A street in Laureles during my three day trip to Medellin, Colombia

A Three Day Itinerary for Medellin

No matter who you ask, you will probably hear: “Only three days in Medellin? You need more time.” Which, whilst true, is not helpful for those of you travelling in Colombia or South America on a few weeks vacation from work, trying to cram everything in. Luckily for you I spent more than two weeks in the city of Medellin trying to do absolutely everything, so that you don’t have to. Here I’ve created a flexible itinerary for three days in Medellin, that you can adapt to the kind of trip you want to have.

Before you get started on planning an itinerary, don’t forget to explore this guide to the neighbourhoods in Medellin and decide where to stay in Medellin!

I generally think that “three days” in a city is quite ambiguous; it could mean that you arrive on a Monday and leave on a Wednesday, because that would technically be three days in Medellin. However, some people who have come across this article may have three full days in Medellin, arriving on a Monday, counting their next three days as “full days in Medellin”, and leaving on a Friday.

So, for day one and day three in this planner I have given you two options: what to do if you arrive early or leave late that day, and what to do if you wake up that day in Medellin. If you’re arriving in the evening on day one and leaving on the morning of day three, hold your horses until I write a one-day itinerary for Medellin… (I’ve also given you several options for day 2, because there really are that many things to do.)

So, here it is: A perfect itinerary for three days in the City of Eternal Spring.

Read more about Colombia: How to Get from Capurgana to Medellin

Day One in Medellin

Brunch in El Poblado

Now, brunch doesn’t sound all that exciting, and that’s because, well, it isn’t, really. I purposely put this on the first day of your itinerary because it is skippable. It’s a nice thing to do as part of a well-rounded experience of Medellin, and you should definitely visit El Poblado if you’re not staying there, but having brunch in El Poblado is probably about the most un-Colombian thing you can do, so if you’ve just jumped off the night bus then it’s not the end of the world if you give this one a miss. 

If you do fancy an instagrammable brunch to kick off your three-day Medellin itinerary, either head to this area of El Poblado where Viajero Hostel is, or head to Parque Lleras (Lleras Park). Both of these areas are full of cafes and coffee shops. (I also put this first on your itinerary because most people choose to stay in El Poblado.)

Comuna 13

Unlike your brunch in El Poblado, visiting Comuna 13 during your time in Medellin is not to be missed. If you’ve done research on Medellin already then I’m certain you will have heard of this area of the city: vibrant street art, rich culture, fascinating history. I haven’t and won’t try to explain the history of Comuna 13 on this website because I feel I’d do it a disservice, but trust me when I say this shouldn’t be missed.

You can get there by public transportation or by walking, but I strongly recommend taking a tour. This way you can really get to know the area and support the local tourism industry whilst you’re at it. We took this tour of Comuna 13 and really enjoyed it; we got to try local coffee, food and ice cream, and got front row seats to a breakdancing show.  

Go for a Meal or Go on a Night Out… or both 😉

Whilst the tour of Comuna 13 is incredible, it is a little far out (especially if you’re staying in El Poblado). It also involves a lot of stairs, so you may want to head back to your hotel or hostel to refresh before you do anything else.

For dinner, you have so many options. There’s a huge variety of food around El Poblado and other neighbourhoods of Medellin that you might be staying in, but on your first night in Medellin you really must try the local cuisine. If you’re staying in El Poblado, try Restaurante Idílico, or Sambombi Bistro Local for a modern twist on Colombian food. If you’re staying in Laureles, try La Casa del Alimento.

If you’re on more of a budget, you can pick up an arepa or other Colombian street food for a great price on many corners of Medellin.

If you’re not too tired after dinner, head to one of the popular salsa clubs in La Setenta (El Tíbiri, Son Havana Bar) or go for a night out in Provenza.

Read more about Colombia: Everything to Know About Capurgana

Day Two in Medellin

To really make the most of your time in Colombia, I would recommend taking a day trip from Medellin on the second day of your itinerary. However, I have also included an option for staying in the city if you had planned to do these day trips on top of three days in Medellin. 

Option 1: Climb El Peñol in Guatape

So, going to Guatape would be my recommendation for your day trip, as I think it’s one of the best places you can go outside of Medellin. You can either arrange a tour or transportation with your accommodation, or you can get up early and take public transport to get there. Either way, it’s advisable only to go on weekdays because it gets incredibly busy on weekends thanks to its rise in popularity in recent years. 

If you want to go on a day trip during the weekend, try some of these options instead:

  • Santo Domingo
  • Pueblito Paisa
  • Parque Arvi 

Option 2: See More of Medellín

If you’re a little tired of travelling around or just don’t fancy a day trip, don’t worry! There are plenty of things you can do in this incredible city to make the most of your time in Medellín. 

Something I always love to do is take cable cars. You can hop on several metro cable cars in Medellin for the price of a metro ticket (they are created to be functional transport, and the fact that they’re a cable car is just kind of a bonus). I’d recommend doing this in the morning, because despite the spectacular views it does take you through some less safe areas. We took the metro to Acevedo and got on the cable car from there, but there are various lines throughout the city.

I often saw the botanical gardens (Jardín Botánico de Medellín) recommended to visit in Medellin, but I actually found it a little underwhelming. Although, it is free, so you don’t miss out on much if you don’t like it. If you’re looking to relax in a green space I’d recommend Parque de los Pies close to the city centre.

There are a few things that I’ve purposely left off of this list of things to do in Medellin because you’ll see them all tomorrow, in the free walking tour of Medellin that you simply must not miss!

You will visit Plaza Botero on the free walking tour, however you don’t get much chance to explore or go into the Museo de Antioquia, a contemporary art museum that is well worth a visit. The Museum of Modern Art (Museo de Arte Moderno) is also a great choice, and it’s closer to El Poblado.

If modern art isn’t really your thing, go for the Parque Explora, which is an interactive science museum with an aquarium. Parque Explora is a great option if you’re travelling with kids (and also if you’re not!) and has over 300 interactive activities.

In the evening I’d also recommend catching some live music at La Pascasia. It’s best to check their Instagram for events before you go as sometimes you need to buy a ticket in advance, but other times they have live music for free or you can buy a ticket on the door. La Pascasia is a little off the beaten track, so make sure you’re able to order an Uber home in the evening; don’t hang around on the streets in this area.

Read more about Colombia: Don’t make this mistake on the night bus from Cali to Medellin!

Day Three in Medellin

Free Walking Tour

I love a free walking tour when I’m travelling, I find they’re a great way to get to know a city on a budget and they’re a great way to meet other travellers, too. In fact, I made a great friend on this very walking tour. If you’re not familiar with the concept, I should add a caveat that whilst tipping is technically optional at the end of a walking tour, you generally should be prepared to give a tip at the end. They will give you a suggested tip, but you can tip over or under that amount based on your experience and your budget.

This free walking tour by Real City Tours is well established in Medellin and lives up to its great reputation. We had a local guide who took us around a good portion of the city centre (el centro / la Candelaria), letting us know which areas were safe, which were more dangerous, and showing us the sights.

As we walked around he gave us a detailed history of Medellin, including how Medellin went from being Colombia’s most dangerous city to one of its safest and the rise and fall of the infamous Pablo Escobar. You can also do tours specifically about Pablo Escobar, but they aren’t really encouraged as the locals don’t like to have him glorified in this way. 

As I mentioned earlier, this guided tour takes you to Plaza Botero, to see the famous sculptures of Fernando Botero. You get to see various other sights including the true city centre, Plaza de las Luces, and many more exciting places in Medellin.

You can do the tour either at 10am or 2.30pm. I did the early tour and it finished just before 2pm – just in time for a late lunch.

Late Lunch: Bandeja Paisa

This is the quintessential Colombian meal that you absolutely must try whilst you’re in Medellin. I left it for day three to make sure you don’t miss out, and because you’ll probably be hungry after all that walking. It’s also a great way to fill up on food if you are travelling this afternoon or evening! Bandeja Paisa is specific to the Antioquia region of Colombia, (the region Medellin is in), so you may not get the chance to try it in other cities.

Bandeja Paisa is a huge plate of food that generally contains beans, rice, plantain, avocado, rice, an arepa, and your choice of meat (typically pork and cicharrón, aka fried pork rind).

Evening… Err… Be Exhausted?

If I were writing this itinerary for myself I’d definitely put “relax” on the menu this evening after so many activities. If you are keen to make the most of every second you have in Medellin, you could visit La Setenta, a lively street full of bars and clubs in the Laureles district, or, of course, squeeze in one of the many activities you missed on Day 2 if you decided to take a day trip.

No matter what you end up doing, I’m absolutely certain you’ll have a great time on your three day trip to Medellin.

Where’s next? Read this article on how to get from Medellin to Salento

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