Even though I stayed in Medellín three times on this Colombia trip, I did not explore the city much. I used it mainly as a hub for visits to the three surrounding pueblos of Guatapé, Jericó and Jardín.
I stayed in the Poblado district which is a very trendy section rivaling Laureles as a favorite zone for visitors. For two of my three visits, I stayed at 574 Hotel which I can comfortably recommend. Great staff and located on the edge of Poblado but out of the most noisy part.
Two aspects of Medellín worth a mention. While Medellín was infamous in the 1980s-90s for the cartel run by Pablo Escobar, it has long since shaken that image and become a relatively safe city.
One of the more interesting areas is Comuna 13. Once the location of rival drug gangs with one of the highest murder rates in the world, Comuna 13 has transformed itself into a major tourist attraction in the city most famous for its graffiti art. The turning point for Comuna 13 was Operation Orion in 2002 when former President Uribe sent over 3,000 troops into the zone to try to drive out the gangs. While it did impede the gangs, it also inspired the neighborhood to clean up its own act.
A second point worth mentioning is that Medellín has an incredible public transportation system. The Metro rail system can get you almost anywhere in the city quickly and cheaply. In more recent years, the city added Metrocable which is a gondola transportation system that carries passengers in small cars over parts of the city to stations in areas that are other difficult to reach. It also provides incredible views of the city.
A final interesting point. Medellín has become a hotspot for digital nomads. There are several coworking spaces and many coffee shops offer customers the opportunity to spend the morning or afternoon working from a table without pushing them out the door.
My introduction to Medellín
Comuna 13
Metro rail and Metrocable
Awesome. Thanks for sharing!