Medellín, Colombia
Welcome to one of my favorite cities ever! Medellín, the city of eternal spring, with lots of hills, beautiful red brick buildings, the Metrocable (a gondola lift system to reach the steep hills, where the Metro can´t go) and the Metro (fun fact: it´s the only city in Colombia which has one and people cherish it so much, that they say: if you feel unsafe, just go to the nearest metro station and you´ll be fine).
If you happen to come here, don´t run away after 3 days on your packed 3-weeks-Colombia-roundtrip (3 weeks is waay too short anyway for this gem of a country).
Here´s so much to do, so much to discover and it would be a shame to just hang around in the most touristy neighborhood "El Poblado".
Sooo, you wanna ask me: "Jelena, what are your suggestions then?"
Well, buckle up, cause here we go:
... oh no... wait... one thing before we go: All of my recommendations are personal ones. No one paid me (neither in coffee nor in money or hugs) to mention them or post the links. It´s just pure love from my side....
BASICS:
If you get to Medellín by airplane you´re most probably going to land at the international airport, which is outside of the city. To get into the city you can take an Uber or Taxi and it will cost you approx. 120.000COP, depending on the time of the day/night and how full the moon is (...just kidding...). But you can also take a bus, which is way cheaper. There´s Aerobus Medellín and Combuses and you can take the bus from the airport into the city (ask for the Estación Exposiciones). From there, hop into the Metro station (Exposiciones) and get yourself a Civica rechargeable ticket to use the Metro during your stay.
If you´re not equipped with a travel e-sim (for example via airalo), you will want to buy a data sim card to be able to google maps you around Colombia and I have had very good experiences with CLARO. You can find CLARO stores all around Colombia, I would just suggest you don´t buy the sim card at the airport (which will be way more expensive). Survive until you reach the city and go look for a CLARO store and ask for their data sims. As I always spent a good amout of time there I went for their 30 day data sim package, which cost me around 50.000COP (unfortunately there´s little information you can find on their website - but just go into the stores and ask :-)
Wherever you stay, you might want to take one, two or all of the Free Walking Tours with BEYOND COLOMBIA. I kid you not, they have the best tours (and good news, they also operate in other Colombian cities). After those tours, you´ll know soo much more and you will understand and love this place more than if you´d just come to party...
I would really really really (and I mean REALLY) go and look for accomodations in different neigborhoods of Medellín. El Poblado is well known for lots of party, dancing, lots of hostels and hotels and lots of fancy food outlets, stylish cafés and boutique shopping opportunities. I would definitely check it out, if you have never been to Medellín before.
Good hostel options:
After sleeping like a baby puma, you´re probably going to wonder where to get good coffee and breakfast. Well, let me help you with that, check out these places:
- Pergamino Coffee (also check out all the cute little shops in that street)
- Kaime Bakery (and vegan restaurant)
Let´s stick with food, because I´m a foodie and I literally travel for food (and coffee)
- Kaime Restaurant (OMG.... the food is mouthwatering good! GO!)
- Café Zorba (Pizza to die for)
- Sazón Paisa (traditional Colombian food - very yummie, big portions, veggie options)
If you like Piña Colada... (I don´t know if anyone serves that drink here... but if you like a good cocktail, combined with a freaky speakeasy, check out this Konbini Medellín. If you don´t know what Konbini is, let me tell you. It´s the japanese short word for "Convenience Store" and this is exactly how the entrance looks like. So don´t be fooled, step in and have a great night.
Now, if you like Salsa or Bachata, there are two places for you here (Son Havana and Dancefree), although I myself have only been to Dancefree:
- Dancefree (Go check out their instagram page. They have not only private classes and group classes if you want to improve your dancing skills, they also have lots of socials. One room is Salsa, the second one Bachata. I liked it a lot!
Maybe you have heard about this area already. I LOVED it!!! Like crazy!! You have bustling city mixed with lush green giant trees in the middle of the street, there´s plenty to do, see and experience. If you want to party, sure, there´s the 70 (calle 70, THE party street) but there are also lots of nice cafés and restaurants all over the place. Laureles is a pretty big neigborhood, so prepare for a lot of walking (that is, if you are a walking junkie like me).
Hostel-wise I haven´t found anything that appealed to me, but I stayed at
The Harbour Hotel, and I had a mini apartment with balcony, kitchenette and own bathroom all for a good price. Only downside: If you´re a light sleeper you might be bothered by the party-street nearby. The good thing: You´re very close to the metro station Estadio which connects you to the rest of the city and you can go and walk and explore everything from this place.
Now, food and coffee, very important:
I´m a vegetarian, so I can´t tell you about the bazillion chicken- and fried chicken-options you can find (all over Colombia) but veggie heaven can be found here:
- Full Árabe (also for non veggies). The Falafel are to die for! And the veggie platter will keep you full for the upcoming 10 hours - I swear!
- Saludpan (Restaurant, café, bakery, grocery shop - all in one and DELICIOUS)
- Uno más uno Restaurant - small, fresh, delicious, lovely and attentive service
- River Town Café by beminimal - beautiful laid back café which is actually part of a hotel above (everything looks gorgeous, so this might also be a good hotel option). Breakfast and coffee are super yummie and if you have to work or want to read in a quiet corner, no one will bother you.
- Pergamino Coffee - yes, it´s everywhere in Medellín (also at the airport btw) and they are there for a good reason. Great coffee, beautiful cafés and yummy pastry
Sooo, you walked around Medellín now for a few days and your pile of laundry just gets higher and higher? Do not worry, because there is Lava en Happy Laundry, which offers super quick turnaround time at very good prices. You can also grab a coffee there and order food.
If you are a happy salsa and bachata dancer like me, you sure want to know where to dance and where to improve your dancing skills, too. No worries, I´m here to help, because I tested quite a few options during my 2 weeks of Medellín (went dancing 8 times).
In or near Laureles you have these options:
- Bachata al Parque - this one I LOVEED IIIT !!! It´s outdoors in the Parques del río and they offer classes before the social dance. Every Monday. Btw... the park is lovely, too. It´s right at the river and people go there jogging during the day, walking, hanging around with kids at the playground and in December you can see the very famous alumbrados (see photo below) with light shows and food stalls and everything.
- The Grand Social Medellín - located in The Church Club - offers bachata classes every Thursday and afterwards social dance. You don´t have to register. Just go there and have fun :-)
- Nueva Guardia Dance Club - Unfortunately it was closed during my time there but a friend of mine told me it´s lit!
- Son Havana Bar - there are two. One in El Poblado and one in Laureles. Here you can find live music and salsa
- Plaza Botero in the city centre - Home to 23 monumental bronze figures by artist Fernando Botero
- Museo de Antioquia - it´s right next to Plaza Botero and you can find artwork by Botero and also modern art. Very interesting :-)
- Centro Comercial Palacio Nacional (also in that area) - this is crazy! From looking at the building from the outside you´d never expect what´s going on inside. On the ground floor there´s just a bunch of vendors but if you take the elevator and go to the top floor there you´ll find a free art exhibition, a café and you can walk around the terrace and have a look at the city centre from above
- Botanical Garden Medellín - free entrance and a little bit of peace and quiet if you need it. Bring your passport (or copy) for the registration at the entry
- Parque Arví - For a day trip. This is a fun thing to do because you get to use the Metrocable for quite a long and beautiful ride into the remote Parque Arví where you can go on hikes and guided tours and see some beautiful nature. But take care: It´s colder than in Medellín (because higher) and if you´re a little freezy squeezy like me you´d better want to carry a light jacket and scarf.
- Explore neighborhood of Envigado - just walk and experience this beautiful area, go into a local small coffee shop and have a tinto (black coffee)
- Comuna 13 - Once Medellíns most dangerous district, now a tourist magnet. I can´t even write in a few sentences enough information, but it´s definitely one of the things people consider as a "must visit" on the trip. There´s plenty of tour operators offering guided tours with valuable information.
There´s sooo much more to do and to see! If you have questions, let me know, I might have seen it, heard about it or know someone who might know :-)
