Frequently Asked
Questions About Medellín

Traveling to Medellín is safe. Its episodes of violence are history and today it flourishes thanks to its social and urban transformation. Important tourist sites in the city, such as the comuna 13 or the Casa de la Memoria Museum, can evidence such change.

In fact, according to figures from the Office of the Secretary of Security and Coexistence of the Medellín Mayor’s Office, as of October 2022, the homicide rate in Medellín was between nine and ten points below the national average. Similarly, violent deaths of young people between the ages of 14 and 28 have decreased by 50% in the last four decades.

As in any destination, there are some places and times in which you need to be more vigilant. In general, take care of high-value personal items such as jewelry, cameras, and cell phones, and avoid carrying large sums of money.

Medellín has more than 15,000 beds available for all budgets in over 300 hotels. Most tourists converge in areas with the greatest lodging offering. These areas include the center of the city, the El Poblado neighborhood, and the tourist corridor of Carrera 70 in the Laureles-Estadio sector.

Medellín has several iconic tourist sites for visitors to discover, including the emblematic Plaza Botero, the highly recommended comuna 13, and the traditional Pueblito Paisa.

However, other attractions are more and more visited: They are the Parque Explora, the Arví Ecotourism Park, and the Casa de la Memoria Museum—a place that amplifies the voice of the victims of the time of greatest violence in the city and the country.

All these sites are a reflection of an innovative city with a diverse tourist offering changing over time.

Medellín is a traditional tango city. For this reason, every June, it celebrates the International Tango Festival in which everyone can appreciate live high-level tango shows and performances.

Likewise, the Casa Gardeliana Museum, Patio del Tango, the Homero Manzi Tango Cultural Center, and Salón Málaga are the best places to enjoy this Rioplatense tradition throughout the year.

There are countless dance academies in Medellín. Two of them are Casa Ritmo Latino and Dancefree, where you can learn to dance salsa and other tropical or urban rhythms such as bachata or reggaeton. Also, Salón Málaga and the Pablo Tobón Uribe Theater include salsa lessons in their cultural program. Then, traditional salsa bars are the best scenario to practice your lessons.

The poncho (a kind of light ruana), the guarniel or carriel (a type of leather and cowhide bag with 12 pockets that is worn crosswise and handmade in the municipality of Jericó), and the Aguadeño hat are the most typical elements of traditional clothing from Antioquia. Undoubtedly, they are also some of the region’s most important handicrafts.

Other famous handicrafts are the filigree from Santa Fe de Antioquia and the ceramics from El Carmen de Viboral. Visitors can have immersive ceramics experiences in this typical town in eastern Antioquia such as Manos Artesanas (Artisan Hands) and En El Carmen de Viboral Todos Somos Artistas (In El Carmen de Viboral, We’re All Artists).

Medellín has also a high-quality seal recognized worldwide in the production of jeans wear, underwear, swimwear, girdles, and signature jewelry.

Among Medellín’s tourist sites, the Water Museum, the Parque de los Pies Descalzos, the Parque de los Deseos, and the interactive science museum Parque Explora are some of the children’s favorites, where they can have different options for learning, entertainment, and fun.

A growing culture around the consumption of coffee has inspired the creation of various places in Medellín to enjoy the smoothest coffee in the world. Some of them are El Laboratorio del Café, de los Andes Café, Rituales Café, Urbania Café, Mija Masa Madre, Velvet Coffee, and Pergamino Café.

If you want to get to know Colombia’s coffee culture closely, the southwest of Antioquia is without a doubt the sub-region with the greatest number of coffee experiences. Two of its most touristic places are Jardín and Jericó, both of them heritage towns of Colombia. Likewise, in some neighborhoods and small towns of Medellín, you can also find tours to have the full experience of one of the most emblematic products of the country.

The soccer matches that take place at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín are scheduled by the different Colombian soccer leagues and tournaments or the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL).

Generally, matches are played in the middle of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday) and on weekends (Saturday or Sunday) with rotations of the home team and the away team.

Tickets for the soccer matches of the two most important soccer teams in the city can be purchased through the mobile application of Deportivo Independiente Medellín and through the website of Atlético Nacional.

In Medellín, several traditional food restaurants include bandeja paisa and other variations, such as cazuela de fríjoles (bean stew) or típico montañero (typical Antioquia country food), in their menus.

From public market places such as Plaza Minorista to diners and restaurants in the nightlife districts of the city, there are countless places to taste the most traditional dishes of Antioquia. Some of the most famous are Restaurante Hatoviejo, Restaurante Hacienda, Mondongos, Restaurante Marmoleo, El Rancherito, and Asados Doña Rosa.

The generous offering of fruits and vegetables available in Medellín are a sample of the immense diversity of Colombia. You can find them in neighborhood stores, mini-markets, supermarkets, and public market places such as Plaza Mayorista, Plaza Minorista, or Plaza de la América. You can also buy them in farmer’s itinerant markets every weekend in 21 parks across the city.

In addition to universities and language institutes and academies in the city, you can learn and practice Spanish in coworking spaces, hostels, cafés, and restaurants (especially in the most tourist neighborhoods such as Laureles and El Poblado). They all offer lessons, conversation clubs, and networking spaces for cultural and language exchange.

We recommend the Universidad EAFIT if you want to learn Spanish in a university environment in Medellín.

Tour operators such as Real City Tours, Beyond Colombia, and Let’s Walk Medellín offer walking tours in Medellín. To enjoy their tours, you need to book a date in advance on their website.

The free walking tour of the city center is one of the most famous; you’ll visit traditional parks, squares, and streets to learn first-hand about their history, culture, and people. Another popular tour is the graffiti walking tour in the comuna 13, where impressive murals by mostly local artists celebrate life in one of the most visited sites in Medellín.

Unlike other tourist sites in Medellín, the Graffitour in the San Javier neighborhood of the comuna 13 is a place open to the public and can be visited any day of the week. However, we recommend doing the tour in the morning or afternoon hours to be able to walk around the area calmly, appreciate the colorful murals, enjoy the privileged view, and interact with the residents.

Chiva or escalera buses are the most traditional means of transportation in the Colombian countryside.

Generally, these experiences last up to four hours and take place mostly at night. They include visits to some of the tourist sites and nightlife districts of the city.

To enjoy a chiva ride in Medellín, we recommend finding a tour operator that offers the full experience, often including traditional pieces of clothing, music, food, and drinks, as well as an accompanying guide and medical insurance.

Four towns in eastern Antioquia stand out for having natural bathing places in the region. They are Cocorná, San Rafael, San Carlos, and San Luis, which are around 80, 110, 115, and 130 kilometers respectively from Medellín.

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Medellín.travel es la Guía Oficial de Viajes de Medellín. Una herramienta de promoción turística de propiedad del Municipio de Medellín, donde se ofrecen de manera fácil e integrada información, recursos y servicios para resolver las necesidades de viaje en nuestra ciudad.

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