Medellin: Most Innovative City in the World (2013)
Medellin: City of Eternal Springtime (seriously the best weather I’ve ever had; 25-27 C day/night, year-round) and the cleanest Metro train system I’ve encountered (100% opposite of NYC subway).
-minimum time: 3 days; preferred time: 5+ and definitely over a weekend
COLOMBIA- you are simply amazing. Containing 13% of the world’s biodiversity (beaches, mountains, rainforest, desert and every form of precipitation therein), you have something for everyone.
Where to stay:
Authentic experience: Envigado or Sabaneta (you won’t see many gringos nor will you hear any English; it’s safe and authentic but its the real deal. I lived here for three weeks and didn’t see another gringo)
Gringo/Tourist area: El Poblado or Laureles
Hostels (in El Poblado):
A) Casa Kiwi (30k COP/$10USD): probably the best and most social hostel in Medellin without giving up peace and quiet at night (see Happy Buddha if that fits your fancy). Tight rooms, comfy beds, good restaurant, centrally located. Great dorms and private rooms alike. Roof-top plunge pool (it's small), hammock area, pool table and full movie theater with stadium seating couches. Stay here but book 1–2 weeks ahead; safe to walk around at night
B) Maloka (30k COP/$10USD): centrally located, this place is chill. 4 person dorms or private rooms. Great restaurant and streetfront coffee bar/lounge. The owner Jeff is a Texan living in MED himself and is a good guy. If Kiwi is booked, this is #2. Downside: lacks social if you’re traveling solo (but EL Poblado is easy to meet people); safe to walk around at night.
C) Pitstop Hostel (27k COP/$9USD): about 10–22 minute walk from the action; huge space with a pool, bar, pool table, bball court, hammocks, good kitchen. This place is great midweek; spacious size makes you wanna stay and chill all day. Downside: gotta get food delivered unless you want a 6–7 minute walk. Also: definitely taxi home at night (2$ from party zone) to be safe.
D) Happy Buddha (30k COP/$10USD): only making list because they have an awesome bar everyone can go to and because everyone hears about HB when in other Colombian cities. It’s noisy and tough to sleep. Stay at the others and party at HB if you have to.
Food/Drink:
Burdo. Designer and Photographer's dream.
Burdo: hip and trendy- really makes you love what developments are occurring in MED. The burger is stellar as is the salmon salad. Their big juices and mixed drinks are a must. Sexy and sophisticated. Sunday’s are all dates. Other nights are groups and dates. Meals are reasonably priced.
Verdeo also has a market on the 2nd floor with organic foods and great juices to-go.
Verdeo: organic market and fantastic restaurant with awesome decor in a casual and airy environment. Recharge your batteries over a meal, delicious 9k COP juice or a coffee. I went here almost everyday for juice.
37 Park. Great spot to begin the night with friends in a cozy outdoor setting.
37 Park: great restaurant and bar with young crowd relaxing in a laidback atmosphere. Has great outdoor seating in their own unofficial park. Good pregame or dinner spot
If you want to head to Laureles, check out the following for food, drink and bar scenes:
- Cafe Zeppelin
- Cafe Revolucion
- El DF
- Son Habana (bar)
- Tienda De la 70 (bar)
- Hellreigel Beer Company (bar)
What to do in Medellin:
Atletico Nacional Fans are rabbid.
Athletico Nacional Futbol Game: passion emanates during these incredible matches. The endzones are full of boisterous fans singing and playing drums, horns and trombones. Don’t sit there unless you’re willing to get in a fight. Sit mid stadium. Tickets can be 40–80k COP ($15–25 USD) and easily scalped outside stadium. http://elcomercio.pe/deporte-total/futbol-mundial/atletico-nacional-vs-independiente-valle-vivo-online-duelo-titulo-copa-libertadores-noticia-1919553
Walking tour of MED: simply put, this is the best walking tour I’ve been on in 8 cities and likely the rest. Uncut detail of the city’s history and stories. Leaves daily from Poblado train stop but you MUST reserve online in advance. Do not miss this. 4 hours
Parque Avri offers an array of hikes amongst beautiful foliage and streams.
Parque Avri: huge national park just outside MED. The beauty of this trip is you must take the Metrocable over the barrios to get there so you get an incredible birds eye view of MED and a view into the poorer section of MED. The park itself is gorgeous and offers something for everyone: 2 hour hikes to full day hikes. Plenty of vendors have food and drink. Take water, sunscreen and a swim suit in case you want to cool off in a great river.
Parque Explora.
Parque Explora: in 2014, MED beat out Tel Aviv and NYC as most innovative city in the world (a repeated overture in MED travel literature…when in Rome I suppose…) And this science museum is a fantastic example why. With multiple exhibits, both indoors and out, you have the chance to explore some great scientific concepts in a truly interactive way. From light and visual distortions and their impacts on your body and sight to kinetic energy and power exertions, this is worth visiting. My explanation sucks cuz I’m not sciency and don’t know the words- haha. Just go!
Botero Museum: Colombia’s most famous sculptor and artist donated some $22mm worth of sculpture to the plaza outside the museum the city eventually created in his honor. Seriously, each of the 22 fat person sculptures is valued at roughly $1mm USD. Entry is cheap and a good way to spend an hour or two. Access via the Parque Berrío metro stop.
Botanical Garden (free entry): beautiful gardens with iguanas, a butterfly sanctuary, wildlife of all kinds and smiles from everyone you see. This is a great date spot or place to relax and read a book. Directly across from Parque Explora so ideally you’d tag team these in the same day.
Day Trips:
El Peñon monolith in Guatape, with the manmade lakes surrounding. This is amazing.
Guatape/El Peñon: about 65% of Colombia’s electricity is produced in this giant hydroelectric region (they sell power to Panama, Ecuador and Venezuela too!). The highlight is El Peñon, a massive monolith (rock) standing on its end that, after scaling 649 stairs, offers you a stunning 360* view of the surrounding man-made lakes where the power is generated. Enjoy pictures and beers here. Get this tour through a hostel and afterwards, you can get a boat ride on the lakes and even see Pablo Escobar’s mansion. Some tours even offer paintballing at another one of his homes. Tours can be easily coordinated through hostels though if you want to go to El Peñon yourself, you can get busses from Terminale del Norte for 8–11k COP for the 1.5–2 hour ride.
Bello: technically a different municipality than Medellin, MEN’s rapid outward expansion has led the two to appear as one. Bello is where you can rock climb, paraglide and go canyoning. I suggest paragliding over the city- the views are unreal. Flight time is 20 mins and you pay about 75–100k COP.
Nightlife
First off, no one says fiesta. It’s “la rumba” (room-bah). And afterparty is “El remate”. Ok basics out of the way, there’s some great partying in Medellin and it isn’t all salsa. Just be warned most salsa bars blast the music as loud as possible and fill their spaces with chairs and tables. Paisas and Colombians are territorial in social settings and they prefer to get a table for their group, drink Aguadiente until a good dance song comes on and then get up and dance a few songs before sitting down and doing it all again. The idea of an American singles bar with few chairs and a steady flow of people through the bar where you can meet new people frequently just isn’t how it’s typically done in Colombia. That said, check out the following joints:
El Deck (Carrera 40 and 10; El Poblado): this place opened a few years back and a western influence can be felt. It’s COP9 to enter but worth it. They spin crossover (reggaeton, hip hop, pop) in a packed front room when it’s non-stop grinding. The back room is a great indoor deck filled to the brim with living plants and trees plus lots of smiles and beautiful people. This is a good spot to meet Paisas.
Salon Amador (20k COP cover): we were here during fashion week. Thursday featured a DJ who spun tunes you’d find on the Playa in Black Rock City. Friday was the beginning of fashion week and so it was overflowing with 6 foot tall models. You can imagine the rest. Their wall of past performers was full of recognizable underground names. located on Carrera 36 bet 10/10A in El Poblado
Rooftop @ The Charlee. Sexy and Sophisticated.
Rooftop at The Charlee: sexy and swanky bar overlooking Parque Lleras. Somewhat pricier but worth it if you want to take a date.
Calle 9+1 aka Calle Nueve (across from El Deck; Cra 40 & 10): this grungy spot plays hard hitting techno for a crowd that is focused on dancing and “partying”; watch out for cops patting people down outside; totally safe and fun party inside with lots of lasers, lights and fluorescents. There’s a cover but I can’t remember the price.