For many years I stayed away from Medellin. I stayed away because I thought it was too touristy. I like to travel off the beaten path so while I made stops to less touristic places in Colombia, like Viterbo and Santa Marta, I never ventured to Medellin.

While I loved Bogota I couldn’t help but feel that the expat and entrepreneur groups were lacking in Bogota. They rarely held activities and rarely made a peep on the Facebook groups. I figured it was due to the cold and rainy weather which kept everyone inside and to themselves. Yet the Medellin groups were very active both online and in real life, so off I went to find out why so many expats, entrepreneurs and digital nomads chose this city their homebase.

Once I checked into my hotel I was able to see why this city was so attractive. Thankfully I did myself a favor and booked a room on the high floor and caught a glimpse of the spectacular views of the area. In fact, everywhere I went in Medellin, the views of the mountains and the city were beautiful.

Next is the superb weather. Moving from Bogota, which is known as the wintry city (ciudad de nevera) to Medellin better known as the city of eternal spring was like night and day. One expat told me, " I love New York, but you can’t buy good weather". Medellin was always about 70 to 80 degrees, warm and breezy but not too humid.

As an expat or entrepreneur finding long term accommodation is always an issue. If you’re a first time visitor most people tend to start off and stay in the Poblado area. There you’ll find many hotels, restaurants and cafes. If you plan to stay in Poblado be prepared to spend top dollar for any apartment you rent. Many of the high- end apartments are the best of the best and command those prices. After a while those who plan to stay longer move out to other less expensive neighborhoods of Medellin like Belen, Laureles and Estadio, or they move to the suburbs such as Envigado or Sabaneta. While Medellin had great weather, I found Envigado much colder than its neighbor, so that can be a downside.

Once you’ve settled in then the next step is to find your office space. There literally is no shortage of coworking spaces in this city. I tested out Global Express and liked it as it had the basic amenities that I needed, but there are so many others.

A good way to connect with other entrepreneurs or expats is to check out Facebook groups, such as Medellin Entrepreneurs Society and Expat Women of Medellin. These are also great ways to find apartments around the city. Need to keep a pulse on the city? Sign up for Catalyst Weekly’s newsletter; highlighting daily events happening around the city. Also a good source to find the city's yoga studios.

Lastly Medellin isn’t known for its gastronomy, for that you should go to Bogota. Still there are a few hidden gems. First up is Douraku in Poblado. I stopped here because I was trying to get over a cold and needed something to warm my soul. I found that at the time, it was a newly opened Ramen shop. The ramen and noodles were cooked to perfection and weren’t bland, which is usually the case with most foreign cuisine in Colombia as they adjust the recipe for local tastes.

If you’re looking for traditional Colombian food you can’t go wrong with Mondongos. Mondongos is probably the best known place in Poblado; get there early as the line is pretty long on the weekends. They carry the famous tripe soup dish Mondongo, and Tipico Antiqueno which is more commonly known as Bandeja Paisa.

Since you’ll also need some fun Mercado del Rio is a great place to visit on the weekends. It’s easy to grab drinks with friends but there are some good spots to eat as well such as Al Alma Coffee Roasters. I loved this spot for the all day breakfast every day. Sinko bar is good for drinks while Enoteca del Rio for good wine. Look out for their special events such as the outdoor summer park.

In the end Bogota may be my favorite place but Medellin holds a close second in my heart.

Need more ideas on what to do and where to go? Reach out to us to plan your trip!

Happy Travels!!

KJ

Still curious about Colombia? Check out the other posts in the series : Bogota & Cartagena

Exploring Medellin