Before booking my trip to Colombia, all of my friends couldn’t help but say “are you crazy? You’re going to get killed if you go there.” I’m guessing you’re reading this article because this same thought has crossed your mind. When you think of Medellin, your first thought probably isn’t lush green forests and third wave coffee shops, it might be of Pablo Escobar and the Colombian drug cartels. I didn’t know anyone who had visited Medellin before, so I had no personal point of reference. I just did a little Google searching, bit my tongue and said ‘let’s do it!’ Okay, so you’re still probably wondering – is Medellin Colombia safe or not?
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“Is Medellin Safe” Story
Well, let me start off with a little story we heard from an American girl we met who was also backpacking through Colombia. She was staying at a hostel in the downtown Medellin area. After having a few drinks at the hostel, a group of travelers wanted to go check out the local nightlife. She decided to join her new friends for the 12am festivities. Sounds late to us Americans, right? But remember, this is South America and some would claim that 12am is still early to be heading out for a night on the town.
They walked a few blocks from the hostel to get to the club only to find that it wasn’t exactly the “scene” they were looking for. It turned out to be a less-than-sanitary strip club. Not staying for very long, they decided to head back to the hostel, but picked up some new faces along the way. Not the kind of warm and welcoming faces you’d want to confront in a foreign city.
Two locals followed them for a few blocks before pulling out guns and demanding the foreigners give them their purses and valuables. Luckily for the girl we met, she wasn’t carrying anything of worth but she couldn’t say the same for others in the group.
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The Traveler’s Mistake
While this was terrifying to hear (and still terrifying to think about as I’m writing this), these travelers broke Safety Rule #1 of visiting Medellin. Don’t go to the downtown El Centro area after dark – avoid La Candelaria!!!
You can read that on pretty much any travel website about Medellin. The downtown Medellin area is still not safe, so why would you put yourself in that situation…especially at midnight!?! And definitely don’t stay in a hostel in downtown Medellin!
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A Lesson to be Learned about Traveling Safely
Now let’s be real. A story like this can happen in any city anywhere in the world. Every city has safe areas and not-so-safe areas, and regardless of which area you’re in, this could still happen. What happened to these travelers was, without a doubt, very unfortunate. However, with a little research and a little common sense, hopefully you would know not to walk around an area that is deemed extremely unsafe late at night.
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Which areas of Medellin Colombia are the safest?
El Poblado
We stayed in an adorable first floor AirBnB right outside the El Poblado area. This is definitely where I recommend staying, as it’s extremely gentrified with tons of cute and trendy restaurants and coffee shops. The area gives me Miami mixed with Scottsdale vibes, because there’s one fun bar/club after another and they are all ginormous.
El Parque Lleras is at the center of El Poblado so if instructing a cab driver to the area, ask them to drop you off at the park. Food and drinks won’t be as cheap as you might expect since the area caters to tourists, but hotels are very affordable. You can book a 4⭐ room for $50/night and be steps away from all the action!
Laureles
After El Poblado, the second most popular area for visitors is Laurles. This is where the Atanasio Girardot stadium is, where the Medellin football teams play. If you’re planning to go to a game, I definitely recommend staying in or at least visiting this area.
There are a lot of hipster coffee shops and local cuisine restaurants. It’s a bit more cultural than the party scene of El Poblado. You can expect to find several live music and salsa dancing venues. There are hotels in this upper middle class neighborhood, but there’s a bit more pricy and there’s not nearly as many as the El Poblado area.
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Belén
In Belén is where you’ll find Cerro Nutibara, which is an absolute MUST during your visit to Medellin. It’s the tallest hill in the valley of Medellin so you literally have 260 views for miles and miles to every corner of the city. It’s especially majestic at night as you can see the hills lit up.
Belén is a middle class neighborhood that has improved a lot in recent years. It’s still have a somewhat industrial vibe to it, but here are also a few great hiking and biking trails. It’s also a bit more centrally located than El Poblado so public transportation is quite convenient.
Envigado
If you’re looking for nature out your back door and a quieter place to stay, Envigado is for you. It’s one of the safest areas in all of Colombia actually! Located in the Aburra Valley south of Medellin proper, it’s much more rural, but there’s lots of outdoor activities and beautiful architecture to be found.
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Final Thoughts: Is Medellin Safe?
Many parts of Medellin have gentrified since the times of Pablo Escobar, so much of the city is safe for tourists in 2021 and I HIGHLY recommend going. To be honest, I was actually more excited about visiting Cartagena and just doing a side trip to Medellin, because I really had no expectations, nor did I do much research. But how wrong I was, I was absolutely blown away by Medellin (to the point where I could see myself getting a vacation property there)!
However, like any foreign city, keep your wits about you while walking in busy public areas. Invest in a travel bag that zips to avoid being the victim of pickpocketing and don’t be flaunting your new iPhone and DSLR camera!
Do NOT spend your time in the El Centro area after dark. And be very wary if you’re there during the day as there’s a lot of petty theft.
If you have a day to spare during your trip to Medellin, make sure to take a day trip to the colorful wonderland of Guatape!
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Love the angle on this article that *very clearly* states Medellin, like all cities on earth, has good parts and bad parts. The key to safety, like you mention, is knowing those places and avoiding the ones you should avoid. Having said all that, I’ve heard amazing things about El Poblado, and when I head to Medellin, I’ll be staying in that area.
Columbia is on my list. Like most places, downtown areas aren’t the safest in the middle of the night! 🙂
Awesome post! I visited medellin earlier this year and loved it! I had to cut the trip short due to covid and having to fly home but I can’t wait to visit again hopefully soon 🙂
I have never been to Columbia but would love to some time. The locations you showed looked so inviting and adorable. Im not familiar with all that Medellin has to offer, but would certainly be open to giving it a try.
Yes! You’re the best for writing this article! I absolutely LOVED Medellin! We also stayed in El Poblado, such a vibrant place to be. We ended up staying there for over a week, and would still go back any chance I have 🙂
I find it awesome that you were not influenced by the prejudice and rumors and gave it a try! Especially the part where it read “in every city is a safe and not-so-safe area” Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Well I’m from Medellin, but I have lived in the US for the last 41 years, I have going back there almost every other year and it hasn’t change much in that regard, it has been always very dangerous at night specially the downtown area, and always is going to be, you have to learn from the locals (no dar papaya) don’t take unnecessary risk, and even in the poblado, laurels, or belen don’t go by yourself after midnight.
I have made numerous trips to Medellin. Stayed in Poblado, an last stayed in Laurelles. Did many things from dancing, hang gliding, zip lining, river rafting in Andes, etc.etc. Usually with friends. Once got lost for awhile an had my friends worried. Took son last trip . We’re all big guys. But I concur you need to watch your business. I believe bad guys look for the easy target. Mind your surroundings. I have always enjoyed it. I have thought to buy place there. Very friendly people. Great weather an good food. Have friends there now. It’s a good walking city. Beautiful.
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