travel to medellin the city of eternal spring!
Medellin is the second-largest city in Colombia and a world-class modern city with stunning architecture. Once considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world because of drug cartels, Medellin has reinvented itself into a pleasant place. Sprawling green parks, chic neighbourhoods, fun nightlife, and interesting museums, there are plenty of things to do in Medellin.
It is called the "City of Eternal Spring" due to its perfect combination of warm days and cool nights. Surrounded by flower farms, Medellin is one of the main flower-producing centres in Colombia.
Visiting Medellin will delight you with its sophistication and wealth of attractions. You will find many interesting places for a tour or a day trip out of the city. It offers fabulous natural places such as Parque Arvi, with ecological trails for hiking and the possibility of bird watching. You can also enjoy the Botanical Garden, the largest green lung in the city, which has more than 400 plants and more than thousands of species of flora. Or, explore interesting areas such as Comuna 13 or Parque Lleras.
Colombia Tours Including Medellin
Private Expedition
Comuna 13 Medellin Tour
From £78
4 Hours
Price based on two people sharing
Uncover Comuna 13 neighbourhood, a place full of colour, community and hope
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Private Expedition
Guatape Street Food Tour & Art Workshop
From £218
10 Hours
Price based on two people sharing
Colourful architecture and a huge rock make Guatape a memorable destination
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Private Expedition
Comuna 13 and Colombia Flower Farm Tour
From £198
8 Hours
Price based on two people sharing
Enjoy a tour with an interesting combination of street art, history and local traditions
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Private Expedition
Medellin City Tour, Guatape and Surroundings
From £928
4 Days
Price based on two people sharing
Enjoy a Medellin tour through the city and countryside. Visit colourful Guatapé and Comuna 13, and explore local farms to learn about cacao and flower cultivation in Colombia
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Private Expedition
Medellin Food & Culture Tour
From £494
3 Days
Price based on two people sharing
Explore Medellín’s flavours on a 3‑day food tour with street food, local hosts, and cooking classes. This tour includes activities only, giving you freedom to pick your hotel.
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Private Expedition
Classic Colombia Tour: Bogotá, Medellín & Cartagena
From £2,419
9 Days
Price based on two people sharing
This private Classic Colombia Tour to Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena invites travellers to uncover hidden gems, connect with locals, and dive deep into the rich history of each city
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Private Expedition
Best of Colombia Tour
From £3,819
15 Days
Price based on two people sharing
Discover Bogotá, Medellín, the Coffee Region, Tayrona Park and Cartagena, an inspiring journey through Colombia’s culture, nature and vibrant cities, filled with authentic local experiences.
More detailstop places to visit in medellin
comuna 13
Once known as one of the most dangerous spots in Medellin, Comuna 13 now serves as an inspiring example of how a community can improve thanks to the hard work of citizens and social programs. The neighborhood can be reached by using a series of escalators and is adorned with colorful graffiti which signifies the area’s dark past and hopeful future.
plaza botero
This Square features sculptures created by the famous Colombian artist Fernando Botero. He is known for making pieces that appear “chubby.” The Antioquia Museum, located on one end of the square, is where visitors can see more works from Botero and other important artists.
pueblito paisa
It is a space dedicated to the traditional towns of Antioquia, thus becoming a replica commemorating the Paisa tradition. Located on the top of Cerro de Nutibara, the small town has balconies that give a wonderful view to the city of Medellín. Visitors can get directly involved with the culture that commemorates this place.
museum of antioquia
It is the first museum that was founded in the department of Antioquia, at the end of 1881. Today, the Museo de Antioquia has a collection of 5,000 pieces, ranging from archaeological pieces to works of contemporary art and covers all the eras of Colombian history.
guatape
Located at one hour driving from Medellin, Guatape is a small town famous for its colourful zocalos and the proximity to El Peñol a 200m-high granite monolith. This enormous rock can be scaled for the spectacular view by a 649-step staircase built into a fissure. Guatape is perfect for a day trip from Medellin.
santa fe de antioquia
Located at only 2 hrs driving from Medellin, it is one of the best-preserved colonial towns in Colombia. Founded in 1541, it's a popular tourist destination, offering a glimpse into Colombia's rich past.
more things to do in medellin
- Flower Farm Tour: Visit one of several flower farmslocated outside of Medellin. Local farmers will walk visitors through the whole flower cultivation process as well as demonstrate the traditional and intricate flower arranging ritual. Creating flower arrangements is a culturally significant activity in this area of Colombia.
- Walking in Comuna 13: Comuna 13 used to be one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Medellin. After the government and community committed to improvements, the area is now a vibrant spot to see large works of graffiti and learn about Colombian urban culture. This visit is definitely one of the activities to be included in your day tour in Medellin.
- Metro cable ride: To have a good time and get to know the whole city from above, you can choose a ride on Metro cable. In addition to being a fast and practical transport is a tourist attraction where you can see a panoramic view when passing through the different sectors of the city of Medellin that meets the metro route.
- Discover the Barefoot Park: This park is a fresh urban space where there are many water sources that are placed next to platforms with sand and green areas with imposing bamboos. The space is incredibly popular with families, as children use it as a water park in warm evenings, it is also an excellent place to relax and enjoy the day.
- Spend a few hours in the Botanical Garden: Walk around the small lake and look for birds or iguanas, go to the little house of the butterflies or just walk under the impressive ceiling of the orchid exhibition. For those who yearn for a bit of zen and tranquility, the Botanical Garden is one of the best options in Medellín.
- Discover the nightlife in Lleras Park: Located in the center of El Poblado, the most exclusive and elegant neighborhood of the city, it is the heart of the nightlife here in Medellin. There are clubs at the top of the clubs and the whole scene is pretty wild. Even if nightlife is not your thing, it's still a place you should have a look at least once during your visit to Medellin.
Local
Gastronomy
The gastronomy of Antioquia and Medellín expresses the way of life of the farmers and muleteers who worked all day and prepared their food during the day. Corn and beans, along with meats and fish, are important in Antioquia cuisine. Learn which are the typical dishes that delight the palate of the inhabitants and visitors of this wonderful city!
Bandeja paisa: Dish par excellence of Antioquia cuisine. Traditionally, the paisa tray is presented with the following ingredients: beans, white rice, roasted meat, pork rinds, chorizo, sweet plantains or tostones, fried egg, avocado and a white or yellow arepita Antioqueña.
Calentao: The typical breakfast of Medellin, it is a dish of food that was not consumed the previous day. In the hotels you can find it in a mixture of rice, beans and eggs. We recommend you accompany it with an arepa.
Mondongo: The mondongo is a consistent soup that includes pork, tripe and chorizo. For this soup to be one of the best you should cook the meats next to the vegetables in a pot until everything is well cooked.
El Quesito Antioqueño: Is one of the favourite accompaniments when eating arepas. It is a special type of fresh cheese, made with rennet and bovine milk.
Arepa Paisa: The arepa paisa is a delicious food that accompanies any dish of the families of Antioquia. According to experts, the Arepa Paisa is one of the recipes that most closely matches the processes of cooking of indigenous food.
Best time to go
when is the best time to visit medellin?
Weather:
Medellin is known as the “city of eternal spring” due its mild and pleasant climate year-round.
- Temperatures typically range between 15°C (59°F) and 28°C (82°F) .
- The city experiences two rainy seasons, in April-May and September-November, with frequent afternoon showers, while mornings are usually sunny and warm.
Festivals:
The city is one of the main cultural centres of Colombia. Medellín carries out important and recognized festivities at local, national and international level such as:
- Hay Festival (January): It's a cultural festival that has more than 20 small events such as projection of films or talks with internationally known researchers and authors. You can find the different events in parks, libraries or museums.
- Colombiamoda (July): It's the most important fashion fair that takes place in Colombia, in this event national and international designers are famous for their designs and the quality of their collections.
- The Flower Festival (August): During this festival, the Medellin is filled with displays, competitions, and parades that explain and showcase the incredible flowers grown in the area and the culture that has developed with this agricultural activity. This ten-day festival also includes cultural shows, horse or automobile parades and beauty contests.
- Altavoz (October): This 3-day music festival features bands from all around the world. It’s the perfect mix between electro, reggae and rock so you surely find something that suits your taste.
Transports
how to get there?
From Europe there are several flights to Colombia. The main airlines that connect directly with Europe are Iberia, Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways and Avianca, almost always with a stopover in Bogota. Upon arrival at the José María Córdova International Airport, located in the municipality of Rionegro, east of Medellín, you can take a taxi that takes you directly to your hotel or holiday apartment, in an approximate time of 45 minutes
There is also an efficient bus service, which reaches downtown Medellín. If you are traveling by road from Bogotá or another Colombian city, you will arrive at one of Medellin's bus terminals. The service is very efficient, comfortable and safe. The bus terminals are the collection centers for transportation to the small towns of Antioquia, and to the tourist centers on the outskirts of Medellin.
Moving around
Medellín is the Colombian city with the best public transportation system in Colombia. For all tourists, it is easy to get around the subway, tram and metrocable, as well as the public bus service, taxis and Uber, all at a very economical cost.
- The Metro de Medellín has two lines: A and B. The first crosses the city from north to south and the second from east to west. Both have transshipment to the different metrocable lines (aerial cabins) and tram without an additional cost. Through the Metro you can reach the most important tourist sites in the city.
- More than 20 thousand taxis roll through the streets of Medellín and the metropolitan area, in a service that is very affordable and accessible at any time of the day and night.
- Also, Uber provides services in the X and Black categories. As in other parts of the world, the platform is not legal, so precautions must be taken when using it.
Safety
is it safe to travel to medellin?
Medellin is the second-largest city in Colombia after Bogota. Once considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world because of drug cartels, Medellin has reinvented itself into an incredibly pleasant place. But, don't forget, like in any other big city in the world, you can encounter some petty theft.
These are some simple tips that should keep you out of trouble:
- Don’t flash large amounts of money in public
- Look out for pickpockets on public transportation
- Call or use a smartphone app to arrange for a taxi instead of hailing it on the street
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Keep your phones and cameras out of sight
- Don’t wear flashy jewellery
- Avoid taking cards or passports out with you
More Travel Tips to Visit Medellin
What our clients say about us
We knew we were in for a treat just looking at the detailed and personalized 18-day itinerary that Uncover Columbia put together for us! Our specific goals were woven in with new and interesting locations and activities that had us very excited. Unfortunately, my father and I succumbed to the flu upon arrival in Bogota. This is when Uncover Columbia revealed themselves to be more like a caring host family! Communication was so smooth and the local guides so helpful that we even had someone to walk us through the process of seeing a local doctor and filling prescriptions. We were sad to miss out on activities, but UC rescheduled a couple key outings with our birding guide, and we didn’t miss the hummingbird observatory! Our next destination was Leticia for the primary birding portion of our adventure. Our second super knowledgeable guide paired up with local and often indigenous guides to acquaintance with the sauna-like Amazonas. It was a truly amazing experience, connecting with the jungle and river on foot and by boat, especially at Marasha Nature Reserve, where a nighttime paddle left us awestruck at the beauty -despite the Caiman being elusive. From there we went to the Caribbean and Sierra Nevada Tyrona National Park. We visited an authentic native village in a manner that was entertaining as well as respectful and educational. We were fully recovered and not really wanting a day at leisure so Uncover Columbia arranged an impromptu city tour of Santa Marta with our third guide and we wrapped up our tour with a fourth guide in beautiful Cartagena with a quick island stop for snorkeling and fishing lesson in Bocadilla. All of the partnering guides, drivers and accommodations were friendly and helpful to the point that saying adios was bittersweet! And here’s a special shout out to Ana at Uncover Columbia for helping us with all the on the ground changes!! She was always accessible on WhatsApp and so sweet and helpful!
– Dana, October 2026
Nidia at Uncover Colombia organised a fabulous 19 day holiday across 5 locations in Colombia for my family. She was wonderful to deal with and really listened to our requests. Ana took over once we were on the holiday and made changes immediately where things weren’t quite as we’d all expected. We all had the best holiday ever. Thank you
– Annie, July 2026
We did the La Boquilla Fishing Village and African Drum Workshop. Sofia and Juan picked us up from our hotel and we took a drive to La Boquilla. We rode the canoes through the mangroves and learned to fish with a net and set crab traps with Señor Juan. We then went to the drum workshop and worked with some amazingly talented young people who introduced various musical styles and different types of drums. We played and danced and they truly made us feel like we were part of the family. I would recommend this tour to anyone who is interested in diving into the culture of Cartagena, and spending time face to face with the guardians of their craft and environment.
– Glen K, July 2026
I have traveled throughout the world and worked with many tour companies. Uncover Colombia is the most organized, detailed and responsive tour company I have worked with. Every guide that was provided is an amazing and enthusiastic person. Accommodations were incredible. Overall , nothing can top it ! USE UNCOVER COLOMBIA and you won't be disappointed.
– Richard, January 2026
Uncover Colombia put together an itinerary for us based on our love of nature, scenery, and hiking, and our desire to see some of the best the country has to offer. We loved their suggestions and we have felt looked after every step of the way - hotel bookings, transfers, internal flights, guides...
– Ellie, January 2026
Beatriz was a wonderful tour guide for visiting Guatape city from Medellin. She went out of her way to help me find shoes before we officially started our tour because my shoes got ruined in the rain the day before and I had nothing proper to wear. She has a clear love for the city she grew up in and that personal connection to it made the tour and information she shared more genuine and meaningful.
– Rahma, January 2026
We traveled three weeks across Colombia – from Bogotá, Villa de Leyva, Barichara, Medellín, the Pacific coast of Nuquí, the Coffee Region, Tayrona National Park, and finally Cartagena. In one word: exceptionally well organized. Excellent guides, seamless transfers, and an organization where everything worked exactly as planned.
– Damjan, December 2025
We have travelled to just under 80 countries around the world, often on our own, sometimes, when the country had some problems, relying on an agency; something we decided to do for Colombia as well. I must say that UncoverColombia is absolutely among the best tour operators I have ever met. The organization is immaculate, precise and very accurate...
– Cinzia and Luca, August 2025
Uncover Colombia did a great job in arranging accommodation, transport which included 4 domestic flights and meals. Most importantly, they have assigned tourist guides who are professional, friendly and passionate. They are sometimes funny and always helpful.
– S L, August 2025
Every detail was taken care of, the destinations are world class, communication was excellent. I would give them 6 out of 5 if I could. The guide UC booked for us was exceptional. He knew his stuff, was very good with e-bird, he was an interesting guy and an overall good bean. Our tour actually started in Barranquilla...
– Derek, April 2025
Sol, our tour guide, was amazing. We did a three day tour of Medellin and local villages nearby. Sol shared her vast knowledge of the political and social recent history of the region. She led the tour at our pace. She was lovely to be with. The driver was very cautious. It was a great experience.
– Lynn, February 2025
Uncover Colombia was fantastic to work with! We had a 12 day itinerary and everything went very well. The agency reps were very flexible before and during the trip even when we requested last minute changes. They always did their best to accommodate us. The assigned contact person during the trip was always reachable and responsive...
– Gary, December 2024
My girlfriend and I wanted to visit Colombia, but were late in the planning. We reached out to Uncover just a couple of weeks before our departure and they were able to organize the whole tour in just a few days, and for a more than fair price...
– David, December 2025
We had a FANTASTIC experience with Uncover. Nidia and her team organized the most magical 4-day trip to the Colombian Coffee Region. I am Colombian but needed assistance as I wasn’t familiar with the area. We went to the Cocora Valley, Rafting down a river, had a fabulous coffee farm experience and even visited a cacao farm where we got to make artisan chocolate. We traveled with our school aged children...
– Daniela, July 2024
We feel very fortunate to have chosen Uncover Colombia. Your guides were passionate and professional and informative, the accomodation was exceptional at every stop and most impressively, we were aware of you constantly checking in our wellbeing. We return to Australia with an awareness of Colombia’s variety, vitality and positivity.
– Mal & Michelle, July 2024
My mother and I did a 5-day trip to San Agustin, Tierradentro and the Tatacoa dry forest/desert with Uncover Colombia. It was absolutely brilliant. The communication was great and Nidia helped us to ensure that the trip was tailored to our needs and wishes. Our driver, Jesus, and guide, Jorge, were very friendly and Jorge was very knowledgable...
– Gary, July 2024
Uncover Columbia, specifically Helena (who handled all logistical questions pre-trip) Sergio (our amazing guide) helped make an unforgettable 4 day experience as part of our honeymoon.
– Mates, July 2024
 | Want to know more?Get in touchAll our tours are private and can be customised. Just complete our tailor-made tour form or give us a call. We’re flexible and happy to design the most suitable Colombia tour for you! |
Why Travel with Uncover Colombia
Local Expertise
- As Colombians, we know the best local spots and the stories that bring them to life
- We understand the diversity, traditions, and subtle nuances of every region
- Our guidance is shaped by years of exploring our homeland with genuine passion
Private and Tailor-made
- Private, tailor-made tours designed around your interests
- Hand-picked hotels, meaningful experiences, and real local encounters
- Support and flexibility throughout your trip; travel at your own pace
Trusted & Protected
- UK‑based, fully bonded, and ATOL‑protected
- Transparent, reliable service from planning to travel
- Peace of mind knowing your holiday is financially secure
Positive Impact
- We create journeys that actively support Colombia’s people, nature, and cultural heritage
- Every tour strengthens local communities through fair partnerships and meaningful engagement
- Travel with us contributes to conservation efforts and leaves a lasting, positive footprint