It’s surrounded by hostels, restaurants, and bars and has been a magnet for travelers for years. This is the downtown area, so you can expect many cheap stays around great nightlife, cafes, and bars. It’s a great place to explore Colombian culture, whether by going to the Museo de Antioquia or taking a walk around Plaza Botero to explore artwork by local sculptors.
Below, we’ve highlights where to stay in Medellin neighborhoods, according to different requirements and interests. Visitors should stay within the main urban zone when visiting Medellin. This urban zone is further divided into 16 communes, which are then split further into 249 neighbourhoods. A stylish hotel in El Poblado, Binn Hotel boasts an onsite restaurant and bar, a terrace with BBQ facilities, a swimming pool, a fitness centre, a shared lounge, and a spa. The dorms and private rooms have all the usual amenities, plus impressively comfortable mattresses and modern bathrooms.
This is Medellin’s downtown core, also known as La Candelaria. In the daytime, you are generally safe here (though you should always be careful, but that’s true of anywhere in Medellin) while at night time it is not recommended to be walking around here. Since I am currently living here, I decided to write this guide about where to stay in Medellin, including the best neighborhoods in the city and accommodation options for any budget. The majority of homes here are estratos 4 and 5, so prices are lower than in Poblado. There are fewer high-rises and more leafy, residential neighborhoods located on circular roads, which can be confusing. The area is anchored by two large parks and the main thoroughfare, known as La 70, features many restaurants, offering mostly local fare and fast foods.
I also love the format and the interactive rating chart is pretty much what I need in my life to make every daily decision lol. Buses are handy if you can figure them out and taxis are everywhere and inexpensive . The problem is with Medellin’s bad traffic you’ll find yourself wanting to minimize your amount of time in them as much as possible. We don’t know about you, but having easy access to outdoor areas where we can exercise is very important to us. Only the La Calendaria downtown and Zona Centro in Envigado are noisy and busy all day long.
We only attended 1 digital nomad event while living in Laureles. All of the meetups occur in Poblado which is a minute drive away. Laureles has been a popular alternative to Poblado for a while now.
The Medellin Metro is conveniently located near many of the most important landmarks, and the free Medellin walking tour is a must for those who want to immerse themselves in the city’s history. The rapid growth in such a small patch of real estate means that the pollution can sometimes be a bit oppressive. But it’s well worth it to experience the pure electricity of such a modern and rapidly paced city.
Hotel Hawaii Suites has double, twin, triple, and quad rooms, all with a private bathroom and a TV, phone, fridge, and wardrobe. The view from this two-person apartment really are incredible, and the large windows in the bedroom and living room let you admire the surroundings to your heart’s content. Have an unusual night out at Ping Pong Bar, which has ping-pong tables, live music, a table-tennis museum, and cheap drinks.
As with so many other areas of Medellín, you’ll leave Manrique totally inspired. Get more travel inspiration, tips and exclusive offers sent straight to your inbox with our weekly newsletter. You will need to speak a basic level of Spanish to be able to get around the city independently. Besides bobbing and weaving in and around cars when you are trying to cross the street, a significant number of robberies are carried out by people on motorcycles. They can quickly get to you, take you purse, backpack, or phone and then drive away quickly. Having your phone out and visible in taxis or on the street falls into the “no dar papaya” category and may attract unwanted attention from a criminal on a motorcycle.
Taxis/Uber won’t cost much more than public transit when you have a full car. Overall, Medellin does an admirable job of making this possible. There are little public workout areas scattered everywhere around the city and it has the weekly Cyclovia, where main roads are closed for traffic for the benefit of pedestrians and cyclists. On weekend nights, this street in Central Poblado is crazy. For some, the more fellow foreigners where they’re staying the better.
La Candelaria is the downtown area, also known as El Centro. La Candelaria, which is also known as El Centro, is the downtown area of Medellin. It’s one of the most touristy areas by daytime, but not so popular by how to pack for puerto rico night. Another great and comfortable hotel close to the metro station is the 61Prado Hotel. This hotel features a homie European design and is close to several of the best restaurants and bars near La Candelaria.
