It pays to plan if you only have 5 days in Medellín. Here are my recommendations for an adventure- and culture-packed short stint in the City of Eternal Spring.
With just 5 days in Medellín, you can experience lots of what Paisa culture has to offer. As the capital of the Antioquia Department, the city boasts nature, history, art and an international community.
But, with so many things to do here, what do you include in your to-do list and what do you leave off it?
Let me help you with a curated 5-day Medellín itinerary that includes the best adventurous and cultural things to do in the city.
This guide will make planning your time in Medellín a lot easier so you can get to exploring the day you arrive.
5-day Medellín itinerary summary
Here’s a quick overview of what the itinerary entails. I’ve grouped recommendations by proximity so you spend as little time getting to the attractions and more time enjoying them.
- Day 1: spend the morning hiking at Cerro de Las Tres Cruces and the afternoon discovering art and history at the Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture and Plaza Botero.
- Day 2: check out the eye-opening Comuna 13 on a guided tour in the morning and explore the chic district of Laureles-Estadio in the afternoon.
- Day 3: hike to Mirador La Paloma in the morning and have your mind blown at the Planetarium Jesus Emilio Ramirez in the afternoon.
- Day 4: see kites fly and city views at Cerro Volador and in the afternoon admire the Botanical gardens.
- Day 5: explore Parque Arvi in the morning and see Medellín with a bird’s-eye view from the cable cars in the evening.
A detailed itinerary for 5 days in Medellín
Now let’s get into the itinerary properly. I don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll cover the essential logistical information and why I recommend the activities.
Day 1
Morning/early afternoon: hike Cerro de Las Tres Cruces
I recommend starting your first day in Medellín with a bit of adventure hiking Cerro de Las Tres Cruces (Three Crosses Hill). This is a short and fun trail to an amazing viewpoint where three large crosses overlook the city and where there is an outdoor gym.
The trail itself is not too challenging, but there are some steepish sections where you’ll work up a sweat. The panoramic views are brilliant and so is the atmosphere. Tourists and friendly locals alike love Cerro de Las Tres Cruces and there’s always a good crowd here.
The trailhead is located in the Loma de Los Bernal neighbourhood in the west of the city. You can get here with the C3007/ C3007A buses, which drop you just down the road, or with a taxi. A taxi ride from touristy areas such as Laureles-Estadio or El Poblado should cost around 16,000 COP ($4 US) and take 25 min.
If I had to pick a single hike to do in Medellín, it would be this one. Here’s my full guide to hiking Cerro de Las Tres Cruces for more information.
Late afternoon/early evening: Palace of Culture and Plaza Botero
This is a day of opposites; after the morning nature hike head into the urban city centre to learn about Medellín’s history and art.
The first stop is the Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture, named after prominent Colombian lawyer and general for the liberal party rebel army, Rafael Uribe Uribe (1859 – 1914). Here you can transport to the past via a photographic archive of Medellín and enjoy great city views from the terrace.
The building is a work of art built in the gothic style with an extravagantly detailed dome and black and white bricks. It’s truly an impressive piece of architecture.
The Uribe Urbe Palace of Culture is open Monday to Friday 8:00 – 17:30 and on Saturdays 8:00 – 16:30. It doesn’t open on Sundays. Entry is free to all visitors.
Right outside the Palace of Culture is Plaza Botero, a square dedicated to Fernando Botero (1932 – 2023), Colombia’s most-famous artist. Botero’s style, Boterismo, or Boterism, depicts people and other beings in enormous proportions.
Boterism is a funny artistic vision and you can see it up close and personal in Plaza Botero, where 23 of the artist’s statues stand. The statues mostly depict people and animals, which look like they’ve been inflated.
Plaza Botero is an open square and you can visit any time. However, I don’t recommend being in the city centre after dark as it’s not the safest. To get to the Palace of Culture and Plaza Botero, take the metro Line A to Parque Berrio Station, then walk for 2 min.
Day 2
Morning/early afternoon: Comuna 13 guided tour
Comuna 13 is a testament to how far Medellín and Colombia have come since the times when internal conflict and drug trafficking dominated headlines and people’s lives.
Once the most violent district in the city, Comuna 13, officially called San Javier, has become a hub for artistic movements and tourism, filled with colourful murals and street performers.
Now, in my complete guide to visiting Medellín, I’ve said Comuna 13 is an overrated experience. And it is, if you visit by yourself. But if you go with a guide, it’s a whole other experience.
That’s because the real attraction here is the history of the district’s transformation and the subsequent stories to be heard. A local guide who lived through the times of cartel control and bloodshed in Comuna 13 can give you these insights.
Prices for guided tours to Comuna 13 start at around $18 US. They run during the day and last around 3 h. Depending on the tour, you may get a cable car ride on Line J included. You can visit Comuna 13 independently anytime, but it’s best to leave before sundown.
Here’s my complete guide to Comuna 13 with more information.
Late afternoon/early evening: wander around Laureles-Estadio
I recommend spending the rest of the day in the nearby district of Laureles-Estadio. This trendy, middle-class area is popular with young professionals. You’ll find niche bars, restaurants, small parks and nice apartment blocks.
The streets in Laureles are clean and quiet, great for walking and soaking up the local culture. Head down to Segundo Parque de Laureles (Laureles Second Park) where there are plenty of options to eat. My personal favourite is Capira Papitas for a feast of dirty fries piled high.
Laureles-Estadio is the ideal base for a Medellín trip and I’ve included accommodation recommendations below which you can jump to by clicking here.
Where to stay in Medellín
These recommendations are based on personal experience or excellent ratings across major booking platforms. My preferred location is Laureles-Estadio for the quieter and safer streets.
- Hostal Paisa: a well-located budget hostel with all the amenities you need.
- CoNomad House: a shared living and coworking space with all amenities.
- Laureles Selection Suites: a comfortable rental apartment with all amenities.
- Stylish Loft: a chic one-bed studio with all amenities and coworking access.
Day 3
Morning/early afternoon: tough hike to Mirador La Paloma
Get ready for an adventurous start to day 3 at Mirador La Paloma, an off-the-beaten-track viewpoint on the eastern side of the city. Few locals and practically no tourist hike this trail, so you might have it all to yourself.
The hike starts out easy from the wealthy neighbourhood Altos del Poblado, where the houses are nice to say the least. From here you climb through a forest and later a steep rocky ridge. Amazing scenes await you at the viewpoint and you can see the entire city.
The best way to get to the trailhead (Drumlab Studio) is with a taxi. This should cost around 30,000 COP ($7.5 US) from popular areas such as Laureles and El Poblado and take roughly 30 min. You don’t need a guide to do this hike, but it is challenging.
Here’s my full Mirador La Paloma hike guide with all the information you need to know.
Afternoon/early evening: see planetary wonders
With tired legs you’ll probably want something more relaxed for the rest of the day. But relaxed can also be awe-inspiring and wonderous, which is exactly how I’d describe the Planetarium Jesus Emilio Ramirez Medellin.
This is a unique museum dedicated to the cosmos. The star attraction is the huge dome theatre where you can watch immersive interstellar documentaries. Screenings cover different topics, but you’re sure to have your mind blown.
The planetarium opens Tuesday to Friday 8:30 – 17:30 (ticket office closes at 16:00) and on weekends 10:00 to 18:30 (ticket office closes at 17:00). Entry for foreign non-residents costs 36,000 COP ($9 US) and includes a screening. You can buy tickets online or upon arrival.
Day 4
Morning/early afternoon: easy walk up Cerro Volador
Starting day 4 a little more gently, head to Cerro Volador, a metropolitan park close to Laureles-Estadio with a beautiful viewpoint.
Not only are the city views great, but Cerro Volador is a popular spot with kite flyers. When the winds are up and the sun out, you can admire colourful kites dancing in the sky.
The path to the hilltop is easy with a gentle incline. It’s mostly a concrete road with a couple of flights of steps and the entire loop is just shy of 3 km.
The hilltop is a great spot for a picnic, so I recommend bringing your lunch with you. If you want to buy something, there are some small food stands near the roundabout about halfway to the top.
Cerro Volador is open 5:00 – 17:00 every day and entrance is free. From Laureles, a taxi is your most convenient option and should cost around 16,000 COP ($4 US). From Poblado, you can take the metro and then a bus. Here’s the fastest route according to Google Maps.
I have a complete guide to Cerro Volador with more information about visiting.
Afternoon: explore the botanical gardens
Medellín’s botanical gardens are just a 10-minute taxi ride from Cerro Volador and where I recommend you head to next. The gardens are a natural wonder within the city; there are over 4,500 species of exotic flora and over 1,000 species of interesting fauna here.
My favourite area is the tropical jungle, but I also love the orchidarium, a big, beautiful wooden structure housing the orchid species. Keep an eye for the roaming iguanas, which are fascinating creatures!
The Medellín Botanical Gardens open Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 to 16:00 and are closed on Mondays. General entry is free, but you must pay 7,000 COP ($2 US) to enter the butterfly house and 5,000 COP ($1 US) to explore the prehistoric plants trail.
Day 5
Morning: tackle hiking trails at Parque Arvi
You can’t visit Medellín and not head to Parque Arvi, a huge ecological reserve in Santa Elena, technically just outside of the city.
Hiking and birding are the main activities in Parque Arvi and the reserve is home to 70 bird species made easier to spot with a guided tour.
Hiking at Parque Arvi costs foreigners 30,000 COP ($7.5 US), but there’s also the free 3.5-km self-guided trail. Prices for birding tours start at 280,000 COP ($74 US) for 1 foreigner but become cheaper the larger the group up to 10 people.
The fun at Parque Arvi begins with the cable car journey here. You need to take 2 cable car lines, first Line K and then Line L. Line L is the best part as you head up and out of the Aburrá Valley (where Medellín lies) over the vast forest.
Entrance to Parque Arvi is free and it opens 9:30 – 17:30 Wednesday to Monday. The park is closed on Tuesdays. Cable car Line L costs 25,000 COP ($6.5 US ) for a return journey (which you’ll need). The line operates Tuesday to Saturday 9:00 – 18:00 and on Sundays 8:30 – 18:00. Line L is closed on Mondays.
Late afternoon/evening: cable cars
Saving the best till last, riding the cable cars (officially called Metrocable) is my favourite thing to do in Medellín. There are 6 Metrocable lines in total, spread throughout the city, offering a unique way to see Medellín.
My favourite lines are K, L and M which offer the best views of the city and the surrounding nature. The golden evening light will make the scenes extra gorgeous too.
A single Metrocable ride costs 3,900 COP ($1 US). Here’s my complete guide to using Medellín’s cable cars containing the schedules for all Metrocable lines, how much it costs to use and a map of the system.
Other experiences in Medellín for your trip
I filled the 5-day itinerary with what I consider to be the must-do activities in Medellín. These next activities didn’t quite make the cut, but you could swap them in. For transparency, I haven’t done any of these, but from what I’ve read and been told, they look good
Free walking tours of the city
Explore the significant spots in Medellín with a guide to gain historic and cultural insights. Reputable free walking tour companies and platforms include Beyond Colombia, Real City Tours and GuruWalk.
But heads up, ‘free walking tours’ usually aren’t free…While you don’t have to, tipping is pretty much expected. People usually give between $5 – $10 US for tours lasting around 2.5 h.
Museo Casa de La Memoria
The House of Memory Museum honours the memory of the victims of Colombia’s internal armed conflict that devastated the country for decades.
The main and permanent exhibit, Memories of Violence and Resistance, tells the story of Medellín through newspaper archives, first-hand accounts, audios and visuals.
The museum is open Tuesday to Friday 9:00 – 18:00, and Saturdays and Sunday 10:00 – 16:00. It’s closed on Mondays. Entry is free for everyone.
Paragliding
Soar the skies over Medellín with unrivalled views from a peaceful paraglider. There are several companies operating out of western and northern hillsides of the Aburrá Valley.
Prices for paragliding start at around $70 US for just the flight.
How many days do you need in Medellín?
This depends on what you want to do in the city, but I say that you need at least 3 full days to experience Paisa culture and some of the must-do activities. If you only have 3 days, then I’d pick the activities from days 1, 3 and 5 from the 5-day itinerary.
Ideally, you’ll be able to spend at least 5 days in Medellín to do more of the fun hikes and learn more about its history at museums. If you like to have downtime between adventurous days, then I think spending at least a full week in Medellín would suit you.
What if you only have 1 day in Medellín?
If you’re limited to a single day in Medellín – you might have a layover here – then I’d choose the activities from day 1 of the 5-day itinerary: hiking Cerro de Las Tres Cruces, visiting the Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture and checking out Plaza Botero.
You’ll get to experience Medellín’s surrounding nature and see amazing city views by hiking Cerro de Las Tres Cruces. And by heading to the Palace of Culture and Plaza Botero, you’ll learn about Paisa history and art, and also get a feel for the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
When should you spend your 5 days in Medellín?
Medellín has a consistent temperate climate making it a great year-round destination. You can visit during any month and expect nice weather, with daytime temperature highs of around 27°C and lows of around 16°C.
The city does have 2 periods considered rainy seasons, April to May and September to October, although rain falls here in short and intense bursts. During these wetter periods, you can still expect plenty of nice weather.
How to get around Medellín
Medellín has a fast, cheap, modern and extensive metro covering most of the city. Trains, all cable car lines and some bus lines form what’s called the ‘integrated metro’ and a single journey costs 3,900 COP ($1 US).
The easiest way to use the metro is with a rechargeable Civica card (also called a metro card), which you top up with credit. Civica cards cost 10,500 COP ($2.5 US).
If you’re only in Medellín for a day or 2, then it might not be worth getting a Civica card. But this depends on how much you plan on using the metro.
Most buses are separate from the metro system and a ticket usually costs between 1,600 COP – 2,500 COP ($0.5 US – $0.6 US). Most buses are old and cramped, but they get you where you need to go.
Taxis are everywhere in Medellín, but I prefer to use car ride apps such as Uber and DiDi as they’re more convenient and usually cheaper. Expect to pay around 25,000 COP ($6.5 US) for a 30 min journey.
Here’s my full guide to getting around Medellín as a tourist with detailed information on using the metro, buses and taxis.
Cover your back
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Final tips for your 5 days in Medellín
Visit during the week to avoid weekend crowds or different opening hours.
Double check opening times. You don’t want to arrive somewhere on a national holiday and lose a day.
Try bandeja Paisa, a traditional, hearty Antioquian dish containing red beans, white rice, ground beef, chicharrón (fried pork belly), fried egg, plantain, chorizo, and an arepa. It’s like a Colombian take on the traditional English breakfast.
Cash is king in Medellín. You’ll be able to use your card at big, established retailers, but not at smaller shops and restaurants. As far as I know, no bank in Medellín offers free withdrawals.
Avoid dating apps. Many foreigners, mostly men, have been drugged by locals they met on them, robbed and, in some cases, murdered.
The drug used is almost always scopolamine, known locally as burundanga, which knocks you out for hours. This is a widespread and well-known issue in Medellín. My advice? Don’t use dating apps here. I’ve got more information about scopolamine spiking in my complete guide to visiting Medellín.
So, what are you doing with 5 days in Medellín?
If this guide has given you ideas, then I’ve done my job. With an itinerary already in place, you’ll cut planning time to a minimum and make the most of your 5 days in the city.
Maybe you’ve found my guide after your visit and think there’s something I’ve left out? If that’s the case, then I’m all ears – feel free to leave a comment below.
All Medellín guides on A World Over:
- Visiting Medellín Colombia: 6 Best Things To Do and Overrated Things
- How to get Around Medellín as a Tourist: Medellín Transport Guide
- How to get From Medellín to San Gil: Your Options Explained
- Guide to the Fun Cable Cars in Medellín
- 4 of the Best Hikes in Medellín, Colombia
- Mirador la Paloma Hike Guide Medellín
- Cerro Volador: A Quick and Fun Medellín Hike
- Hike Guide to Cerro Quitasol in Bello, Medellín
- A Guide to Hiking Cerro de Las Tres Cruces in Medellín
- Why is Comuna 13 Famous in Medellín? Guide for Your Visit
- Is Pueblito Paisa Worth Visiting in Medellín?