My Trip to Medellin, Colombia + Best Things to See and Do

During the holidays, I had the opportunity to spend one month in Medellin, Colombia visiting my family. I can't believe it had been almost 14 years since the last time I went. I got to do lots of touristy things and also relaxed at my aunt's finca (farm house), with absolutely no internet connection. It was so nice to actually disconnect for a while. We ate sancocho, played board games and laid on a hammock overlooking the mountains pretty much every day haha. It was a little peace of heaven on earth.

In the past, if you had heard mentions of Colombia, it was probably for all the wrong reasons. But things have changed. This magical country has quickly become a top travel destination. I'm sure you have probably seen tons of bloggers on Instagram visiting Cartagena left and right. Medellin was also named one of the most innovative cities in the world.

Here are some pictures of our trip I wanted to share with you. And in case you're thinking about planning a trip to Medellin soon, I'll also share with you a quick guide on best things to see and do while you are there.

Click Below to Read More

Andy with his grandfather (Fernando's Dad) and great grandfather (which he got to meet for the first time!)

Fresh oranges from the finca. It doesn't get much organic than this lol.

Things to See and Do

Visit Parque Xplora- Parque Xplora is a natural sciences learning center, museum and aquarium. If you're traveling with kids, I highly recommend this place. We took Andy there and he absolutely loved it, especially the dinosaurs and interactive games. We also got to make our own fossils, which was pretty neat. You pretty much need about 4 hours for this place, it's HUGE.

*Quick Tip: It also has a descent restaurant in case you want to grab lunch while you're there.

Pueblito Paisa- El Pueblito Paisa is a little town located atop Cerro Nutibarra. There you'll be able to find a replica of the traditional Antioquian village. After checking out Parque Xplora we visited el Pueblito Paisa, which was about 15 minutes away from the park (You can take the metro to the Pueblito Paisa stop and then take a taxi to get to the top). It's also full of places to buy crafts and souvenirs and has a beautiful view of the city. We ate at a restaurant called La Fonda while we were there, which was delicious.

La Piedra del Peñon- Although I didn't go this time around, I did visit here when I was about 9 years old and it's a must-see while in Colombia. It's located in Guatepé, about 1 1/2 hours from Medellin. It basically a massive rock and you get to climb all the way to the top.

Parque Arvi- Parque Arvi is an ecological nature preserve and was one of my favorite things to do while I was in Medellin. You walk through nature trails and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I totally recommend this for nature lovers. They also have artisans selling everything from jewelry to shoes. I ended up buying the cutest sandals and ankle boots.

*Quick Tip: One of the easiest way to get there is using the MetroCable. Also, make sure to take sneakers you wouldn't mind getting dirty.

Ride the MetroCable: Take a ride on Medellin's MetroCable. Oh, unless you're afraid of heights, than you can skip this one.

Ride the Metro: Oh and don't forget the Metro too.

Parque Botero: Visit el Parque Botero, which features sculptures by Fernando Botero, known for his infamous voluptuous women.

Jardin Botanico (Botanical Garden): Another one for my nature lovers, be sure to check out the botanical garden in Medellin. It has more than 1,000 living species and 4,500 flowers.