Travel tips · Medellín · Colombia
Medellín travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Juan Gómez, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Paisas, as people from Antioquia are known, are famed for their friendliness, entrepreneurial spirit and pride in their region. The city's recent history is complex: locals generally prefer not to celebrate the drug-trafficking era, and many find Pablo Escobar tourism offensive. Music, from reggaeton to salsa and traditional música de carrilera, is everywhere.
Key facts
- Language
- Spanish
- Currency
- COP
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 110 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water in Medellín is treated and generally considered safe to drink; many…
- Emergency
- 123 (national emergency number)
Things to know
- Greet with 'Buenos días' and a handshake; friends greet with a single kiss on the cheek.
- Avoid joking about Pablo Escobar or narco culture; many locals lost family members to violence.
- Use 'usted' (formal you) with older people and strangers; paisas often use it even with friends.
- Dress neatly; paisas take pride in their appearance, even for casual outings.
- Ask before photographing residents, especially on Comuna 13 and Metrocable neighbourhood visits.
- Use the Metro and a Cívica card rather than taxis for longer trips across the city.
Tipping
Restaurants usually add a voluntary 10% service charge, which it is customary to pay. Tip tour guides, especially community guides in Comuna 13, and round up taxi fares.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué más pues? | How's it going? (paisa greeting) |
| Parcero / parce | Buddy, friend |
| ¡Qué chimba! | How cool! (informal slang) |
| Con mucho gusto | You're welcome / my pleasure |
| La cuenta, por favor | The bill, please |
What to wear
Light layers work best: T-shirts by day and a light jacket or sweater for cool evenings and the hills. Locals dress smart-casual, and shorts are less common in the city than at the coast.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type A and B sockets, 110 V, 60 Hz
- Drinking water
- Tap water in Medellín is treated and generally considered safe to drink; many visitors still use filtered or bottled water.
- Emergency number
- 123 (national emergency number)
- Phone and internet
- Fast Wi-Fi is widespread in hotels, cafés and co-working spaces; local SIMs are sold in malls and at the airport.
- Time zone
- America/Bogota
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.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Colombia's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Medellín?
Restaurants usually add a voluntary 10% service charge, which it is customary to pay. Tip tour guides, especially community guides in Comuna 13, and round up taxi fares.
+Can you drink the tap water in Medellín?
Tap water in Medellín is treated and generally considered safe to drink; many visitors still use filtered or bottled water.
+What plugs are used in Medellín?
Type A and B sockets, 110 V, 60 Hz
+What language is spoken in Medellín?
Spanish.