Breakfast
Eggs, arepa and coffee
Scrambled eggs with tomato and onion, a grilled corn arepa with cheese, and strong black coffee.
Local tip Ask for a tinto, the small black coffee Colombians drink all day.
Arrival day
Before Day 1. The main airport is a long drive from the city, so plan the ride to your door.Details
- Getting here
- The main airport is in the hills above the city, about an hour by road, and the road can be slow in the evening. Use the official taxi desk or a ride app, and agree how you will pay before you set off.
- Getting around
- The metro and the cable cars are part of the city transport and run on a rechargeable card sold at the stations. Taxis and ride apps are easy for the evenings. Ask your host which streets to avoid after dark.
- Climate and care
- The city is in a valley, about 1,500 metres above sea level, with warm days and cool nights all year, and two rainy seasons. Carry a light rain jacket. Keep your phone out of sight on the street, as in any big city.
- First evening
- Day 1 starts in the old centre, so settle in and take an easy walk or a taxi to a neighbourhood supper. Spanish is the language of the streets, and a few words go a long way.
How much walking? On foot, about 0.2 to 1.4 kilometers a day, and 126.2 kilometers by car in all across 4 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Day 1. Sculptures, a museum and the old centre
4 stops · 1.4 km on footThe historic centre, on foot. A plaza of bronze sculptures, a museum with the same artist's gift, a vast brick cathedral and the square where the city began. Everything is within about a kilometre.
If you only have half a dayBotero Plaza, then Museum of Antioquia. A square filled with the round bronze sculptures of Fernando Botero, then the art museum beside it with his paintings and sculptures.
- 1Morning
Botero Plaza
A square filled with the round, humorous bronze sculptures of the Medellín-born artist Fernando Botero, who gave them to the city. Walk among them, and notice how people touch and sit on them.
Go when Morning, before the heat and the crowds.
Local tip Walk slowly and look at each figure. Keep your bag in front of you, and say no politely to anyone selling a guided tour on the spot.
Photo: SajoR, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons About 2 min walk0.1 km - 2MiddayIndoor
Museum of Antioquia
The art museum beside the plaza, in a grand old town hall, with a large collection of Botero's paintings and sculptures and the work of other Colombian artists. A cool, indoor rest in the middle of the day.
Go when Midday, in the cool of the galleries.
Local tip Start with the floor of Botero, then choose what else interests you. Check ahead on the opening and on any combined visit.
Photo: Steffen Schmitz ( more ph…, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Lunch
A set lunch in the centre
A soup, rice, beans, a piece of meat and a fried plantain on one plate, the way locals eat at midday.
Local tip Look for a place full of office workers. Set lunches are the best way to eat well and quickly.
About 8 min walk0.6 km - 3AfternoonIndoor
Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín
A huge cathedral in pale brick, said to be among the largest brick churches in the world, on the square beside the old centre. Inside it is calm and tall. Dress modestly, and stay quiet during services.
Go when Afternoon, outside the hours of services.
Local tip It is a working church, so stay quiet and cover your shoulders. Look up at the brick vaults.
Photo: www.hippopx.com, CC0 on Wikimedia Commons About 8 min walk0.7 km - 4Evening
Berrío Park
The old heart of the city, a busy plaza of trees and benches, with street sellers, musicians and old men playing chess. Good for people watching as the lights come on. Keep your valuables out of sight.
Go when Late afternoon into evening.
Local tip Sit on a bench and watch the city go by. Keep your phone and wallet out of sight, and leave before it is very late.
Photo: laloking97, CC BY-SA 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Dinner
Empanadas and a hot chocolate
Fried corn pastries filled with meat and potato, with a dipping sauce and a mug of hot chocolate with cheese.
Local tip Dipping cheese into hot chocolate is local. Try one bite before you judge it.
If it rains. Afternoon rain is common. Start with the museum, and keep the plaza and the cathedral for the gaps. Berrío Park is better in the dry.
Day 2. Cable cars and the hillside neighbourhoods
3 stops · 21.4 km by carA day of rides up the valley. A cable car climbs the hill to a library in the stone, another carries you on to a forested park, and the day ends on a hill with a view of the city lights. Plan for steep streets.
If you only have half a daySpain Library Park, then Arví Park. A library park of three dark stone blocks on a hillside, then a forested park above the city, both reached by cable car.
- Travel from Berrío ParkAbout 16 min by car or transit6.0 kmWhere Day 1 ended.
- Breakfast
Fruit and sweet bread
A plate of tropical fruit, a warm roll and coffee, before the cable car.
Local tip Try a fruit you do not know, such as lulo or granadilla, at a market stall.
- 1MorningIndoor
Spain Library Park
A library and community park of three dark stone blocks on a hillside, reached by the cable car from the metro. A symbol of the way the city invested in its poorest neighbourhoods. Take the cable car up for the view of the roofs.
Go when Morning, for the clear light over the valley.
Local tip The ride up is part of the trip. It is a working neighbourhood, so be a quiet guest and ask before photographing people.
Photo: SajoR, CC BY-SA 2.5 on Wikimedia Commons About 15 min by car or transit5.6 km - 2Midday
Arví Park
A forested park above the city, reached by a second cable car that rises over the trees. Walk a trail in the cool air, and look back at the city in the valley below. Cooler than the city, so bring a layer.
Go when Midday, with time to walk a trail.
Local tip It is cooler and often misty, so bring a layer and shoes with grip. Check ahead on which trails are open.
- Lunch
A mountain picnic
Cheese, bread, fruit and a simple soup or a fried snack from the stalls near the park.
Local tip Carry a layer, since it cools quickly in the shade.
About 23 min by car or transit9.8 km - 3Afternoon
Nutibara Hill
A green hill in the city with a small replica of a traditional village at the top and a wide view over the valley, best as the light fades. Take a taxi up and walk back down by the paths.
Go when Late afternoon, as the lights come on.
Local tip Go up by taxi and walk down. The village at the top is a small replica, so keep your expectations light and enjoy the view.
Photo: Jorge Gomez ( Kroyf ), CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Dinner
The big regional plate
Beans, rice, ground meat, fried egg, sausage, plantain and an arepa on one platter, the dish of the region.
Local tip It is huge, so share one plate between two. Leave room for coffee.
If it rains. Cable cars still run in light rain, but the views may be lost in mist. Swap the hill for the science park and the botanical garden.
Day 3. Guatapé, the rock and the lakes
3 stops · 92.6 km by carA day trip east into the hills, about two hours each way by road. A huge granite rock with a stair to the top, a colourful lakeside town and the reservoir between them. Start early.
If you only have half a dayEl Peñón de Guatapé, then Guatapé. A granite rock beside a reservoir with a stair of several hundred steps, then a lakeside town with painted friezes on its houses.
- Drive from Nutibara HillAbout 52 min by car44.4 kmWhere Day 2 ended.
- Breakfast
Coffee and a roll before the road
A quick breakfast of coffee and a warm roll before the drive east.
Local tip Take water for the road and a hat for the climb.
- 1MorningBest early
El Peñón de Guatapé
A vast granite rock rising from the plain beside a reservoir, with a stair of several hundred steps built into a crack in its side. The climb is steep, and the view over the lakes and islands at the top is the reward. Go early before the crowds.
Go when Morning, as early as you can.
Local tip The stair is steep and has no shade, so take water and a hat. Take your time on the way down, since the steps are narrow.
Photo: Sebastian Reategui, CC0 on Wikimedia Commons About 10 min by car or transit2.5 km - 2Midday
Guatapé
A lakeside town known for its painted bas-relief friezes along the base of the houses, called zocalos, each telling a story of the family inside. Walk the lanes and the waterfront, and look closely at the pictures.
Go when Midday, for lunch and a stroll.
Local tip Look at the painted friezes at the foot of the houses, and walk down to the water. Weekends are very busy.
Photo: Familia Restrepo Fernández, CC BY-SA 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Lunch
Fish by the lake
Fried or grilled fish from the reservoir, with patacones, which are flattened fried plantains, and a salad.
Local tip Eat on a terrace by the water, and wait a little for it to arrive fresh.
About 53 min by car45.7 km - 3Evening
El Poblado
The leafy southern district of the city, with parks, bars and cafes, a quiet place to land after the long drive. Eat a supper here, and take a taxi back at night.
Go when Evening, for supper after the drive.
Local tip Use a taxi or a ride app to get home at night, and keep an eye on your phone in the busy streets.
Photo: Willy Gil [2], CC BY 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons - Dinner
A relaxed supper in the south
A choice of grilled meats, local dishes and light plates in the cafes and restaurants of the district.
Local tip A good night to eat late and take a taxi home.
If it rains. The rock is slick in rain, so do not climb it wet. Spend the day in the town and by the lake, and eat a long lunch.
Day 4. Comuna 13, a garden and a science park
3 stops · 0.2 km on foot, 12.2 km by carA day for understanding the city and then resting. A neighbourhood walk led by someone who knows it, the botanical garden, and the science park beside it. Comuna 13 needs a guide from the area; the rest is easy.
If you only have half a dayComuna 13, then Botanical Garden of Medellín. A hillside neighborhood known for murals, outdoor escalators and music, then a garden of trees, ponds, flower beds and orchids.
- Travel from El PobladoAbout 15 min by car or transit5.6 kmWhere Day 3 ended.
- Breakfast
Hot chocolate and cheese bread
A cup of hot chocolate and a warm cheese roll, a classic start to the day.
Local tip Locals order this at any hour, and it is a simple, cheerful meal.
- 1Morning
Comuna 13
A hillside neighbourhood on the western side of the city with a hard recent history, now known for its murals, outdoor escalators and music. Join a walk led by someone from the area, stay with the group, ask before photographing people and buy from local vendors.
Go when Morning, with a walk led by someone from the area.
Local tip This neighbourhood has a hard history, and many guides grew up here. Stay with the group, ask before taking photos of people and buy from local sellers.
Photo by Néstor Morales on Unsplash - Lunch
A snack from a neighbourhood stall
Fresh fruit juice, empanadas and ice cream from sellers on the streets of the hill.
Local tip Buying from local vendors helps the neighbourhood, so spend a little here.
About 17 min by car or transit6.6 km - 2Midday
Botanical Garden of Medellín
A large garden of trees, ponds and flower beds, with a lacy wooden structure for orchids. A calm, green rest in the middle of the day, and the home of the flower displays in August.
Go when Midday, in the shade of the trees.
Local tip Look for the wooden structure for orchids, and the pond with turtles. A calm rest after the walk in the morning.
Photo by Oneil Williams on Unsplash About 3 min walk0.2 km - 3AfternoonIndoor
Parque Explora
An interactive science museum and an aquarium beside the garden, built for curious children and adults alike. A good indoor stop if the afternoon rain comes.
Go when Afternoon, if rain comes.
Local tip Choose the halls that suit your group, and see the aquarium. Check ahead on what is open.
Photo: User: (WT-shared) CONOCER… on Wikimedia Commons - Dinner
A farewell dinner of local dishes
A last plate of the regional dish, with a glass of fresh juice or a local beer.
Local tip Finish with a coffee, since the region is known for growing it.
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![Willy Gil [2], CC BY 2.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:El_Poblado_en_la_Noche-Medellin.jpg){kind=link}
If it rains. The science park and the garden are good in rain. Join the neighbourhood walk only if the guide is going, since the steps are slick.
Departure day
After the last day. Allow time for the long road to the airport.Details
- Getting out
- Allow at least two hours for the road to the airport, more in the morning and evening rush. Book the ride the day before, and leave earlier on a wet day.
- Your flight
- Colombian coffee and chocolate travel well in a bag. Spend your pesos, which are hard to change outside the country.
- If you have a few hours
- Take one more ride on a cable car for a last view of the valley, or sit in a plaza in the centre with a cup of coffee.
Questions people ask
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 4 days in Medellín, planned for december to March, or July to August. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
On foot, about 0.2 to 1.4 kilometers a day, and 126.2 kilometers by car in all across 4 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
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A trip idea · Updated November 2026
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