2 days in Medellín

Day by day

1. Day 1: Plaza Botero and Museo de Antioquia

   Plaza Botero, Museo de Antioquia, Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe and Museo Casa de la Memoria, then Football at Estadio Atanasio Girardot in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Plaza Botero

      Rounded figures of people and animals, including the well-known 'Fat Woman' and a Roman soldier, make it the city's most photographed spot.

   2. Late morning

      Museo de Antioquia

      Housed in a 1930s art deco building that was once the city hall, the museum holds a large collection of Botero's paintings and sculptures alongside his private collection, pre-Columbian pieces and Colombian art from colonial times to the present.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Bandeja paisa

      Traditional paisa restaurants across the city, including the long-established chains and fondas in El Poblado and Envigado.

   4. Afternoon

      Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe

      It was the seat of the departmental government and now houses cultural institutions and exhibition halls.

   5. Late afternoon

      Museo Casa de la Memoria

      It is a sobering and important visit.

   6. Evening

      Football at Estadio Atanasio Girardot

      Buy tickets through official club channels or go with an organised group, and do not wear rival team colours.

2. Day 2: Comuna 13 and the outdoor escalators and Metrocable ride

   Comuna 13 and the outdoor escalators, Metrocable ride, Parque Arví and Cerro Nutibara and Pueblito Paisa, then Parque Lleras and Provenza in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Comuna 13 and the outdoor escalators

      Guided tours led by local residents explain its history and the art.

   2. Late morning

      Metrocable ride

      Line K from Acevedo station climbs to Santo Domingo Savio with views over the whole valley, and Line L continues over forest to Parque Arví.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Arepa paisa

      Every bakery, breakfast counter and restaurant.

   4. Afternoon

      Parque Arví

      It is reached by Metrocable Line L, which glides over the forest from Santo Domingo.

   5. Late afternoon

      Cerro Nutibara and Pueblito Paisa

      The terraces give a 360-degree view over the valley, and a sculpture park lines the road up.

   6. Evening

      Parque Lleras and Provenza

      Start in Provenza for dinner and cocktails; Parque Lleras itself gets rowdy and has a seedy side late at night.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Parque Explora (Aranjuez): Allow at least half a day and visit on a weekday to avoid school-holiday crowds.
• Swap in Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellín (Ciudad del Río): The Ciudad del Río park outside has a food truck scene on some weekends.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 17–21 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.8 hours in January to 12.5 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Metro. Line A runs north–south along the valley from Niquía to La Estrella, through Poblado and downtown; Line B heads west from San Antonio to San Javier, the station for Comuna 13.

More or fewer days

• One day in Medellín
• 3 days in Medellín
• 5 days in Medellín

Questions travellers ask