Things to do in Medellín
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Jardín Botánico Joaquín Antonio Uribe
Across from the Universidad de Antioquia is the city's Jardín Botánico. Opened in 1978, the garden has 600 species of trees and plants, a lake, herbarium, auditorium and the Orquideorama where an orchid display is held in March and April. Just across the street is the sleek, all-concrete Parque de los Deseos, a favorite hangout of the area's college students.
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Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe
Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe, adjacent to the Berrío metro station in an ornate black-and-white building, hosts concerts and events, art expositions, conferences and workshops. Check its website for what’s on.
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La Gorda
Thanks to a local law that requires major new buildings to include public art, central Medellín can seem like a vast, outdoor art gallery. Besides the Plazoleta de las Escultras, you can see Botero's massive bronze woman's torso known as La Gorda, in front of the Banco de la República in Parque Berrío. There are also three more Botero sculptures in the Parque San Antonio.
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Il Forno
Set in the middle of the zona rosa, this open-air Italian restaurant doesn't do gimmicks or discounts, just hearty food at a fair price. It serves pizza and sandwiches, lasagna and ravioli, and even steak. It may not be gourmet, but at this price, who cares?
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Café Colombo
On the top floor of the building also housing the Centro Colombo Americano, this minimalist spot serves up light meals along with stunning views of the city and mountains. Go for the set meal (COP$15,500), which changes weekly, or try the crepes, pasta, steak or trout. Its 10th-floor outdoor terrace is a great spot for cocktails early in the evening.
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Jardín Botánico
Medellín's fabulous botanic gardens cover 14 hectares and showcase 600 species of trees and plants, a lake, herbarium, auditorium and a butterfly enclosure. The gardens are easily accessed from the nearby metro stop Universidad.
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Museo de Antioquia
In the grand art deco Palacio Municipal, Colombia's second-oldest museum is one of its finest (Museo Nacional in Bogotá is the oldest). The collection includes pre-Columbian, colonial and modern art collections, as well as many works donated by native son Fernando Botero.
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Catedral Metropolitana
Overlooking Parque de Bolívar, Medellín's neo-Romanesque cathedral was completed in 1931. Its spacious but dim interior has Spanish stained-glass windows.
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Pueblito Paisa
On top of the 80m-tall hill known as Cerro Nutibara, 2km southwest of the city center, sits the kitschy Pueblito Paisa, a miniature version of typical Antioquian township. Views from an adjacent platform across the city are stunning.
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Restaurante Hatoviejo
A favorite of Medellín's carnivores, this is the best place in the center for regional dishes such as plato montañero, an artery-clogging conglomeration of ground beef, eggs and fried pork skin.
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Cycling
Paisas tend to be avid cyclists, and on weekends the mountain roads around the city fill up with bikers. Contact the tourist office for current information about opportunities to join local groups.
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Ermita de la Veracruz
Constructed with funds from European immigrants, this fine colonial church was inaugurated in 1803 and has a stone facade and a white-and-gold interior.
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Plaza Minorista José María Villa
Home to a huge, bustling undercover market with more than 2500 stalls, selling mostly food. It was established in 1984 to remove hawkers from the streets. Open daily.
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Mercado de San Alejo
This colorful craft market is great for cheap buys or simply to stroll around.
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Zona Rosa
To truly understand Medellín, you have to see its people in party mode. Paisas love to dress up, show off, throw some money around, and have a good time while they're at it.
The center of the action is around Parque Lleras in El Poblado, an area that is also known as the Zona Rosa. Roughly between Calles 9 and 10A, and Carreras 36 and 42, it draws the young, the beautiful, the rich, the surgically augmented and the merely enthusiastic. The area is packed with restaurants, bars and discos, many of which have large outdoor patios. Bars and clubs come in and out of fashion very quickly, so for the latest word on the street head to Parque Lleras and confer with locals.…
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Río Claro Valley
Thanks to Colombia's improving security situation, it is once again safe to visit the Río Claro Valley in eastern Antioquia, where a crystal-clear river has carved stunning shapes into its marble bed. It's also a favorite spot for bird-watchers, who come to see everything from hummingbirds to herons to vultures.
You can stay in the lodge known as El Refugio, which is about 1km from the river and near the town of Puerto Triunfo. Río Claro is located just off the main road that connects Bogotá and Medellín. Most buses that connect the two cities will drop you off in Puerto Triunfo. Note that nighttime travel in this area remains risky; check current conditions.
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Vinacuré
A piece of SoHo seems to have broken off and floated all the way to the hills south of Medellín. This outrageously imaginative place looks like a Frida Kahlo painting on acid, with choreography by the Cirque de Soleil. Give yourself over to the experience as you are greeted by honking geese, served by sexually ambiguous waitrons, and wowed by the circuslike live shows. It is a long and expensive cab ride (about around US$8) but worth every penny.
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Los Toldos
Elderly waiters wear traditional costumes and old-style Colombian folk music plays on the stereo at this typical paisa place. Go for the daily special, about COP$15,000, or indulge in a hearty bandeja paisa (paisa tray).
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Boomerang
With optimum wind currents and stunning topography, Medellín has become Colombia's premier destination for paragliding. Boomerang is one of the best local gliding schools, with highly experienced pilots and good equipment. It offers courses, equipment rental and tandem flights over the city (spectacular views) with a skilled pilot. No previous gliding experience is necessary for tandem flights.
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Bahía Mar
This top notch seafood place offers mariscos in a Caribbean setting. Merengue plays on the stereo, and the signature dish is langostino Providencia (Providencia-style king prawns). The tables are laid out simply with blue tablecloths on top of white. They also do enormous shrimp cocktails and light platters of seafood crepes. A top choice for seafood in Medellín.
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Il Castello
For authentic, top-quality Italian food, look no further than Il Castello. Try the fettucine trento (lobster served with a brandy and cream sauce), or the many pastas, raviolis and pizzas. It has an exceptional wine list; you’ll imbibe your drop of red in large balloon glasses. Tucked just off Calle 10, you’ll spot the place by the many expensive cars parked out front.
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Social Realist-inspired Murals
Thanks to a local law that requires major new buildings to include public art, central Medellín can seem like a vast, outdoor art gallery. For a different take on Medellín's history, check out the Social Realist-inspired murals by Pedro Nel Gómez displayed in two long showcases on the corner of Carrera 51 and Calle 51, just off Parque Berrío.
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Pájaro de Paz
There are three Fernando Botero sculptures in the Parque San Antonio, including the Pájaro de Paz. Ironically, this work was seriously damaged by a bomb placed by unknown perpetrators, which also killed 23 people. As a vivid reminder of the city's hyper-violent episode, the damaged bird has been left untouched, though a new version now stands alongside it.
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Parque de las Esculturas
On the slopes of the 80m-tall hill known as Cerro Nutibara is the Parque de las Esculturas, which contains modern abstract sculptures by South American artists, including such prominent names as Edgar Negret, Jesús Soto and Carlos Cruz Díez. The Guayabal bus from Av Oriental in the city center passes by the foot of Cerro Nutibara, or go by taxi.
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La Kasa
This popular split-level disco plays techno, accompanied by half a dozen electronic disco balls. Three bars will keep you well lubricated, and the fish in the two tanks built into the walls guarantee you a captive audience for your latest dance moves. One of the very best places for techno in Medellín; best for a visit on Thursday and Saturday.
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