I went to Medellín a few years ago and it was going to be my first trip to Latin America. Before going there, I didn’t know what to expect. The home of Pablo Escobar. The former murder capital of the world. But I also heard it has become one of the most progressive cities in South America. Medellín is also famous for its great weather, hence why it is hailed as the home of eternal spring, with perfect weather year-round.
The trip got off to a bumpy start when one of my Mexican friends who I was meeting there, and sharing a room with at Los Patios Hostel, for 7 nights, was deported upon landing at Jose Maria Cordova Airport. He arrived a day earlier than I did, and was staying with a friend for one night, but because he didn’t book the accommodation, he forgot the name of our hostel… so they deported him. When he called me to tell me, I thought it was a joke, but nope it was true. I was all alone, my first time in a Latin American country with very minimal Spanish language… uh oh.
Well, I was still going so after a long layover in Panama City, where I spent the night drinking, I arrived in Medellín. The ride from the airport was a nice one, driving through the hills surrounding Medellín and looking at the typical south American puestos (small shops) on the side of the road.
I checked into my private room at Los Patios Hostel, which was a phenomenal hostel by the way, and decided to calm the nerves by heading out for a walk to Parque Lleras for some beers. Los Patios is located in El Poblado, so it was only a short 10 minute walk. I had a few drinks, enjoyed the atmosphere and admired the beautiful women. The next day I met up with my other friend from Mexico, who was staying elsewhere. We went on a day tour to Guatapé and El Peñol. It was an amazing tour; first we walked around the colourful streets of Guatapé, took some photos and got a coffee. After that we arrived in the Guatape lakes and took a boat tour, saw a few of Pablo Escobar’s former mansions, enjoyed the views and the ride and were then dropped off for lunch at a restaurant in El Peñol. We marveled at El Peñon, the Rock of Guatapé. The rock is a natural landmass that juts nearly 700 feet high out of the land and is about 700 steps to climb to the top. The walk was tough, especially while nursing a hang over, but the view from the top was amazing. There we could see the surrounding lakes which we cruised through earlier.
It was a great trip, and when we got back to the hotel, who was waiting for us? Fabio, the guy who was deported. He took a chance, flew again, but this time landed in Bogota, and now he knew the name of our hostel, and got into the country with no problems.
We spent the rest of the week in Medellin, partying, drinking and sightseeing. There was lots to do and the food was great. If you are in Medellín, you must try their famous dish, Bandeja Paisa. I had it twice, once at a fancy chain restaurant called El Rancherito, and once in a smaller restaurant in downtown Medellín. The Medellín nightlife is a highlight, especially in Parque Lleras. There are tons of bars and clubs which open their front windows to the street. You can walk around, people watch and listen to the blaring music from the host of bars. It is safe to walk around, but they say you shouldn’t walk around by yourself or go to the bank at night, and I did both things one night and I didn’t run into any trouble. The people are friendly, and if you want, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to get into trouble if your heart desires. And for partying, you could spend the entire time frequenting Parque Lleras, but we got adventurous and wanted to go to a local salsa bar located downtown. We were warned about downtown but went anyways. After our Uber driver had trouble finding the place, we got out and decided to try and find it on foot. We were walking down a dark and extremely sketchy street and decided to turn around and go figure it out while sitting in Park San Antonio. The park didn’t appear very safe, so we ducked into a small bar, had a beer, ordered an uber and gave up on the salsa bar. Luckily, we didn’t have any problems there, but it was a sketchy experience.
Aside from partying, we went Paragliding, which was a cool experience. The only problem was that we had to wait out the wind, and even then the wind was still strong and the operators basically said the ride was at our own discretion. A few guys got stuck in the air longer than planned because they had trouble landing with the wind, but hey, if they paid for a half hour ride and got an hour, that’s a bonus right?
We went to Communa 13, a barrio covered with colourful and politically charged graffiti that has the world’s longest outdoor escalator. It used to be one Medellin’s most dangerous barrios, but tourism and social programs cleaned it up and it has become a popular tourist spot. There are plenty of views of the city and the locals will sell you souvenirs, drinks and food right out of their homes.
There are also museums (including one which is a memorial for the violence caused by the armed conflict and drug violence) to check out, cool plazas to walk through in the day and places with cool history and views of the city like Pueblito Paisa. Or, for a cheap price go and watch a fútbol match one night, just don't order make the same mistake I did and order two cervezas, expecting a tasty beer... they're non alcoholic. And don’t forget, you’re in Medellin, so there’s always the chance to do a Pablo Escobar tour. Our tour guide was great, he was very knowledgeable, and you could tell he was connected to the street. We visited Pablo’s grave, his former mansion that was bombed by the Cali cartel, and his former “prison” or should I say luxury resort?
There is a ton of things to do in Medellín, whether it’s sightseeing, learning about Colombia’s colourful past, or eating and drinking the night away. It’s very cheap, and when I went a beer would cost around $1 CAD and a very good/large meal and a drink might cost you $15, with a cheap meal being around $5. And there is plenty of street food to try. My favorite were the Empanadas, which cost under $1. Medellin also has Uber, and its extremely cheap and probably the safest way to get around. And above all else are the people; the people are great in Medellín, and Colombia in general. Plus the views pretty much anywhere you go are tremendous, if you go to Medellín, try and stay in a hotel or hostel that has a rooftop terrace. Los Patios was great, with picturesque views of the city while drinking a beer and enjoying the weather. I was there for 7 nights, followed by a few nights in Bogota and then Cartagena. I wish my time was longer. And then I went back to Colombia a second time, but didn’t have enough time to visit Medellín. Now, if I ever get the chance to go back to Colombia, I will be back in Medellín in a heartbeat.
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