Once known mainly for being the worlds most dangerous city, Medellin has gone through a major transformation to become a vibrant city with plenty to do for tourist and locals alike. The city has a great array of things to do and places to eat. The climate is perfectly even all year round, which made Medellin earn the nickname city of eternal Spring.

If you are planning on visiting to the city, here are some of our highlights.

Free Walking Tour

There are many tours to choose from, we went with Real City Tour. During this tour you will go through all the main sites of the old quarter, such as Plaza Botero, El Pajaro @ Plaza San Antonio, Centro Comercial Palacio Nacional etc. So you can cross them off your list while learning about the history and transformation of Medellin. Obviously, tips are expected in the end of the tour so they are not completely free. A decent tip is around 25 000-40 000 pesos.

Cable cars

The cable cars offer an amazing view of the city, up to Parque Arvi. The trails at the top are not the best, but the views from the cable car make the trip worth taking. Go for a hike and have some local street food from some of the street vendor at the top.

El Poblado/Carrera 37

El Poblado is the trendiest and richest area of Medellin. It’s also where the majority of tourists, or gringos as we are called, stays. Here you can find bars, restaurants, cafés and boutique stores.

Carrera 37, is a street in the center of El Poblado, and it’s packed with nice cafés such as Pergamino and Velvet. Getting some good Colombian coffee is actually harder than you would think. Most places serve the second tier coffee, that cannot be exported, they usually mix it with a lot of sugar and call it Tinto. Although in El Poblado, you will not have to walk far to get a good cup of Colombian coffee.

Carrera 37 also has some super cute boutique stores with local designs. My favorite places were Estampamos S.A.S and Casa Rosseas. Around Parque Ileras you will find a lot of bars and clubs, packed with locals and tourist alike. Go to one of the salsa clubs for a real Colombian vibe.

If you are in the mood for some local food for a good price, Mondongos is the place for you. The servings are enormous so make sure you come hungry. Another favorite is Bohemia, which has both Colombian and Italian food in a great outdoor setting. If you want to treat yourself, El cielo should be on your list. It’s a great place to taste some refined Colombian food.

top pickS: EAT/LIVE/DO

**EAT:** Try the tasing menu at El Cielo. The meal starts with an exfoliating coffee scrub for your hands and (8 dishes later) ends with a local cup of Colombian Coffee.
**STAY AT:** 14 Urban Hotel. The hotel is located centrally in El Poblado, which is safe and filled with cafes, shops and restaurants.
**DO:** Bailamos! Try Salsa or Rumba. There are many classes at studios around Medellin. Or you can just head to one of the many Salsa clubs and find someone to teach you in exchange for a drink.

Guatapé

If you have more than 2 days in Medellin you should really prioritize a day trip to Guatapé.

This colorful town is located about 1,5-2h outside Medellin and can be reached by car or bus. You really do not need to go on an organized tour, since its super easy to get there by yourself. We took the bus there for about $5 each and an Uber back home for around $30.

Before entering the city center, the bus stops at El Peñol, a massive rock that you can climb to get some amazing views. We walked up the 750 steep steps to the top and did not regret the hike one bit!

From El Peñol you can walk around 45 min to the city or take a 10 min Tuk Tuk for about $4. You will be dropped off by the water and can start walking up and down the streets. Be ready with your camera, since all houses in Guatapé looks like they took a swim in a rainbow. All houses have so called Zócalos on the bottom part, which often tells a story of the house. After an hour in this color-bomb of a town, you cannot avoid feeling super happy.

Have a real Colombian coffee at Kaffe, which is located on the square in the middle of town, and try the amazing cinnamon buns at Zocarolls, before heading back to Medellin.

Things to know before you GO to Medellin

**SAFETY:** Even though the city is much safter than before, crime still exist. They have a saying called “Don’t give Papaya”, which basically means don’t make it easy to take your stuff. Keep your bag close and infront of you in crowded areas, avoid some areas at night and make sure you never leave a drink unattended. Do this and you will be fine!
**UBER:** Uber is a safe, cheap and convenient way to get around. Although, it’s not legal. Therefore, the drivers will ask you to sit in the front seat of the car, to make it less obvious that it’s an Uber. They will also most likely drop you off (and pick you up) at the parking lot of the airport instead of outside the departure gates. Another thing to note is that they are very particular with how you close the doors. So make sure to close the car door carefully, without slamming it shut.
**TABU TOPICS:** Pablo Escobar is a very tabu topic. Many people really hate him, which is understandable since they might have had family members and friends that were killed during that time. So be respectful, and don’t visit the touristy paintball course at Pablos old mansion for example.
**METRO:** The Metro is only 24 years old and something they are very proud of. Therefor its very clean, runs smoothly and everyone behaves well. So basically, the opposite of the New York Subway. It’s a great way to get around the city.

What to pack?

The weather in Medellin is very mild. This means it’s good to pack both dresses and a thicker sweater for the evenings.
Make sure you check if its rainy season or not, as a raincoat could be a good idea to pack.
Also make sure to pack some comfortable sneakers as well as some nice dancing shoes.
As always when you are traveling, travel bags makes your packing easier and more stylish. It also helps to avoid a mess in the hotel room and makes unpacking hassle-free.

Travel bags