{"id":8699,"date":"2019-07-02T01:00:22","date_gmt":"2019-07-02T01:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/medellin-colombia\/"},"modified":"2022-07-11T20:43:29","modified_gmt":"2022-07-11T20:43:29","slug":"medellin-colombia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/experience\/medellin-colombia\/","title":{"rendered":"Going Solo in Medellin, Colombia"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Are you sure it’s safe?” – that was the overwhelming question I got when I announced that I was putting together my\u00a0Medellin<\/a>\u00a0travel guide. A common impression Singaporeans have of\u00a0the town in the Antioquia region of central Colombia<\/a> bases off Netflix’s NARCOS series. In it, Medellin has been portrayed as one of the most dangerous cities in the\u00a0’80s\u00a0and ’90s thanks to drug cartel warfare that tore the city apart. Fast-forward to today and the city is shedding its dark history and emerging as a favourite spot among backpackers.<\/p>\n

I spent 4 days travelling solo<\/a> in Medellin and here are some things to do there that I highly recommend.<\/p>\n

A Medellin Travel Guide For Solo Explorers<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Start your journey with a detailed walking tour<\/h3>\n

Walking tours are my favourite way to get acquainted with a new city quickly, so I signed up for the\u00a0Real City Free Walking Tour<\/a>. The local guide then took us all around the El Centro downtown district. The\u00a03.5-hour\u00a0session taught me more about Colombia’s and Medellin’s history and culture than I had expected and I made several friends who I ended up exploring the city with.<\/p>\n

\"Our<\/em><\/p>\n

Our guide explaining the significance of this damaged statue. Read on for more about Botero below.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ride Colombia’s first and only Metro system<\/h3>\n

Medellin is the only Colombian city that has a metro system. This is pretty revolutionary for South America where urban rail systems are rare. This is great for a budget traveller like myself who prefers hopping on a train rather than navigate the local buses or haggle with a taxi driver in substandard Spanish.<\/p>\n

\"Metrocable<\/em><\/p>\n

The Metrocable takes you over the city rooftops of neighbourhoods built along the steep slopes surrounding Medellin<\/em><\/p>\n

One special thing about Medellin’s metro system is the several cable car lines that serve the hillier outskirt areas. Yes, cable cars are considered everyday public transport in Medellin! I was just as surprised as you are. I spent an afternoon riding the Metrocable just to enjoy the view of Medellin from up high. Those panoramic sights are definitely worth a place on this Medellin travel guide.<\/p>\n

Go up to Arvi Park (Parque Arvi)<\/h3>\n

For even better views, the MetroCable takes you to\u00a0Arvi Park<\/a>\u00a0over 2,000m above sea level. The ride is absolutely scenic, soaring above rooftops and tree canopies, avid hikers can go trekking around the area. The park is also a gateway to neighbouring\u00a0Piedras Blanca national park with more trails and camping. I chose to just get lunch at a small market right outside the cable car station and have a picnic on the grass.<\/p>\n

\"Views<\/em><\/p>\n

The journey to Arvi Park comes with spectacular scenery<\/em><\/p>\n

Check out Colombia’s most famous artist<\/h3>\n

\"Paintings<\/em><\/p>\n

Wandering around the Museum of Antioquia.<\/em><\/p>\n

One of Medellin’s most famous hometown heroes is the artist and sculptor Fernando Botero. In fact, Botero’s art with distinctly rounded figures\u00a0has\u00a0gained renown in the international art scene. He had donated over 100 of his artworks to the\u00a0Museum of Antioquia<\/a>, where I spent a good afternoon. It’s one of the best Medellin attractions for art lovers.<\/p>\n

\"Botero<\/em><\/p>\n

Botero Plaza sits between the Museum of Antioquia\u00a0and the half-Gothic Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture<\/em><\/p>\n

Just in front of the museum is the\u00a0busy Botero Plaza that displays 23 of his sculptures. In nearby San Antonio Park, two ‘fat bird’ statues stand, looking identical to the ones back home at Raffles Place. However, one of the birds has a hole blasted through its centre, and serves as a memorial to 23 people who were killed by a bomb planted in this statue back in 1995.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[button icon=”entypo-compass” url=’https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/Things-To-Do-In-Medellin.d2246.Activities’ fullwidth=’true’] Book Tours and Activities in Medellin [\/button]<\/p>\n

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Venture out: Day trips from Medellin<\/h2>\n

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Soak in the colours of Guatape<\/h3>\n

\"Brightly<\/p>\n

All the houses in Guatape are brightly coloured and covered with unique motifs known as Zocalos<\/em><\/p>\n

I ventured out of Medellin and visited a nearby town called Guatape. The vibrant little town is full of colourful houses and cobblestone pavements that\u00a0were a joy to roam. I wish I had more time to enjoy their cafes and Colombian coffee.<\/p>\n

[button style=’blue’ icon=”entypo-suitcase” url=’https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/Guatape-Hotels.d6154953.Travel-Guide-Hotels’ fullwidth=’true’] Find Hotels in Guatape [\/button]<\/p>\n

Climb 700+ steps to the top of The Rock<\/h3>\n

\"Piedra<\/em><\/p>\n

The rock is better known as Piedra de Penol or El Penol after a nearby town, though residents of Guatape dispute that the rock actually belongs to them<\/em><\/p>\n

It’s hard to miss this 2,000m+ tall giant granite rock sticking out of the ground. Flights of stairs zigzag up the side of the rock, and I painstakingly climbed the 740 steps to the very top in the hot Medellin weather. Thankfully, spectacular views of the surrounding lake were my ultimate reward. I complained all the way up, but that view is worth the effort.<\/p>\n

\"View<\/em><\/p>\n

A view worth 740 steps<\/em><\/p>\n

Feast mode: What to eat in Medellin<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"Bandeja<\/em><\/p>\n

Meals in Colombia involve a lot of rice and plantains<\/em><\/p>\n

No Medellin travel guide is complete without exploring the local cuisine. A Medellin must-eat dish is the famous Bandeja Paisa \u2013 so bring your empty stomachs when you order this because it is an absolutely massive platter of fried meats and starchy sides that you can easily share with other light eaters. Other Medellin food to look out for are arepas, a cornmeal bread and Ajiaco, a chicken and potato soup.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/em><\/p>\n

The main dish is usually meat. If you are lucky, you might get dessert too<\/em><\/p>\n

For the budget conscious, look for a local eatery and ask for the Ejecutivo Menu or Menu Del Dia – the Menu of the Day typically consists of a soup or salad starter, a main meat dish served with rice, plantains and a juice or cordial drink. It’s typically the most value for money offering on the menu and it’s what I ate most of the time.<\/p>\n

Where to stay in Medellin<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"Exterior<\/p>\n

\"Hot<\/p>\n

\"Interior<\/p>\n

There are plenty of great Medellin hotels to choose from. The main tourist district in Medellin is known as El Poblado –\u00a0The Charlee Hotel<\/a>\u00a0is a centrally located boutique hotel worth checking out. An upcoming district to stay in is Laureles which is a little less touristy \u2013 the\u00a0Hotel El Port\u00f3n de San Joaqu\u00edn<\/a>\u00a0is known for its excellent customer service.<\/p>\n

\"Exterior<\/h2>\n

\"Interior<\/h2>\n

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[tab title=”More Hotels” icon=”entypo-suitcase”]<\/p>\n

Find the right hotel in Medellin<\/h4>\n

[button style=’blue’ icon=”entypo-suitcase” url=’https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/Medellin-Hotels.d2246.Travel-Guide-Hotels’ fullwidth=’true’]\u00a0 Hotels in Medellin [\/button]<\/p>\n

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[tab title=”Let’s Go!”\u00a0icon=”entypo-flight”]<\/p>\n

[button icon=”entypo-flight” url=’https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/Cheap-Flights-To-Medellin.d2246.Travel-Guide-Flights’ fullwidth=’true’] Flights to Medellin [\/button]<\/p>\n

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Safety in Colombia: Common sense goes a long way<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Medellin is safe for most tourists; there aren’t any open drug cartel warfare on the streets these days and\u00a0tourist police are stationed around major tourist areas. However, being more vigilant goes a long way to prevent any potential mishaps.<\/p>\n

So pay attention to your surroundings, pay heed to the locals on which areas to avoid, and keep a low profile by not being flashy. I split up my valuables and only carried what I needed. Pickpocketing is common, and phones are especially vulnerable so keep a very close eye on your belongings and two hands on your phone when texting or taking pictures. With these tips and my Medellin travel guide, you should have a wonderful experience in this beautiful part of the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Are you sure it’s safe?” – that was the overwhelming question I got when I announced that I was putting together my\u00a0Medellin\u00a0travel guide. A common impression Singaporeans have of\u00a0the town in the Antioquia region of central Colombia bases off Netflix’s NARCOS series. In it, Medellin has been portrayed as one of the most dangerous cities… Continue reading Going Solo in Medellin, Colombia<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":8700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,77,514,78,28],"tags":[367,82],"authors":[564],"class_list":["post-8699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-experience","category-solo-travel","category-south-america","category-travel-diaries","category-world","tag-colombia","tag-travel-diaries","authors-jaclynn-seah","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Medellin Travel Guide for Solo Explorers - Travel Blog - Expedia SG<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Read my Medellin travel guide for solo explorers and discover this beautiful part of Colombia: complete with the top attractions, food recommendations and safety advice.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/experience\/medellin-colombia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Medellin Travel Guide for Solo Explorers - 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