Our First Impressions of Medellín

We booked our flights to Medellín pretty spontaneously. By the time we were actually on our way, I think both of us were a little nervous. Medellín is one of those places where you hear a lot of different things before you go. We had heard the usual stories about safety, crime and everything else that comes with the city’s reputation, so arriving there for the first time definitely came with some uncertainty. But then we took our first taxi into the city around dusk, and as we started getting closer, we saw Medellín lighting up below us. The view of all the lights across the mountains was honestly beautiful. It was one of those moments where you recognize a place from all the pictures and videos you’ve seen before, but suddenly you’re actually there. And that was probably our first real feeling of, okay, we’re really doing this.

We decided to stay in Laureles, and looking back, I am really happy we did. We stayed in an Airbnb that was affordable, quiet and felt much more local than what we had seen around El Poblado and Provenza. We also had a washing machine, which sounds like such a small thing, but when you’re backpacking and constantly moving around, having your own washing machine feels like luxury. Laureles quickly became one of my favorite parts of Medellín. There are restaurants, cafés, bars, shops and plenty of things to do, but it doesn’t have the same party atmosphere that you get around Parque Lleras or Provenza. If you’re looking for nightlife, there is still plenty of it. La 70 is another good place to go, but things tend to get started relatively late. One of the things I liked most about Medellín was that there always seemed to be something happening if you actually took the time to look for it. We met other backpackers, ended up at hostel parties, went out, took dance classes and somehow always found something new to do. It felt like a really good introduction to backpacking because you can be as spontaneous as you want and still have plenty of options for what comes next.

One of the things that was definitely worth mentioning was the Medellín Metro. Compared with other public transport systems we have used while travelling, we found it surprisingly clean and reliable, and you could also tell that people in Medellín were proud of their Metro. We used it to get around whenever we could, and we also took the Metrocable to Parque Arví, which became one of my favorite experiences in the city. The ride itself gives you an incredible view over Medellín, but what stayed with me was how much the city changes as you move higher up and even before that, just by going from one side of the city to the other. You can see completely different neighborhoods and living conditions from above, all connected to the same city. We also took the Metro and a bus to Comuna 13 and spent around two hours walking around there in the late afternoon and into the evening. Yes, it is extremely touristy, but I still think it is worth seeing. There are shops, food, cafés, music, people everywhere and so many little places where you can stop and take pictures. We even found a café where we got a really nice photo without having to pay for one of the photo spots you see everywhere in the area. Comuna 13 is definitely not the quietest or most authentic experience you can have in Medellín, but there is still something special about seeing how much life there is in a place that has such a complicated history.

We also tried to experience Medellín beyond simply walking around and seeing the main sights. We joined a Free Walking Tour with Real City Tours with a Venezuelan guide who spent hours telling us about the history of the city and the country, and I always think these tours are one of the best ways to get some context when you arrive somewhere new. Of course, “free” doesn’t really mean free. The guides spend several hours doing these tours, so if you enjoyed it, giving them a good tip makes sense. We also took a beginner Bachata class at Dance Free, which was really good and surprisingly affordable. And if you’re into dancing, there is also the Wednesday Bachata event at Brutal on La 70. Another thing we kept hearing about was Gringo Tuesdays, where people from all over meet up to go out, practice languages and talk to people from different countries. It was exactly the kind of thing we were looking for while travelling. Medellín made it very easy to meet people, especially other backpackers, without having to plan everything in advance.

Food was probably one of the things we had more mixed feelings about. Maybe our expectations were too high, but Colombian food wasn’t necessarily our favorite food we’ve had while travelling. Arepas are everywhere, and I really wanted to love them, but so far I haven’t found one that completely convinced me. For my taste, they can be a little too dry. The mango, on the other hand, was incredible. Colombian mango is so sweet, and the salted mango we tried was honestly one of my favorite little food discoveries there. We also tried mondongo, which I initially thought was some kind of chicken soup. Then I found out what was actually in it: cow stomach. I was definitely a little hesitant at first, but it was surprisingly good and I’m glad we tried it. And then there are the small everyday experiences that remind you that you’re travelling. Jay got a haircut in Laureles for around five euros, which was a huge difference compared with what he normally pays in the US. At first you just think, wow, that’s cheap. But then you start thinking about what that actually means for the person doing the job and how little something can cost from our perspective while still representing someone’s time and work.

There were definitely things about Medellín that were less enjoyable too. The traffic can be terrible, and a journey that your Uber says should take twenty minutes can easily take twice that. The air around the busiest roads was also something I noticed immediately. When we were stuck in traffic for too long, I could literally smell and feel the pollution, and I ended up with a sore throat a few times. Some parts of the city outside the more touristy areas were also much dirtier than I expected. But somehow, none of those things changed how I felt about the city overall. We spent several days there and still felt like there was more we could have done. I think three to five days would be enough to get a really good first impression without rushing, but you could easily stay longer if you wanted to slow down and explore more. For us, Medellín was a really good first stop in Colombia and, more generally, a great introduction to backpacking. It gave us enough to see and do without forcing us into a strict schedule, and it was easy to meet people, move around and decide where we wanted to go next. We eventually took a bus towards Cartagena with Expreso Brasilia, which was actually much easier and more comfortable than we expected, although the bus toilet was definitely not something I would recommend experiencing unless absolutely necessary.

Looking back, I think what I liked most about Medellín wasn’t one specific attraction. It was the feeling of being able to arrive somewhere without knowing exactly what our days were going to look like and still finding something interesting around every corner. There were beautiful views, busy streets, dancing, history, backpackers, local neighborhoods, incredible fruit and plenty of moments that made us stop and think. And for a city that we arrived in feeling a little nervous about, it ended up being a place where we felt surprisingly comfortable. Medellín was only the beginning of our time in Colombia, but it was a pretty good way to start.

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Written by Fabienne, Medellin, Colombia