Magma's Guide to Medellín

Also known as the "City of Eternal Spring" Medellin is a fascinating city, not only for its comfortable climate (Between  19° - 25° C all year round), but also for the friendliness of its people.

In 2013 Medellín was named the most innovative city in the world in the Wall Street Journal's City of the Year Contest.

We have made a small guide with some tips and information on what to do in the city during your visit.  

Colombia and Covid protocols

In order to enter to Medellin and Colombia these are the protocols that foreign citizens must cover:

• If they have the complete vaccination system, the PCR test is not necessary.
• If they do not have the complete vaccination system and/or do not have any vaccines, they need a negative PCR test.

Transportation

The nearest airport is the International Airport José María Córdova, which is located in the neighboring municipality of Rionegro. From there, you can take buses or cabs to downtown Medellín. The cost of cabs / uber is around 25 dollars, including the cost of a tunnel underbridge of approximately 5 kilometers.

Moving around in Medellín is very easy! In fact, the Medellín Metro is part of a complete integrated transportation system composed of: metrocables, tramways, public bicycles and buses with preferential lanes.

Currency exchange

You can find many exchange throughout the city, pay by credit card almost anywhere and withdraw from ATMs  

What to do in Medellin

Restaurants

Carmen

Since its beginnings, it has offered its public contemporary food, with 100% Colombian products, from all parts of the country and those who visit it speak of its delicious and very creative dishes.

OCI

The premise of the restaurant is " food for sharing", which makes each guest explore and discover new flavors, the restaurant is characterized by its cooking techniques and long cooking times so that each dish is an experience.

El Cielo

Last year, El Cielo Washington was awarded a Michelin Star, making it the only restaurant founded in Colombia with this recognition.

La Provincia

La Provincia is one of the city's iconic restaurants, for more than 26 years it has brought to Medellín great gastronomic advances and has positioned itself as one of the best.

Rumba / Party

• La Oculta
• Salón Amador
• Bolivar
• Son Havana Poblado
• Calle 9+1
• Club Perro Negro
• Mad Radio
• Teatro Victoria

This playlist will help you get in the mood.

Attractions and places you can visit in the city:

Visit the Pueblito Paisa: At the top of the Nutibara mountain, there is a representation of how the houses and towns of the Paisa region of Colombia used to look like, as well as the open-air theater "Carlos Vieco" and the Park of the Sculptures.

Grafitour Comuna 13: Comuna 13 is a neighborhood that left behind dark times and demonstrates that they have found a way out through art, music and culture. On this tour, you will discover a young and renewed Medellín that, through music and graffiti, has found new ways to express itself and live in peace. We recommend you to take this tour with Kasa Kolacho

Parque Arví: You can get to Arvi Park in the village of Santa Elena from Medellin by Metro Cable. There is an ecotourism reserve where there are trails for walking and biking. At this site, on Sunday, there is a farmers' market where fruit, vegetables and local handicrafts are sold.

Plaza Botero: In this place you will find 23 sculptures of one of the most important artists of Colombia, Fernando Botero, known for his voluminous sculptures.

Museo de Antioquia: This museum houses a collection of 5,000 works that show the historical process of the region and the country, and especially exhibits a large part of the   work of the Colombian master Fernando Botero.

Jardín Botánico: It is a scenario for science that has a variety of fauna and flora, architectural spaces, a herbarium and also spaces for the conservation and preservation of plants.

Castle museum: A Gothic medieval castle surrounded by striking French gardens in the neighbourhood of El Poblado. It is the Museum El Castillo, built in 1930 by the firm HM Rodriguez, who were inspired by the castles of the Loire Valley in France. The building became a museum in 1972. Its collection of fine and decorative arts includes European and Colombian artists’ paintings.

Near Medellin: We recommend these places close to Medellin, 2-3 hours away

Guatapé:  The Rock of Guatapé or Guatapé is a rock 220 meters high. You can climb the 649 steps for a panoramic view of the Peñol reservoir. Nearby, visitors find several restaurants and lodging places. The Rock is located in  La Piedra, 2 kilometers before Guatapé.

Jardín: It is known for the natural wonders that surround it and its downtown area with its famous  colorful shops to have a coffee or a beer.

Santa Fe de Antioquía: Built between 1887 and 1895, the wooden Western Bridge, which is suspended over the Cauca River, welcomes visitors to Santa Fe de Antioquia, a Colombian Heritage Village founded on December 4, 1541 by Jorge Robledo and considered the “cradle of the paisa (Antioqueño) people.” This town of cobblestone streets and colonial architecture lies 35 miles northwest of Medellín.

Jericó: With the May 2013 canonization of Mother Laura Montoya Upegui, who was born in Jericó in 1874, the name of this town in southwestern Antioquia has been heard all around Colombia. The publicity given to this Colombian Heritage Village is also justified by its mountains and many traditions, such as the manufacturing of the Antioquia carriel, a leather handbag emblematic of the region.

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