Medellín

Understand

History Let's just get it out of the way up front: throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Medellín was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world for its size, and had a highly disproportional homicide and kidnapping rate. It was the home of the drug lord Pablo Escobar and the so-called Medellín Cartel, who virtually took over the city during that time. Since his demise in the mid-1990s, the cartel was disbanded and the city rebounded tremendously. In 1991 there were 6,500 murders in the city, by 2009 the murder rate decreased to 2,900. In 2016, there were a total of 534 homicides reported in Medellín. As of 2022, there were 392 homicides, or 15 per 100,000 people. This rate is similar to the homicide rates in Denver or Dallas. So it is safe to say that the city is better off today than 20 years ago. Paisas, the residents of this region, are proud of their city's progress, and are ready to move forward with vigor. Medellín is a vast city built north to south in the Aburrá valley and surrounded on either side by majestic mountain ranges. The wealthier classes live in the well-protected hillside neighborhood of El Poblado, and the more traditional suburban neighborhoods, Laureles and Envigado. This is far removed from the action and commotion which are found in the city's center. There are the busy markets and a thriving street life that make up much of the city's charm. The city is home to a half-dozen universities, accounting for a vibrant cultural and nightlife scene fueled by thousands of young adults from all over the country. Medellín is also Colombia's largest industrial center, and home to factories making everything from designer clothing to Toyota SUVs. The city's northern hills are flooded with rural refugees from the ongoing civil war and their ingenuity in making a living is impressive. People sell anything from crayons to guinea pigs to garden earth in the bars in order to make a living. As a relatively new city, the architecture has a decidedly modernist appeal, which goes hand in hand with the progressiveness of its residents. Medellín also has the first (and only) Metro system in Colombia.

Metropolitan area Medellín is surrounded by 9 smaller towns and together they form the Area Metropolitana with almost 3.5 million people. These other towns are: Bello, Itaguí, Envigado, Sabaneta, La Estrella, Caldas, Copacabana, Girardota and Barbosa. It is a true conglomerate of towns and you will find it difficult to tell the borders between these municipalities. Located east of Medellín is the valley of Rionegro which is larger and higher

Getting there

By plane

International airport 1 José María Córdova International Airport (MDE IATA) (also called Rionegro International Airport as the city Rionegro is nearby). International non-stop flights are available from Caracas, Lima, Panamá, Quito, Curaçao, San José (Costa Rica),Orlando, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, New York City and Madrid with easy connections to Buenos Aires, Santiago, São Paulo, Rio and other places. Airlines serving this airport are: American Airlines, Avianca, Copa Airlines, LATAM, Satena. Domestic flights have frequent service from Bogota, Cali, Cartagena, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, San Andrés Islas, Santa Marta, and Pereira. For international flights, the fare can be way lower when arriving in Bogota or Cali and then taking a separate flight to Medellin. Combuses runs buses that cost COP$20,000 (2026). They depart in front of the airport building on the same floor of arrivals. Buses take around an hour to downtown Medellín, and depart roughly every 15 mins at any time of day or night. The final stop is near the metro station "Exposiciones". Depending on where you are going in the city, it can be up to 2 hours to your destination. At the Medellin MDE airport there are taxis that can take you down to the city for a set price of COP$118,000 (2026), taking around 45 minutes.

Domestic airport

2 Olaya Herrera (EOH IATA) (close to downtown (el centro) and el Plobado). A small local airport for regional and domestic travel, with non-stop flights from 23 destinations. Airlines: Aexpa, Avianca, EasyFly Satena, and charter flights from Searca.

By bus Medellín has two bus terminals (North and South) managed by the same company and share a single website. Both terminals have mid-size shopping malls in the premises. For a complete list of the cities check the webpage.

The 3 North terminal/Terminal del Norte is much larger and part of a 1 Centro Comercial del Terminal Norte mall complex and are connected with the Caribe Metro Station and the rail system (Although passenger rail transport in Colombia is quite limited). It serves cities North and East of Medellín (Cartagena, Santa Marta and Bogotá included). Bogotá: 10 hr - COP$75,000-85,000 with Bolivariano, Arauca, Coonorte, Rápido Tolima and Magdalena (November 2022) Guatape: 1.5-2 hr - COP$17,000 with Sotrasanvicente and Sotrapeñol (November 2022) The 4 South terminal/Terminal Sur is on the SE corner of Carrera 65 & Calle 10, next to the terminal of the smaller Olaya Herrera domestic airport (closest Metro station El Poblado but not within walking distance). Serves the cities south of Me

Getting around

By e-hailing Uber and Cabify serve the city. Rideshare apps are officially illegal in the country but appear to be widely used. However, some drivers may be reluctant to travel to places where they may be harassed by police (e.g. bus stations, major tourist areas, the airport terminal).

By public transport Moovit and Google Maps find you a way through the city. Moovit has more local bus lines included.

Metro and Metroplus

Traveling through the city is easy and quick, with the two line Metro system, The Metroplús (bus rapid transit (BRT) extension to the Metro), Tranvía (Tram system) and the six-line Metrocable, a sky train or cable car that has revolutionized transport in the city. Transfers between the Metro trains and cables are free, but you need to pay additional fare to transfer to MetroPlus bus and Tranvía tram. Tarjeta Cívica is a reloadable payment card. It is worth getting one as not all metro stations have service points for paying in cash and as around half of city buses require the card. Only the card itself, without any credit, costs COP$11,700. It can be used by multiple users. Its reduced fare is COP$2,255 (2019), and allows transfers to Tranvía, MetroPlus bus (Free) and Integrado buses (a few hundred pesos more). The silver non-personal card is sufficient: You get it at any metro service point. Recharging is possible in the service points or in gana shops throughout the city. If you want to have the green personal card: You get with your passport at the service points at San Antonio, Niquia, or Envigado station.

The Metrocable to the ecopark Arví - Line L - opened 2010 for the 4.5 km trip up the mountains. Transfer is available at the Santo Domingo station of the Metrocable K line. The Metroplus system consists of long articulated buses powered with natural gas for a more environmentally friendly option. They run on exclusive roads and enclosed stations. Only with "Tarjeta Civica" transfer to the Metro is free. See the transit map where the Metroplus is the thin green line Bus linea 1. There is also Bus linea 2 but this line does not run on exclusive lane in downtown area and need "Tarjeta Civica" for payment. .

Other city buses

If you want to go around downtown or neighborhoods near the downtown area without using Taxis, try using the Circular Coonatra. There are various routes, marked on the front and back of the busses. These require exact change.

By taxi Taxis are cheap and plentiful. All taxis have meters, make sure they use them. Minimal fee costs about COP$5,500. Taxis should always be called by phone for safe

See

Landmarks Pueblito Paisa is a reconstruction of a typical but tiny Antioquia village. It's located on top of el Cerro Nutibara and has a pleasant view over the city. Also atop the hill is the Museum of the City (Spanish: Museo de Ciudad)(COP $7000) which houses photos from the city’s past and a large 3D scale model. It's within walking distance from the metrostation "Industriales," but as the walk to the top requires hiking uphill for a while, visitors might find that a taxi ride is a smart choice. Los Alumbrados, the Christmas lights decorating Medellín, make it the most beautiful Latin American city for the holidays. The lights stay put from the beginning of December to mid January. The most impressive parts are centered around the Rio Medellín at the 'puente de Guayaquil' and downtown. Large statues made of lights can be found throughout the city. The Metropolitan Cathedral, which holds the record as one of the buildings in the world with the most bricks - over 1.1 million - along the Bolivar Park in the city heart. Cra 48 calle 56. Metro station Prado. The Junin pedestrian street is a cobblestone street in downtown area from Colteger building to Bolivar's park shows the history of city with Astor tea salon and Versalles salon.

Museums and the arts

Museo de Antioquia, Cra 52 #52-43 (Metro station Parque Berrío.). M-F 10AM-5PM, Su holidays 10AM-4PM. A collection of contemporary art including many pieces, paintings and sculptures of Fernando Botero, one of the most important sculptors in the world. The Plaza Botero holds several large sculptures just in front of the museum and is free of charge. COP$30,000 for foreigners, COP$16,000 for locals. (updated Oct 2024) Museo Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 67 N° 53-108 (Metro station Universidad), ☏ +57 4 219 5180. closed Sundays. Represents the merge of six collections: Visual Arts, Natural Science, University History, Galileo Interactive Room, Human Being and Anthropology. The attraction for foreigners is the Anthropology Collection which has the largest number in Colombia of pre-Columbian ceramic pieces, with near 20,000 objects. It's in Bloque 15 of the University's main campus. Free. Casa Museo Fernando González. Was local writer also known as The Philosopher from somewhere else or Otraparte which gives name to the home. A good opportunity to see an old traditional home with gardens, personal belongings and know more about his legacy. M-F 8AM-8PM, Sa Su 9AM-5PM. Cra 43A # 27A Sur - 11 Avenida Fernando González (in the nearby town of Envigado), phone +57 4 276 1415 or 335 2501. The closest Metro

Do

Sightseeing

Metrocables. There are two cable car extensions of the Metro: For the line K take a metro train to Acevedo station and from there take the Metrocable up to Santo Domingo for a nice view over the city. The cablecar is included in your metroticket. Go during the day and walk around to see what working-class people live like. The area at the top sees tourists so there are little stands set up and people selling empanadas and other things. You can stop at a little bar and have a beer. Don't stray too far or off the beaten path in this neighborhood, though. For those so inclined, there are young people that give tours waiting at the top wearing t-shirts that said "guia" (guide). From Santo Domingo you can take the line L to have an even better view over the city and ride some time over a forest to the Parque Arví. Taking this touristic line costs COP$11,150 (December 2022). The last departure from Parque Arví is 18:00. Also recommended is taking the metrocable located at San Javier up to La Aurora (J line). Although there is nothing special to see or do at the top of the cable car route, the trip itself is longer and more interesting than the cable car that goes to Santo Domingo. Stroll along lively Carabobo street, Carrera 52 in the heart of downtown, which is pedestrian-only. Safer during daytime. Metro stations Parque Berrio, San Antonio or Alpujarra. Along the street see Plaza Botero (read under Museums) and also: Basílica de la Candelaria built in 1767, a National Monument. Cra. 49 # 50-85, just off Carabobo. Edificios Vásquez y Carré built at the turn of the 19th century by a French architect. Nowadays in public use, with stores, cafeterias, etc. Cra. 52 x calle 44 La Veracruz colonial church, built in 1682. Cra 51 # 52-58. Palacio Nacional Circa 1928, is now a large shopping mall. Styled with Romantic and Modern influence. Cra 52 # 48-45. Comuna 13 out past the San Javier metro station attracts a lot of tourism with its graffiti and street art performances. Once one of Medellin’s most dangerous neighborhoods, it has since received funding and community attention and now boasts cultural tours, panoramic bars, and covered outdoor escalators. Take a free walking tour. The ones from Real City Tours depart from a pedestrian bridge on the north side of the Alpujarra station. Monday to Friday at 9:30am and 2:30pm. Saturday and Sundays at 10:00am. Turibus is a good option to get a general overview of the city. You can take it to many of the main tourist attractions. The tour lasts four hours and allows 20–30 minutes per stop for sight-seeing a

Buy

Colombia is famous for its coffee and Medellín is only a few hours from the coffee growing centers of Colombia. You can find coffee flavors of everything you can imagine, from ice-cream to arequipe (sweetened milk). The ‘Starbucks’ coffee culture is growing, with the most prominent brand being Juan Valdez coffee shops. The Juan Valdez chain is owned by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, and sells a variety of Colombian coffees. Aguardiente Antioqueño: Schnaps with a special flavor, much like black licorice. Ron Medellín: The local rum. The quality of this rum was elevated to the highest standards during 2009 and the 8 and 12-year bottles are great presents. Despite the claim of being the textile capital of Colombia, Medellín is not a shopper’s paradise for clothes for North American tourists, but prices can be attractive to visitors from other latitudes. The main malls sell a limited variety of clothes, (especially men’s clothes), at only slightly discounted prices from the US, although there are always bargains to be found if you look hard enough. The style of clothes for women in Medellín is very revealing and sexy, so it perhaps more suited for gift buying than shopping for yourself. When planning your shopping for clothes bear in mind that the local weather is very mild, so the options for winter and summer clothes are limited. Near Parque Lleras you can find via Primavera, a little zone full of local young designer's shops with unique garments that you will surely won't see anywhere else.

Handcrafts On the first Saturday of the month there is the Mercado de San Alejo, an open market right on Parque de Bolívar, hours: 8AM a 6PM A large variety of local handcrafts sold primarily by the artisans themselves. Right in the middle of Parque Lleras from Thursday to Sunday you may as well find some handcraft being sold. Centro Artesanal mi viejo Pueblo. Cr 49 # 53-30. Phone +57 4 513 7563

Shopping malls El Tesoro Parque Comercial, Cra. 25A # 1A Sur - 45 / Loma El Tesoro con Transversal Superior (Access only by taxi or private car), ☏ +57 4 3211010. 9AM-11PM. A large shopping mall located in an unusual location: in very steep mountain overriding a creek. Many upscale stores, technology shops and good restaurants. El Tesoro is bilingual; they have an Information Center where tourists can get any information in English, every day from 2PM to 9:30PM. Furthermore, it is possible to access this service calling 321 10 10 ext 111-112. And just for tourists to go shopping without any problem, the mall made a brochure with all the terms and

Eat

Colombian cuisine is varied and regional. The more typical dishes are referred to as comida criolla. Some examples are: sancocho de gallina (chicken soup), carne molida (ground beef), arepas de choclo (fresh corn tortillas), empanadas (meat-filled fried turnovers), ají (hot sauce), ajiaco (Bogota's chicken and potato soup), bandeja paisa, natilla, buñuelos (fried cheese puffs), hojuelas (fried puff squares), rice with coconut, Antioquian beans, sobrebarriga (flank steak) mantecada (bun made with lard), papas chorreadas, pandeyuca (yucca bread) and carne desmechada (shredded meat). A typical breakfast in Medellín consists of baked corn arepas (Flat unsweetened corn pancake) topped with butter and fresh white cheese, coffee or hot chocolate. One treat that will leave anyone stuffed is the "Tipico Antioqueño"; arepa con queso (small flatbreads with cheese on top), beans, chicken, rice, fried eggs, chicharron (salted and fried unsmoked bacon) and patacon (deep-fried plantain pancakes). Topping that off with a Colombian beer and a cup of "chocolatte" (pronounced the Spanish way - it's milky, sweet hot chocolate) makes for an excellent meal. An excellent place to eat typical food is Hatoviejo. There is a large variety of restaurants all throughout Medellín, especially concentrated around the ‘Zona Rosa’ which is in Poblado between Parque Poblado and Parque Lleras. You can find a fine display of places with whatever food you desire, with good quality for comparatively cheap prices compared to the US, although there is a shortage of authentic Greek, Indian and Thai restaurants. Sushi is increasingly popular and may be found at the larger malls or supermarkets that are more "international." Colombia also has an incredible variety of tasty fruits. A few of these are: guanábana, lulo, zapote, mamoncillo, uchuva, feijoa, granadilla, maracuyá, tomate de árbol, borojó, mamey and tamarindo. Ask for a "Salpicón": a mix of fruits marinaded on orange or watermelon juice. The most popular local drink is "Michelada", beer with lime juice in a salt-rimmed glass (very similar to the Mexican version except for the amount of lime juice used). Colombia is well known for its coffee, and Medellín is no exception. As with any large city, there are the usual chain restaurants, however the American "fast-food culture" has not made a huge splash in the country. Mc Donald's, Burger King, Domino's Pizza and Hooters can be found there.

Street Food

Budget

El Poblado

Laureles, Suramericana, Estadio

Oriente - eastern suburbs

Downtown

Mid-range

El Poblado Al Patio (

Drink & nightlife

Local drinks Aguardiente - A popular alcoholic beverage in Colombia with sweet and licorice-flavored, made-up of sugarcane. The local brand is Aguardiente Antioqueño and it is usually drank straight followed by an ounce of water or slices of mango. Ron - Rum is also popular with locals. The domestic brand is Ron Medellín Añejo aged either 3, 8, 12 or 30 years, typically served mixed with Club Soda, Coca-Cola or lemon juice. Cerveza - Beer is available almost anywhere, the one most enjoyed by people is Pilsen, a light golden in color, German Pilsener or Lager of beer. Also admired by locals and foreigners is Club Colombia a finer premium beer, made-up of 100% malt [11]. Other popular national beers include Aguila and Costena. A small company brews beer locally: Tres Cordilleras makes Wheat, American Pale and Amber Ales. Bogota Brewing Company operates a restaurant in the Poblado neighborhood with good craft beer at uncompetitive prices. Their bottled beers are available at bars and restaurants throughout the city. Refajo - A kind of cocktail made by mixing beer and the local soft drink Colombiana. It is refreshing and a little sweet. Cocteles - Due to the great variety of tropical fruits and its juices your imagination will be boundless when creating Cocktails in Medellín. Start with Lulo juice with vodka, or try the many recipes with passion fruit (Spanish: Maracuyá). Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays are the main days to party in Medellín; the rest of the week the mainstream nightlife isn't really exciting. Bars close at 2AM, but you will find plenty of clubs that close at 4AM, and if you need to stay up later just look for the techno or electronica clubs.

Dance clubs El Blue. A popular place with cross-over music (a mix of rock and local music). It's popular with gringos and 'gringo hunters'. Thursday is the night to go. Circus. A new venue with great views over Medellín. Very popular with the beautiful, in-crowd and normally plays cross-over music. 1 Cuchitril Club-Bar, Calle 10, #52-87. The name translates as "hovel," which can only be thought of as a tearm of endearment for this salsa club. It's actually very nice inside, with decor somewhere between arabesque and neon plus chandeliers. There is a fair amount of room to dance, including a space on the wonderful courtyard patio/garden in the back. Sundays are the best nights, when all sorts of great salseros and salseras converge in this part of town for the party. 2 Eslabon Prendido (Salsa & Tropical), Calle 53, #42-55 (Maracaibo street) (downtown, half block east of Parque del Periodista).

Sleep

Hotels

El Centro Most of the inexpensive hotels in Medellín are in El Centro. Although the area is vibrant at day, going out at night is dangerous and should be avoided.

Hotel Conquistadores, Carrera 54 #49-31, ☏ +57 4 512 3232. An affordable and safe hotel in the center of town. All the basic amenities, including broadcast TV, hot water, lock boxes. Restaurant on site. Extremely friendly and helpful staff. COP$36,000 single, COP$48,000 double or twin, COP$72,000 triple, COP$144,000 family. (updated Feb 2017) Hotel Ayacucho Real, Calle 49 (Ayacucho) #48-15, ☏ +57 4 5112971. All the basic amenities including cable TV, hot water, mini stereo system in rooms. Pretty dingy. COP$29181 for a single room. Hotel San José, Calle 49 #45-12, second floor (Ayacucho por el Palo), ☏ +57 4 5120066. Probably the cheapest decent hotel in town. Despite the price, it is clean and safe. Cable TV, hot water, laundry on site. 1 Hotel Nutibara, Calle 52A # 50 - 46 Plazuela Nutibara (Downtown near Metro station Parque Berrío), ☏ +57 4 511 5111. The most traditional hotel in Medellín, now a tad rundown. Great architecture. Just across the street from Museo de Antioquia. Fax: +57 4 231 3713

Estadio and Laureles These are middle-class, safe and quiet neighborhoods just west of the river (west of downtown) with many bars, restaurants, shops and clubs along Carrera 70.

Hotel Egina Medellín, Calle 47 #68A - 80, ☏ +57 1 6360866. 65 rooms, standard rooms, junior rooms and suites, all equipped with air-conditioning, mini-bar and Wi-Fi access. Facilities and services are bar, events room and fitness room/gym. Hotel Punto 70, Carrera 70 #47-34 (Diagonally opposite Estadio metro station), ☏ +57 4 260 2282. The cheapest hotel in this area. Clean, modern, nice rooms. Friendly staff. Bar next door plays loud music until 3am. COP$45,000 for a single room. Sauces del Estadio, Cra 69 No.49A-30, ☏ +57 4 2304260. Pretty sleek exterior with glass and cement pattern. Has a restaurant/bar, wifi, a/c, free breakfast, few fitness machines for working that bagel off. COP$83,896. Hotel TRYP (a Wyndham hotel), Calle Colombia 50 N 70-124 (near Stadium), ☏ +57 4 4443338. The newest hotel in the area. Hotel Casa Laureles, Cl. 35 ## 78 - 66, ☏ +54 (4) 414 04 82, [email protected]. Bonus is their free buffet breakfast in their Jardines restaurant. Also has wifi, a/c. COP$138,610. (updated Nov 2020) Hotel Laureles 70, Cq. 5 #7013, ☏ +57 4 4112828. Very block-style-like, but it comes with a continental breakfast and has a restaurant/bar, terrace, wifi, and a/c. COP$65,657. (

Go next

East Guatape and La Piedra del Peñol: Guatape is located approximately 90 minutes outside of Medellín and is a popular recreational and ecotourism destination for many Colombians and foreign travelers. Half the fun of traveling to Guatape is driving through the Colombian countryside lined with beautiful rolling hills, small towns, farms and friendly people. Once you arrive in Guatape you will notice that the town borders a reservoir built for a hydroelectric dam. The lake covers thousands of acres and can be explored and enjoyed by renting a boat or taking one of the large party boats available on weekends. Guatape has new resort hotels, hostels, restaurants, homes, and recreational rentals (boats and water skis) bordering the lake. The huge Rock (La Piedra del Peñol a.k.a. Peñón de Guatape) that borders the lake is an unexplained geological phenomenon. With 2/3 of its height below ground, the exposed vertical face is over 200 m high (660 ft) and visible from throughout the surrounding countryside. Anyone can scale the rock for a few thousand pesos via a staircase built into one side, the view is breathtaking. On the top of the rock, a restaurant offers outdoor tables overlooking views that stretch to the horizon in every direction. There are buses going about every hour from the Medellín North bus terminal. Pablo Escobar, the famous drug lord, once called Guatape his home and built several big Casas on its lakeshores. His presence made Guatape a dangerous place for both foreign visitors and local Colombians. After his death Guatape transformed into a quiet town that's growing as a tourist destination. Escobar's main home is now a bombed out shell that is easily viewed from the lake. Natural Reserve of Río Claro This private nature reserve began in 1970 with the intention of supporting the protection of tropical rainforests in the Canyon of Rio Claro, while developing ecotourism with recreational-educational programs. The lime-stone, marble deposits and the river bed are beyond amazing. [14] Accommodations with optional open to the forest cabins are available. Day tours from Medellín are also available with optional activities to choose from such as cave trekking, white water scenic rafting, kayaking and canopy adventures to name a few. Extreme sports: Montevivo is a reservation in Santa Elena, 30 minutes up the hill from Medellín. It has 5 aerial ropeslides, one is around 400 m long, among the largest in the world. You can canopy, trek, even sleep in the park. Phone: +57 4 538 0279. email: [email protected] Parque Arví Comfama: Near Santa E