4 Kickass Things To Do In Medellin

So you’re visiting and want some recommendations on things to do in Medellin? Do you know that phrase “Ain’t nothing to write home about”?

Time to sharpen your pencil then, track down a tienda that sells postcards (and good luck with that one…), and let the family know you’re still the crazy one out of all of them, still doing the kind of insane, oddball stuff that makes them shudder and look forlornly at the floor when asked, “How’s that kid of yours getting on with their backpacking trip around the world?”

Can you picture them now? Sitting around the breakfast table without you, sipping the OJ, and checking out the morning mail? Underneath all the junk mail, they find it – it’s finally reached them, your postcard (a little bent and dog-eared, but still legible) that’s traveled across mountains, deserts, jungle, the odd exotic beach and oceans to duly arrive in the family kitchen.

“Let me see!” cries your kid brother.

“Me first!” exclaims Mom.

But Dad, good ol’ reliable Dad, says, “Er, guys, who’s in charge here?”

Moments later, Dad’s OJ comes flying out of his mouth like the proverbial bat out of hell as he reads about your latest and craziest oddball exploits. And then, head bowed, simply shudders and stares forlornly at his morning pancakes, now swimming in a mixture of fruit juice and his own saliva.

After 7 years of living in Medellin, and writing about life in Medellin on my blog, I’ve met hundreds and hundreds of people just like you who’re traveling through Medellín and beyond. I’ve shared our experiences of the city and surrounding mountains, the things to do in Medellín and the things definitely not to do in Medellín.

Now, pretty much everyone does the “touristy” stuff, which, it’s true, can be a little like a bucket list.

You know the kind of thing:

• Visiting Pueblito Paisa
• Checking out the famous Botero statues in downtown
• Riding the Metro and the MetroCable (cable cars)
• Visiting Parque Arvi
• Football Match – Nacional vs Medellin (aka “el clasico”)
• Cafés for real Colombian coffee: My top picks are Hija Mia Coffee Roasters, Pergamino Cafe and El Creador
• Taking Salsa and Bachata Lessons: My top pick is Santo Baile

Been there. Done that. Ticked the box…

But for this guest blog post – well, I wanted to go deeper, to go beneath the surface, past the face the city normally represents, and to find the really good stuff – the interesting, the alternative, the uncommon, and the just a little bit crazy. Welcome to a few of the kickass things to do in Medellín. So, as promised, and as time waits for no traveler worth their salt (that phrase is made up, by the way), because they’re keen to explore and discover as much as possible in the time available before the next plane/bus/moto/VW campervan journey drags them off, here they are.

Disclaimer: I nor Tiger Hostel accepts no responsibility whatsoever… ever… should any event, activity or mere polite suggestion described hereafter result in something untoward happening, such as you deciding to put an end to this “aimless wandering” (your parents’ words, not ours) and so settle here in Medellín for the foreseeable future. That kind of thing.

Good. Let’s crack on…

1. Visit Comuna 13 – Numero Uno on our list of things to do in Medellin

“So, me and some others took a trip up 28-storey’s worth of continuous outside escalators to Comuna 13, what was once the most dangerous neighborhood here in Medellín, itself once the “murder capital of the world, to check out the graffiti and hip-hop scene.”

Indeed, Comuna 13, for a long, long time, was strictly a no-go area for people that lived outside of the area, and even more so for for tourists. It was even a no-go area sometimes for those who lived there. The crime rate was way higher than its location, with the comuna seeming to cling to one of the steepest and highest areas of the city. But all that’s changed thankfully, and nothing is more striking in that transformation than the multitude of street art and colorful graffiti that now adorns its walls.

With the street art came the hip-hop, the music and the break dancing, and Comuna 13’s street culture of today was born. Make no mistake though, its roots grew out of those violent and dangerous times, and this is what is reflected in the truly artistic mages who have the neighborhood itself as the exhibiting gallery.

Just riding those escalators up is an experience. Stunning, nearly unique views of the city below, with brightly-painted houses all around you as you ascend. Once you get to Comuna 13, just take a breath and take it all in. You’ve never seen street art like this.

“With the street art came the hip-hop, the music and the break dancing, and Comuna 13’s street culture of today was born.”

2. Alcohol & Explosives: Tejo, The National Sport & Colombian Tradition

“Hey, guys! Got blasted with friends last night. So drunk…
Then we started blowing s%#t up! ”

And you thought it was football, didn’t you?

The origins of Tejo are somewhat disputed, but it’s generally accepted to have been around at least 500 years. According to that online encyclopaedia of everything and anything, Wiki-something or other, it was first played by the native Chibcha people of west-central Colombia.

There are official rules to the game, but all you really need to know is this:

You have a few drinks (aguardiente being the usual liquor of choice)
You choose your rock
You throw it, from a reasonable distance away, at packets of gunpowder, which when hit, duly explode
You drink some more
And repeat
And keep repeating

For some strange reason, your chance of hitting a “mecha” (one of the paper triangles that contain the gunpowder, all of which sit on a metal ring embedded in clay) appear to increase the more you drink. Funny that.

Seriously, it’s an excellent way to meet new people, fellow travelers like yourself, have a few laughs, and get limbered up (alcohol-wise, as it were), before finding yourself suddenly magically transported to another venue and so partying the night away. That’s not part of the rules, or even the game, but it does tend to happen. My advice? When in Rome, etc.

For those like your good selves, who aren’t adverse to an evening of alcohol-induced fun, I can easily point you in the direction of another traveler called Chris, who is the foreign ambassador of Tejo here in Colombia. Nice guy, usually has a Cuban cigar sticking out the side of his mouth. Think Hannibal from the A-Team, if you can. He organizes regular Tejo nights here in Medellín, with a set price for drinks and your explosive. Were it not for Chris, Tejo probably wouldn’t be one of the things to do in Medellin – at least if you’re a foreigner.

You can contact him directly by sticking Tejo in Medellin in your smart phone’s browser – If your phone has survived this far into your trip – otherwise, ask one of the staff members at Tiger Hostel. Tejo is a great experience, and definitely one of the most unique things to do in Medellin.

3. Become a Colombian Coffee Connoisseur

One of the more sophisticated things to do in Medellin

“Head like a blender after Tejo. Met a guy for a cupping session.”

Everyone knows that Colombian coffee is the best. In the world. End of argument.

For some visitors to these shores, enjoying a real cup of Colombian coffee or a foamy Colombian cappuccino is enough. Amateurs. Seriously, why sell yourselves short?

Why not consider becoming a coffee connoisseur with the guidance of a professional Colombian coffee expert?

You’ll learn about:

• From the bean to the cup: Coffee production
• Why Colombians show such passion and give so much effort in creating their coffee
• The various flavors & aromas of different Colombian coffees
• How to tell the difference between truly excellent coffee, just good coffee and the stuff like S****ucks, and
• How to make great coffee at home (without the expensive equipment, and obviously once you finally get back there)

You’ll be able to amaze your “home-buddy” friends on your return with your new-found coffee expertise. So why not check out the number of tours on offer?

We highly recommend two such tours. The first is the Toucan Coffee-Tasting Experience ran by the popular Toucan Language School and Cafe. These guys do an awesome job and are like the Starbucks (don’t go to Starbucks here!) of coffee tours in Medellin.

If you want to support the little guy, we suggest doing The Coffee Tasting Experience, a 2-hour workshop that covers the journey from seed to cup of the magic bean. Juan Cano, the eloquent Colombian guy that runs the show is an absolute coffee fanatic. There’s probably no question you can ask him about coffee that he doesn’t have an immediate answer to. Don’t take our word for it – put him to the test.

Here’s what he says about his workshop:

“The course is ideal for people with little knowledge of coffee and will teach you all that’s needed for to enjoy a cup of our favorite drink every morning. The goal of this workshop is to not only show the process but also to bring awareness and shine a light on the living conditions of coffee farmers as well as on their economy, struggles, challenges and opportunities and create a price conscious to help give more back to the people that produce coffee.

The attendees will learn how to tell between fresh and old coffee; good from bad, commercial from specialty and have a better understanding of some marketing gimmicks normally associated with good coffee.”

Traveling with a group of friends or met some new ones in Medellin that just love following you around? You can contact Juan directly to set up a personalized tasting experience at juan@coffeehunter.com or send him a direct Whatsapp message to + 57 301 694 8678!

Happy sipping.