South America is cheap for Americans, and your dollar goes very far in Colombia. Even the most pricey meals will not run you more than $30. (Except for Carmen and El Cielo, the pre fixe is $100+ and IS NOT worth IMO!) Go enjoy the plenty of more cheap and delicious options :)

• Brunch

  • $$ Azul Selva

  • $$ Pergamino

  • $$ Cafe Velvet

  • $$ Repeat

  • $$ Hija Mia Nomada

• Snacks

  • $ Arepita Pa' Mama

  • $ Empanadisimas

• Dinner

  • $$$ OCI.mde, my obsession. Get the braised ribs. And good drinks

  • $$$ El Botanico. Creative drinks

  • $$ Halong Vietnamita

  • $$ Bao Bei (get the ramen or fried chicken)

SKIP: Carmen and El Cielo. These are the 2 places known for their pre fixe menus but ehhh, not worth imo.

BTW around Parque de El Poblado os where the more local restaurants are. Here you can get Menu del Dia (menu of the day, it's a very traditional set lunch menu that's ~$5)

If you wanna just walk around, there are two main food streets and are closed off to cars, plenty of outdoor dining:

• Carrera 43E (search for Olivia Manila)

• Carrera 35 (search for Vintrash)

If you want really nice, bougie dinners go to the street that OCI.mde is on.

Stay around El Poblado if it’s your first time or you’re there less than a week. This is the main tourist area and where most nightlife and restaurants are.

Otherwise, look at the Laureles neighborhood.

Hotels

• The Click Clack Hotel

  • Beautifully designed multi-purpose building that’s right next to the best restaurants. The ground floor is great for working or just hanging out. Additionally the rooftop has a great view, along with a pool, a good sound system, and decent drinks. Finally, their restrooms are like art exhibitions. Max vibes.

• Lettera Hotel

  • Comfy rooms, cheaper, and excellent breakfast.

• Somos Hotel

• Energy Living

  • A short-term rental unit with amazing design. In the photo, it’s the tall white building.

• Hostels: Viajero, Los Patios, Selina, Black Sheep (I heard this one is a party hostel)

Let me start with some tips for the nightlife. Medellin is still a relatively poor country. Anything you want you can probably find. Just use common sense and be aware of surroundings (like maybe not buy drugs off the person on the street or accept a drink from an overly welcoming lady/man).

The locals are really nice, great, helpful people and part of the reason the city’s so great. It’s just like any city, there are dodgy areas that you should avoid. Other than that, it’s a really charming and peaceful place.

• Bars

  • Most places have dancing (they love to dance here! If you’re just trying to chill, I’d recommend just going to one of the pedestrian streets and sitting outside. The weather is fantastic and it’s fun to people watch. Otherwise, I’d recommend Vintrash and its surround areas. This bar plays raggaeton on one floor, house on another. Its on the Carrera 35 street where a lot of other bars are.

• Rooftop bars with djs

  • Somos (Mosquito Bar), Click Clack (La Deriva)

  • Charlee hotel (Envy rooftop) - I think it's meh but it's got good views.

• Clubs

  • Salon Amador (techno)

Also the area around Parque Lleras is the hooker street, so that's where the ratchet bars are. It’s fun to walk around but be careful, obviously

• Paragliding over the city

• Take the cable car up to Parque Arvi

• Communa 13 tour

• Coffee plantation tour

• Weekend trip to Guatape

One thing that Medellin is not bereft of is places to work from. I will say, if you’re going to bring your laptop out to a public place such as a cafe, try to sit more inwards. There have been cases of motorcycles coming by and robbing people off the street.

• Cafes

  • Pergamino (check out both locations)

  • There are a bunch of cafes in the Manila area, such as Hija Mia - Nomada and Los Patios Hostel

• Else

  • My favorite by far- Click Clack Hotel

  • Selina (has dedicated office space you can rent)

• Remember Colombia is still a poorer country so there will be lots of people asking for money, doing street performances, selling things. I would prepare some small change for the folks you’ll inevitably run into. If beggars come up to you and you don’t have cash, you say ‘no tienes’, or don’t have. Usually they will leave soon after.

• Especially with the recent conflicts in neighboring Venezuela, lots of the people on the street are families who fled to Colombia. It’s really sad to see so just be prepared

• Totally befriend the locals, they are very gregarious and warm. I trust you to be able to vet sketchy people from normal people as with in any city. Particularly here, if you’re trying to go on dates, there are hookers on Tinder. So make sure you know what’s the deal with people you meet, and be careful with your drinks. There have been incidents of people being drugged with scopolamine, which is the ‘zombie’ drug that makes you perfectly coherent and seemingly normal but incapable of disobeying orders, from what I’ve heard.

• Something about taxis sometimes scamming you. Idk I feel like that happens everywhere. I just use Uber.

• Most places take card unless it’s very hole in the wall.

• Medellin is very hilly, which is part of why it’s so beautiful but also make sure to bring thick-soled shoes! Your ass will look great though

• Learn some spanish. Other than the touristy places, I find that not many are super English fluent. Also, the locals are big into manners (please, thank you, excuse me, etc) so know those at the minimum. Oh, for some reason they say their y’s like j’s (so para llevar becomes para j-var, and Medellin is actually Mede-jin. I do not know why)

- rain jacket (sporadic rains)

- long pants and tops with sleeves (from what i've noticed the locals don't really wear shorts or tanks, both guys and ladies)

- hiking pants and shoes (inevitably will go on a hike)

- thick soled shoes (these hills are serious)

- sunglasses and hat

- fanny pack (harder to get pickpocketed)