Before I went to Colombia, I’d heard a lot about Medellin, perhaps more than any other city in the country. It’s big with the digital nomad crowd and has developed a sort of industry to cater to them with hostels and apartments with high-speed Internet and restaurants appealing to a global palate.
After the humidity of Cartagena, the slight chill of Medellin was welcome. We arrived early and as our cab came out of the tunnel, we took in the views of the valley. I couldn’t help but smile at the beauty.
This post contains affiliate links that can earn this website a small income. They will not cost you anything to use.
The Scenery
Something Medellin does well is scenery. From our hostel, we had views of the mountains that surround the city. We went to a “Sunday Funday” event at the hostel’s other building, right around the corner, and sat in the warm pool with glass walls that didn’t disrupt the scenery. Even when it was raining, it was breathtaking.
The Street Art
If you’ve been reading this site for even a minute, you know about my love of street art and murals and my ability to find them all over the globe. Medellin has a great street art scene, both downtown and in the famed Comuna 13, which I’ll write about soon.
The Food and Drink
Alambique 
I’d heard about the restaurant scene of Medellin but didn’t realize just how great it is. On our first day, we went straight to lunch at Alambique, which has cool decor and gorgeous cocktails. We shared a few plates and were far from the only ones enjoying a lavish Sunday lunch. The next day, we had an authentic Italian lunch at Lorenzza Pizzeria.
There are so many restaurants that came recommended that we didn’t make it to, including Herbarario Restaurante, OCI.mde, Restaurante Mondongo’s El Poblado, Carmen, 37 Park Medellín, and the Mercado del Rio food hall.
We also tried to go to Bipolar Brewing and 20Mission Cerveza but both were closed so instead, we ended up at Foxey Pub, which is like a food hall but with seven different breweries in one spot, the perfect place to watch a soccer game. Medellín Beer Factory and 3 Cordilleras were also on our lists, but we didn’t make it.
The Day Trips
Medellin is well located to visit other parts of Colombia, especially Guatape, which I originally learned about on my computer’s screensaver. The beautiful lake is home to a massive rock you can climb. Medellin also has great day tours, including the free walking tour, the Comuna 13 tour, and the local food tour. The coffee regions are nearby if you’re looking to learn about the industry.
What We Didn’t Do
Something that is important to keep in mind when visiting Medellin is narco tourism. There’s a massive interest in going to the places connected with hometown drug lord Pablo Escobar, especially after the popularity of Netflix’s Narcos.
But after watching David Farrier’s episode on Dark Tourism, I realized that I didn’t want to support the continuation of his “Robin Hood” legacy. I read a book about this period in Colombia instead of visiting his former house and grave. The Museo Casa de la Memoria is considered to be a more mindful alternative if you’re interested in this dark period of Colombia’s history. Comuna 13 is another essential tour to understand the impact.
Would you go to Medellin?
PIN IT
Leave a Reply