Medellin Colombia - City of Eternal Spring

Medellin Colombia once known as the deadliest city in the world has now become one of the top cities to visit in South America. The city has come a long way from the days of Pablo Escobar and the cartels we see on the Netflix show Narcos.

The city is not just leaps and bounds safer but has built an astonishing robust public transportation system consisting of new train cars and metro cars that can take you to all corners of the city efficiently and cheaply. I was astonished at just how easy it was to navigate around Medellin and how much we could actually see in one day just using public transportation.

Medellin was by far one of my favorite cities in all of Colombia and that’s coming from someone who prefers the outdoors to any metropolitan city in the world. Normally when I travel I am not the biggest fan of staying in the sprawling metroplexes but there is something about Medellin that feels different to most major cities I have been too.

There is something about modern day Medellin that challenges all previous misconceptions you probably have. There is a vibe among the local people that they are rebuilding and changing the perception of their past and cementing their future on the world stage.

We only spent a few days in Medellin thinking we would use it as a launching point for a few day trips and a mid way stop on our way to Salento. But those few days introduced us to so many new friends, some of the best party nights in South America and delicious food through the Medellin food scene.

As part of our Gringo Trail adventure we stayed at a hostel near Calle 70 which is a hot spot of night life and food in the center of Medellin. Depending how long you are in town and your travel style, there is no shortage of fancy hotels to stay at. While I do enjoy hostels since they tend to make meeting new travellers easier, I do know it is not everyones cup of tea.

The best thing about Medellin is how just easy it is to get around town through so many different transportation methods. If you are like us and not sure where to go in town we couldnt recommend more than to jump on the metro and explore the city that way. The metro also connects to certain cable cars around the city that can take you to all corners of the sprawling city.

Medellin is a must stop while you are in Colombia and one of my favorite major cities in the world. Not just is it a fun city to spend time in but also serves as a great basecamp for many day trips to the surrounding towns. Stick around for detailed reports on day trips to Guatape and mountain biking near Pablo Escobar’s house in the mountainside.