Before I begin, let’s touch on my writing about travel in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. For me, writing has been a form of escape. Writing about past travels to beautiful destinations in our currently suffering world – even more so. I’m hanging onto the fact that these places will be there waiting for us on the other side of COVID-19. There are, however, countless destinations that rely heavily, if not completely, on tourism. They’re sure to need all the help they can get in the coming years. As such, I’m working on content that hopefully inspires you now and helps you plan trips to these destinations when we’re once again free to roam. Thank you for reading. I hope you’re staying safe and healthy wherever you are.
My time in Medellin told a tale of two cities.
“Who here has visited Comuna 13, perhaps on a graffiti tour?” Jesus, our Guatapé tour guide asked. Most of the people on the bus raised their hands.
“And who has been to Comuna 14?” No one raised their hand.
“What about El Poblado? Who is staying in El Poblado?” Most hands shot back up again.
“Well, El Poblado is Comuna 14. But no one calls it that because comunas are associated with the slums. The poor, dangerous neighborhoods.”
In ways like this, duality became the theme of our weekend in Medellin. Staying in a gringo-fied neighborhood full of Instagrammable taco bars. Visiting another that was once considered one of the most dangerous places in the world. Privilege, and struggle. Grabbing greasy buñuelos for pennies one night, sitting down at the top restaurant in Medellin for a tasting experience the next. Swanky rooftop bars with swankier patrons, taking public transit in the sweltering heat with locals. All of this wove together over the course of a hot, rainy, eventful weekend as we explored the best of this culturally rich, vibrant city in the Andes.
Best of Medellin: Where to Stay, Eat, Learn and Play
Where to Stay: El Poblado
Like most of the other travelers we met, we chose to stay in the El Poblado district. It’s the predictable thing to do, but for good reason. El Poblado is safe but kinetic, pulsing with activity from its countless bars, cafes, hostels, restaurants, and parks. Sometimes, I’d forget I was in Colombia at all, its vibe and businesses were so reminiscent of the East Village in NYC.
We stayed at Cafe Hotel by Lars, which offered a lovely breakfast every morning and stunning views from its rooftop pool in the evening. Leah and I spent our first evening soaking in the pool, silently staring out at the lights glittering across the expansive city, and into the snippets of everyday life that the windows of high-rise condo’s allowed. We felt so, so small and a world away from home.
Besides our day trip to Guatapé and the Comuna 13 graffiti tour, we spent all of our time in El Poblado. Looking back, this was due to a combination of the relentless heat and afternoon rain showers, and the rising anxieties and fallout from a little thing called coronavirus. Luckily, we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know El Poblado and all of its charms.
What To Do in El Poblado
- Walk down its main thoroughfares: Calle 10, Calle 35, etc. Amidst the buzzy restaurants and bars, you’ll also pass through quiet parks and leafy streets. I felt like we were wandering around an urban jungle.
- Eat! You can find delicious bites at every price point in El Poblado. We loved grabbing buñuelos (a cousin to donut holes) from street corner bakeries, Mondongo’s for hearty lunch fare (the portion sizes are insane), Criminal Taqueria for its hip vibe, and Carmen if you’re looking to splurge.
- Cafe hop: I found more cute coffee shops serving up quality brews in one block of El Poblado than I did in entire other Colombian cities. Toucan Cafe and Pergamino are firm favorites, and I’ve heard that Cafe Velvet is also worth a visit. Pergamino holds a soft spot in my heart. There, we chatted up the American expat sitting next to us with his adorable German Shepherd. For over an hour, he shared with us his favorite things to do in Medellin, the city’s efforts to curb pollution, its impressive public transportation and healthcare, its prideful paisa people. It was riveting to hear about life in a place we’d fallen in love with, from someone who hails from the same background as ours.
- Salsa dancing: um, because you’re in Colombia! Toucan Cafe offers both private and community classes, and is very popular with expats and travelers.
Where to Play: Admire the Views from Charlee Hotel
Don’t even try to resist the allure of the Charlee Hotel rooftop!
We hadn’t planned to stop by in the middle of the day, but we were stuck in an activity lull between a post-lunch snack and our dinner reservation. Too late for a coffee, too early to head back to the hotel, and too muggy to wander, we looked up and there it was. The Charlee Hotel.
This was on my list of things to do! I noted triumphantly. This would be our scene-y, social activity of the day. We’d sip cocktails and chill out with all the cool urbanites that must congregate here all day long. Little did we know, that’s what happens at the Charlee rooftop after 9pm. If you show up at 2pm like we did, the bar won’t be serving cocktails yet and it’ll be empty save for groups of American frat stars trickling in and out for a quick Instagram.
But once the frat stars left, it actually couldn’t have been more our scene if we tried! We relished having this incredible view all to ourselves, and savored our icy limonada de cocos, sheepishly sneaking in a couple of Instagrams ourselves. We didn’t even mind when a fellow from Miami and his Colombian girlfriend picked the area right next to ours to set up camp for a dip in the pool. They asked us about our impressions of Medellin, our plans in light of coronavirus, and then convinced us to partake in their Patron to cheer us up. Truly my kind of afternoon!
Where to Eat: Carmen
Dinner at Carmen was the biggest treat! Literally. At about $80 per person, this was our most expensive meal in Colombia by a long shot. Thankfully, my sister generously gifted the dinner to us as my belated Christmas present.
Known to be one of the best restaurants in Medellin, this husband-and-wife owned spot is atmospheric but approachable. And most importantly, it serves up really innovative, flavorful fare starring ingredients local to Colombia.
We did the 10-course tasting menu, the exact components of which changes according to what’s in season. Our favorites included: my Citrus Cumurú cocktail, the lobster and crab empanadas that came with a soursop relish and a vanilla aioli to dip (SO fantastic), and a carnitas taco with yucca and a peanut sauce. DROOLING.
Where to Play: Guatapé Day Trip
I chronicled our Guatapé day trip extensively in a standalone post, but to sum it up: RAINBOW TOWN. To die for cinnamon roll. Climbing 740 steps of a rock for breathtaking views.
Do it, do it, do it if you’re in Medellin for a weekend.
Where to Learn: Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour
If there’s one thing you must do in Medellin, make it the Comuna 13 graffiti tour. I knew even before stepping foot in Comuna 13 that we’d walk away feeling humbled by the struggles and hardships the community has had to face, and inspired by their resilience.
And we were. More than I could’ve ever expected.
But what I didn’t foresee was how Comuna 13 would be bursting with life. How its stories are shared not only through solemn re-tellings of its violent history, but shown through bright murals bedecking the walls, upbeat music coursing through the streets, and lots of on-the-fly hip hop dancing. The ownership by the youth to tell Comuna 13’s stories in these ways was profound. Walking through Comuna 13, once regarded to be one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the world, was a privilege. I urge you to do the same. And goodness, don’t miss out on the famous mango crema from Crema Doña Albas. It’s a popsicle made almost entirely from fresh mango chunks, drizzled with salt syrup. IT’S A REVELATION.
Please note that this is not to say that Comuna 13 is no longer struggling, or that it is a completely safe place to visit. Be respectful, sensitive, and aware. I would highly recommend visiting with a local guide, who will take you only to the safest areas and lend a more nuanced viewpoint on the community’s history, challenges, and cultural implications. We went with Toucan Cafe’s tour, which partners with Casa Kolacho, an urban collective based in Comuna 13.
How to Get Around: Take Public Transportation
Medellin’s efficient, easily accessible, cheap public transportation is the city’s pride and joy. Chief among Medellin’s public transit options is the metro, the only one in all of Colombia. Locals are incredibly proud of the metro, and take on a sort of collective ownership, gently policing each other on keeping it safe and clean.
There’s also the MetroCable, the far-reaching cable car system that takes those who live in up on the mountains to and from city center. Had coronavirus not been looming over our heads, we would’ve loved to check out the MetroCable. Alas, we settled with riding the metro and some local buses with our Comuna 13 tour group. I can confirm – Medellin public transit is the way to go.
Modern Medellin is a far cry from the dangerous, crime-ridden Medellin of the 80s and 90s. Its past is not forgotten; in fact, I found that the people of Medellin took it upon themselves to be keepers of the city’s history and revitalization, and didn’t take telling the city’s stories lightly. Admiring the sprawling lights across the city from a rooftop and listening to artists recalling the hopelessness of the past felt all the more special, knowing how far Medellin has come.
Today, Medellin is more glamorous than Bogotá and edgier than Cartagena. There’s so much to see and taste and listen to, so much fun and learning to be had. You’ll have an absolute blast.
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