Solo travel · Medellín · Colombia
Solo travel in Medellín
How to enjoy Medellín at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: ALONSOZAR, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Medellín is very popular with solo travellers and digital nomads, with hostels, co-working spaces, language schools and walking tours. The main risks are scams and robberies linked to nightlife and dating apps, so take care with strangers. Many solo travellers base themselves in Laureles–Estadio.
Key facts
- Base
- Laureles–Estadio
- Getting around
- Metro
- Emergency number
- 123 (national emergency number)
- Language
- Spanish
Solo travel tips
- Stay in Laureles or El Poblado for walkable streets and plenty of company.
- Take a free walking tour downtown to get oriented and learn the city's history.
- Meet strangers from dating apps in busy public places and never at your accommodation.
- Do not accept drinks from strangers, and keep an eye on your glass.
- Use app taxis at night and carry only what you need.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for solo travellers, budget, food lovers and quiet stays
Laureles–Estadio
Laureles, west of the river, is laid out around circular streets (circulares) and tree-lined boulevards such as La 70 and La 33, with neighbourhood restaurants, bakeries and bars. It feels more local and relaxed than El Poblado, is flat and easy to walk, and sits close to Estadio and Floresta metro stations on Line B.
- Good
- Local atmosphere; Flat and walkable; Good-value food and apartments
- Watch out
- Fewer hotels than Poblado; La 70 can be loud on match days and weekends
- Nearby
- Estadio Atanasio Girardot, La 70, Primer Parque de Laureles, Cerro El Volador
Great on your own
Landmark · Centro
Plaza Botero
Visit in the morning and keep your phone and bag close; the square is crowded and pickpockets operate.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Art
- Photo spot
Museum · Centro
Museo de Antioquia
Start with the Botero rooms on the upper floor, then look out over Plaza Botero from the windows.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Neighbourhood · San Javier
Comuna 13 and the outdoor escalators
Take a tour led by a resident; they explain the murals' meaning and the neighbourhood's story far better than a solo visit.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Photo spot
Experience · Santo Domingo
Metrocable ride
Ride outside weekday rush hours; combining Line K with Line L to Arví makes a half-day outing.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Iconic
- Kids
- Photo spot
Architecture · Centro
Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe
Look at it from the far side of Plaza Botero for the best view of its patterned stone façade.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Free
- History
Viewpoint · Belén
Cerro Nutibara and Pueblito Paisa
Come at sunset and stay to watch the city lights come on.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Free
- Kids
- Photo spot
Meeting people
- Menú del día — Weekday lunch menus at local restaurants give a soup, a main with rice, beans, salad and plantain, and a juice for a low price — the best-value meal in the city.
- Coffee tasting — Specialty cafés in El Poblado and Laureles run tastings and cupping sessions of Antioquian and Colombian coffees; coffee-farm tours are also possible outside the city.
- Parque Lleras and Provenza — The main tourist-oriented nightlife district in El Poblado, with clubs, bars and cocktail lounges.
- La 70 and Laureles — A busier local scene of bars and clubs along Carrera 70 near the stadium.
Sensible precautions
Pickpocketing and phone snatching are common downtown and in busy areas; keep phones out of sight on the street. Drink-spiking and robberies linked to bars and dating apps are a known issue for foreign visitors, so be cautious with new acquaintances and use app taxis at night.
- Emergency number
- 123 (national emergency number)
- Staying connected
- Fast Wi-Fi is widespread in hotels, cafés and co-working spaces; local SIMs are sold in malls and at the airport.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Medellín good for solo travellers?
Medellín is very popular with solo travellers and digital nomads, with hostels, co-working spaces, language schools and walking tours. The main risks are scams and robberies linked to nightlife and dating apps, so take care with strangers.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Medellín?
Laureles–Estadio: Flat, residential district of circular streets, local restaurants and the football stadium.