Medellin, Colombia with a day trip to Guatape July 2023
Medellin, Colombia with a day trip to Guatape July 2023
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| MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA |
PHOTOS: See photos here: INSTAGRAM
Traveling to Bogota, Colombia?: We also have a Bogota, Colombia July 2023 Itinerary
TRANSPORTATION:
- Taxi Apps to Download : (1) Cabify (2) Uber
- It can be very difficult to get ubers/taxis. Use both apps to see which one gets a taxi faster/least expensive. Have lots of patience & always leave 10 min earlier than Google maps says.
- Ubers only good for 2 people; need to get Uber XL or Uber Comfort for more quality ones
- Sit in the front seat of Ubers especially going/leaving the airport (ubers are illegal in Colombia); OK to sit in back for yellow taxis (cabify)
- Cabify doesn't work in the USA, so Download it on phone & then will work in Colombia
- Flight: We flew Wingo Airlines from Bogota --> Medellin. If checking in bag, consider spending more for a premium front-of-the-line ticket. There was a long line to check-in our bags.
HOTEL: Stay in El Poblado or Laurales neighborhood
- El Poblado: most touristy area on a hill
- Laurales: great location and proximity to all the locations
PAYMENT METHODS:
- Cash: Recommend bringing $100 USD worth of Colombian Pesos in small bills. We exchanged 2 weeks beforehand from Bank of America in small bills.
- Several food places only accept cash
- Public bathrooms can charge $1,000-2,000 COP (25-50 cents)
- Credit Cards: Tour companies will charge 5-6% additional for using credit card instead of cash
- Only use credit cards with 0% foreign transaction fee
- Always charge your credit card in COP (Colombian Pesos) instead of USD (better conversion rate)
SAFETY: Emergency phone number is 123
- Avoid anyone who comes up too close to you or offers candy. Say no and walk away
- As the locals say, don't give "Papaya" - don't give reason for someone to target you. Ex. Don't hold your phone out taking photos/google maps without having a firm grip on your phone, no expensive jewelry etc.
- Belt bag - I wore a "belt purse" over one shoulder across my chest to keep money / cell phone close to me
- Yes! We would highly recommend anyone to come to Medellin using standard precautions. Medellin has come a long way from their past and definitely worth a visit. Beautiful country & people!
WHAT TO PACK:
- Umbrella & sunscreen is a MUST (protect from heat & random downpour)
- Print color copies of passport to carry in wallet (just in case)
- No converter needed coming from the USA
- Very comfortable walking shoes - lots of walking!!
LANGUAGE: If possible, try to learn basic Spanish phrases - even in big cities, most Colombians do not speak English
- Download Google Translate App to help communicate
- If discussing price & don't understand Spanish, have your calculator app open on your phone.
RANDOM TIPS:
- In bathrooms, grab toilet paper before entering the stalls
- Download Google maps offline for any city you will be visiting
- Download WhatsApp to communicate with tour guide/groups
- If possible, avoid visiting any major tourist attraction on weekends / holidays due to heavy crowds. Morning & weekdays are much better to visit.
- Personal Experience: When we landed in Medellin, we didn't realize it was one of the 18 holidays that Colombians celebrate. All tours were canceled and it was extremely crowded in popular tourist spots.
VEGETARIAN/VEGAN FOOD:
- Vegetarian/vegan: In the big cities, it was very easy to find vegan/vegetarian. Within the country, vegetarian was much easier to accommodate than vegan. We used the Happy Cow App and Google maps to find places.
- Our favorite restaurant was Café Zorba - vegetarian pizza place
- Restaurante Kaime - excellent bowls & dessert
- For Lunch, look for places that have “Menu Del Día” – menu of the day: It’s a good price for a ton of food.
- Veggie Life, Veg Station & Lenteja Express were all great for lunch menu del dia
- Colombian Things to try: Cheese arepas, Bandeja Paisa (Traditional Colombian Meal), Aromatico tea drink, Oblea wafers, Chucula drink (Cocoa, lentil, clove powder etc. drink)
- FRUITS are incredible and found everywhere! Colombian fruits are unique due to the microclimate they grown in. Try them!!
- Water OK to drink from the tap in big cities. As a precaution, stick to bottled waters when traveling away from the big cities.
- Coffee: Google "Specialty coffee" - we went to Pergamino and Hija Mia and enjoyed both!
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| Vegan Bandeja Paisa |
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| Cafe Zorba |
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| Menu Del Dia |
- 1) Comuna 13 Walking tour - must do!
Comuna 13
- 2) Walking Tour Colombia with Real City Tours - this was an excellent intro into Medellin, the history and seeing the sites
- 3) Guatape/Piedra de Penol Tour: Day trip to Guatape and the Piedra de Penol: must be in good shape to climb the rock. It's a difficult climb especially in the heat.
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| Piedra del Penol |
- 4) Take the Cable Cars up to see Parque Arvi and back. You do not need to spend much time at Parque Arvi, unless you want to do some hiking trails (must pay a guide).
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| Cable Car overlooking Medellin |
- 5) Visit Museo Casa de La Memoria - most of this is not in English. Be sure to use the photo part on Google Translate App. But this is an excellent museum to do after the walking tour. The past and current conflicts in Medellin/Colombia are not a black-and-white conflict.
- 6) Optional: Paragliding - this was a lot of fun! However, it's a bit $$ and requires a 15 min steep walk up the hill. Mayur had a better experience than Poonam. The GoPro camera the company provided worked for Mayur, but didn't work for Poonam. Mayur's flight was 15 min, Poonam's flight was over 45 minutes because the winds wouldn't allow the pilot to land properly. She had motion sickness for half a day. Thank goodness for anti-nausea medication "Zofran".
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| Paragliding |
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