Exploring outside of Medellín’s center and El Poblado is easy thanks to the metro system. Locals are very proud of their metro, considered a symbol for Medellín, and recognized as one of the top transport systems in the world. It was inaugurated in 1995 and the most recent line was added in 2019, helping develop marginalized portions of the city with limited transportation options.

I was surprised at how clean, modern, and efficient the entire system is, far above what I’ve seen in other big metropolis around the world. For less than a dollar, you can get to many of the most popular tourist spots in the city easily and see the urban landscape from a different angle as you cross neighborhoods on the elevated rail tracks. In fact, it is the only rail-based metro system in Colombia.

Jardín Botánico

One such easy to reach tourist destination is the Botanical Garden – one of the city’s nicest green spaces – located right next to the Universidad metro station. It’s free to enter and you can spend hours wandering through the park, checking out some of the 1000 species of plants and trees, sitting by the lake, or walking through the tropical forest and butterfly enclosure. Locals gather here to picnic and chill out away from the busy downtown.

There’s an impressive structure called the Orchideorama where events are often held underneath this “bouquet” of wooden flowers.

Walk long enough and you’re pretty much guaranteed to stumble upon one of the large iguanas that call the garden home…

A few blocks away, the San Pedro Cemetery Museum is also worth a quick stop. The most historic cemetery in Medellín was founded by the elite in 1842 and is the resting place of prominent politicians and artists.

Stroll around to see familiar names on house-like tombs and beautiful European-inspired sculptures and monuments crafted by renowned artists of the time.

Parque Arví

The metro system includes a network of cable cars as well and one of them will bring you up to another of the city’s biggest attraction: Arví Park. Located in the northeast area of Medellín, it’ll take you about an hour to reach the park, and getting there is part of the experience. You ascend slowly above the slums that hug the upper reaches of the hills, soon turning into a green and rural landscape.

The park as you’ll soon see is a vast ecological nature reserve, much bigger than anticipated as the cable car keeps flying over a vast forest.

There are more than 33 miles of walkable trails though for most you need to hire a guide at the entrance (safety reason!) and only a few miles are designated for independent hikes. They make for quite a nice loop actually with plenty of plant species to look at, information panels, and rest areas perfect for a picnic.

Besides hiking and picnicking, there’s also birdwatching and horseback riding, and a lovely local market with traditional food, crafts, and local produce. Try an oblea if you see them: two thin, round wafers sandwiching arequipe (like dulce de leche) and other fillings like cheese or jam.

The way down is equally scenic with stunning aerial views of the city and surrounding mountains.

It’s also a great vantage point to spot some more street art.

Comuna 13

Another excellent way to spend half a day is to visit Comuna 13 to get a real feel for the urban transformation taking place in the city’s neighborhoods, or communes. The commune of San Javier, also known as Comuna 13, was once one of the most dangerous in Medellín and today is buzzing with tourists admiring its colorful murals and the fine views of the city below.

It’s best to join a guided tour (there are many) to hike the hilly comuna with a local and understand the violence and difficulties that have plagued the area and its impressive transformation.

Everyone converges around the iconic outdoor escalators that have massively improved the mobility and lives of its inhabitants. A vibrant art and music scene is also radiating from there with never ending murals playing backdrop to street performances.

At the top, there’s a lookout and a boardwalk offering sweeping views. On the way down, lots of little cafes and community shops give the opportunity to quench your thirst from the walking and help contribute to the area’s rebirth.

These mini “city trips” are all easy to do and help paint a much better picture of not only Medellín, but Colombia as a whole. 

Medellín is divided into 16 districts though most visitors will likely only step foot into a handful or less. If you’re only in the city for a few days, it’s hard to beat El Poblado and its tourist friendly amenities. If you’re around for a bit longer though and want to get a more local and relax feel, you should consider Laureles-Estadio which is where I stayed for a month. Read on for a quick intro to both to help you make up your mind…

El Poblado

You came to Medellín for a bit of fun and this is where you’re going to find it – within the very walkable and upscale neighborhood of El Poblado. From the moment you step out of the nearest metro or get out of your taxi you’ll feel how different it is from other areas of the city. Beautiful murals everywhere, so many hotels, hostels, restaurants and bars, and sidewalks filled with happy tourists just having a good time…

It’s almost built like a cool village made expressly for the convenience of travelers where you’ll feel safe, entertained, and well nourished at all times. Cafes and bars are all-day affairs, spilling into the pedestrian streets to maximize people-watching and the benefits from all the added greenery.

Slowly wandering the streets looking up at large-scale murals is a main attraction as this is where you’ll find the highest concentration of street art outside of Comuna 13. There are also contemporary art galleries to check out and design shops round up the high end artist feel of the neighborhood.

It may feel like chill brunch vibes during the day but come evening, the entire area turns into party central with filled-to-the-brim bar terraces and music spilling out from every venue, including live bands in the park. Nice for a few days of vacation and letting loose, less when you want a few quiet nights in (hence – Laureles for me!).

Another big draw of El Poblado is the restaurant scene. Even if you don’t stay in the neighborhood you’ll be coming here to try out some of the eateries, among the best in the city. They cater to all taste and visitors will find the bulk of the vegetarian/vegan restaurants around here too. Of course, prices are higher than anywhere else so your day will cost significantly more than sticking to local joints in other areas but for a few days it’s still good value.

You can get a taste of local cuisine at Restaurante Auténtico with a homestyle meal of smoked and shredded beef, bean salad,
white rice, broccoli with yogurt and lettuce.

Go vegan with boho vibes at the very pretty Restaurante Kaime where delicious bowls and veggie burgers must end with one of their insanely good looking pastries.

For a fun and special meal, Restaurante Idílico is a real treat. They’re champions of the region’s small producers and turn up creative dishes that are as pleasing to eat as they are to look at. With dishes like tentáculos de mazorca (corn ribs) with smoked pepper sauce and an arepa set against the skyline of Medellín, you’ll feast in comfort and style.

Museo de Arte Moderno

Take a break from eating and dancing with a visit to the Modern Art Museum, a 20-minute walk away.

Also called “El MAMM”, it is set around a refurbished industrial building and showcases changing exhibitions of contemporary art. While I preferred the Museo de Antioquia, this one is still worth a visit even if just for the striking building alone and to get a peak at a few intriguing pieces of art, many of which are drawn from the country’s turbulent history.

The view from the rooftop terrace is also not to be missed.

The industrial area around lights up at night with gallery showings mixing great cocktails with inventive art.

Cerro de Nutibara

Another 20-minute walk north and across the river will bring you to Cerro de Nutibara – a 80m-tall hill with a few walking trails and sculptures locals love to hang out at.

The summit has a miniature version of a typical Antioquian village with a few tacky souvenir shops and snack bars called Pueblito Paisa.

Get a few quick pictures and head straight to the real star of the hill…

… the panoramic platform that gives you some splendid views across the city.

Parques del Rio

Walk back down the hill and a few blocks north to Parques del Rio, a modern park that straddles the river and make for a really nice stroll. It’s full of paths, green areas with loungers, sport facilities, gardens, and food concessions/restaurants to make a half-day out of it.

Pedestrian bridges cross the river, letting you hop from one side to the other easily and get a beautiful perspective on downtown Medellín.

It connects to the Metropolitan Theater and Plaza Mayor where major events are held.

You’ll see people skating, biking, running, dancing, and doing yoga all over the pretty esplanades and readers escaping to shaded corners with a coffee and a good book.

Leave room for hot churros if you see them – the perfect sweet snack to enjoy by the river with a surprise caramel drizzle that was to die for.

Laureles

The Parques del Rio connects you to the Laureles neighborhood, the other option when visiting Medellín and my “home” for a month. You immediately notice the difference with El Poblado – significantly less tourists and a real local neighborhood feel.

It’s full of quiet, tree-lined streets that criss-cross a mostly residential area dotted with cute coffee shops and family restaurants. Very walkable and safe, Laureles feels refreshingly low-key after the bustling El Poblado while still having a decent amount of interesting places to hang out at.

If you must get your dancing shoes on, it even has its own “party boulevard” in La 70 – a street lined with bars and clubs opened late into the night.

Mostly, it’s ideal if you’re here for a little while and want to soak in the local way of life, grocery shop at the little markets, and eat your meals surrounded by people from the neighborhood speaking Spanish… You’ll have many more authentic experiences here including more typical food.

The highlight of my culinary exploration in Laureles has to be breakfast at Famosa Arepa de Chocolo. Ask any Colombians and they’ll all get emotional thinking about their mom’s version of this sweet corn cake topped with queso blanco. While I didn’t get to try a “homemade” version, the arepa I ate there was perfection…and I became a regular. With a side of salty scrambled eggs and a strong cup of coffee, I dare you to show me a better breakfast in Medellín.

Besides arepas and local cheese breads, mornings tend to be pastry heavy which I wouldn’t complain about, whether you try a flaky pinwheel at La Miguería or go to the Argentinian Los Porteños for one of their famous croissant sandwich.

You might occasionally want a reset for lunch in which case there are plenty of health-focused eateries here too. Don’t miss Saludpan, a mostly vegetarian restaurant attached to a natural food store so you can grab some organic veggies and granolas on your way home.

The coffee shop award goes to Pergamino, a celebrated (and often packed) local family chain that sources top-quality beans from small farms across the country. Their Laureles location is idyllic with a leafy courtyard, tempting brunch menu, and the best brewed coffee around.

Set lunch menus are available at many small and very charming “almuerzo” places, such as Amá Cocina Casera, where you can get a delicious 3-course home-cooked meal for $6-$8.

Fresh juices, cheesy baked goods, and salads make for another light and refreshing lunch at one of the many cafes lining the quieter streets.

On the opposite end, the very big and very popular Mondongo’s (they also have a location in El Poblado) serves traditional Colombian dishes to huge crowds of locals and visitors alike. Fill yourself up for the entire day with a Bandeja Paisa which includes beans, rice, chicharrón, ground meat, an egg, steamed potato, fried plantain, avocado, banana, lemon, cilantro, hot pepper, sweet pepper and arepas.

Break up the afternoon with more coffee – there are so many great specialty shops around.

Save room for one of the most delicious millefeuilles at Mil Capas. The classic is covered in a thick layer of dulce de leche…

Cake shops and bakeries abound in the neighborhood, all with sidewalk and shaded tables, so you can make your rounds and get your sweet fix mornings and afternoons.

For a truly local experience, nothing beats heading to the farmers market and in Laureles it is the Plaza de Mercado La América. You’ll find all the local produce, meats, flowers, household items, and artisanal goods in a bustling marketplace.

There are also plenty of food vendors serving traditional Colombian snacks and meals, a great excuse to sit down and take in all the action around you and observe the community.

Dinner time brings an international vibe and options that are very close to what you find in El Poblado, just with fewer crowds. Find modern Colombian flavors at the vegetarian and vegan INA Restaurante.

The area around the Segundo Parque de Laureles gets especially lively in the evening with international cuisines filling in for every cravings like pizza, Indian, tacos, and sushi.

Wherever you pick as your base between El Poblado and Laureles, you’re guaranteed easy access to great food, culture, and a safe neighborhood to walk around – your choice!

Colombia’s second largest city, Medellín packs a punch with its towering skyline sets against a backdrop of jagged peaks in every direction, bustling commerce, and vibrant culture thanks to its paisa (people of Antioquia) roots. Travelers are attracted to its perfect climate (its nickname is the City of Eternal Spring), great restaurants, museums, and thumping discos. I spent a month navigating its rhythm and exploring its many neighborhoods to bring you a little taste of this dynamic metropolis.

As in any big city around the world, I love to first get my bearings by joining a walking tour on my first day. This is especially true in Medellín where caution must be taken in certain places. Getting all the important safety info first and wandering around areas with a group where you might not want to do so alone is my first big tip. There’s a wonderful Real City Tours free walking tour that is led by young, enthusiastic locals every day with real insights about the history and current social situation of the city. This post covers the area seen on this tour which is El Centro to which I added photos from my other visits as you don’t get to go inside the museums and cultural centers while on the tour. Let’s go!

Intro to El Centro

You start in La Alpujarra which is the administrative center of the city. Surrounded by government offices, your guide introduces you to Medellín, from its creation in 1616 to its darkest side in the 1980s when the city became under Pablo Escobar the world’s capital of cocaine. They will no doubt have personal and sad stories of their childhood when the city’s homicide rate was among the highest in the world and gun battles were common in the streets. With Escobar’s death in 1993 came the beginning of the end of violence and a story of revival you’ll be seeing here and in many other parts of Medellín and the country. Before moving on, take a good look at the Monumento a la Raza, an impressive metal sculpture telling the story of Antioquia in all its twisted ways…

Across the street, Plaza Cisneros or “Lights Park” has an artificial forest of 300 light poles well worth coming back to see at night. This is a first example of revival, an old square that had become rather seedy after the markets it hosted were moved to a different location was rejuvenated to make it more inviting to tourists in 2005.

You’ll then cross the commercial heart filled with multi-story shopping centers. Pop into the National Palace Mall for a quick snack in the interior courtyard before going up to peek into the many art galleries on each floor.

This is downtown and a very densely packed area and before heading in your guide would have given you the safety tips to get through with all your things i.e., iPhone hidden and not in your hands, backpack at the front, etc. While violence is significantly down in the city, pickpocketing is a daily occurrence and what you’ll mostly have to worry about while you’re here. The locals even have an expression “No dar papaya” which literally translates to “Don’t give papaya” – don’t make yourself an easy target by flashing your valuables.

Plaza Botero

Leave the busy shopping district behind and pass by a nice little white Catholic church when you catch your first sight of the sculptures…the voluptuous creations of local legend Fernando Botero (1932 – 2023).

I had seen a few of them before in other cities, other countries, but arriving at Plaza Botero where 23 of his most iconic works are displayed is something else.

Roam around the public space to admire the larger-than-life bronze figures from up close and delight in their comedic exaggeration.

Providing a stunning background to Botero’s sculptures, the Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe is no doubt one of Medellín’s most interesting building.

You’re free to enter the black-and-white Gothic Revival landmark, relax in its lovely central courtyard, and make your way inside to roam its majestic corridors.

Some of the floors and rooms hold rotating art exhibitions.

Make sure to take a peek inside the giant dome.

It’s the rooftop though that steals the show with nearly 360-degree views of the city and a stunning close-up of the dome.

So many things that represent Medellín converge in that one shot taken from the roof: historical buildings, the elevated metro, the mountains all around, and that giant mural of Botero’s “The Dancing Couple”.

You also get the best perspective of Plaza Botero and the Museo de Antioquia – our next stop.

Colombia’s second oldest museum is housed in the grand art deco Palacio Municipal and is a must-see (after you’re done with your walking tour). The Museo de Antioquia has a beautiful and sizable art collection spanning 19th-century and contemporary Colombian art, with a few pre-Colombian pieces as well.

Throughout the building, look out for the large murals by Pedro Nel Gómez, one of Colombia’s most prominent artists.

Besides the 3rd floor which is filled with over 100 sculptures and artworks donated by Botero, there are wonderfully diverse rooms with modern pieces and historical themes. The lack of crowds (at least during weekdays) means you can wander the galleries quietly and step out in the inner courtyard for a few hours.

There is more art on the street and you’re likely to bump into more Botero sculptures as you wander around, one of the most iconic being La Gorda at the edge of Parque Berrío.

Three more sculptures can be found in Parque San Antonio.

Stop by the Pájaro de Paz (Bird of Peace) – two identical statues by Botero, one blown to pieces in a terrorist bombing, the other donated as a gift for peace.

After the tour concludes, grab a typical meal in one of the downtown restaurants. Hatoviejo was highly recommended and delivered solid food in a traditional setting.

Sharing an Entrada Típica to start is the way to go if you’re a few people, just enough to calm the hunger with fried pork cracklings, sausage, blood sausage, patacones (fried green plantains) and arepa.

The bean soup is also a traditional main course and comes with varied sides and toppings, such as rice, avocado, cracklings, etc.

Exotic Fruits

If you have time, I also highly recommend another tour from Real City Tours – The Exotic Fruits Tour. Colombia is apparently the country with the most fruit biodiversity in the world and my cold North American palate was dying to sample some tropical specimen. On top of all the different fruits you get to try, it’s also the chance to explore Medellín’s largest market – Plaza Minorista – and grocery shop with a knowledgeable guide.

And as in any market, there’s a food court serving delicious local food in gigantic portions. My introduction to sancocho de pescado filled me up for the rest of the day!