Medellín is the capital of the Department of Antioquia, located in the northwestern part of Colombia’s mountainous region between Cordillera Central and Cordillera Occidental, at 5,000 ft above sea level, and because of its proximity to the equator the city enjoys subtropical like climate throughout the whole year. The perfect weather conditions (average of 23 degrees Celsius - 75 degrees Fahrenheit) rightfully earned Medellín the name of "The City of Eternal Spring” or “Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera".
Medellín is Colombia’s second largest city, with a population of approximately 2.5 million people. It is the center of the textile industry and one of the main manufacturing and industrial areas of the country, as well as a commercial flower growing and exporting region.
Medellín is a place where foreigners feel right at home due to the friendliness and hospitality of its inhabitants. The city is also known for the beauty of its region, landscapes and women.
Medellín offers tourists a wide range of things to see and activities to enjoy, like museums, theaters, concert halls, casinos, restaurants, parks, discotheques and night clubs, extreme sports, shopping malls, horse back riding, golf, paragliding, events and so much more.
Antioquia Museum
The Antioquia Museum is located in the center of Medellín in front of Botero Plaza. It is the city’s most important and prestigious museum.
There are other museums in Medellin that you can visit like Interactive Museum and Museum of Modern Art.
Botero Plaza
The plaza is located in downtown Medellín. It displays several artworks created by internationally famous sculptor Fernando Botero.
Jardín Botánico Joaquín Antonio Uribe (Botanic Garden)
You can find exhibition halls and events, library, auditorium, desert garden,’ orquideorama’, peasant town, lake, Ecological Train, nursery, Azaleas patio, herbarium and green zones.
Towns Near Medellín
Medellín is a great place to visit and to live in, especially because of the beauty of its neighboring towns.
Rock of el Peñol and Guatapé
Visit one of the most beautiful towns near Medellín, just 82 Km (51 miles) away from Medellín with Medellín like climate of 27 degrees Celcius – 84 degrees Fahrenheit, where you can enjoy wonderful view of amazing landscapes. You can also find various activities like water skiing, boating, jet-ski rental, fishing and more. Not to mention the impressive 679 step-ladder giant Rock where you can have lunch and also have a 360 degree view of Guatapé and its surroundings from the top of the rock.
Santa Fé de Antioquia
This historical and colonial-like town was declared as a National monument. It is located 50 miles north of Medellín, and the opening of the Tunnel of the West reduces the time and the distance between the municipality and Medellín.
Some of the places you can visit here in this beautiful town are The Bridge of the West (National Monument), the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Archiepiscopal Palace, Plaza Mayor Juan de Corral, Museum of Religious Art and The House of the Two Palms.
Transportation
The José María Córdova International Airport in Rionegro, a small town in the eastern part of the Antioquia Department, is only 45 minutes away from Medellín and its international terminal serves daily international flights to and from major cities around the globe. It is also a great place to buy souvenirs.
Cabs and transportation to Medellín and other municipals are always very easy to find at a very low cost.
For regional flights, the Olaya Herrera Airport, located in the southwestern part of Medellín near Poblado, uses lighter aircrafts and operates from 6 am to 6 pm.
The airport has easy ground access with travel and car rental companies on the first floor. The Olaya Herrera airport, like the International Airport in Rionegro, also has a wide variety of food, beverages, and gift stores for you to enjoy.
Public transportation, at very low fares, is provided to the whole city by buses, taxis and the first metro system in Colombia: the Metro de Medellín. The Metro de Medellín connects Medellín with neighbor municipals Itagüí, Envigado and Bello. The Metrocable, a cable car or railway provides service through a hard access area.
Currently the Metroplus is under construction, it will consist of an exclusive road that will allow much faster transit to terminals and bus stations and it will cover most part of Medellín.
Rates for public transportation in Medellín
One way Metro ticket: 1.300 COP (USD 0.60). You can also buy 2, 5 and 10-way tickets to reduce the price.
Taxis: the minimum fare is 3.200 COP (USD 1.45).
Buses and microbuses: the prices range from 1.000 COP - 1.300 COP (USD 0.45 - USD 0.60). They cover the whole city of Medellín and neighbor municipals like Envigado, Itagüi, Sabaneta and Bello.
Transportation to other neighbor municipals near Medellín is provided by regional buses and taxis, different than the ones operating in Medellín. You can find these transports at North and South Terminals of Medellín. Prices vary depending on the distance of the town.
Night Life
Medellín offers a large variety of night clubs, restaurants, bars and places where you can have a great time, most of them are located in the Lleras Park.
Here are a few options:
Lleras Park - Parque Lleras
Lleras Park, the place prefered by the "paisas" to drink beer, have a nice meal or dance, in Lleras Park you can find night clubs, bars and restaurants at the same place and at any time it will be crowded.
Lleras Park is located in Poblado in the ‘Zona Rosa’, where a large number of people gather to have fun, especially on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Lleras parks has many different options for tourists whether they look for restaurants, bars, discotheques or just a nice place to sit down and talk while you drink a cup of Colombian coffe.
Mango’s Discotheque
In Mango’s Discotheque in Itagüi you will find the best live shows, choreographies, dancers, lights and DJ’s in a cozy and friendly environment. Mango’s is rated as one of the best night clubs in South America (as shown in E! Entertainment Television).
The prices range from: 100.000 COP - 1.200.000 COP (USD 45 – USD 550)
Ave María Bar & Restaurant
One of many bars located in the hottest night spot in Medellín, the “Zona Rosa” of Medellín in Lleras Park (Parque Lleras). This place offers drinks, cocktails, music and international dishes from around the world.
The prices range from 22.000 COP – 65.000 COP (USD 10- USD 30).
Palmahía
The biggest discotheque in South America near mangos in Itagüi offers visitors a different concept with a boxing ring where women fight it out while you dance to the beat and enjoy the finest drinks from Colombia and the rest of the world.
Recreation & Sports
Medellín has a lot to offer when it comes to sports and recreation.
Parque Trébol
This beautiful Park is the perfect place for extreme sports. It is located 15-25 minutes away from Poblado. It offers the Giant Sphere, Canopy, Paint Ball, Wall Climbing, and Video Games Room.
Apart from the extreme sports you can also find food service and restaurants.
Pricing list:
Entrance: 2.000 COP (0.90 USD)
Wall Climbing: 3.000 COP (1.4 USD)
Canopy 5.000 COP (2.25 USD)
Giant Sphere 10.000 COP (4.50 USD)
Paint Ball 15.000 (7.00 USD)
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