The City of Eternal Spring: Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia
There is so much to say, but there are not enough words to even begin to describe the beauty of Medellin. Located in the Andes Mountain range, this city really just felt like a breath of fresh air (literally cause we were in the mountains). The culture, the scenery, the climate - all of it was exactly what we needed as an escape right in the middle of winter here in the Northeast.
We (my 2 friends and I) spent about a week here, stayed in a neighborhood called Rosales, and that was the perfect amount of time to do everything we wanted to do. We visited the famous landmarks like Guatape and Comuna 13, as well as the animal conservatory, took a stroll through El Poblado (as the tourists do apparently), went Paragliding and hiking, tried the food, and just enjoyed our time.
(Different galleries of photos can be found all over this page)
The Food!?!
Live Hip-Hop Performance!
Safe to say it was an experience. Colombian food, in my honest opinion, lacked a lot of flavor, but as someone who grew up with Indian/African food, my bar is a little higher. The traditional Colombian cuisine consists of beans and rice, arepas, plantains, some kind of meat, salad, avocado, eggs, along with a couple other things that I’m sure I missed. Don’t get me wrong, it was prepared well every time we had it, but it did lack that flavor that I was expecting. Towards the end of our week there we decided to really be tourists and explored other cuisines, and, just like we read online before we went, those other cuisines ended up being really good.
Highlighting Comuna 13: Conflict to Creativity
Comuna 13,one of the 16 communes and once one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Medellín, has undergone a remarkable transformation. Back in the late 20th century and early 2000s, it was plagued by violence due to conflicts between paramilitary groups, guerrillas, and drug cartels (Not those ran by Pablo Escobar, that was a separate issue). The area was heavily controlled by criminal organizations, making daily life dangerous for residents. However, in recent years, Comuna 13 has become a symbol of resilience and creativity. Thanks to community-driven initiatives, street art, music, and social projects, the neighborhood is now a vibrant cultural hotspot. Its colorful murals, outdoor escalators, and lively hip-hop performances attract visitors from everywhere in the world, turning what was once a place of fear into a hub of art and inspiration.
Array of Murals :)
The main part of this trip that stuck with me is definitely the views of the Andes. Many of our activities were in the mountains - from ATV riding, hiking, and paragliding, we spent a lot of our time among one of the world’s longest mountain ranges.
Because Medellin is located within the mountain range, the climate there is regulated and averages about 70-75 degrees F (21-23 degrees C) all year round. These temperatures give Medellin the name, the city of eternal spring.
GUATAPE!
(A lot of pictures below)
Life in the Andes
Guatapé used to be just a quiet little farming town, but now it’s one of Colombia’s most colorful and photogenic spots. Back in the day, it was mostly known for agriculture and a big hydroelectric project, but over time, it transformed into a vibrant tourist destination. The town is famous for its zócalos—brightly painted murals on almost every building, telling stories of its history and culture. And of course, there’s El Peñol, the giant rock with 740 steps that rewards you with an insane panoramic view (yes, we climbed it). These days, Guatapé is about feeling laid-back, boat rides, and soaking in the colors of one of the prettiest towns in Colombia.
Popular Umbrella Covered Streets
El Penol Rock! (740 steps)
View from the top of the steps
Where we took a boat!
Visiting a farm on our way to Guatape :)
More Views from the Top of El Penol
Key Takeaways from this Trip:
Make sure you’re located almost central to everything, but try to avoid the tourist areas since you’ll end up paying almost triple the price for literally everything.
El Poblado is very tourist trappy, but it was still good to visit at least once.
Try the coffee. Even if you don’t drink it normally JUST TRY IT
Utlitize Uber as MUCH as possible! Trips were very cheap, not costing more than $3 USD for like a 20 minute trip with tip. Uber is illegal in Colombia so be cautious, however we had no problems. If you’re weary about this, public transport is also very accessible and cheap, and VERY clean (almost comparable to Europe’s transit system I’d say). They also have taxis there that are accessible too, however we mostly stuck with Uber and cable cars.
Take a ride on the metrocable cars! There are 6 metrocable lines total in Medellin, and these exist since many of the communes are located higher in the mountains and locals use them daily for transport.
Use ATMs to take out money, as the US dollar has a hard conversion rate when you take it to banks. We used BancoColombia and Davivenda ATMs throughout our trip with no issues.
Lastly, talk to the locals, ask them for recommendations, learn some of the language, etc. Those are some standard things when traveling abroad!