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Things to do in Medellín

Experience Colombian's bustling culture surrounded by a backdrop of picturesque hills and coffee plantations.

Our most recommended things to do in Medellín

From Medellin: Guatape El Peñol with Boat, Breakfast & Lunch

1. From Medellin: Guatape El Peñol with Boat, Breakfast & Lunch

Discover the city of Guatapé on a guided tour from Medellín and learn about this colorful city from your guide. Board a sightseeing cruise to the breathtaking Piedra del Peñol followed by lunch. Start your morning with pickup from your accommodation in Medellín and travel to the vibrant city of Guatapé. With your guide, explore the colorful streets with their artistic tiled facades and fascinating history. Then, board a boat and sail through the reservoir. Enjoy panoramic views of Casa Museo, La Cruz, Piedras del Marial, Piedra del Peñol, and the ruins of the Pablo Escobar's vacation home. Learn about the sights from your guide. Disembark and visit the imposing Piedra del Peñol. Explore your lush surroundings with plenty of great photo opportunities, particularly if you choose to climb this impressive monument. After, regain your strength with a delicious lunch. Make one more stop at the Plaza de Zocalos and admire the colorful murals and the history behind them. After the tour, be returned to where you were picked up.

Medellin: Comuna 13 History & Graffiti Tour with Cable Car

2. Medellin: Comuna 13 History & Graffiti Tour with Cable Car

Discover the transformative graffiti art of Columna 13 on a guided tour in Medellin. Ride the metro, climb up to the houses on the mountain top with the metrocable, and take the public bus into the graffiti district for a walking tour full of art, music, food, and friendly neighborhood vibes. Start at the Poblado metro station and meet your friendly guide and group for the day. Jump on the metro train to reach Medellin's cable car the metrocable and ride all the way up to the mountaintop. Enjoy the spectacular viewing point and learn about the city's transportation system. Continue on with a bus to the graffiti district where your walking tour will begin. Let your guide lead you through the streets filled with expressive art including graffiti, oil paintings, and graffiti-printed clothes. Encounter good food, music, and dance shows in this traditional neighborhood. Learn about the meaning of the graffiti created by local artists and how this area has been transformed over time. Try some traditional Colombian street food before heading to a bar with the best views in the city for a drink to get to know your fellow travelers.

Medellín: The Real Pablo Escobar Tour

3. Medellín: The Real Pablo Escobar Tour

Begin your tour by visiting the site of Escobar’s former home, where he hid his family and had enemies plant bombs to kill him. Learn about the transformation of this site into a memorial park for victims of Colombia's drug war. Next, head to “la cathedral”, a jail Escobar built for himself in an agreement with the government, from which he later escaped. Afterward, visit the soccer field Escobar built, known for its visionary design, where he gave speeches in an attempt to make a foray into Colombian politics. To cap things off, make your way to the cemetery, where Escobar is buried along with his family and other members of his gang, including Griselda Blanco.  By the end of the day, leave the tour with a better understanding of the negative impact that Escobar had on the country and the lives of the Colombian people.

Medellín: Coffee Tour With Tastings and Lunch

4. Medellín: Coffee Tour With Tastings and Lunch

Head out to San Sebastián de Palmitas, just 45 minutes from Medellín, to begin your unique coffee tour. After hotel pick-up, set off for a coffee-making farm and enjoy listening to a brief history about the origin of the coffee and how it was first brought to Colombia. Take the chance to dress in the typical costume of the paisa muleteer, including hat, poncho, paruma, and the tail of a rooster. Later, move on to a coffee plantation to carry out the coffee harvest, reducing the mixture to a pulp and finally, drying it. After these activities, sit down for a refreshing drink of musilago (coffee juice) and a tea made from the coffee pulp. Savor a typical dish from the region made of banana with honey and cheese. Hear your guide explain some techniques on how to prepare and drink coffee and have a short tasting of different coffees and servings. Later, try a typical dish of the paisa muleteer consisting of rice, yuca, ground beef, boiled egg, sausage, and banana. Try preparing your coffee to your own taste with the information you have just learned from your guide. Finally, receive a pack of coffee as a gift and have the chance to buy farm products at the shop. If the option is chosen, also experience a 2-hour horseback ride through the farm to some viewpoints. All instructions will be given to inexperienced riders.

From Medellin: Guatapé Full-Day Tour with Piedra del Peñol

5. From Medellin: Guatapé Full-Day Tour with Piedra del Peñol

Discover Guatapé on a day trip from Medellin. Take in views from the top of Piedra del Penol, discover the Zócalos area on a guided tour, try traditional, locally made Colombian food, and enjoy a boat ride of the Penol-Guatapé hydroelectric reservoir. Enjoy the green landscapes and rolling hills and mountains as you journey from Medellin to Guatapé. Ascend 742 steps, as you make your way up to the top of the Piedra del Penol for sweeping views of the area. Explore the colorful Zócalos of Guatapé on a guided tour of the resort town. Enjoy a typical Colombian dish made by natives of the small pueblo. Tour a large section of the Penol-Guatapé hydroelectric reservoir on a boat cruise and enjoy the beautiful surrounding landscapes.

Medellín: Comuna 13 District Tour with Cable Car Ride

6. Medellín: Comuna 13 District Tour with Cable Car Ride

Discover Medellín's Comuna 13 district on a guided tour with a local. Enjoy stunning views of the city from a cable car, learn about the local street artists, and hear how this formerly dangerous area has evolved. Meet your guide in the metro station to begin the tour and experience Medellín like a local. Learn all about the stations and key points in the city, as well as how the metro system helped shape the new Medellin. When arriving at the connecting station, hop on a cable car up the hill. As you go, admire the panoramic views of the city and find out about its evolving history and troubled past. At the top, take a short ride on the bus toward the Comuna 13 district. At Comuna 13, the real fun begins. An enthusiastic guide will explain all the positive changes made to transform what was once one of the most dangerous communities in South America into a symbol of the new Medellín. You will have time to take in all the amazing street art and ride the electric outdoor escalators to the top observation deck, which offers incredible views. Listen to insights about Medellín, hear interesting stories from the guides, meet locals and learn about the library that works as a community center before returning to Poblado metro station.

Medellín: Private Pablo Escobar Tour with Cable Car Ride

7. Medellín: Private Pablo Escobar Tour with Cable Car Ride

Learn all about Pablo Escobar's life on a 4-hour guided, private tour in Medellín including three main stops: Inflexion Memorial Park, La Catedral jail, and a cable car ride to enjoy a panoramic view of the West side of the city for unforgettable photo opportunities. Hear interesting anecdotes as a knowledgeable guide presents Pablo Escobar's history on a sightseeing tour of the most famous locations linked to the drug lord, and how he affected Medellín and Colombia as a whole. Start your tour by visiting the Inflexion Memorial Park, built in 2019 on top of the lot of the old Monaco Building, a former property of the drug lord, to commemorate the 46,612 victims who were killed during his rule.  Take a moment to walk through the moving space while your guide tells you facts of that time. Next, make your way to La Catedral, a personal prison Pablo Escobar built for himself — and where he spent five years — on top of a hill overlooking the city. It is said that he could choose who guarded him, and that the prison was built more to keep his enemies out than to keep him in. Drive on to visit the cemetery where Pablo Escobar is buried, as well as the neighborhood in which he spent his teenage years, and the house where he died. End your tour with a spectacular panoramic view of the West side of the city on a cable car ride before being dropped back off at your hotel.

Medellin: Soccer match Tour with Pre-Game and Tickets

8. Medellin: Soccer match Tour with Pre-Game and Tickets

If you're looking for an unforgettable experience in Medellin, you simply can't miss out on this tour! Get ready to cheer on one of our two professional soccer teams - Nacional or Medellin - alongside the passionate locals and feel the electricity in the air as you support the players toward victory. Medellin is renowned for its love of soccer, so come join the party and immerse yourself in the culture! Initially, we will meet at the Stadium metro station and go to a bar next to the stadium to soak up the pre-game atmosphere. There will be tons of people hanging out at the bars, enjoying the party mood, and plenty of delicious Colombian street food to try. During the pre-game, you'll get to wear the local team's jersey that our guide will provide, get your face painted, learn about the history of Colombian soccer, and have a blast getting to know other travelers. It's the perfect way to get hyped up before the game! Once we're inside the stadium, you'll be surrounded by passionate soccer fans who are all there to support their team. The energy is palpable as they sing, chant, and play musical instruments to encourage the players. You'll be amazed by the sight and sound of it all, and our local guide will be on hand to explain the technicalities of the game and encourage the group to get involved. After the match, we'll head back to the Stadium metro station to end the tour, but the party doesn't have to stop there! There are plenty of restaurants and bars in the area if you want to keep the festivities going. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to experience Medellin's love of soccer firsthand - book your spot on the tour now!

Medellín: Paragliding in the Colombian Andes

9. Medellín: Paragliding in the Colombian Andes

Start with pickup from your hotel located in the El Poblado neighborhood or the meeting point in Parque Lleras. Drive 45 minutes to arrive at the launching pad where you will have a great view over the Medellín region. Rely on high-quality gear and instructions from professional and reputable staff. Receive an introductory lesson, and then fly out over the Aburra Valley over the beautiful scenery. See spots such as the Medellin River, the El Quitasol hill, the Garcia barrage, and the Picacho hill, with the spectacular backdrop of the mountains. After your flight, return to the city of Medellín.

Medellín: Private Guatapé with Peñol Tickets and Boat Ride

10. Medellín: Private Guatapé with Peñol Tickets and Boat Ride

Sail across the reservoir of Guatapé to see sights like the ruins of Pablo Escobar's vacation home on this day trip from Medellín. Hike the Rock of Guatapé for stunning panoramic views. Explore the city of Guatapé and savor delicious local lunch.  Be picked up in Medellin and board an airconditioned van for the drive to the Guatapé region. Board a comfortable boat for a cruise through the reservoir. Pass by Casa Museo, La Cruz, Marial Rock, El Peñol Rock, and Pablo Escobar's old home. Go up the 740 steps to reach the top of the Rock of Guatapé (Piedra del Peñol), a 220-meter (722-foot) high monolith. Delight in magnificent views of the spectacular landscape and Guatapé Dam which was built in the lands of the old town of Peñol in the 1970s. Visit Guatapé, a growing and colorful city made unique by the decorative tiles adorning the lower facades of the houses. Replenish your energy with a lunch of rice, beans, fries, salad, and a choice of pork, chicken or beef, with a refreshing drink. Return to Medellín by van after lunch and be dropped off at your hotel.

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Frequently asked questions about Medellín

What are the best day trips and excursions from Medellín?

The best day trips and excursions from Medellín are:

Guatapé

Other Sightseeing Options in Medellín

Want to discover all there is to do in Medellín? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Medellín

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 4,070 reviews

Our day trip tour to Guatape was great. Maria, Sandy (English interpreter), and Don Luis (tour bus driver) were all extremely sweet and helpful. Maria and Sandy are very knowledgeable. From the pick up point meet up, to the moment we got back to the pick up point at the end of the tour, everything went perfectly smooth. Lunch was great, the boat tour, walking tour, and free time to explore on our own was perfect. Thank you Maria, Sandy and Don Luis!! 10/10 recommend.

Such a good tour! Laura was an excellent guide, super friendly, and always available to answer questions. She took us on the cable car and around Comuna 13. She explained the graffiti and gave really interesting information about the history of the Comuna and also Medellin. The traditional ice-cream and beer are the cherry on top of the cake. Really recommend this tour!

We had a great day in Guatapé with enough time to explore the different spots on our own. It‘s a great way to explore the region stress free as everything is taken care of (transportation, food etc.) and you just get to enjoy the trip.

Amazing trip well planned out. Great food and service. The locations all worth seeing. Gina was wonderful.

Amazing day in Guatape, Marlon was a fantastic guid I recommend to anyone