A lot of people know Medellín because of Pablo Escobar. But there are more to Medellín than that. Medellín has changed a lot from this period of time and today it's a modern, touristic city that has a lot to offer to its visitors. Let's find out together...
The main means of transportation of Medellín is the Metro, because it takes you all in every part of the city, has a fixed schedule and also is fast and clean. So, let's start our tour by getting to know the Comuna 13, a neighborhood with a heavy past, that has been transformed in a neighborhood full of art and opportunities.
Being on the subway, we will go until the San Javier metro station, that is in the line B of the metro. There we will take bus 225. This one brings us close to the electric stairs, and there our graffiti tour experience starts.
One of the 16 comunas (neighborhoods) of Medellín, this neighborhood wasn't always a nice place to live or visit, has a rough past but now it has turned in a great place to get to know. Its streets are fully of graffitis, vibrant colors, happiness, dance and music. Art everywhere you look. Apart from these, there is a big place where you will find ice-cream, drinks, food, crafts, t-shirts, and other types of souvenirs; also there are spaces where you can enter for free to take photos of other graffiti and other spaces painted by locals. It is a space where you can breathe a different air. Today Comuna 13 is one of the largest art exhibitions in Colombia. We recommend you to live this experience with a guide, the majority of whom lived the transformation of this neighborhood and they will tell you about their life stories, since the invisible borders were in place and it was not possible to cross into the other neighborhoods, the drugs sales in every square, and all of this heavy past when was difficult to survive, until the operation Orion and all the transformation that changed the gun shoots to paints, drugs to dance. An opportunity to live differently.
In 2013, Medellín was denominate as the most innovative city in the world and it was awarded with the title of “City of the Year” by the Wall Street Journal and Citigroup in recognition of the social transformation of Comuna 13.
And now that we have learned a little about how Medellín was during the 90s, we will move on to our next destination Pueblito Paisa that will travel you a little bit further back in time.
This is a very traditional place, where you can see how the paisas villages used to be, those from the old days, the classic park that is surrounded by restaurants with balconies, decorated with flowers, that natural charm, and in the front the church; it's an image of a typical village in Medellín. In these restaurants you can discover and try the typical food of Medellín like the Bandeja Paisa, the mondongo and others If you want to keep a memory of your trip, you can visit the local shops where you can find a souvenir or traditional products. Further ahead is the museum of the the city of Medellín and a big place with a nice panoramic view of Medellín.
Pueblito Paisa is located on the Nutibara hill. One of the ways to go up to the Pueblito paisa is walking from the Industriales metro station, it has access by the street and/or stairs that surround the hill, or if you have already done a lot of walking during the day, you can use other transportation like taxi, Uber or other. 📍 Directions
Plaza Botero is located in the central axis of Medellín, It is close to the Parque Berrio metro station, just 4 stations away from Industriales, so it's a good place to continue the day’s tour. It is a large park, where you can plan a meeting point, and move around the city. The area around Parque Berrio is known as the central axis due to its accessibility by Metro, bus and others. So, while we you are there you can walk until the Plaza Botero. This square is famous and recognized for the sculptures of Fernando Botero, who is distinguished by his peculiar way of characterizing his works: round and voluptuous. Its 23 sculptures are permanently exhibited, since it is a public park. You can find sculptures like, Women with fruit, Head, Sphinx, hand and Adam among others In this square, you can also find the museum of Antioquia and the Rafael Uribe Uribe cultural palace, with which you can complement your tour of downtown Medellín, learning a little more about its history. 📍 Directions
Having already visited some main attractions and learned a little more about the history of Medellín; it would be ideal to end the tour of the day by viewing the city from above from a viewpoint that is relatively close to Industriales Metro station while the radiant colors of the sunset adorn the sky. Well, Medellín has several viewpoints, where you can appreciate the beauty of Medellín from all its perspectives, so we want to tell you about one that is eye-catching because of their versatility. This is the viewpoint named ‘Mirador El Cielo’, which has fabulous panoramic views of the city. Located on a hill, it has a separate space for photos with different themes; among the most popular are the giant hand, the Chavo del 8 neighborhood, the bicycle with E.T., a huge wooden chair, and others that will allow you to have a nice memory of Medellín and its beautiful view in the background of your photos. On the other side, you can find street food like hot dogs, snacks, and some drinks like soda with flavor, juices, and beer. There's also a space for kids, a farm with some animals where they can interact, feed, and take pictures. For the bravest, this place has an adrenaline area as well, with games like a ‘tirolina’ where you are held with a harness and go up quite high (well, it has two different heights) and some ropes with a bicycle to advance through the air, among other games of this style. 📍 Directions
This is one of the best cafe-bar of Medellín. It has a sophisticate atmosphere, and it's suitable for romantic dates and business meeting, because it has several spaces with different vibes, in other words, it has a natural garden with a fountain and comfortable couch where the dim light creates a romantic atmosphere, and on the interior there are lounges where you can have a business meeting. You can try a Colombian coffee with different preparation methods, and a great presentation; also you can try a cocktail, or a brunch some days of the week. On top of that, the space is very photographable and the customer service is friendly and timely. It is located in Parque Lleras, one of the best-known parks in El Poblado, Medellín. 📍 Directions
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Opening hours
It's open every day, including holidays. 8:00 to 23:00 hr Brunch Friday, Sunday and Saturday from 9:00 to 15:00 hr Pet-friendly
2. Try giant buñuelos at "El Peregrino"
Now let's get to know one of the most prominent places to have one of the best Buñuelos. We are talking about the El Peregrino, a traditional place, close to the Sabaneta Park. There we can find the famous giant buñuelos, which stand out for their large size, and delicious flavor. They also have a normal size option and a varied menu from which you can try typical Antioquian dishes like chorizos, chicharrón, bandeja paisa, natural juices, coffee among others. 📍 Directions
