connection with each other because the cable cars are also connected to the metro system. This way people who live all the way on the hills can go to the city more easily.
Arví Park is 16 000 hectares and has a lot to offer. Forrest, plants, flowers, birds and unique ecosystems. The entrance is free!
To get here, you have to take the metro to Acevedo station. Once at Acevedo, you have to take a taxi to Popular station. The cable car connection between Acevedo and Popular is still under construction.
The route to get to Popular is amazing! Small streets, tiny houses and only locals walking around! Once at Popular, you can take the cable car that goes all the way up to Arví Park. The view is incredible!
Pablo Escobar tour
Ask in your hostel or hotel, everywhere you go you’ll find tours. I did one but thought it was a waste of money and time. They all say they knew Pablo somehow.
Guatapé
Guatapé is perfectly doable as a day trip from Medellín. Read here more about Guatapé.
Where to stay
I would recommend staying in El Poblado. It is the safest place for tourists! Also, there are tons of amazing hostels which makes it very difficult to choose one!