Medellin is amazing and is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination every year.
With great weather throughout the year, beautiful mountain views, incredibly friendly locals, a rich vibrant culture, great restaurants, fun clubs and lots of surrounding towns to explore, it is the perfect option for a break.
I have lived in Medellin for over 15 years and loved the experience. In this article, I will give some tips on how to make the most of your experience, avoid offending and connect with the local people and culture.
1) Don’t be a dumb narco tourist and show respect to the victims
Colombia is complicated and emotions run high in regards to violence, politics and crime. The state has been involved in a campaign of mass murder, there are paramilitary groups who have wiped out entire villages, guerilla groups bomb, kidnap and plant landmines and organized crime has left many many thousands dead.
Appalling bloodshed in Colombia dates back to “la violencia” in the 1950s but Pablo Escobar was a key figure in the chaos, pain, suffering and terrorism of the 1980s. Pablo Escobar ordered the bombing of residential areas, blowing up a commercial aircraft, the indiscriminate murder of police officers, politicians and the targeted killing of children.
Escobar was directly linked to thousands of murders and he set Colombia on a path of violence which has continued up until today.
There are some Colombians who admire him, he did benefit certain communities and I do understand the appeal of an overachieving underdog but it is important to recognize that for the vast majority of Colombians, his name is a source of pain, suffering, anger and shame. When you said “I am going to Colombia” I bet the first thing many of your friends referenced is cocaine.
Colombia is complicated and if you want to look into Medellin’s darkest days then do so with due respect and reverence to the many many victims.
2) Don’t dress like you just came back from the beach
Regardless of socioeconomic background or individual style, Colombians really make an effort when they go out. Men and women often shower multiple times per day, hair will be perfect, nails done, some nice fragrance, a carefully chosen outfit and overall a lot of effort.
There is a perception that a lot of foreign visitors dress like they are homeless and can smell really bad. I understand the whole backpacker / hostel situation can make things difficult but I strongly recommend making an effort with your personal appearance. Most Colombians don’t really care about designer brands but appropriate attire and a nice smell goes a long way.
In cities on the coast, you can wear shorts and sandals but you will look quite silly doing this in Medellin. Never ever go to a club in shorts, you can’t begin to imagine how ridiculous this looks. A beard can be good but make sure it is well maintained, same with longer hair. Nobody who isn’t working construction would intentionally wear a vest on the street unless it is a very lazy Sunday afternoon.
You may think you are the epitome of bohemian chique but trust me, you are attracting nobody with any sort of standards wearing chanclas out and about in Medellin.
3) Don’t slam the taxi door and always be respectful
If you only take one thing from this article then make it this: close car doors gently.
I know modern cars can probably withstand a good old slam but trust me, close doors in Colombia gently. If you don’t then you will be immediately identified as an arrogant, disrespectful, thoughtless, brutish, poorly-raised scumbag.
Taxis can be older and a full-strength slam shakes the whole car and can damage the door. I don’t know if there is any chance of it actually doing any damage but I can tell you for sure, as a foreigner, people will be on guard about this. Taxi drivers may insist they lean across to close your own door or plead with you to take care.
Despite being very blonde, a taxi driver once said “you aren’t from the United States, right?”. I replied that I wasn’t and he said “I can tell because you didn’t slam the door”.
If you gently, respectfully and intentionally close car doors with precision then people will immediately appreciate it. Colombians are obsessed about this.
4) Don’t worry about big tips, anything over 10% is very generous
Tips are not a big thing in Colombia. I would give a tip in a restaurant, a bar if there is table service and when I get my hair cut. If I am visiting a city as a tourist then I would also give a tip to a guide if I was pleased with the experience. There may be a few other situations but tipping isn’t something I ever think about.
If it is a relatively fancy restaurant, when you ask for the bill they will say “Quieres incluir el servicio?” (do you want to include the service?). If you say yes then the bill will have 10% added as a tip at the bottom and this amount will be included in the bill. Some restaurants such as Chef Burger have a policy to not include service charges and you can then decide.
Nobody will really judge you if you don’t include a tip and while server wages are usually modest, most establishments pay a living wage aside from tips. As a European the modern US system with tips is insane but that is a discussion for another day.
Tipping is never mandatory and rarely expected which means generous tips are very much appreciated. You don’t have to tip as you would in the US but if you did then you would immediately make someone’s day.
5) Don’t expect that warm morning sunshine to last all day
Medellin is known as the “city of eternal spring” which means with the perfect year-round warm weather you also get plenty of rain. There are months when it rains less often but from April to May and September to November on average there are 21 to 25 days of rain per month.
Usually the rain passes from North to South across the valley. If you get a high vantage point you will see the clouds coming and if a friend in Bello tells you it is raining at 1pm then expect to be wet in Envigado by 3pm.
Rainfall is usually very heavy and can very quickly force a change to plans. I am from London where it rains a lot but things continue as usual. Medellin doesn’t really do light drizzle so if you are out in the rain you are getting home freezing cold and soaked through.
Bring an umbrella and don’t expect to do anything outside when the rain comes.
6) Don’t forget to bring some cash when you leave Poblado
Cash was once essential all over Medellin but that has changed very quickly in the last few years. You can now pay by card or contactless on your phone in bars, restaurants, cinemas, stores, cafes and pharmacies without any problem.
That said, it is still important to have cash and that is particularly true when you leave the more expensive areas. If you want to buy some fruit or snacks on the street you will need cash and the same goes for market stalls, neighborhood stores, almost all taxis, little bars and small restaurants.
It is now possible to only use cards in Colombia but you will be missing out on lots of great food and experiences.
7) Don’t expect punctuality and be prepared to go with the flow
I have lived in Colombia a long time and while there are some who make a big effort to be punctual, many people are late most of the time. If you have a date at 8pm then there is a good chance they will be leaving their house at 8pm. It is also possible they will start getting ready at 8pm.
I play a lot of football and most of the teams I am involved with will set the meet time at 1pm for a 2pm game with the certainty that at least half of the players will be at least 30 minutes late. It is necessary for the manager to lie in order to have 11 players ready to play at kick off.
You have to learn to go with the flow and not stress about it. Bring a book, have some music to listen to and eventually you will probably start arriving late too.
8) Don’t overlook Medellin’s excellent public transport network
Ubers and taxis are cheap, easy and abundant but sometimes the metro is the best option.
Medellin has an excellent public transport network which includes 2 metro lines, trams, 6 cable car lines, BRT and conventional bus routes. Getting from the South to the North of the city is often much quicker and always much cheaper on the metro. The metro is impeccable clean, air conditioned, comfortable and easy to use
You also get excellent views of the city from the cable cars and the elevated metro lines. Often public transport is a much better choice than taxis, especially during the day time.
9) Don’t give papaya and be smart to ensure you stay safe
The vast majority of the 1.5 million international visitors to Medellin will have an amazing time and face no security issues. That said, the city has huge inequality, a significant amount of poverty and this has been exacerbated by 3 million migrants fleeing the crisis in Venezuela.
Most people in Medellin are amazing and will make a real effort to ensure you have a good experience but you do need to take care. Don’t “dar papaya” (literally give papaya) is a local saying that means don’t set yourself up to be a victim or make it easy for you to be taken advantage of.
Leave your fancy watch at home when you are out exploring, don’t carry lots of cash, keep an eye on your drink in clubs, don’t walk around downtown alone at night, try to order an uber rather than stop a taxi on the street, don’t leave your cell phone on the table and be aware of your backpack on the metro.
I would give the same advice to someone visiting central London but be smart and ensure you are not an easy target for the very small percentage of people who could create problems for you.
10) Don’t think a dance necessarily means more than a dance
Colombians love all sorts of music and dancing is a big part of local culture. In bars, clubs, at street parties and at family gatherings people will be dancing to salsa, merengue, bachata, vallenatos, rancheros, cumbia, champeta, reggaeton, electronica, afrobeat, hip hop, dancehall and all sorts of music.
In the club people will regularly change dance partners and it is very easy to go and ask someone to dance. People will say yes because, in most instances, dancing is just dancing. Obviously it can be a way to build a connection and can potentially spark some romantic or sexual tension but in and of itself, dancing is dancing.
You will see groups of men and women sitting together and they will regularly change dance partners and it may be they are all just friends. Basically, finding someone to dance with is very easy but just because someone agrees or invites you to dance, it doesn’t mean they necessarily are romantically interested.
I would dance with your grandma but it doesn’t mean I fancy her.
11) Don’t expect your dollars to win the affection of anyone other than ‘prepagos’ and ‘interesadas’
If you are a man going to Medellin thinking you can take your pick of any woman because you earn a decent salary in the US then you are hugely mistaken.
Money will persuade a ‘prepago’ (escort) to reluctantly endure your company in exchange for financial remuneration while they complain to the barmaid about how awful you are. There will also be superficial ‘interesadas’ (gold digger) who will tell you they love you solely in exchange for financial security and new shoes.
The vast majority of women in Medellin are impressive, intelligent, independent and hard-working. The reality of inequality and poverty means that you may find a small percentage who will settle for you in exchange for material benefits but in most instances wealth is just one of many factors in deciding on a partner. Some foreign visitors go to Medellin and say “the women are gold diggers” while only spending time in Parque Lleras surrounded by street prostitutes and aspirational visitors to fancy nightclubs.
I have many smart, independent female friends who have been asked by gormless gringos how much they cost as they walk home from work.
Being from another culture can make you interesting with different perspectives, experiences, musical taste, food, customs, language and a way of seeing the world. These can all be attractive qualities which can help you find a nice match in Colombia but don’t think an average US salary makes you irresistible to every woman you meet.
Nobody worth getting to know will make financial gain the sole basis of a meaningful romantic situation.
12) Don’t expect to visit just once
Medellin is the best city I have ever visited and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to call the place my home for more than 15 years. You will almost certainly fall in love with this place and chances are you will go home telling everyone you meet how wonderful it is.
Once you leave then there is a good chance you will be almost immediately planning your return. Te lo juro, Medellín es una chimba! (I swear to you, Medellin is awesome!).