Overview
** MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA TOURS **
Read travel tips for Medellin, Colombia from our amazing community of BLACK AND BROWN TRAVELERS that will help you find some of the best places to visit Medellin, Colombia. Our variety of travel tips will definitely help you plan your next trip. Our tips range from best places to visit in Medellin, Colombia, affordability, nightlife, local food, where to stay and even what it is like Traveling While Black. Lastly, we are working diligently to create a comprehensive city guide for Medellin Tours. Stay tuned! But in the meantime, scroll down to read tips below!
1) Read City Reviews Left By Our Members – Although we do not have comprehensive guides created for this city quite yet, members of our community can still share their experiences in the form of city reviews. Scroll below to see what they are saying about this city.
2)Leave Your Own City Review – Scroll down to the “Add a Review” section on mobile and “Write a Review” section on the desktop in order to share a meaningful comment/rating linked to one of our travel categories. It would be a great help to our growing travel community. Also, if you know someone who has been to this city, ask them to leave a city review.
3)Personal Travel Map – We offer a free feature to create a digital travel map in your profile. Once you finish, if you would like to share with the community, please send an email to featureme@greenbookglobal.com and we will prioritize your travel map and photo to be featured on our Instagram page.
4)Existing City Guides – Check out the below city guides to inspire your next trip. Some guides require membership so Register today (don’t worry it is free99).
a) Havana, Cuba (Members Only)
b) Venice, Italy
c) Bali, Indonesia (Members Only)
d) Johannesburg, South Africa
e) Sydney, Australia
f) Cartagena,Colombia (Members Only)
g) Dutchess County New York (Beacon/Poughkeepsie)
PS – Drop Us a Line – If you really want the creation of a city guide or maybe we are missing a city that you would like to review, send an email to newcity@greenbookglobal.com and let us know. Also, if there aren’t any reviews for this city yet, go ahead and be the first!!
I could not rave more about Medellin, Colombia! I went here on a girls adventure trip and was able to experience all of the culture, food, and activities that Medellin has to offer. 90% of the food was more than phenomenal, we only had 1 poor experience. The people were friendly, welcoming, and full of energy – which is my favorite part.
Restaurants We Went To:
✨Belisario – 3 floors with different themes & a speakeasy behind the bookshelf
✨Restaurante Entre Maderos – best views of the city (recommend going at night)
✨Dos Santos Cantina – live mariachi band & super creative cocktails (great for photos) – we had terrible service here & the food wasn’t good
✨Relato – dark aesthetic with delicious food and drinks
✨Cafe Revolucion – breakfast spot with delicious sandwiches (dog friendly)
✨Bread Factory – nice bakery with an outdoor patio (dog friendly)
Activities That We Did:
✨ Paragliding
✨ Guatape Tour
✨ ATV Riding
✨ Jet Skiing
✨ White Water Rafting
If you’re looking for amazing food at incredible prices, you must visit Medellin, Colombia. My husband and I spend our second wedding anniversary in the beautiful and clean city. Our biggest takeaway how can this great food be so cheap. Every single mean left us wanting to come back. Whether it was restaurants or even mall food, every single meal was mouthwatering. Now imagine the best food you’ve ever had, while paying $15 for 2 people who both had appetizers, a meal, alcoholic beverages and desserts. Our favorite restaurant was Delirio in Laureles. A helpful tip is to go with someone who speaks Spanish. My husband is a polyglot (he speaks 9 languages), so you always get the correct deal. The one night we paid American prices was at a bar that you could tell targeted tourists. Overall it was an amazing experience. All my foodies out there, you will love Medellin!
Medellin is definitely a top 10 destination!
May 2023 we went for 3 days as a group trip and it we had so much fun! Traveling from London was a mission, but it was
relatively smooth sailing through the airport.
We stayed in a boutique hotel and our first day included a trip to communa 13. You have to do this if visiting Medellin, we think it gives so much more of a real experience of Medellin that’s sent too touristy. We saw some amazing art work, are some tasty street food (Empanadas ??) and met some great people. We took an Uber (3/$2.50) and arranged our tour through Viator, you’d an also do it through Airbnb and arrange transfer. Took a while to get Uber back as it was rush hour and started to rain so we just ate at our hotel.
Next day was paragliding, arranged through Viator again and this included transfers and guys they were prompt and on time! Our guides took us up to the starting point about 1.5-2hr drive from Poblado, Medellin. They showed us the safety information and we were off. It was very fun and the instructors were very friendly and made us feel safe at all times. We had some amazing views and then went out to eat at Mamacita Medallo, so tasty!
We took a day to explore Medellin and went to see some of the spots and night life in the town. Definitely bring cash with you but a lot of places take card too, most places in Poblado are within walking distance and has something for everyone’s price range. We’d recommend eating at Yaki Chan or Gato Resto bar (lovely cocktails here too)
We didn’t stag very long in Medellin but will definitely be back. Viator/Airbnb were very helpful with finding things to do and Poblado was a great location. Poblado was touristy but made everything very close by. Ubers are everywhere and relatively cheap. Definitely do a cooking class man’s try as much food as you can! Check our our Instagram for more info!
So I surprised my son to a Father/Son trip to Colombia for his birthday. I also invited his friend and father. He was so excited. We had the best time in Medellin & Guatape.
First we did the Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour ($25 per person). I really enjoyed seeing the beautiful art of graffiti and the meaning behind it. Then we took a visit to Plaza Botero that had some amazing sculptures. We ate at this amazing Vegan Restaurant in Medellin called KAIME. By far the best vegan restaurant in Medellin.
The next day we did the Guatape Tour ($35 per person) that included breakfast & lunch, a visit to Guatape Main Circle, a boat tour of the Guatapé dam with crossover music, a visit to the Peñol stone, and Ruins of the Hacienda La Manuela by Pablo Escobar (Panoramic from the boat). I mean we had a time. The Peñol Stone had 700 steps to climb to the top and we did it. Talk about a workout.
Our trip to Colombia was everything. I highly recommend visiting because the food, Uber and excursions are very cheap.
Zippy Tours in Communa 13 was the highlight of my trip! Not only is it a free tour (tip is encouraged!) but the staff all live in Communa 13 and are telling their own stories. It is a very special history lesson while also being a beautiful and insightful tour. I highly recommend it!
There are lots of tours to get through Get Your Guide with local tour guides and I highly recommend booking Guatape through them.
Overall, Medellin… pronounced MedeJin not MedeYin was everything I expected and more. Most memorable, many people, especially the tour guides, often stressed how they want people to see Colombia for what it is, a beautiful country filled with vibrant, kind people , and not a country that is substance ridden and forever tied to Pablo (as many Americans unfortunately see it as). I cannot wait to go back!
Medellin is one of my favorite cities. When I planned my trip to Colombia, I had a hard time allocating time between the four different cities I wanted to visit (especially in light of the glowing recommendations of Cartagena I had received). Nevertheless, I decided to allocate a larger portion of time to Medellin and I don’t regret it one bit.
Medellin is a very vibrant and very affordable city. Food and drinks are inexpensive and it is also close enough to some pretty cool adventurous activities. I went paragliding over the city of Medellin and that remains one of my favorite activities to date. But, by far my favorite thing about Medellin was the nightlife. Medellin has a bustling nightlife. If you’re into reggaeton and latin trap especially, this is the city for you. The clubs/bars/lounges are all fairly hassle free to get in and because your a US $ goes a long way in Colombia, it’s a lot easier just to get bottle service, get your own private area and kick it till 4:00 AM. It’s a dancing city, so if you’re not tryna dance, then you’re best staying in the Airbnb/hotel. The locals are friendly and the community is very social — which makes it a very welcoming city to go out in as a visitor. My favorite underground spot was Perro Negro (Black Dog). I’m not sure if it’s still the spot ( I was last in Medellin in 2019), but ask the locals what’s good and they’ll let you know.
For those with dietary restrictions, Medellin is also somewhat vegan friendly.
I can say with certainty that Medellin is my personal favorite city that I have visited. It surpassed Barcelona for that top title. When taking all factors into consideration, food, culture, nightlife, weather, cost of living, Medellin grades out very highly. Medellin is akin to Los Angeles in the sense that it is the entertainment capital of Colombia. Actors, actresses, singers, actors, flock to Medellin in hopes of becoming famous. The people are extremely friendly and welcoming and it feels like a second home to me. The country is poor, there is bad traffic and pollution, but it is an amazing city to spend time in with views from high rises that are nothing less than draw dropping.
In the touristy neighborhood of Poblado, there are plenty of bars and nightclubs and restaurants and people all over this area. It is an amazing sight to see. Right on the fringes of Poblado however, you have the hills, and this is where the high rises are. If you want to be closer to the action, stay in the heart of Poblado. If you prefer the views, like I do, go about 12 minutes out and you will have magnificent views both day and night of the sprawling city and lights.
There are plenty of sights to see in Poblado. I would recommend plaza botero. This area is filled with statues by colombian artist Botero. There are many street shops in this area as well where one can purchase nearly anything. Perhaps the main attraction in the city is Communal 13. This takes you into the poor part of town, pretty far out, into the hills. Former guerilla armies, drug cartels, and gang members used to sling bullets at each other across this area and was one of the most dangerous places in the world. Now, tourists flock here to tour the area as it is full of graffiti, shops, and some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. It is truly a sight to see. About a 2 hour drive outside of the city is Penon de Guatape. This is a rock formation that the government has placed stairs on for tourists to scale the rock. Amazing views from the top of the over 700 stair climb. A few other I would suggest are museo de antioquia, parque lleras, metropolitan cathedral, and even ride a metro cable.
For the nightlife, there is no better place in the city than Parque Lleras. Located in the heart of poblado, it is literally a part that is surrounded by bars, clubs, food, and many people. At night, this area will always be busy and buzzing with tourists and locals. IF you want to escape the madness of the park, you can venture to Barrio Colombia where there are a few upscale clubs to visit.
I gifted myself for my birthday a 4 day trip to Medellin, Colombia and it was the best present ever!. So much to do, but after my prior research I decided to do the following tours: A visit to Comuna 13, a day trip to Guatape to hike the 705 steps rock, a walking city tour through Medellin main Parks and Museums. My favorite of all was Comuna 13, I originally booked online, was supposed to meet a guide from one of the big companies. Getting to the meeting point is a lot of fun since you have to use the public subway just like any other Colombian. Once you get to the station, all the local guides are there and that’s when my original plan took a different turn. The person I was suppose to meet wasn’t there yet, there was this guy, he looked he belong there, he was singing, I saw him talking to everyone around and he came over to ask if I needed a guide. I told previously arranged the tour with somebody else, he asked me; did you pay? I said not yet; so he explained how this big international companies contract guides that are not originally from Comuna 13 and that’s taking opportunities away from them. I was hesitating but this guy made me change my mind and you know what? It was the best decision ever. Julian (his name) took me to every single corner, the tour originally was supposed to be up to 3 hrs; we ended up spending all day. Comuna 13 was a bad neighborhood in the past, marked with violence, drugs, poverty. The Colombian government intervene the Neighborhood with several military operations where Orion’s one was one of the most important. Paramilitaries and Farc’s members were the object. After this painful and bloody event the Comuna 13 people started the biggest change of their lives, a place that no one ever wanted to visit became one of the most colorful, entertain, beautiful and most visited places of Medellin till today. Local artist started painting graffiti’s around the entire neighborhood and their graffiti tour is a MUST DO. There are local art galleries, a coffee museum, dancers, free style rappers, is one of the only neighborhoods in the world with electric stairs, to make the visit easier since it’s located uphill. I could not get enough of this place, it was raw, authentic, and I loved the fact they went from zero to heroe. Very few local guides speak English, reason why maybe a lot of people book with the big companies I talk about before. But Julian, my guide, the best guide ever told me they are going to school to learn English. I hope they do because that will increase their job opportunities.
I gifted myself for my birthday a 4 day trip to Medellin, Colombia and it was the best present ever!. So much to do, but after my prior research I decided to do the following tours: A visit to Comuna 13, a day trip to Guatape to hike the 705 steps rock, a walking city tour through Medellin main Parks and Museums. My favorite of all was Comuna 13, I originally booked online, was supposed to meet a guide from one of the big companies. Getting to the meeting point is a lot of fun since you have to use the public subway just like any other Colombian. Once you get to the station, all the local guides are there and that’s when my original plan took a different turn. The person I was suppose to meet wasn’t there yet, there was this guy, he looked he belong there, he was singing, I saw him talking to everyone around and he came over to ask if I needed a guide. I told previously arranged the tour with somebody else, he asked me; did you pay? I said not yet; so he explained how this big international companies contract guides that are not originally from Comuna 13 and that’s taking opportunities away from them. I was hesitating but this guy made me change my mind and you know what? It was the best decision ever. Julian (his name) took me to every single corner, the tour originally was supposed to be up to 3 hrs; we ended up spending all day. Comuna 13 was a bad neighborhood in the past, marked with violence, drugs, poverty. The Colombian government intervene the Neighborhood with several military operations where Orion’s one was one of the most important. Paramilitaries and Farc’s members were the object. After this painful and bloody event the Comuna 13 people started the biggest change of their lives, a place that no one ever wanted to visit became one of the most colorful, entertain, beautiful and most visited places of Medellin till today. Local artist started painting graffiti’s around the entire neighborhood and their graffiti tour is a MUST DO. There are local art galleries, a coffee museum, dancers, free style rappers, is one of the only neighborhoods in the world with electric stairs, to make the visit easier since it’s located uphill. I could not get enough of this place, it was raw, authentic, and I loved the fact they went from zero to heroe. Very few local guides speak English, reason why maybe a lot of people book with the big companies I talk about before. But Julian, my guide, the best guide ever told me they are going to school to learn English. I hope they do because that will increase their job opportunities. Supporting local people is important to me, if you feel the same way contact Julián, you can follow him on IG as @graffititour_jv
Medellin is a lovely city nested in the hills of Colombia. Possibly one of my top 3 favorite cities in the world. We stayed in El Poblado which is an upscale neighborhood close to the city center. For night life, we hung out at Parque Lleras, which is a central area for drinks and walking around. Lots of vendors for shopping too. Some good spots that we went to were “The Greek Connection”, a hookah spot where you can break plates for $5. And the Envy Rooftop at the Charlee Hotel, very trendy, cute and great for good brunch. If you want more of a local scene, “Son Havana” is a dope local spot for salsa, they are legit pros and very willing to help you out with a lil two step on the dance floor. All of the food is amazing. Gato Resto Bar was a good lunch spot and Carmen Restaurant was amazing—make reservations days in advance for this spot. It’s worth it! Also highly recommend taking the tour to Comuna 13. I did a tour with a cable car ride up to the area and learned so much about Colombia’s resilient history and got to see the beautiful graffiti art.
I lived in Medellin for most of the year. El Poblado is the heart of the city. Calle 10 leads you into Lleras Park where you will find the best restaurants, clubs, and cafes.
The Charlee Hotel located in the Parque Lleras has a super cool Rooftop Pool and Bar. Sunday brunch it goes down. One of my favorite restaurants is Bao Bei Cocina Asiática Contemporánea. It is a boutique restaurant with about 8 tables and they don’t accept reservations so get there early. They are located on Calle 36 in Parque Lleras. Now, Victoria Regia is truly a hidden gem. A rainforest cafe on the first floor and luxury bar/concert hall on the second. This place is mind-blowing head to Cl. 10 #43a – 30.
Me and my friends stayed right near el Poblado which is where a lot of “foreigners” go. Literally right outside of our airbnb we make a right down 2 blocks and we were right in the middle of the madness. Theres numerous bars and attractions. Some places had no cover charge, some places did have a cover but it was nothing but good times and good vibes. Everybody’s was always dancing and going up and having a good time. Its best to just jump from one bar to the next because each experience is different from place to place. There is a place in the area called the Envy Rooftop that has good food, good drinks, on the top floor there’s a dj and there’s a pool as well! It also has great views of the city with the city lights light up around you on the late night. Granted Medellin can be a little dangerous. At 4am when the nightlife is over the police come and make sure everyone leaves the area and goes home. It is recommended that you go right back to where you’re staying because some locals did tell me that people who look like they do not belong do get robbed if they’re out wandering outside those quarters extremely late.
COLOMBIA!!! I spend a day in Cartagena, 2 days in Bogota, and almost a week in Medellin. And lets just say I LOVE Colombia. While there I only experienced the best quality food for little money. I couldn’t believe how inexpensive the food was. Every restaurant I visited took longer than what I’m used to waiting for food (at a North American spot). But the food was worth the wait. When it comes to transportation, I recommend Uber; especially leaving the airport. They will try to finesse you if you don’t know any better. The local taxis were charging more than $50 to transport us to the city and still wanted a tip. The Uber was less than half of that! Lodging was also very affordable. We simply booked through Airbnb. There were a ton of options located in the city center for as little as $20 a night. Beyond Colombia being so affordable, the culture was rich! The people were really nice. And there was so much to do.
from medellin i took a day to go to Hacienda Napoles. the adventure it is top the environment, pools, animals and the history about the life of Pedro escobar. Great experiencia!
Hi Brothers and Sisters,
So I visited Colombia for 3 long weeks and it was great. I have been to Cartagena de Indias, Bogota, Carmen de Apicala, San Jeronimo and Medellin. It was a unique journey and full of surprises. My favorite was undoubtedly for Medellin.
What motivates our desire to go is the side we all know with Pablo Escobar and the Kartel Medellin ??. My husband was excited just for that – and I did not know what to expect. I left with a little reserve.
In the end, once arrived … ?? the city is absolutely beautiful. It is modern, clean, with trees in the city, luxurious, architecture and brick red colors that are second to none. We were amazed! Every move we made, our eyes were amazed. We felt very safe and comfortable (as black people). It’s really a city to discover.
Now, for more relevance, here are the highlights and the weak points we noted:
STRONG POINTS:
– displacements in Uber. They are extremely simple and not expensive. We have never waited more than 10 minutes to get one. It’s everywhere. A trip from a distance of 20 minutes did not cost more than $ 4. The drivers are efficient and we never felt insecure. If you organize your visits so that they follow each other on the circuit, you will be even more successful. To give you an idea we came out at $ 18 for 2 days full of non stop trips in Uber. Really very economical. Better than a car rental. And being driven allowed us better to enjoy the view and the surroundings. By cons, the Uber are prohibited by the authorities, so it is always necessary that there is one of the passengers who goes up front with the driver to avoid any suspicion ?
– The food. We find everywhere! For all budgets. Very good, less than $ 5 per dish if you buy in food truck or restaurants run by locals. And in good restaurants, you get out easily for 10 to 13 $ with dishes + cocktails. If I have a restaurant to recommend you would definitely be Mondongo’s. A delight !
– The city. There are historic places everywhere, museums, parks, architecture is beautiful. We were in the middle of the city, but we felt good. Without pollution, no overcrowded sidewalks, no sense of insecurity, a clean, modern city by its buildings and structures. With enough to take transport everywhere. They have everything! You can visit many other villages from Medellin for less than $ 20 for 2h bus routes (Guatapé for the best known)
– People. We were blessed to have had wonderful encounters with young people who gave us incredible hospitality. We were able to ride a motorbike with them in popular areas of Medellin. They drove us to the kartel that Pablo Escobar and we had a great and authentic tour, to Picacho which is the only place where you can see a view especially Medellin. It’s just bluffing. In short, great people who have become our friends.
– Weather. Unlike Bogotá, where it is gray all the time (as in Paris except summer) in Medellin the weather was mild and pleasant with sun and freshness.
– You can find Airbnb accommodations for $ 50 quite right. We had found one in El Pobaldo (great localistaion to visit) for $ 50 per night in a building with caretaker.
WEAK POINTS:
The only weak point we noted was the huge amount of Colombians who approached us to beg. Each time it broke our hearts.
Medellin
Don’t listen to what people say about Medellin, it WAS dangerous back in the 90s now its super safe. I would highly recommend everyone to visit this gorgeous Colombia city rich in history and culture. Whilst Medellin, if famous for Pablo Escobar I recommend you steer clear of mentioning him, a lot of people don’t like to talk about it. A lot of them have been impacted directly by him or know close family and friends who have been, so push his name aside and enjoy Medellin for all the other outstanding things it has to offer;
1. Take a free walking tour – Real City Walking Tours offer a free walking tour which is a nice informative introduction to the city
2. Comuna 13 – historically one of the most dangerous areas in Medellin, it is now filled with incredible street art and a daily free walking tour to explore it all.
3. Parque Arvi – take the cable car with sweeping views across Medellin’s Hillside to escape the city and explore this large nature reserve.
4. Visit Guatapé – take a day trip (2 hours from the city) to this spectacular town situated on a lake, marvel at the colourful houses and climb the big rock (some 600 steps to the top) but definitely worth the views.
5. Drink Coffee – I had the best coffee of my life in Medellin at Pergamino in El Poblando, I mean it’s Colombian coffee after all, the best!
Traveling while black – again I had no issues in Medellin at all, I felt very safe as a black female and a lot of people assumed I was a coastal columbian who lived there. Despite it’s history, Medellin was very safe in general!
Colombia ?? is hands down the best trip I’ve taken! We did the Pablo Escobar and the City Tour, and had an amazing experience. Medellin is full of rich history and culture, and is extremely cheap! We purchased an AirBnB with staffed that derived us the entire trip while preparing daily meals, sewing clothes, and much more.
I may have taken $250 American Dollars at most and gave half of it to our house maid because she took such great care of us. I virtually spent no money in Colombia, and bought everything for 5 days.
Must TRAVEL!
in March I took a trip with a group of my boys (about 13 to be exact). We stayed at Parque Lleras 3 floor 9 bedroom Boutique Penthouse overlooking the city of Medellin, Colombia. The Penthouse ran us about $1k/night for 4 nights which is nothing split 13 ways and to be centrally located in the heart of everything. We hired local chefs that made breakfast every morning and rotated lunch and dinner on certain days depending on what activities we had planned. We had the pleasure of going on the Pablo Escobar tour where we got to see the prison that he built, a few of his homes, and a tomato farm that is owned by a family member. The night life is endless and found ourselves not having enough time to do everything. We always make it a point to ride ATVs, which is our Trip Signature and it was awesome. We rode through farms, rivers, up mountains, and on main roads. We didn’t have any issues with the locals and they were very pleasant and helpful providing suggestions of places to eat and party. I would definitely recommend Medellin, Colombia.
Medellín is a very big and busy city in Colombia. My first day, I wandered the city via foot around my Airbnb where I was able to hangout at plazuela san ignacio, which is a popular square for locals to hang out (you will probably be the only tourist). If you are the type of traveler who likes to get a sense of the life of the local people this is the place to check out during the day and night. At night there is sometimes a band that plays music outside where locals dance and let loose. There is also nearby street food which is very cheap and tasty! I recommend trying Chuzos o Pinchos, which is basically grilled meat skewers (1-2k Colombian pesos; less than $1USD). If you’re also into wondering around cities like me, the San Antonio metro station and the surrounding area is a great location. Very busy area with people entering and leaving the metro constantly. There is a street market lining the sidewalks in this area with people selling food/local fruit/clothes/etc.!
Definitely ditch uber and try to take their public metro system. It is very cheap and not too hard to figure out. If remember correctly it was about 2k one way or 5k Colombia pesos for a round trip ticket which is less than $2USD. I used to metro from the San Antonio station to the San Javier station which is where the popular cable cars are located. I definitely encourage you to take a ride on the cable cars, as the views are amazing!
I then went on a free tour of Comuna 13 (they run everyday for free!), which is a neighborhood in Medellín that has the history of being named one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Very interesting tour if you’re into history! The tour takes you into the neighborhood which also has A LOT of beautiful street art that tells stories about the neighborhood. You also get a chance to ride up the comuna 13 escalators to heaven where you get priceless views of not only comuna 13, but Medellín also. This tour includes a lot of walking on incline so be prepared with comfortable shoes and water!
While I was in Medellín, I took a day trip to Guatapé which is about 2 hours away. This is where the big famous rock is located! You pay a small admission free (if not included in the tour) to climb the 740 steps to the top of the rock. The climb took about 20-30 minutes for me to climb and that includes quite a few breaks I took in between since I’m definitely out of shape lol. Once you get to the top, you’ll see why the 30 minute workout was worth it. The views of the lake from the top are beautiful and so instagram worthy! Be sure to bring a good bug spray because there are TONS of mosquitos at Guatapè! I mistakenly forgot mines and ended up with multiple bites all over. Next, the tour takes you to Plazoleta de Los Zócalos, which is a beautifully colored little Colombian town. Every building is painted in very bright and colorful paint and adorned with deatailed artwork (zócalo) that all different meanings about the family, business, or history. Really not much to do in the town besides take a ton of pictures for the gram. The place is very instagrammable.
I didn’t get the chance to explore the nightlife in Medellín, but I know they have a lot of night bars and night clubs. El Poblado is a popular area that has a lot of bars and nightlife. There’s a lot of hostels located in this area so it’s very traveler friendly!
Overall, I loved Medellín and wish I spent more time there instead of Cartagena (very touristy) honestly. If you’re looking to have an authentic Colombian experience, plan to spend more time in Medellín! Not manny people speak English, so if you’re not Spanish speaking, gooogle translator will be your best friend!
upon arriving to Medellin we took a taxi which was about $40 to get to the main area of Medellin which is called El Poblado. We stayed at a hotel named sky Medellin which was a great price at $35 a night included breakfast and was close to all the downtown areas. Medellin was extremely cheap when it came to Colombian food and the food was amazing. The locals there are extremely friendly and will walk up to you and speak first to see how your day is going. Once there we took a Pablo Escobar tour which took us to his grave site and and also showed us to the areas where he ruled. After that they will take you to Comuna 13 which is now a place with beautiful graffiti all over. Overall I would recommend this tour because it gave such a great insight on what Colombia is now. Here is the link if you are interested https://www.orbitz.com/things-to-do/half-day-pablo-escobar-comuna-13-tour.a462171.activity-details?srp=true&location=Medellin%2C+Colombia&startDate=2019-03-21&endDate=2019-03-22&latLong=6.234093%2C-75.592979&rid=2246&pageNumber=1&expandedRegion=false
The next day we took a free walking tour which lasted about 4 hours and they took us to downtown Medellin where there were beautiful sculptures and we saw some of the government buildings overall a very interestingly tour if you haven’t done one. You must book to take part of the walking tour, the link for the walking tour is https://www.realcitytours.com/free-walking-tour/
If you have a chance take the metros and cable carts to experience this there. We also didn’t have time to go this time but Guatape is an amazing experience and one of the well known land marks of Colombia this a must do! The nightlife in Medellin had numberous amounts of scenery’s to choose from and various different types of music depending on what you like. Overall Medellin was an amazing experience and I would definitely go again
We originally flew into Bogotá as flights were about $400 cheaper than Medellin. We took a day trip to Medellin for $79usd round trip. While in Medellin I recommend doing the Pablo Escobar your for $50usd/person. If you are a huge Netflix Narcos fan this tour visits many of the historic sites featured in the show and also provides a light snack. It also takes you to his grave site where Griselda Blanco is located as well. The tour is roughly 3 hrs I believe. Below is the link where you can book.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g297478-d13072829-Pablo_Escobar_and_Comuna_13_Small_Group_Half_Day_Tour-Medellin_Antioquia_Departmen.html
Medellin was a dope experience, I traveled there in Oct of 2016. I went with the fellas to celebrate my boys bachelor weekend getaway. I was a bit nervous at 1st because I heard all the wild stories of the crime, violence, drugs, especially that COKE lol. This was also around the time of Narcos so it just heightened the trip, and I kept referencing Escobars town and lifestyle. It was also a crazy time, because this was the time where the town shut down for the election. You really couldn’t go anywhere all weekend, a lot places were closed, you couldn’t buy any alcohol neither. Luckily for us we stocked up on Ciroc bottles at the duty free. I stayed in this beautiful Air BnB mansion up in the mountains, we had a huge pool and a balcony on the 2nd level bedroom to face to city. The place I stayed at was the Luxury Villa hosted by Emmanuel. At night from the mountains looking out to the city was breathtaking, I’ve never witnessed a city literally lit up like that. It was definitely an awesome site to see. On a random note the hard drugs like coke, is a everyday recreational drug like weed is in the states. Please don’t get me wrong I don’t condone nor have I ever partaken in any drugs whatsoever, whatever floats your boat I guess. It was just weird to see it moved around the city as the norm. Since we only had 2 nights and 3 days our time was limited on seeing all the sites and navigating the city like I wanted, on top of that the 1st night and half the city was shut down. The last night out was cool though weather was perfect during the day, chilly in the evening. The city downtown I believe is called Calle or something was pretty cool, the clubs stay open well past 2/3am and they’re very much accustomed to American music and culture. Food was great, enjoyed myself just wish I had more time to do more things.
I was in Medellin for 36 hours and did the street art tour so I will speak on this. I booked through the hostel I was staying and was taken to Comuna 13 with a local guide in the area. The walls of Comuna 13 have become a canvas to depict its difficult past and bringing hope to the residents. Art and music are used as vehicles for political and creative expression, and as a means of expressing local anger and discontent with the violence that occurred in 2002
Graffiti, art, music and state investment in infrastructure have helped achieve a sense of pride and reconciliation in a neighborhood still scarred by guerrilla, militia and state violence
Everyone I met here was welcoming and opening to me to explain their past and how they came together to find peace. Today it’s visited by many. Shout out to @chota_13 for all the artwork he’s done around the city. Amazing work.
It was a half day tour leaving around noon. Consider it a great history lesson and introduction into the city!
The US dollar holds more value than the Colombian Peso so you definitely get your moneys worth when going to Colombia. Recommend finding an Airbnb and connecting with the locals. If you don’t speak Spanish no worries you’ll find some folks who speak English. Parque Lleras is a nice night life park to go and visit grab some local cuisines and alcoholic beverages, beers, etc. For night life feel free to ask the locals and they will point you in the right direction. Try not to be too flashy, showing that you have money or fancy clothing because they will take advantage of you (hustle you). Stop by the Comuna 13 which is a neighborhood that has been reinvented and is much more tourist friendly with lots of history. Be sure to take a ride on the metro cable although transportation is extremely affordable via buses/taxis. If you are a Pablo Escobar fan these next destinations are a must. La Hacienda Napoles is a bit of a drive but worth it, La Cathedral which was the jail and the Barrio Pablo Escobar which was Pablos neighborhood. When you see his mural you will know you are in the right place. You can also go and see the Monaco building which was once Pablo’s home. And you can also visit his gravesite at the Cemetario Jardines. Depending how long is your stay I also recommend taking a trip to Guatape and seeing or climbing to the top of El Penon de Guatape. And lastly stopping by Zocalos, a beautiful village filled with bright colors and shops where you can purchase souvenirs.
1st full day in Medellín and it was pretty dope.
?
I started it off tasting Colombian arepas which are made of cheese and tortillas and they were bomb ?
Then we walked around their old cultural town, Marinilla. Their buildings were colorful and their roads were made of cobblestone.
Next we headed to the highlight of my day, El Peñol Rock. We had to climb 740 steps to the top and it was worth every shortage of breath on the way there lol
I was just in awe!
After a hundred pictures later, we enjoyed a finger-licking good Colombian lunch!
I mean, plates were being scraped.
We have visited Medellin Colombia many times but our last visit we stayed for 6 months. When you mention Medellin Colombia the first thing people mention is Pablo Escobar and we noticed many locals did not like to hear his name at all. We went to visit Pablo Escobar’s gravesite as well as the home where he was killed. We also visited the gravesite of Griselda Blanco because her grave is just a few feet away from Pablo’s and she was the God mother of the whole operation. We stayed in Medellin throughout Christmas and New Years and they definitely celebrate and you can go and see the lights and decorations and it is amazing and there will be a lot of food truck vendors out there as well at the Festival of Lights. During the holidays be prepared to many businesses closing down for a couple of days but we were still able to order pizza so some places will still be open.There are also free walking tours available. While you are there you definitely have to visit Guatepe.
We also visited one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Medellin Comuna 13 but we felt safe the entire time and loved watching the locals perform doing dances and the children even wanted to dance for us. The graffiti is out of this world and makes for great pictures. There are many snacks available for sale there and a small art museum. You can ride the cable cars and ride high up in the mountains. There are soccer games you can attend and they really take soccer serious, you will know when it’s a game day because everyone and their mama will have on a soccer jersey that day. The nightlife scene is amazing and there is always something to do whether it’s a club, bar, or a hookah lounge Medellin has a variety of things to do for those who love to party. We also did a fruit tour while there at a local market and it was so tasty. There are also plenty of places to shop in Medellin. Petty crime can take place as in any country you visit so be aware of your belongings and you should be fine. You can check out our experience on YouTube: Carolina Travel Queens
I was in Medellín for 4 days…and it was not enough time. But then again, when is it ever?
I flew here from Bogotá…and ended up staying in a private room at a hostel, called Los Patios (http://www.lospatioshb.com/). It was honestly one of the nicest hostels I’ve stayed at. You got your own bathroom and a free drink on the gorgeous rooftop bar.
Anyways, Day 1: Went to some museums.
My favorite was Museo de Antioquia…it had local artists, modern art, an exhibit about the city’s infrastructure and how they cleaned up the city, and a Francisco Botero exhibit…and more.
Day 2 & 3: Free city tour and free zippy graffiti tour in Comuna 13. They go by donations, so it’s up to your digression. And went to a soccer game!
Comuna 13 is an area rich in culture & history (And has a lot of cool graffiti and amazing views for dope pictures).
Fútbol is HUGE in Colombia, so if you’re they’re while one of the city’s teams is playing…go! The ticket only cost about $15 (I went to a finals game) and the energy is INSANE.
Day 4: Day trip to Guatapé & Salsa Lessons!!
Through Viator, this tour was only $30 and included breakfast and lunch. It takes you to a traditional town, so that you can see how people outside the main city lives. Then, you go to El Peñón…a giant amazing rock that you get to climb. 695 steps later, the view is priceless. Lastly, they take you to the beautiful town of Guatapé. It’s filled with colorful houses, food, and crafts.
My hostel had free salsa lessons, so that was pretty awesome. Afterwards, I hit up a couple salsa bars to put the lesson to use
Affordability: My stay, food, and activities cost me under $200.
Relaxation: I personally felt like there was so much I wanted to do, so personally, I didn’t really relax. But I’m sure you could just chill on a rooftop the whole trip and do some hiking, if you wanted.
Food: The food was just okay to me. There’s a lot of fried corn flour bread, called arepas, and empanadas. And the seasoning isn’t as…rich. (I’m from the south, so you know we love our seasoning.) But everything is so cheap! Alambique will get an honorable mention here. The plantain lasagna was delicious.
Nightlife: Nightlife is great…on the weekends. But during the week, there are still bars open! Go to Envy for a view of the city during sunset for drinks. And Parque Lleras is a great area with a bunch of bars.
Traveling while Black: Medellín is full of Afro Colombians, so you’ll fit right in. I will say, it’s still kind of difficult to get around without knowing some Spanish, but it definitely is doable.
Had a blast, then headed to Cartagena! Hopefully, you will enjoy it, too…❤
Took a flight from Bogota to Pereira and a cab to Salento. There is 1 main square with shops and restaurants. Stayed in a glamping tent overlooking a valley in La Serrana Hostel. They provide breakfast and have a shower area. Took a coffee fatm tour at Finca El Ocaso. We learned about the coffee process, picked coffee beans, and sampled coffee with different brewing methods. Took a day trip to hike in Cocora Valley. The area is beautiful, with the wax palm trees and cloud forests. You will also see lots of pretty flowers. Went horseback riding in the valley. I got sick (vomiting) here for 1 day. The food was really good. I had steak with potatoes, trout, and a frozen lemonade at La Casona. Took a flight from Pereira to Medellín. Stayed at Hostel Rango Boutique. This is a cute, modern hostel. Good walkability to train station. Went on a tour of Comuna 13. The graffiti was beautiful. You must try the salpicon there with the condensed milk on it. There are street dancers. The guide said not to give the children money, because it keeps them out of school. Went on a street walking tour of Medellín and learned some of the history. The guide pointed out restaurants, areas to shop, and places to enjoy the evening. Went on an Escobar tour. The locals do not like the Escobar tour. They may say something to you about it. The food and atmosphere at Alambique was excellent. Food at 3 Tipicos was good as well. Parque Lleras is full of nightlife and food options. Took a day trip to Guatape (2 hour bus ride from Medellín). Died several times climbing El Peñol. There are beautiful views at the top though.
Medellin is like a tropical New York! This place never sleeps! The nightlife is wonderful here ! So many night salsa ?? bars to go to ! The food is Amazing and authentic! I stayed at The Charles hotel which is in the heart of everything you would want to see in Medellin! You must visit Guatape to climb the mountain . The view from above is simply breathtaking and powerful!
I traveled to Medellin with a friend that is from there, the city is beautiful morning,day and night. Without renting a car we were able to see lots by foot and took a cab for the farther treks. When it comes to affordability this city has got it in the bag. 9 days with only $300 American dollars. Took a flight within, partied at clubs ever night and ate out every meal. But STILL came back to the US with souvenir money ??
So we went here for 1 day during our ColOmbia expedition. It was a gorgeous place. Safe but can get sketchy on the side streets. We took out $200 from the ATM and it wound up only being $68 American dollars. Meals were like $13 for a couple. They sell things on the street that would probably come out to like $2. Overall i love this place and plan on buying a house here.
I traveled to Medellin, Colombia with a friend who is from there and had a real great Colombian experience. Because I traveled with her I stayed in her family home.
The city was amazing. I traveled during Christmas time and the amount of effort that goes into decorating this city for Christmas is unbelievable. The entire city is lit up. There are so many things I would suggest in Medellin. For one, get out an enjoy their food. It is super cheap to eat around in restaurants and the food is delicious. On New Years we went to Bello….the people here will party on the streets until the sun comes up. They are also very welcoming…it was a night full of drinking and eating, what could be better? While in Medellin also visit the Escaleras electricas de la Comuna 13. These are electrical stairs that were built to get to the top of the mountain. At the top you could see what was once one of the most dangerous barrios of Medellin. It is now covered in art and offeres an amazing colorful view of the town.
If you are an adrenaline junkie please visit San Felix. It is a bit of a drive all the way up a mountain but once you get to the top you have an amazing view. From the top of the mountain you could go paragliding. Although I was soooo scared to do this, making the decision to do so was the best decision I could have done. It is almost like skydiving but instead you are running off a mountain. The trip is also very smooth the scariest part is actually running off the mountain. Another thing to do here is to take a drive to Guatape. This city is great for pictures — it is considered to be the most colorful town in Colombia. We also took a boat tour here which took us around the lake and showed us some of the biggest mansions in the area, one which belonged to Pablo Escobar! You could also climb up the stairs of el Penol de Guatape which is a giant rock and see the entire city from up top.
I went to Medellin twice in the same year. The first time was for family/medical reason (which btw I truly recommend if you want an expert advice on your health issues). And the second time was because I could not explore this beautiful country the first time. So I had to go back!! So, where can I start, there is tons to do and especially if your a nature lover, like touring trips, like to shop, party or just want to explore. So make this a 7 day vacation option, which I don’t think is sufficient to see it all.
Love everything about this country especially the citizens, they are extremely nice, just cannot express with words. And if your a budget traveler like me, this place is affordable for twice a year visit ;)
I was in Medellin for a bachelor party.
Stayed in an air bnb that was a 5 min walk from Park Lleras , Cl. 10 #25-18, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia., which is the downtown area of Medellin filled with bars and plenty of local food and entertainment.
Our air bnb came with a host, who made our reservations and planned our activities (paint ball, and ATV riding). You can book a host without using their air bnb (AF boutique).
So being from the U.K. the whole estigma behind Colombia is really something that should “worry” you. They way the media portrayed Colombia really made some of my friends and family question why I was going there. But what you may “stereotypically” think of Colombia is a fraud. This is by far in the top places I’ve EVER been. Medellin you won my heart!! Food, people, weather, love, happiness it’s got it all. So where to stay you ask!? Me and friend freestyled it and luckily made a friend quiet quickly who advised us that one of the nicer areas to stay was Poblado, the uptown part of the city right in the middle of the main salsa bars and clubs and restaurants. Ended up finding a cute little spot high up at the top of the hills called “Energy Living” modern fresh spascious apratments with a rooftop pool and gym. Definitely a one to add to the Bucket list of places to stay!
I arrived to Medellin on Sat night and as soon as hit the strip it was so crowed with locals and tourist. Sixttina and Son Havana was the most diverse party of them, DJ played Rap,Reggea,Pop and Salsa. Medellin is a great place to go if you like to Party, Dance and Drink. Clubs dont end until the sun comes up so make sure you get lots of sleep and bring comfortable shoes lol.