Medellin….. Best know for being one of the most dangerous and violent cities in the world when the Pablo Escobar drug wars overtook the city. Nowadays it has come a long way and is one of the best cities in Colombia. Popular with expats and tourists, it is a beautiful city with big parks and some great bars, restaurants and cafes, and a fun night life. Try to be in this city for the weekend!
We stayed in the popular neighbourhood of El Poblado. It’s close to the nightlife and seemed to be a pretty safe area. Well we had no issues as we stumbled home at 3am after a night out. It’s also really well centred with a 15 minute walk to the metro that takes you up and down the city for a dollar of so a ride.
My favourite area was the Plaza Botero. Located in the middle of the city this busy plaza is full of great statues and is a perfect area for people watching. Head to the bottom of the plaza and there is a delicious coffee shop to sit at and overlook the area.
The botanical gardens are popular for the day, but unfortunately shut while we were there and the teleferico for a view over the city is a popular choice for a half day trip. We had heard great things about the small town Guatape, a day trip from the city on a local bus or with a tour group if you prefer. We had planned to head out there, but after a big night out the night before we were a little worse for wear. Our friend Daisy and Brett instead grabbed some tickets to a local soccer match and apparently it was definitely a worthy experience when in Colombia.
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