Medellín: Our Highlights

Medellín, once ranked the world’s most dangerous city in the 1990s, transformed itself to being recognized as the world’s most innovative city in 2013 and has become a sought after tourist hotspot. Because of its incredible mountainous scenery, perpetual spring temperatures and wide array of things to do, Colombia’s second biggest city should be on your travel list. 

We spent four weeks in Medellín and felt an urge to stay longer. Below are some of our highlights from our time in this beautiful city (in alphabetical order):

AirBnB Apartment:

We stayed in a spacious apartment in the Punta de Piedra gated complex near Premium Plaza mall. It was a perfectly central location in Medellín, as we were a short 20 minute walk south to the boisterous restaurant-filled neighbourhood of El Poblado, while also a 25 minute walk north to the hustle and bustle of downtown (El Centro). Our apartment was conveniently located near multiple grocery stores and a short walk to Industriales metro station. Furthermore, the apartment complex has a large pool and an exercise room to stay active!

Bandeja Paisa

Bring your appetite! This signature Colombian dish of the Antioquia department and the Paisa Region is a massive tray (“bandeja” in Spanish) containing more food than one should consume in one sitting. Typically, it contains red beans, rice, ground beef, chicharrón, a fried egg, chorizo, arepa, black pudding, a plantain and avocado. This array of deliciousness should be consumed at least once during your time in Medellín and is common in most traditional Colombian restaurants.

Cafés

There are countless cafés all over the city serving delicious local Colombian coffee. Our favourite in the city was Pergamino (located in El Poblado). See our post on Cafés in Medellín For Great Coffee for more great places to get your java fix.

Café Zorba

Another staple in the El Poblado neighbourhood, this pizzeria offers delicious stone oven pizza with an excellent atmosphere. Most evenings offer live music and there is a cute patio in the back to enjoy the outside air.

Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour

There are a number of companies that offer graffiti tours in the neighbourhood that was once known for being notoriously dangerous with a high homicide rate. Many of the guides grew up in this area and offer a first person account of the history and transformation of this area previously not visited by tourists. The tour guides operate through tips and it should be booked in advance online. We used “Stairway Storytellers”. https://proyectoprime.com/stairway-storytellers/

The area is known for its escalators connecting the upper part of the neighbourhood, making commuting a lot easier for locals. On the tour, we took the series of escalators up and down, and were able to see a different side of Medellin. Entrepreneurial residents have set up cafes, bars, trinket and t-shirt shops, and little stages to perform for all the tourists coming through. We found the area pretty touristy, however, worth visiting.

3 Cordilleras Brewery

For those who love craft beer and live music, you will not be disappointed in this local establishment. It is open every Thursday (5:30pm-9:30pm) and Friday (6:30pm-10:00pm). We went there on a Friday and it cost COP$28,000 per person (COP$30,000 initially with a COP$2,000 refund upon returning our glass).

With the price of admission, we were given five drink tickets to redeem for glasses of beer and a brewery tour (in Spanish). There were five different beers available (Amber Ale, Wheat Ale, Black Stout, American Pale Ale and a Rosé). The live band was excellent and the bar was packed, with many patrons opting to sit on the floor before the band came on stage. Overall, it was an excellent value for a fun night out with friends. http://www.3cordilleras.com/

Correr es Vivir

Joining thousands of locals, we took part in a 5km race to promote physical activity for older people (a 10km race was also available). The race was free for anyone 35 years or older, but only a mere COP$15,000 (approx. $6.50 CAD) for everyone else. A matching t-shirt and cap were given to all participants and the vibe during the run was extremely positive. It was a wonderful site to see so many people unified on a Sunday morning exercising together in the Laureles neighbourhood.

Crepes and Waffles

Despite being a national chain restaurant, Crepes and Waffles never disappointed as a place to indulge in a delicious meal at an affordable price. We especially enjoyed the salad bar for a selection of fresh vegetables and salad at a cost of COP$11,200. There is also a wide variety of sweet and savoury crepes, as well as coffees, smoothies and fresh juices.

Feria de las Flores

During our month in Medellín, we were fortunate to experience the annual Feria de las Flores (Festival of Flowers). Local establishments created giant flower wreaths to display (called “silletas”) during the two-week festival, culminating in a parade (El desfile de silleteros) on the last day. At this parade, the giant wreaths are carried on the backs of locals to a barrage of cheers from spectators.

Throughout the festival, we witnessed some other events, such as a bike rally downtown, a fair with live music in our neighbourhood, as well as a classic car parade. It was great to mingle as a local during this fun festival.

Grocery Shopping

With multiple grocery stores in our area, we enjoyed the adventure of navigating daily deals. Each store has daily promotions that offer anywhere from 10%-35% off particular items. For example, we always bought fruits and vegetables on Sundays at Jumbo for 20% off! If you are staying in Medellín for an extended period of time, be sure to check out the grocery deals. Shaleen’s favourite grocery store is Justo y Bueno, as the prices are the best, there is always a wide variety of affordable treats and it reminds her of the popular US store, Trader Joe’s.

Guatapé Day Trip

We enjoyed our day trip to the colourful town of Guatapé. It is easy to travel there on your own using public transportation. See our post on Guide to a Guatapé Day Trip.

Memory Museum

Medellín’s memory museum ensures that its violent past can not be forgotten. The symbolic displays are creative and thought provoking, leaving visitors sharing the heavy emotional baggage of the guerilla warfare that took place. There is an smartphone app that can be downloaded to curate the experience in English or Spanish (bring your headphones). The museum experience should take approximately 1-2 hours to walk through in its entirety.

“Menu del Día” (meal of the day)

Many restaurants offer a “menu del día” or “meal of the day”. For approximately COP$10,000 per person, the meal includes a soup or side salad, a choice of meat (pork, chicken, beef or fish), white rice, plantains, an arepa and a juice. We indulged in menu del día multiple times in Medellín, as it is a filling and affordable option for lunch.

Metro

Open since 1995, this is the only rail based metro system in Colombia. What makes this unique is its four aerial cable car lines that connect to neighbourhoods located on the steep hills and higher elevations. Taking a metrocable line provides some of the best aerial views of the city. In our opinion, the only downside to the metro was the long wait times to buy a ticket during peak hours. Presently, tickets must be purchased from a teller in a booth, as there are no machines from which to get your tickets.  

Real City Walking Tour 

The Medellín Real City free walking tour provided us with an excellent background to the city and its history. The tour took was approximately four hours in duration and took us around the downtown area (El Centro). Our excellent guide, Hernan, provided an extensive amount of information about the history, city, politics and culture of the Paisas and Medellín. The tour must be booked in advance through their website and we recommend taking the tour within the first few days of arrival. Although the tour is free, it is expected to tip the guide at the end. https://www.realcitytours.com

Salsa Lesson

We couldn’t leave Colombia without taking part in at least one Salsa lesson. Organized through the Toucan Spanish school, we stumbled around at DANCEFREE in El Poblado for approximately one hour. The instructors were great and had the entire room confidently performing basic salsa moves to upbeat music while dripping in sweat! DANCEFREE offers lessons multiple nights per week which transitions into an evening of dancing with live music. It is definitely worth checking out.

Spanish Lessons at Toucan School

Having no background in Spanish and recognizing the need to learn, I enrolled in a one week course at Toucan Spanish School in the El Poblado neighbourhood. See our post entitled My Experience At The Toucan Spanish School for more information about my experience.

Street Performers

At nearly every traffic stop, passengers and pedestrians are entertained by many talented individuals looking to earn an extra few pesos. Keep your eye out for jugglers, stilt walkers, musicians, breakdancers, slackline walkers and more!

Tejo

Colombia’s national sport is called Tejo. It involves throwing rocks towards targets filled with gunpowder causing them to explode! “Tejo Medellín” is a company that offers individuals an opportunity to have a lesson, enjoy two beers and play for two hours in the Envigado neighbourhood for COP$30,000. It is definitely worth experiencing this explosive game while in Medellín.

Tree-Trekking and ZipLine at Comfama Park (Parque Arví)

Riding the cable car to Parque Arví is a worthwhile experience on its own, as you are treated to an incredible aerial view of the city. Once we arrived to Parque Arví, we took a free bus to Comfama Park (approx. 10 minutes). For an entrance fee of COP$18,000 each, we had access to all the amusement park had to offer including giant swings, climbing ropes to the top of a vinyl “volcano” (then sliding down), picnic areas and more. However, the highlight of the park is the tree trekking/ziplining adventure.

Upon entering the park, we signed up for our time slot to climb. When our time came, we stashed our belongings in lockers provided by the park for COP$1,000 per hour. The Comfama team fits each participant in a harness and helmet and provides them with a lesson. Despite not being able to understand Spanish, the lesson was straightforward enough that I could follow it. There are also some English-speaking instructors.

Once we completed the lesson, we were free to climb on the course of our choice (4 options ranging in difficulty from beginner to extreme). We picked the third most difficult course, as it was the longest one. There are a series of obstacles high in the trees including unstable bridges, tightrope wires and nets to climb through, as well as three ziplines! The entire experience took approximately 2 hours to complete and was definitely worth the price of admission! The experience made me feel like I was transported into the Ewok Village in Return of the Jedi!