Welcome to Medellin, the vibrant metropolis nestled in the lush mountains of Colombia. Known as the City of Eternal Spring, Medellin captivates visitors with its perfect climate, breathtaking landscapes, and rich cultural heritage. This cosmopolitan city has transformed itself into a thriving destination, offering an array of exciting activities and attractions. From exploring captivating museums and art galleries to immersing yourself in the local culinary scene and enjoying the vibrant nightlife, get ready to immerse yourself in the enchanting charm of Medellin and discover why it has become a must-visit destination for travelers from around the world.
Commune 13
The first place on your visit should be commune 13. To visit commune 13 is to witness the change that this city has undergone since the 80’s, without denying its history. But here, the main characters in the story are not Pablo Escobar and his hitmen, but the paisas.
Commune 13 is now a territory of artists, dancers, hip hop, but it was once the scene of violence in Colombia. Now, this place is being reborn, and it is full of life. That’s why it is one of the most popular stops for tourists in the city. To better understand all the history, I recommend taking a graffiti tour with Casa Kolacho, an agency of Hip Hop dancers that takes you through the commune, and tells you the secrets and stories behind each graffiti. Here is the link to check out these tours.
The history of comuna 13 is very interesting, because this neighborhood had many families displaced by the violence in Colombia. Many of these houses were, and still are poor houses because the displaced went to parts of the city that were not populated, and began to create a house with the materials they had. In English this type of construction is called slums, and Colombia has many of these neighborhoods because of our great problem of internally displaced people.
These peripheral neighborhoods were affected by the conflict with the guerrilla. Since the government had few resources to help them, the guerrillas told them that they would help them build houses, but in exchange they needed food, they needed to plant coca, or they needed to recruit children for the war. The worst thing about this is that many had no choice, if you said no, the guerrillas would kick you out of that neighborhood, or they could even kill your family.
Thirty years went by where the inhabitants of these neighborhoods were between a rock and a hard place, because they had to help the guerrillas or leave that place. All this happened until the government arrived with military operations to remove the guerrillas. Although many of these operations were successful, part of the population was also affected, as in all wars. There is an important work called mariscal, which is a tribute to all those who were affected and were not part of the guerrillas.
Tourism has transformed the neighborhood, and it is now one of the most photographed destinations in Medellín for its urban art. The escalators that connect comuna 13 are also very important, there are 6 sections, and were built in 2012 to unify the commune. On your visit you will also see a tribute to the children that are the slides of the commune. This neighborhood is my first stop in Medellin because it represents very well the great social transformation of this city. Commune 13 used to be violent, had murders and mothers crying, but today it is different, full of young people, artists, art and culture. Again I repeat that the most recommended way to visit this area is to go with a tour, to know the meaning of all the works of urban art, the history of this neighborhood, and its inhabitants.
Parque Ciudad del Rio
After commune 13, you can visit all the places that show the innovation of the city. I recommend starting at the Parque Ciudad del Rio, where you will find the modern art museum, a wide gastronomic offer of Colombian and international food, food trucks, or picnic area. This is a very popular place for paisas to relax and enjoy the good weather of the city surrounded by an open and free space.
Pueblito Paisa
This place is one of the most popular with foreigners, and it is very nice because it is a replica of the villages of Antioquia. It is on top of a mountain, so it has spectacular views of the city. In addition, the architecture is based on the peñol, a typical village with colorful houses, flowers, and stalls and views of the hills. Although this place is not very crowded by paisas, it is one of the essential stops you must make on your visit to Medellin. Also, if you go in December, this paisa town is transformed into a Christmas market, and has many beautiful lights.
In the pueblito paisa you might see fruit stands in the street. This is very popular all over Colombia, because in these stalls you get fresh, delicious fruit, and it is usually a good snack. A typical Colombian preparation that you can try at these fruit stands is the salpicón. This is a small glass with lots of chopped fruits, and sometimes they put condensed milk in it. The fruits inside vary depending on each preparation, but usually they have papaya, apple, banana, strawberry and watermelon.
At these stands you can also try different fruit juices. One of the most popular juices in Colombia is Lulo juice, which is personally one of my favorites. In Medellín they also sell borojó juice, a fruit that is supposed to be an aphrodisiac. When you visit Colombia you can take the opportunity to try all the exotic fruits we have. And especially in Medellin, you can get a wide offer of fruits because they have both hot and cold climate fruits, since Antioquia has the perfect climate for agriculture.
Parque de las luces
Parque de las luces is one of the most popular parks in Medellín. The Parque de las luces is the cradle of the city, it was where the first market square was created and this place was full of life because it was very close to the old railroad station. Nowadays it is very popular for its huge lights, and these are one of the iconic places to take your Instagram photo in Medellin.
Berrio Park
Another iconic park in the city is Berrío Park, this is considered a foundational center, and perhaps the most historically significant of the city, Paisas have seen it through the different generations as a meeting place and as the main reference of their city in front of visitors. In this park is also the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, a very large church with neoclassical architecture.
Botero Square
This is a very popular square, probably the most popular in the city, and it is basically an open-air museum, as it is full of sculptures by Colombian artist Fernando Botero. There are currently 23 sculptures, and each one is valued at more than 2 million dollars. All of these were a gift from their owner, Botero. As I mentioned in a past episode, Fernando Botero is probably the most internationally recognized Colombian artist, sculptor and painter. His whole artistic universe is different from the rest of contemporary art, because he paints and makes sculptures of gordos, or large proportions. In his words, he paints monumental, voluminous figures. He was born in Medellin, but currently lives in Europe. However, he still feels love for his city and his roots, and that is why he gave this magnificent gift to his city.
Many people touch these bronze sculptures to attract luck, money, or love, among other things. Walking around the square you will see some parts that are of a different color, and there you will know which is the place you should touch supposedly to improve your luck. For example, some very famous sculptures for luck are Adam and Eve, or the sculpture of the soldier.
Museum of Antioquia
If you want to know more about Botero, in front of this square is the museum of Antioquia, and the entrance fee is 18,000. In this museum are several of Botero’s most popular and controversial works, some related to bullfighting, or Pablo Escobar.
Salon Malaga
This place was founded in 1952, and is full of signs, letters, photos and writings of people who have visited the place previously. It is also different from most places in Medellín because here they love tango. Here you can ask if they have buñuelos and eat buñuelos con malta, a perfect snack for a paisa.
