10 ESSENTIAL PLACES TO VISIT IN MEDELLíN

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This list of the best places to visit in Medellín It will help you organize a visit to the city of the eternal spring, making the most of time.
In addition to having a pleasant climate throughout the year, around 24 degrees, the second most important city in the country has been reborn from a violent past as a result of drug trafficking and guerrillas, to become another essential in a trip through Colombia.
Observe the immensity of the city and its mountainous surroundings from a metrocable, hallucinate with graffiti and learn about the violent history of Commune 13, surprise yourself with the voluminous sculptures of Botero in the square that bears his name and in the Museum of Antioch, try a Blunt paisa tray or just enjoy the good atmosphere in squares and places, are just some of the best things to do in Medellín.
Despite the reputation of dangerous that has been transmitted since the time of Pablo Escobar, Medellín can now be visited perfectly on your own, although always using common sense, avoiding walking through the center at night and not showing valuables In addition to asking in the accommodation which areas are not recommended.
To move around the city we recommend using the subway for long distances or the taxi for the shortest, while to stay it is preferable to look for a hotel in the safe and quiet neighborhood of El Poblado and if possible near the subway station if you have You have to move around the city a lot.

Based on the experience of the days we spent in the city during our trip to Colombia in 46 days, we have made this selection of what we think are the 10 essential places to see in Medellín. We start!

1. Commune 13

The Commune 13, a neighborhood of tragic and violent past where hundreds of people died from the action of guerrillas, paramilitary groups, the dirty war of the government and drug trafficking gangs such as the Medellin Cartel of Pablo Escobar, has managed to overcome all these adversities thanks to the work of its people and transform it into the most essential place to visit in Medellín.
Located on a hillside, this neighborhood of humble people and houses has been filled with color and joy thanks to its beautiful graffiti that adorn its walls and have made it a great tourist attraction.
Although you can visit on your own with total security (you can take a camera and mobile without any problem), we recommend that you book a tour to learn more about the interesting history of the neighborhood and not miss any important corner.
One of the tours with the best local guides and with which you also collaborate with the social work that is carried out in the neighborhood, is that of the Casa Kolacho that has a price of 30,000 pesos (8 euros) and that you can book by sending a Whatsapp to +573113473131.
If there is no availability you have the option to book this graffiti tour through Commune 13 in advance.
To get to Comuna 13 you can take the subway to the San Javier stop, transferring in San Antonio if you stay in Poblado. From this station, guided tours through Comuna 13 of Casa Kolacho begin.

Commune 13

2. Botero Square

One of the best things to do in Medellin is to take a picture in each of the amazing and voluminous sculptures of the Plaza de Botero.
These 23 bronze sculptures donated by Fernando Botero, the most universal Colombian artist with Gabriel García Márquez, turn this square into an authentic open-air museum.
Here you will also find two of the most essential buildings to see in Medellín: the Rafael Uribe Palace of Culture and the Antioquia Museum, which we advise you not to miss.
To get to the Plaza you can take the subway to the Parque Berrio station or the taxi, which should not cost you more than 10,000 pesos from Poblado.
A good way to know the history of the city and not miss anything important is to book this free tour of Medellin Free! or this guided tour, both with a guide in Spanish.

Square boatman

3. Metrocable San Javier

Before or after doing the tour of Commune 13 we recommend you take the Metrocable on the top floor of the San Javier metro station.
See from the air neighborhoods and communes such as 7 (Robledo) and 13 (San Javier), we can assure you that it is one of the best things to do in Medellin.
Thanks to this metrocable and others in the city, thousands of premises have improved their quality of life by being the only possible means of public transport to access the highest parts of these areas full of alleys and houses built without any sort of order. You have to keep in mind that the subway ticket (2550 pesos) is useful for taking any cable meter.
Another way to have the best views of the city is to book this helicopter ride where they will pick you up at your hotel.

Views of Medellín from the Metrocalble

Our recommended hotel in Medellín
Our recommended accommodation in the city is the Medellin Vibes Hostel, located in the neighborhood of El Poblado, one of the safest areas with the best catering offer in the city. In addition to its excellent location, the hotel has a swimming pool, breakfast, good Wi-Fi signal and 24-hour reception. To reach the historic center and the main points of interest you can approach the metro stop Poblado located 10 minutes walk.

4. Museum of Antioquia

The Antioquia Museum, located on one of the sides of the Plaza de Botero, is the most important what to visit in Medellín.
In this museum located in the former Municipal Palace of art deco style and with two interior courtyards, more than 100 works (the vast majority paintings) of Fernando Botero are exhibited on the third floor in addition to some of several international artists.
Another of the most interesting things to do in Medellin To know its tragic history of violence and drug trafficking is to visit the House of Memory, which gives voice to the victims of the conflict around their memories and teaches not to forget the past so as not to repeat it again.

Visiting hours: every day from 10am to 5:30 pm, except on Sundays, which closes one hour before.

Visit the Museum of Antioquia, one of the things to do in Medellín

5. Berrio Park, one of the places to visit in Medellín

The Berrio Park, located in the heart of the city, is the main square to see in Medellín.
With a statue of the politician Pedro Justo Berrio in the center, this square has in the Basilica of La Candelaria in 1659, the first church in Medellín, its most important building.
In addition, in one of the corners there is the sculpture of La Gorda by maestro Botero and in another corner that of Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt's El Desafío.
This square was our first contact with the city and it certainly has a lot of atmosphere with street vendors and locals chatting animatedly, although it is not the safest area in the city and we recommend you not to show valuables or visit it at night.

Church of La Candelaria

6. San Antonio Park

San Antonio Park, located in the center of the city, is another of the most essential places to visit in Medellin.
In this large square, with a small wooded area, is the San Antonio de Padua church that stands out for its huge dome. Although the most emotional place in the park is located next to the statue of El Pájaro by maestro Botero, which was damaged as a result of an attack in which 23 innocents died, including several children.
Fernando Botero asked that the sculpture be kept in this state as a souvenir of the imbecility and criminality of Colombia and 5 years later he donated another work with similar characteristics baptized as the Peace Bird, which is right next door.

San Antonio Park

7. Park of Lights

One of the best things to do in Medellin It is to travel along Carabobo Avenue that connects Botero Square and the Park of Lights.
In this pedestrian street full of shops and restaurants is the National Palace, which since 1993 houses a beautiful shopping center inside.
Upon arriving at the Parque de las Luces you will be surprised with a forest formed by 300 light towers that provide shade during the day and are illuminated at night.
A few meters from the Parque de las Luces, in the Alpujarra square, is one of the most important sculptures to see in Medellín, the monument to the Race, a work in the form of a curve of 38 meters high and made by the Antioqueño sculptor Rodrigo Arenas Betancur, who pays tribute to the history of the conquered peoples.

Park of Lights

8. Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture

The Rafael Uribe Uribe Gothic Palace of Culture and located in the Botero Square, is one of the most beautiful buildings to visit in Medellin.
This palace declared a National Monument can be visited for free and stands out for its architectural and artistic beauty of its different rooms and halls. On the first floor of the palace there is an exhibition about the history of the Colombian leader Rafael Uribe Uribe, while in the other rooms the historical and photographic archive of the city, the library, a music library and an art gallery are located.
You can end the visit by climbing to the terrace to enjoy great views of the city with the elevated metro in the foreground.

Visiting hours: Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Saturdays which closes at 2 p.m.

Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture

Recommended travel cards
Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.

9. Pueblito Paisa

El Pueblito Paisa would enter the list of places to visit in Medellín, whenever you have not visited, go visit any other characteristic town of Colombia like the nearby Santa Fe de Antioquia.
This small reproduction of a typical Antioquia town of the early twentieth century is limited to a small square with a fountain in the middle, a church and a few buildings around with souvenir shops and a restaurant to try the typical paisa tray.
Pueblito Paisa was built on the top of Cerro Nutibara, the largest natural park located within the city and to climb the hill we recommend you take a taxi or book the tourist bus, which stops at the main tourist attractions of Medellin.

Pueblito Paisa, one of the places to visit in Medellín

10. Excursions in Medellín

Another of the best things to do in Medellin It is to take a day trip to one of the wonders that are closest such as Santa Fe de Antioquía, Guatapé or a coffee farm.
To visit Santa Fe de Antioquía, a beautiful town that preserves many colonial buildings, you can take a bus or shared van at the North station (Caribe metro stop) for 15,000 pesos, which takes between one and two hours, depending on traffic.
Another way to learn more about the history and curiosities of this town is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish that includes pick-up in the El Poblado area.

Another of the most beautiful villages to see in Colombia It is Guatapé of colonial architecture and known for the baseboards that adorn the facades of their houses.
In addition to walking through the cobbled streets, in Guatapé it is essential to climb the Piedra del Peñol, a monolith of more than 200 meters high, from where you will enjoy spectacular views of the entire environment flooded by the dam of the Peñol reservoir.
To get to Guatapé you can take a bus at the North station that takes about two hours and costs about 15,000 pesos.
Another more comfortable and interesting option is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish that includes a boat trip or is without a ride, both with pick-up in the neighborhood of El Poblado.

The last excursion we propose is to book this coffee tour where you will learn the whole process of making the best coffee in the world and enjoy the green landscape of coffee plantations.