Medellín — A City Transformed

From Andrew

As an American—and I assume as any other foreign traveler—I think it’s impossible to avoid comparing the country you’re from with the country you’re visiting.

Some of those comparisons are a little bit silly and skin deep, like when Kira and I were searching out a cheap dinner so we walked a mile to the nearest McDonald’s and ordered a couple double cheeseburgers. (For the record, they taste exactly the same as they do in the States, so if any McDonald’s executives are reading this, no need to worry about the Poblado location ruining your brand recognition.)

Others go a bit deeper, and in Medellín, almost everywhere I looked I was impressed by a city that has clearly been well-managed and invested in, with hope for a better future.

A public gym in Comuna 13. These gyms can be found tucked away in little corners all over Medellín. By Kira Leclair.

Take the Medellín metro, for example. It was built in the 90s, when, to put it mildly, this was not the safest city to visit. But the paisa people are fiercely proud of their public transportation system and thirty years later it’s still the only one of its kind in Colombia and I’d be willing to bet it’s just as clean as the day it opened. The trains run on time with almost Swiss accuracy, and rules against eating or drinking in the cars are strictly enforced by fellow passengers. To go from the tangled surface streets of the city, where armies of motorcyclists zip around in a chaotic and terrifying display of The Fast and The Furious style driving techniques, to the organized world of the metro is shocking. Here, passengers form orderly queues to get on and off the trains, and if an old woman or young mother boards, two or three guys will instantly jump to their feet to offer them a place to sit down. It’s the only public transportation system of its kind in Latin America, and it has revolutionized the city, providing easy, affordable access to even the poorest neighborhoods.

Even aspects of the public transportation system in Medellín that might seem a little silly on the surface, like the escalators in Comuna 13, provide a utility to the community that’s hard to understand until you actually walk the steep streets of that hillside neighborhood. Those simple escalators, and unbelievably detailed and beautiful street art, have transformed one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the world into a hip tourist attraction. All because the local government chose to invest in the poorest parts of the city.

It’s hard not to compare this transportation system with similar utilities in the States, like the DC metro, which I rode on an almost daily basis for four years when I was studying at Georgetown. I remember my sophomore or junior year, leaving a basketball game at the Verizon Center, I ended up uncomfortably close to two guys that took a shoulder check too seriously and almost turned it into a knife fight. I also remember the Rosslyn station escalator that was broken when I graduated in 2013 and was somehow still broken when I visited DC in early January 2022.

I think the biggest difference in the two systems is more philosophical than economic or political. It stems from a sense of belonging. The residents of Medellín have developed a type of community that’s visible in the example of the metro, but also in the little corner stores that, for most of the day, sell bottles of water or energy drinks, but at around 5pm turn into hangouts for local folks to drink beer and catch up. Everyone seems to know each other and, more often than not, by 6:30 or 7:00 someone has brought out a grill and is cooking hot dogs in the street. It’s the atmosphere of a backyard Saturday barbecue in the States, but here it’s on the sidewalk where everyone is welcome, including a pair of gringos watching from the periphery.

I’m aware that I have a small infatuation with Medellín, and I think part of that is because, after a week in the cotton-candy, perfect-for-Instagram world that is Tulum, it felt refreshingly real. It’s a place where the locals are clearly proud of their city and grateful for its visitors, where I could practice my Spanish and fumble through sentences and just get laughed at, instead of getting a condescending reply in perfect English. I’m not saying Colombia has gotten everything right. From small things like indoor plumbing that can’t handle toilet paper (yeah, that’s what the little trash can next to the commode is for) to a deeply devalued currency that makes daily life for the average citizen painfully expensive, there’s work to be done to make life better everywhere.

I’m also not trying to trash the US, as anyone that knows me personally should be aware. But to remember that just twenty years ago the Colombian military was flying helicopters above Comuna 13, machine-gunning its citizens in the streets below, is shocking when you see the modern Medellín. It’s a revitalized city that I think has been built more or less by the relentless positivity and willpower of its citizens. And I wonder what it would be like if we could somehow foster a version of that positivity and belonging in our communities, from the biggest cities to the smallest towns. I don’t know how to do that. But I think it’s worth visiting Medellín to see for yourself what that grassroots level of community can lead to on a macro level.

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Now, I’m not a big fan of travel guides. I’ve used them to plan some trips, and I even wrote a short one for Cartagena, but I’ve never wanted to be the guy that’s wandering around a city with a five thousand page book like the nerdy kid in Eurotrip. I prefer to learn about a place from locals, but unfortunately that knowledge can be hard to earn, and it takes time that unfortunately not everyone has. So here are some tips for anyone interested in visiting The City of the Eternal Spring, and seeing for yourself why I’ve fallen in love with Medellín.

Where to Stay

Poblado is the wealthiest part of Medellín, home to digital nomads working in trendy coffee shops and eating dinner in phenomenal restaurants. Virtually all American and European tourists will end up staying here, and it's a great option. In my experience it’s incredibly safe, and there are uniformed police and private security guards on almost every corner. (Admittedly, I’m not a big fans of cops, especially in developing countries, but even I have to admit that the uniforms make for a good deterrent.) I recommend if you plan to stay in Poblado, that you look for an Airbnb or hostel close to the metro station. It’ll be quieter, a little cheaper, and if you’re close to the metro you’ll be able to easily access virtually every part of the city. And the glitzy restaurants catering to the digital nomad crowd will still only be a roughly 10-15 minute walk away.

Laureles is a little more residential and feels like a nice, upper middle class neighborhood, because that’s what it is. It lacks the overwhelming American presence that permeates El Poblado, but is still filled with phenomenal bars and restaurants. Plus it’s a little more centrally located than Poblado. If you want a more local experience, I’d stay there. There are plenty of hostels and Airbnbs in the area, and I think this is probably where I’ll make my base camp next time I visit Medellín.

What to Do

I’ll keep my picks here short, because I think it’s cool to find your own way in a new city. But there are a couple musts, and then one that’s a cool option:

Real City Tours Walking Tour — cross your fingers that your guide is Germán, who is hands down the best tour guide I’ve ever had. I’m sure the other guides are great too, and this three hour free (tips-based) tour is absolutely worth your time. You’ll learn the history of Medellín, and what was done to help turn the city around. If you only have one day in the city, do this tour in the morning and then get to Comuna 13 as quickly as possible for the next recommendation.

AIC Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour — you can book this on Airbnb (check the link). There are other options, but don’t bother with them. This tour is operated by one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met (that isn’t named Dan Beyma). Carlos, who sometimes introduces himself as Charles, grew up in Comuna 13 (and has the bullet scars to prove it) then fled to Spain in the early 2000s to avoid the violence. He came back to help revitalize the community by bringing tourism to the neighborhood. He’s another phenomenal guide and is a wealth of knowledge for the city as a whole. Again, if you only have one day in Medellín, this is a must-do tour.

Street art in Comuna 13 referencing the 2002 Operation Orion that culminated in Colombian military helicopters indiscriminately firing on individuals living in the community.

Real City Tours Street Food Tour — at first I thought it was a little silly to pay someone to take me around and eat street food, but it’s definitely worth the price of admission. While I don’t rate this one as highly as the first two, I still recommend it as a way to explore the city and have some phenomenal food and drinks along the way.

Where to Eat

Medellín is filled with phenomenal restaurants, from simple places serving traditional Colombian food in the menu del dia to Carmen, the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the city. It’s pretty much a choose your own adventure based on where you are, what you’re in the mood for, and how much you’re willing to pay. My favorites are Voraz, a steakhouse, and 404 House Pizza, both in Poblado and easy to find using Google Maps. If you go to 404 House, say what’s up to the server/bartender, Juan Pablo, for me.

Getting There and Getting Around

Multiple airlines offer direct flights to Jose Maria Cordova Airport (code MDE) from multiple US cities. Skyscanner, Scott’s Cheap Flights, and Google Flights are your friends here. If it’s cheaper or easier for you to fly into Bogotá, the domestic transfer from BOG to MDE costs around $40 USD and only takes about 35 minutes gate to gate.

Unfortunately, MDE is about a 30 minute drive from the city itself. There’s a bus from the airport to the city, but I couldn’t figure out which one was the right one to take, so Kira and I took a taxi both to and from the airport.

And, obviously, once you’re in the city itself, I recommend you take the metro.