2024: The Year of the Jetsetter - Top New Hotspots for Globetrotters, According to Travel Gurus
2024: The Year of the Jetsetter - Top New Hotspots for Globetrotters, According to Travel Gurus - Reach New Heights in Medellín, Colombia
Once associated mainly with drug cartels and violence, Medellín has transformed itself into one of South America's most vibrant and exciting cities. Located in a valley surrounded by lush green mountains, Medellín offers travelers beautiful vistas, moderate year-round weather, a blossoming food scene, and plenty of cultural attractions.
One of the best ways to take in panoramic views of the city is by riding the Metrocable gondola system. Constructed to help connect impoverished neighborhoods perched on the mountains to the metro system, the Metrocable has become a tourist attraction in its own right. Visitors can glide over the urban landscape in a glass-bottom gondola and hop off at stations to explore charming neighborhoods like Santo Domingo. Pack a picnic lunch and ride up to Parque Arví in the Santa Elena reserve to hike amidst lakes and waterfalls.
Adventure seekers will also want to visit Guatapé, a colorful lakeside town about two hours from Medellín. Here, you can climb the 700 stairs to the top of La Piedra del Peñol, a massive monolithic rock with unbeatable views. Paragliding, kayaking, boating, and other water sports are also popular in Guatapé.
Back in the city, check out the energetic nightlife in the El Poblado neighborhood. Trendy bars and clubs play reggaeton and salsa late into the night, while tamer live music venues offer jazz and rock. The Museum of Modern Art showcases works by local painters and sculptors in a sleek modern building.
Foodies will delight in the city’s culinary renaissance. Try bandeja paisa, the local platter piled high with beans, rice, pork, plantains, chorizo, arepa flatbread, and avocado. Modern twists on classic cuisine are served at innovative restaurants like Carmen and Çera. The ornate Santa clara café and pastry shop is the perfect place to relax with a cappuccino and delicately crafted sweet treats.