Also known as the city of eternal spring, Medellín is located in the Aburrá Valley, on the central Andes mountain range. This Colombian city is well known for the entrepreneurial attitude of its population, for the beautiful and varied landscapes, a wonderful climate and a vast number of places to visit. Today we will talk about the latter and we will see what are the 15 best things to do and see in Medellín.
1. Museum of Antioch
Located in the center of Medellín, the Museo de Antioquía has existed as an artistic corner for more than 100 years. In 1977 it changed its name and was renamed the Francisco Antonio Zea Medellin Art Museum. A year later, the master Fernando Botero donated his first works to the museum and the institution adopted its current name of Museo de Antioquía.
Within this museum, temporary and permanent exhibitions are offered, mainly featuring the numerous works of Botero, as well as rooms with the history of the country.
2. Flower Fair
Flowers everywhere, Medellín dressed in a thousand colors, attracting domestic and foreign tourists, a unique welcoming environment, floats, jeeps, collection cars, troupes and flower arrangements.
Held every year between the months of July and August, for eight days, it includes the parades of the national army and the carabineros of the national police. The event takes place on Avenida Aguacatala and Autopista Sur.
3. Metrocable, line k
From the south to the north, the beautiful and monumental mountains that surround the great urban buildings have that characteristic green of the spring city of Colombia. The Metrocable offers us an incomparable view that no other means of transport will be able to give, going beyond any existing geographical and social limits.
4. Botanical Garden
Being one of the most modern and beautiful botanical gardens in the region, the Medellín Botanical Garden is an oasis of peace and natural beauty in the midst of the constant bustle in the city. Here you can appreciate the butterfly farm, the orchid garden and the primary jungle area, which takes you directly to the Amazon. The main lake is full of lotuses, which when blooming offer a fantastic show.
The Garden has restaurants, a library and areas for recreation, it is also close to the planetarium and the University of Antioquia.
5. Palace of Culture
The Palace of Culture of Medellin has a totally amazing infrastructure. Starting from the facade of the building, the architecture is originally designed as a chessboard. It is located in the heart of the city of eternal spring, overlooking Plaza Botero, and has a small, beautiful, quiet and relaxing interior patio with a small fountain, as well as a restaurant with reasonable prices.
6. Paisa Town
El Pueblito Paisa is a reconstruction of a traditional Colombian town with colonial architecture. This place could be considered a kind of museum, in which each house has a special workshop: a barbershop, the mayor’s office, a bakery, etc.
It is located in the center of Medellín, easily accessible, and is also known as Cerro Nutibarra. From here you can see all of Medellín with a unique view. It is recommended to visit in December, since with the Christmas decorations it is even more unforgettable.
Located on the outskirts of Medellin, from here you can appreciate the entire city, with a magnificent and memorable panoramic view. It is recommended that you bring a coat as the fresh, clean air here can get a bit chilly. In addition, here you can enjoy a fun afternoon, practicing paragliding with a parachute, which will make your visit something exciting. To end the day, you can choose to camp in the area designated for it, so do not forget to bring what you need.
7. A paisa tray!
If the hunger bug has begun to bite you, it is time for you to stop and look for a cozy place to enjoy Medellin cuisine. The most popular restaurants in the city are on the Golden Mile, Buena Mesa Street and Las Palmas Avenue, but there are many other places to discover Antioquia’s culinary art.
The star dish is the paisa tray and we must warn you that by tradition it is for a binge, since it began as the favorite food of the muleteers on their long journeys. It generally has a portion of finely ground beef and 6, 7, 8 or more contours, among which are usually chicharrón (fried pork skin), white rice, plantain slices or tostones, a fried egg, a bit of Antioquian chorizo, a piece of fresh cheese, beans, avocado slices and arepas (corn cakes).
Of course, more moderate versions are available in quantity and variety. After the tray you may need to take a break, but you will have replenished calories in quantity. You will need some liquid, which can be an aguapanela and if you have room for dessert, we recommend the arequipe or dulce de leche.
8. Saint Helena
Being one of the five districts of the city of Medellín, Santa Elena is located in the eastern zone, with 70.4 square km, and an elevation above sea level of 2,600 meters; It has a cold climate and a great biodiversity that you can appreciate. This place has considerable historical importance, since ancestral paths are traveled here, and it is the place of origin of the silleteros , which are the cultural heritage of the Colombian nation.
Santa Elena is located within the Arví Regional Park, a large natural reserve. It is recommended to visit the silletera farms, which are the houses inhabited by the silleteros, where there are flower and vegetable crops.
To get to Santa Elena, it is advisable to take the Metrocable, with a journey of approximately 1 hour, where you will enjoy a beautiful landscape and an amazing tranquility; It is an economical and very comfortable means of transportation, and when you reach the last station, you will be able to find several restaurants, where they sell the typical foods of this corregimiento.
9. The Park of Wishes
Considered as a place of entertainment for the local population and for tourists, the Parque de los Deseos is a public space in the center of Medellín. The main purpose of this park is to understand the universe, and for this, visitors can interact with astronomy, science, music and have contact with water. Among the main buildings of the place, are the Municipal House and the Planetarium of Music, where you can enjoy the regional rhythms of Colombia.
If you are looking to spend a fun afternoon, to enjoy and also learn something, this park will give you all that through different auditory and visual sensations, from understanding what an eclipse is or looking at the constellations, to observing the moon and studying a clock. Sun.
10. Botero Square
Also known as Plaza de las Sculptures, this place is known nationally and internationally for housing 23 sculptures made by the Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero. If you are a fan of art or you like to appreciate the beauty of things, we advise you to visit this square, since Botero’s work is recognized mainly for its originality, being very different compared to other artists, without a doubt an icon of the Latin American culture.
11. Arvi Park
Just a few minutes from Medellín, Parque Arví is a beautiful ecotourism forest reserve. Here you can choose to arrive by car or using the city’s Metrocable, the latter being the recommended option, since you will be able to enjoy a great view of both the city of Medellin and the reserve.
Walks in the forest, pre-Hispanic trails, royal roads and the indigenous lagoon that supplied water to the communities that inhabited the reserve, are part of the activities that you can do here.
12. Barefoot Park
A place where you can go as a family, here you will find various water jets that children will appreciate, you can give your feet a pleasant massage in the sand gardens or in the water ponds, and thus have a few moments of relaxation and thought.
The infrastructure of the place is of oriental style, thus increasing the peace and tranquility that its waters inspire; In addition, you can marvel at the Zen garden, the guadua forest and the wooden tables that the park has. Inside there is also a restaurant and an interactive museum.
13. Lleras Park
Located between Calles 10 and 9 and Carreras 37 and 40, the park is lined with restaurants and various shops. During the day you can appreciate the paintings that are exhibited, you can sit on one of the benches or enjoy a delicious coffee on the terrace. However, the true spirit of the park comes alive at night, as the bars in the area activate the atmosphere of the park, making the place a party of memories.
14. Picacho Hill
From this hill you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire metropolitan area of Medellín. It is considered one of the most recommended tourist sites to visit, whose main reference is the Christ the King who opens his arms to the city of eternal spring.
The place is located in the northwestern part of the city, and you can easily get there either by bus or by car.
15. San Pedro Cemetery Museum
Built in 1842, named a museum in 1998 and declared a National Monument in 1999, the San Pedro Cemetery Museum, which we recommend you visit, has wonderful architecture and is considered a valuable representation of funerary art. Collections of local and national art are kept here and, on full moon nights, you can enjoy the concerts that are offered, the oral narration shows, plays and dances. But, without a doubt, the ones that we most recommend you to observe are the funerary monuments erected in memory of outstanding figures in the history of Colombia.
For those who love the different artistic trends, the mausoleums and monuments are representative of the classical, Renaissance, romantic, neoclassical, neogothic, modern trends and even the popular construction style. As an example of this, it is suggested to visit the mausoleum of the «Angel of Silence», in the Central Square, whose guardian angel represents and suggests an attitude of recollection in the place or last earthly dwelling, without a doubt something that will leave you with an unforgettable memory. .
What do you think of this extraordinary tour of Medellín, the city of eternal spring? I hope you enjoyed it as much 
as I did. We look forward to your valuable comments. See you soon!
