Have you considered traveling solo in Medellin, Colombia? I’d be willing to bet you’ve not thought of it as a solo travel destination. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it on any recommended lists for solo travelers, but I really think it should be. It’s a beautiful country, full of equally beautiful and welcoming people who are excited to introduce you to their culture and their delicious food. Oh, the food…I can’t stop dreaming of the food! The country is also very affordable as you’ll notice that prices are generally about half of what you’d expect to pay in the United States.
Don’t let the stigma of its complicated and unfortunate history deter you from visiting. While you do have to be cautious in the city, it’s not any more dangerous than most large cities in the United States (and definitely not like what you’ve seen of it in the Netflix series, “Narcos”).
How to Stay Safe in Medellin
Safety is always top-of-mind for solo travelers, and it’s always the first question I get about Colombia, so let’s tackle that first. Here are some ways to stay safe in Medellin:
- Don’t give papayas. This is the translation of the popular local phrase, “no dar papaya” which is a reminder to not to make yourself a target. This includes not flaunting your wealth (keep expensive jewelry at home and don’t wave your smartphone around) and being aware of your surroundings. If you have to bring your phone out in public, such as when you’re using it to take a picture, hold it with authority and hold it firmly. Holding it carelessly might just tempt someone with bad intentions to snatch it out of your hand.
- Use Ubers over taxis. Taxis are available all over Medellin, but as a foreigner, you’re better off using Uber where there is at least a GPS record of your trip and a driver whose identity has been confirmed by the company. It also makes communication easier if you don’t speak Spanish, as you don’t need to tell your driver where you’re going. Note: Uber operates in a gray legal area in Colombia, so get into the front passenger seat when riding to make it less obvious that you’re in an Uber. Don’t be concerned with this legal gray area, most things in Colombia fall into a bit of a gray area. It’s part of the charm of the culture.
- Keep your bags in sight. When riding a busy subway/metro train solo in Medellin, be sure to keep an eye on your stuff at all times. This means that if you’re wearing a backpack, either turn it around so you’re wearing it on your front or hold it in your hands. And yes, I do recommend using the metro to get around. It’s cheap, clean, and safe.
- Do your research. Always do research about the neighborhood or place you’re going to explore. Things here can go from great to bad in just a few short blocks or hours. An area that is totally safe during the day can become extremely unsafe in the evening.
- Stay in El Poblado or Laureles. These are the safest neighborhoods in Medellin and they attract many tourists. However, you should still remember to “no dar papaya” even in those areas.
- Learn some basic Spanish. You don’t need to be fluent or functional, but even just hello (hola), good-bye (adios), how are you (cómo estás), numbers from 1-10, and most importantly, thank you (gracias) will make your trip more enjoyable. I didn't start learning Spanish until I arrived in Colombia, and somehow I managed, so don’t be too worried about communicating with the locals. Oh, and download Google Translate.
Finally, and this is true no matter where you are in the world, take all the precautions you would when you’re home. Travelers get in trouble when they go into vacation mode and become careless and irresponsible. It's always a good idea to review our solo travel safety post, 50+ Proven Tips to Keep You Safe before every trip.
Top Things to Do Solo in Medellin
There are an endless number of things to do and see in Medellin. Here are some that I enjoyed and recommend.
- Visit a coffee farm. This was one of my favorite activities. In addition to learning about the harvesting and processing of coffee, we also got to pretend to be farmers and harvest our own coffee beans. There are an endless number of coffee farms to visit, but I chose one that is in a neighborhood that is trying hard to gentrify and lift its community out of poverty. It also has the benefit of being one of the few that are actually in Medellin and is located in Barrio La Sierra. Find them at Urban Coffee Tour. You can book your tour by contacting them via WhatsApp. If you don’t already have WhatsApp, I recommend setting it up before you go to Colombia as many businesses use it as their primary communications tool. Their website also has a link to a documentary created when Barrio La Sierra was still one of the most dangerous places on Earth. It’s heartbreaking to watch, but it’ll give you an appreciation of how far this community has come in just a couple of decades. I highly recommend this tour, and don’t worry, it’s totally safe!
- Book a walking tour. This is the best way to get to know any city. I highly recommend a tour of the Centro or downtown area when you're traveling solo in Medellin. The tour company I most frequently used was Real City Tours.
- Tour Comuna 13. Celebrate the success story of how a neighborhood transformed itself from one of the most dangerous places on Earth to one of the safest. I highly recommend getting a guided tour for your visit to Comuna 13 as it’s a huge area filled with lots of history that you won’t otherwise discover. You can either book your tour with a tour company or save a few dollars by taking the metro to San Javier Station where you will find many licensed tour guides outside of the station where you can practice your negotiation skills. Don’t be afraid to ask multiple guides for their prices to compare and also to make sure they have a personality that matches your vibe. You will be with this person for over two hours, so you want to enjoy your time together.
- Do a day trip to Guatape. Visit one of the most colorful cities in the world and climb the over 800 steps up its famous rock formation–which is either called El Peñón de Guatapé or La Piedra de El Peñol, depending on who you ask. This is a popular spot for paragliding as well.
- Visit the Plaza Minorista market. For an authentic local experience, check out this cool farmers' market. It's frequented by locals (so English is not widely spoken here) and it’s also a great place to find vintage clothing. However, it’s surrounded by a really sketchy and unsafe neighborhood, so either take an Uber directly there and back or go as part of a tour. If you’re really curious, just check out my YouTube channel for the video of me exploring the market and its surrounding neighborhood so that you don’t have to put yourself in danger.
- Use the Metro. Traffic in Medellin can get pretty congested, so when possible, use the Metro system. It’s clean, safe, cheap, and is a valuable opportunity to experience life as a local. Use Google Maps to plan out your route and it’ll tell you which Metro to take. You will need to get a Civica card which you can load with additional funds as you use it. You’ll tap it to get into the Metro station and to get on buses. The Civica card is 10,000 pesos (about US$3.00) and is only available at the station from the attendant in the booth. You also need to pay for the card with cash so have some on hand. The fare for each ride is about US$0.80.
Solo in Medellin: Where to Stay?
The simplest answer is to stay in the neighborhoods of El Poblado or Laureles. These are the most affluent neighborhoods and are generally safe. The biggest difference between these two neighborhoods is that El Poblado has many more tourists and expats, whereas Laureles has more locals living there. I found El Poblado, which is the area where I lived, preferable because there was a more vibrant energy to the neighborhood. This was likely because stores, restaurants, bars, cafes, etc., were packed more densely together, where they were spread further apart in Laureles. If mobility is a concern, the neighborhood of Laureles is flatter, whereas El Poblado is hillier (think San Francisco).
There are many beautiful hotels in the city, so explore the options in those neighborhoods if hotels are your thing. If you’re open to something a bit different, I stayed at a co-living/co-working space and loved it!
Since I was staying for over a month, and traveling solo in Medellin, I wanted a spot that felt a bit more like home. I also wanted a place with a kitchen so I could save money by not eating out for every meal. After researching some options, I decided on a co-living/co-working club called Outsite. Their target audience is those who work virtually, but many people are using them for vacation stays. They have properties all over the world so there are many options for your travels beyond Colombia.
They have two properties in Medellin and I opted for their Manila property, which is right in the middle of all the action. It was beautiful, the property manager was attentive, welcoming, and helpful, and the people I met were awesome and mostly solo travelers. Their other property, El Tesoro is a mansion up in the hills for those looking for a leisurely retreat.
My stay worked out to about US$35 per night, and I had my own room, ensuite bathroom, and air conditioning. Note: make sure in advance that there’s air conditioning at the property you’ve selected if that’s important to you. Typically, if A/C is not mentioned in the room description in Colombia, it’s not available. This is true even for a hotel.
If you become a member of Outsite, you also get discounts depending on the length of your stay, and there are frequent sales that offer additional discounts. If you decide to try it, you can use my referral link for US$50 towards your first stay.
What to Eat and Drink
I’ll keep this short, and there may have to be a part two if you’re interested in finding out more about the delicious treats awaiting you if you travel solo in Medellin, but don’t miss out on these Colombian delights:
- Bandeja paisa (the most traditional dish for the region that features fried pork belly or chicharrón (some might even call it a festival of meat on a frisbee-sized plate)
- Mondongo (beef tripe soup)
- Buñuelos (fritters made with cheese, cornstarch and yuca flour)
- Empanadas (fried pastry of deliciousness)
- Perras and perros (Colombian-style hot dogs)
- Coffee! All the coffee you can drink!
This is not even close to an exhaustive list of the culinary delights waiting for you, but it’ll get you off to a good start.
Add Medellin to Your Off-The-Beaten-Path Travel List
There is so much more to traveling solo in Medellin that I haven’t covered, but this should provide you with a good foundation to start planning your own adventure. If you have traveled solo to other parts of Colombia–or anywhere else, for that matter–consider submitting a post of your own about your journey. You can use our easy online submission form.
King Siu is a member of the Solo Traveler Content Creation Team. He is a travel writer and content creator who has visited over 30 countries and has lived on four continents. You can connect with him on his YouTube channel and on Instagram, where he shares all of his travel tips and adventures.
