I’ve said this before. But one of my favorite things to do when traveling is to take a vacation from my vacation. This is especially true when I’m staying in a home base somewhere for a long period of time. Why not take advantage of whatever geographic situation I’m in? When we stayed in Helena, Montana, for a month, we took a vacation to Yellowstone and planned another one to Glacier. When I went to Thailand, I took a detour to Cambodia for a few days.
Since we were in Quito for so long, I wanted to take the opportunity to visit another country while were were in that part of South America. And I thought Matt’s birthday was the perfect excuse. So I plugged our dates into my favorite flight app, Skyscanner, to figure out where we could go for a long weekend, for fairly cheap. That’s where Medellín, Colombia, came in.
I may eventually do another post about whether or not Colombia is as dangerous as everyone says it is. (Spoiler alert: I lived.) But if you choose to visit this beautiful and vibrant city, here are a few things you must do.
1. Take a Guided (Art) Tour of Comuna 13
After arriving in Medellín from Quito late at night, a guided tour of Comuna 13 was our first activity, scheduled bright and early for the following morning. I’m so glad we did that first because it provided us with so much context for the city and the rest of our stay. You can find lots of tours through Comuna 13. There are a few Comuna 13 experiences from Viator you can choose from.
Our guide was supposed to be Jamerson, but he was sick the morning of, so his friend Kevin did our tour. Kevin was a local of Comuna 13, who was born and raised in the neighborhood. His English was excellent and he took us through the most popular parts of the district with the biggest art exhibits as well as the back alleys. And he even took us to his home! Outside, he and his friends had done their own graffiti murals.
Kevin also took us to a coffee shop that served coffee beer and coffee lemonade. The tour ended by stopping at Jamerson’s grandma’s shop (as was promised in the tour) where we got to try typical popsicles. They are made out of fruit, salted, and dipped in a cup of lemon juice for optimal flavor. 😉
2. Ride the Metrocable
The MetroCable was consistently listed as one of the top things to do in Medellín when I was doing my research about the city. While I don’t feel like there’s a lot of great information out there about it (hence why I decided to write a more comprehensive guide), we finally were able to figure it out on our last full day.
The MetroCable system is a system of cable cars that truly function just like the metro. They’re just suspended above the city rather than underground. And while it’s fun to ride them, that’s not their primary purpose. They help connect the communities that are sprawled on the hilltops of Medellín with the rest of the city.
I didn’t have a preference of which line we took, but Matt said he wanted to go to Parque Arvi. So we set out on our journey to metro station Acevedo before transferring to Lines L and K for Parque Arvi. It was definitely a really cool way to see the city, and it’s not too expensive, either. (Unless you go to Parque Arvi, which is more expensive than the others.) But it’s worth it!
3. Visit Plaza Botero
In my research, I had learned that one of Colombia’s most famous artists, Fernando Botero, was from Medellín. In fact, he is known as one of the most recognized artists from Latin America. I was familiar with his paintings (his style is pretty memorable), but I didn’t know he was a sculptor, too. At Plaza Botero, there are more than 20 of Botero’s sculptures, which he donated to the city of Medellín.
Most of the sculptures are of people and animals. I learned that, at a different plaza in the city (San Antonio), one of Botero’s sculptures — of a bird — was bombed by guerrilla group FARC in 1995. Rather than removing the damaged sculpture, Botero made another, identical one, which now sits next to the ruined one. It is known as the “bird of peace.”
Back at Plaza Botero, it’s fun to walk amongst the statues in the busy plaza. While it’s not dangerous, be sure to keep an eye on your belongings as it can get crowded with tourists and locals. Also, if you want to see more of Botero’s art — and art from other artists — the Museo de Antioquia faces Plaza Botero. It costs $21,000 COP for non-Colombians, so about $5.33.
4. Check out the nightlife at Parque Lleras
Before we actually arrived in Medellín, I was a little bit scared of Parque Lleras. That’s because of the map on this Safety in Medellín page.
(Although now I realize Plaza Botero is also red, lol).
But yeah, the reason I was a little scared was because, since we were staying in Poblado, everything looked nice and safe except there. So I felt like we’d best stay away from it.
Eventually, I realized it was just because it’s a big nightlife spot that’s popular with tourists, so it’s possible to be a target of pickpocketing or other crimes, especially if you’ve been drinking. It turns out that Parque Lleras — while it may have too many foreigners for your liking — is a pretty fun place to be out and about with lots of different restaurants, bars, and clubs. We ate at Gato Restobar and had drinks in a few different places, and we never felt unsafe. Just like with anything else, you just have to be careful, especially at night.
5. COMER Y BEBER! (Eat and Drink)
One of the best things to do, no matter where you are, is to try out as much of the local cuisine as you can.
For our first lunch, we tried Bandeja Paisa, which is a classic Colombian dish. It kind of reminded me of an English breakfast, in that it had eggs, beans, and sausage. But it typically also has rice, plantains, avocado, chicharron, and spices that give it a uniquely South American flair compared to its European counterpart. Matt and I split a huge plate of it for lunch, and it didn’t cost much at all.
Chicharron, by the way, is something else you absolutely have to try in Colombia. Traditionally, chicharron is fried pork stomach. I’m not necessarily the most adventurous eater — though being on vacation can inspire my daring side — but I gave it a try. And it was actually really good! It was kind of like really thick bacon that’s crunchy on the outside. Chicharron is something you’ll find on many menus in Colombia.
Medellín also had a really great cocktail scene, if you’re into fun cocktails. On our last night, we went to Alambique near Parque Poblado, and they’re famous for their mixed drinks adorned with fresh flowers. It’s also in a beautiful, magic-garden themed space. My tip is to make reservations. The other best place we ate was Nattivo Cocina Elemental, where we went for Matt’s birthday dinner.
Oh, and of course… you can’t forget trying some Colombian coffee! Cafe Aroma del Barrio in Comuna 13 sells coffee as well as the coffee lemonade and coffee beer we tried. Both were really good!
Our Medellín Video
Plan Your Medellín Trip
Best Hotels in Medellín Colombia: Medellin Hotels
Top Things To Do in Medellín: Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour with Street Food // Pablo and Comuna 13 With Cable Car // Coffee Tour in Medellín with Tastings and Transportation // Guatapé Tour: Piedra del Peñol with Boat Tour, Breakfast, Lunch
Would you ever visit Colombia or Medellín? What would you be most excited to do? Let me know in the comments!
-Cathy
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Originally Published on February 28, 2022.
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