With so many people hyping up Medellín, Colombia, I wasn’t sure it would measure up, but after spending five weeks in this beautiful city, there are SO many reasons why I’m hoping to go back!
The HYPE was what initially put Medellín on my radar, but here are the five things that convinced me to buy a $200 one-way ticket:
(1) To learn Spanish: Most Colombians don’t speak English, so it was the perfect place to learn and practice Spanish! – Photo credit | Jon Tyson | Unsplash 
(2) To escape winter: Medellín is known as the City of Eternal Spring, because of its year-round spring-like weather. – Photo credit | Mike Swigunski | Unsplash 
(3) Low cost of living: I was told by a tour guide that 60% of Colombians earn $400 or less each month, which makes just about everything relatively inexpensive for foreigners. – Photo credit | Alexander Schimmeck | Unsplash 
(4) Colombia is diverse: So, it was easier for me to blend in here than in some other countries. – Photo credit | Canva 
(5) Relatively safe city: Medellín is one of the safest big cities in Colombia. – Photo credit | Artem Kovalev | Unsplash
Things I enjoyed DOING in Medellín:
(6) Free (tip based) walking tour.
- I learned so much about the history and resilience of the Paisas, and it gave me a really good understanding of the city and its people.
(7) Participating in a language exchange.
- This was a great way to meet nice people and practice my Spanish.
(8) Living in Laureles.
- There’s so much to do, lots of cafes, restaurants and nightlife, and there was even a cute little park not far from where I was staying.
What I LOVED about Medellín:
Terms I used in the video that may be a bit unfamiliar
- People of Medellín (also known as ‘Paisas’)
- “Con gusto” or “Con mucho gusto” which translate to ‘With pleasure’ or ‘With much pleasure’.
- Three neighborhoods I lived in were El Poblado (least favorite), La Floresta, Laureles (my favorite).
- Gringo is a term sometimes used for foreigners.
- Masaya in El Poblado has a great rooftop view.
- Lemonade de Coco is a delicious and refreshing drink that I fell in love with in Colombia.
Other beautiful places I visited in Colombia (outside of Medellín):
What I want to do next time:
(1) Guatape again!
- But next time I’ll stay overnight and maybe go Glamping (1-2 days.)
(2) Botanical gardens in Medellín.
(3) Sabaneta again.
- It’s a cool and very local neighborhood outside Medellín that I’d love to explore a bit more.
(4) Take private salsa lessons.
(5) Go to Salento.
(6) Minca again.
(7) Do more things that local Colombians do
- Now that I got most of the touristy stuff out of the way.
What I learned about myself while here:
I can travel for over a month! In the past I got really homesick, but I didn’t get too homesick here. These are some things I think helped combat the homesickness:
(1) Being in the same time zone as the United States. (2) Getting out and exploring and meeting people. (3) Moving to different neighborhoods. Switching things up made me feel like I wasn’t in the same place for such a long period of time. (4) Felt pretty safe, especially during the day. (5) Making friends with people who were similar to me. (6) Having a routine. (7) Living in a co-living hotel.
Take away:
I’m glad I decided to go to Medellín! It is such a beautiful city and well worth a visit! I hope this blog post allows you to see Medellín in a different light than what you may have seen portraited in movies and television. Medellín’s past is plagued with drugs, cartels and crime, but the people of this city have overcome so much and are extremely resilient! They have so much joy and they don’t mind sharing it with others😊 I hope you are inspired to visit Medellín or Colombia in general, it’s such a beautiful country filled with lots of kind and warm-hearted people.
Thank you so much for stopping by! As always, if you have any tips, suggestions, questions and/or comments, please leave a comment below 😉
Until next post!
XX,
Raina B ❤
her granddaughter 