Is Medellin Value Visiting? Explaining The (Over)Hype

Medellin was once almost about the remaining position somebody would pass.

For many years, it used to be referred to as the bottom of Colombia’s maximum notorious cartel, the house of Pablo Escobar, and (within the early Nineteen Nineties) for actually having the sector’s easiest crime price. Yep, it used to be very a lot no bueno.

Then, Medellin stepped forward… so much.

I first visited Medellin again in 2014 simply prior to it really hit the highlight. I believe for plenty of vacationers it used to be a good looking wonder to determine Medellin used to be more secure, livelier, and extra habitable than they’d imagined. Quickly, many expats and virtual nomads additionally started to acknowledge Medellin as an reasonably priced and engaging position to reside.

Phrase unfold. Medellin become a factor.

Now, as I revisit Medellin in 2022, it kind of feels the pendulum has swung the wrong way.

In recent times, Colombia go back and forth boards and discussion groups debate whether or not Medellin is ‘overvalued’. Some vacationers surprise what the fuss is all about. Some virtual nomads are even turning their noses up at Medellin having turn into a ‘gringo the city’, overtaken by way of foreigners like themselves.

So what took place? And will have to you continue to talk over with Medellin?

Let me provide you with my 2 pesos.

Is Medellin value visiting?

From a vacationer’s point of view, I believe Medellin is unquestionably value visiting for a minimum of a number of days. I’d even say it’s one of the profitable locations in Colombia. However… it’s helpful to have the suitable expectancies.

Medellin is known as a trendy town with many red-brick condominium blocks in addition to many shanty cities at the slopes of its surrounding hills. There isn’t that a lot of a ancient outdated town if that’s what you’re hoping to seek out.

Lots of the attractions and issues to do in Medellin also are arguably extra of passion to citizens. It has some beautiful parks, a botanical lawn, a super science museum, and lots of renovated public squares — however that’s perhaps no longer what you got here the entire approach right here for. Then again, cultural sights just like the Museo de Antioquia (with its many Botero works) are no doubt extra of passion to guests.

But even so this, Medellin is unquestionably the position to be told about its trendy historical past and the drug cartels. It’s additionally attention-grabbing to peer how poorer spaces had been utterly reinvigorated. Comuna 13 was once some of the town’s most threatening spaces; now it’s a humming vacationer vacation spot famed for its boulevard artwork and certain vibes.

Medellin has nice nightlife and a large number of world delicacies, particularly within the prosperous group of Poblado which is well liked by expats and vacationers.

Purely at face worth, I imagine Medellin generally is a smidge disappointing if it’s been hyped as much as you a large number. Then again, I nonetheless assume Medellin is a great town — and I imagine the important thing to appreciating it’s to in reality know its tale.

As soon as this tale, Medellin will no doubt click on for you in a large approach. A minimum of, I will be able to say it completely did for me.

Working out Medellin

There are two sorts of people that have visited Medellin: those that have executed the Medellin Actual Town strolling excursion and people who haven’t.

I’ve executed really numerous strolling excursions all over the world, however I nonetheless imagine this one probably the greatest I’ve ever executed.

If you wish to perceive Medellin’s previous and provide from a deeply private point of view, then the Actual Town strolling excursion is a should. It’s run by way of locals and all the guides lived via Medellin’s ‘unhealthy years’ by some means.

(Via the way in which, I don’t earn the rest from this advice. It’s simply my most sensible go back and forth tip for Medellin!)

A ways from the standard cookie-cutter excursion, the tales advised by way of my information left me deeply affected. Born and raised in Medellin, as a kid he witnessed folks getting gunned down with automated rifles proper in entrance of his area. He additionally describes a horrific grenade assault at a metro station and a marketplace bombing that killed two dozen folks.

Via listening to from any person who in truth lived via all of it, you achieve a really brilliant image of what Medellin used to be like only some a long time in the past. Then again, this excursion is not only in regards to the unhealthy days, however about hope and growth.

Listening to in regards to the unhealthy from the previous makes you recognize what Medellin is nowadays. And also you’ll in reality get started seeing it with other eyes.

You’ll acknowledge how Medellin went via a complete transformation. Squares that had been as soon as the scene of brutal killings had been changed into colourful public areas. Libraries and galleries have sprung up everywhere. A construction that used to be as soon as a shelter for criminals is now, fittingly, town’s Centre for Training.

At the left, a sculpture that when exploded in a bombing assault. The artist, Fernando Botero, insisted town stay it as-is, with a brand new sculpture positioned subsequent to it as a reminder of previous and provide.

Whether or not you’re taking the Actual Town excursion or just spend sufficient time in Medellin, you’ll surely quickly listen of “Metro Tradition”. It’s every other piece of Medellin’s tale.

The Metro device used to be constructed all through the peak of the Violence (it will get written with a capital V). It temporarily become town’s major image of alternate. Take a more in-depth glance and also you’ll see the metro device is if truth be told a supply of satisfaction a number of the Paisas, completely freed from any graffiti, chewing gum, or cigarette buds.

The metro traces its connecting cablecars had been an city making plans masterstroke, serving to to tie town in combination and combine the slums with town right kind, thus elevating alternatives for the deficient. Within the outer barrios, you’ll be able to see posters subsequent to city renovation tasks with slogans similar to, “right here too the Metro Existence lives”, appearing how the Metro has turn into a shorthand for Medellin’s revival.

When you see Medellin on this context, it turns into a LOT extra attention-grabbing.

Alternative ways to experience Medellin

What I additionally like about Medellin is that you’ll be able to get to grasp the Colombian tradition, in addition to the usage of it as a super base for day journeys within the area.

With the exception of finding out the historical past, to get essentially the most out of Medellin right here are some things I like to recommend:

Take a commute to Guatape

K, this can be a bit touristy, but it surely’s in reality amusing.

Guatape is a village famed for its vibrant properties with superbly sculpted depictions of village existence decorating the decrease halves of each area. It’s a lovely position to spend a while.

It’s also house to the rock of Peñol, an excellent inselberg with 650 steps resulting in the highest, from the place you’ll be able to watch a stupendous lake-strewn panorama.

It’s somewhat simple to get to but it surely takes just a little of time: take the Medellin Metro to Terminal del Norte, from there it’s a 2-hour bus trip to Guatape costing about 11,000 pesos.

For a extra guided and entire enjoy you’ll be able to additionally take a excursion, similar to this Guatape day commute on GetYourGuide (which additionally features a boat commute) or this Guatape day commute on Viator. The excursions are quicker as they come with resort pickup and no public transit.

Cross paragliding

The hills round Medellin are best launching spaces for paragliding. Tandem flights require no particular talents, are somewhat reasonably priced, and be offering impressive perspectives of town.

It prices round $50 for a flight. You’ll be able to e-book this simply via Viator or via GetYourGuide.

Take a commute to Jerico or Jardin

Those colourful cities within the coffee-growing area south of Medellin are very amusing to talk over with. You’ll see a lot of espresso farmers and cowboys milling in regards to the streets and markets and a number of the rolling inexperienced hills you’ll be able to talk over with waterfalls or take a espresso excursion.

It takes about 4 hours to Jerico or 3 hours to Jardin, so you could need to keep in a single day to make it well worth the commute.

See a football/soccer fit

No longer being into football a lot myself, this used to be extra of an anthropological workout than anything, however I beloved seeing how passionate the Colombians get about this recreation. Cross with slightly crew (or a excursion) because the stands can get very mosh-pitty and loopy.

Cross on an unique end result excursion

I did this excursion and I beloved it because it presented me to a lot of lesser-known tropical end result such because the soursop, guavasteen, candy granadilla, and the West Indian Locust fruit (a.ok.a. the pungent ft fruit).

You get to head to a few native markets and take a look at out about 20 other scrumptious issues (or much less scrumptious… see: pungent ft).

Take salsa courses

On some days you’ll be able to get unfastened courses at specific hostels (for example on the Wandering Paisa) if you happen to occur to be the cheap traveler. There also are salsa courses introduced at most of the salsa bars and colleges.

Dive into the nightlife

The nightlife in Medellin is unquestionably a large number of amusing, whether or not you’re the cocktail bar sort or wish to pass clubbing (lots of the song is latin). Your highest wager is to visit Parque Lleras within the Poblado house, which is a small park surrounded by way of streets with bars and eating places, all of that have open terraces with folks spilling out onto the streets.

Visiting vs. residing in Medellin

I believe a large number of the variations of opinion about Medellin stem from whether or not folks keep for a couple of days, or for for much longer.

Medellin has so much going for it as an reasonably priced position to reside, with a gentle year-round local weather, a lovely excellent high quality of existence, and lots of issues to do. That’s why it’s been very well liked by virtual nomads and faraway staff (I additionally assume the relationship scene is a large enchantment for some nomad sorts).

Even though Medellin stays a significant virtual nomad hotspot, very similar to Mexico Town, Chiang Mai, or Lisbon, its reputation turns out to have peaked slightly bit. Costs rose and gentrification set in, which has led to a few grumbling about it being “overvalued”.

There’s additionally been some backlash to sleazy foreigners coming to Medellin to seek out prostitutes and medication and such. Some Fb teams for Medellin have needed to get started a “no jerks” coverage.

Some citizens additionally don’t just like the life of Pablo Escobar-themed excursions, in need of to position this ugly technology in the back of them.

However if you happen to’re visiting as a vacationer for a couple of days, you’ll most likely be 100% unaware of those controversies.

Whilst Medellin isn’t a town with any colonial or historical historical past and even many conventional “vacationer websites”, it gives a super window into Colombian tradition and its newer historical past. If you happen to’re on a greater commute via Colombia, I unquestionably wouldn’t skip it.

Is Medellin nonetheless unhealthy?

Medellin is now not the area of Pablo Escobar, however it could possibly nonetheless be slightly tough across the edges. Don’t put on pricey jewellery, stay your telephone to your pocket, and take legitimate taxis at night time (or ride-hail apps) while you’re going out.

I’ve requested locals in regards to the protection in Medellin on numerous events. I as soon as requested a gaggle of locals who I’d befriended in the event that they’d ever been robbed or had the rest occur — I gained relatively the collective eye-roll. One lifelong Paisa advised me the entire barrios (customary neighborhoods) are mainly protected and that handiest probably the most communas (hillside shanty cities) can also be unhealthy at the moment.

I do assume the placement generally is a bit other for vacationers, as they is also extra focused than born-and-raised locals.

The most secure group is no doubt Poblado, which is the place maximum vacationer lodging is. This house is relatively prosperous and world even though, so it’s just a little decrease on native vibes. Laureles is every other nice house to stick. The metro device could be very protected and protected, so you’ll be able to use it to get round with none issues.

Normally, Medellin isn’t unhealthy, however being a large town in South The usa it’s nonetheless sensible to take some elementary protection precautions.