I did this tour and I loved it as it introduced me to numerous lesser-known tropical fruits such as the soursop, guavasteen, sweet granadilla, and the West Indian Locust fruit (a.k.a. the stinky feet fruit).
Take salsa lessons
On some days you can get free lessons at particular hostels (for instance at the Wandering Paisa) if you happen to be a budget traveler. There are also salsa lessons offered at many of the salsa bars and schools.
Dive into the nightlife
The nightlife in Medellin is definitely a lot of fun, whether you’re the cocktail bar type or want to go clubbing (most of the music is latin). Your easiest bet is to go to Parque Lleras in the Poblado area, which is a small park surrounded by streets with bars and restaurants, all of which have open terraces with people spilling out onto the streets.
Visiting vs. living in Medellin
I think the different opinions you often hear about Medellin are due to whether people visit as a tourist or stay for much longer.
Medellin has a lot going for it as an affordable place to live, with a mild year-round climate, a pretty good quality of life, and many things to do. That’s why it’s been very popular with digital nomads and remote workers.
Although Medellin remains a major digital nomad hotspot, similar to Mexico City, Chiang Mai, or Lisbon, its popularity seems to have peaked a little bit. Prices rose and gentrification set in, which has led to some grumbling about it being “overrated”.
There’s also been some backlash to sleazy foreigners coming to Medellin to find prostitutes and drugs and such. Some Facebook groups for Medellin have had to start a “no jerks” policy. But if you’re visiting as a tourist for a few days, you’ll probably be 100% unaware of these controversies. The people complaining about Medellin are often the digital nomads who have seen prices rise or who think Medellin isn’t as unique a choice for them as it was a few years ago.
While Medellin is not a city with an old center or even that many typical ‘tourist sites’, it offers a great window into Colombian culture and it’s one of the best places to learn about its more recent history. Many also regard it as a safer city than the capital Bogota. If you’re on a larger trip through Colombia, I definitely wouldn’t skip it!
Is Medellin still dangerous?
Medellin may no longer the domain of Pablo Escobar, but it can still be a little rough around the edges at times. Don’t wear expensive jewelry, keep your phone in your pocket, and take official taxis at night (or ride-hail apps) when you’re going out.
I’ve asked locals about the safety in Medellin on a number of occasions. I also once asked a group of locals who I’d befriended if they’d ever been robbed or had anything happen and I received quite the collective eye-roll. One lifelong Paisa told me all the barrios (normal neighborhoods) are basically safe and that only some of the communas (hillside shanty towns) can be dangerous these days.
I do think the situation can be a bit different for tourists, as they may be seen as wealthier or more likely to carry valuables and therefore targeted more than born-and-raised locals. I noticed that locals will often shrug off safety concerns as they’re used to the city and less likely to get into trouble, whereas I’ve heard stories from some expats or turkisk vackra kvinnor digital nomads of stolen laptops or Tinder dates gone bad. (See my safety tips for Colombia to know what I’m talking about.)