Why is Comuna 13 famous in Medellín?

Find out why Comuna 13 is famous in Medellín, why people visit here and what you can do in the district which once saw the darkest of days as a violent crime hotspot.

Comuna 13 (officially named San Javier) in Medellín is famous because it embodies the transition the city has undergone in recent years to rid itself of a bloodstained past and become a tourism hotspot.

From the 1980s to the mid 2010s, Comuna 13 was one of, if not the, most dangerous in the city. During this period various armed groups, including the Medellín Cartel, violently fought for control of the area. Kidnappings and murders happened regularly and walking the streets was a dangerous affair.

But today Comuna 13 is one of the main tourist attractions in Medellín. After decades of violence, the district has mostly shed its turbulent past which has given way to art and culture.

In this guide I’ll get into how Comuna 13 made this transition, what you can do here and some safety tips.

Why is Comuna 13 famous in Medellín? A brief history

Comuna 13’s history is intertwined with that of Colombia’s. Understanding a little about this history will help you understand why the district is famous.

A crowd of people walk along a suspended curved pathway in a colourful favela neighbourhood. This is Comuna 13 in Medellín.

Colombia’s internal unrest

Colombia has a long history of internal conflict starting with an initial period of political violence which began in the late 1940s.

In the 1960s the conflict escalated; armed groups with different ideologies, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), formed and began fighting each other.

A black and white photo of four men wearing military uniforms. These are FARC members in Colombia. — FARC members in the 1990s. Credit: Pablo de Tarso Luz Meneghel Sparco CC 4.0.

Much of the fighting took place in rural areas causing large-scale internal displacement throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Many people came to urban areas such as Medellín and districts like Comuna 13 saw an influx of new residents.

In fact, Comuna 13 was originally known as Las Granjas, or The Farms, due to the number of campesinos, or country people, arriving here. The campesinos arrived with little money building the favela housing in which locals still live today.

While Comuna 13 represented a new start for those who’d fled the internal conflict, the lack of opportunities, minimal government presence and poverty here laid the foundations for the violence to come.

Escobar grips the Comuna

By the 1980s, drug trafficking in Colombia was in full swing and cartels exploited impoverished areas such as Comuna 13. The Medellín Cartel, led by the infamous Pablo Escobar, took control of the district and recruited new members.

The famous mugshot of Pablo Escobar. The image is black and white and escobar is looking at the camera smiling while holding a prisoner id number plaque. — Escobar was arrested in 1976 after being found with kilos of cocaine in his car. Credit: Colombia National Registry; Colombian National Police.

Throughout the decade Escobar’s outfit violently defended the territory from other drug traffickers and the previously mentioned armed groups who were all vying for control of the comuna.

After Escobar was killed in 1993, the fighting within Comuna 13 reached new heights. The Medellín Cartel had disbanded and the remaining warring factions tried to fill the power void left by the Colombian drug lord.

Operation Orión

Over the next decade, the situation became unliveable and the government finally decided to take back Comuna 13 with the army. In October 2002, the newly elected president Álvaro Uribe launched Operation Orión, a military siege of the comuna lasting four days.

The controversial operation initially removed militias from power, but wasn’t the success the government claimed it to be. Not only did other armed groups take back control of Comuna 13 after the operation, but innocent civilians were killed.

And in the years since Operation Orión, locals have attested to government having collaborated with militias and even murdering innocent residents later hiding bodies in mass graves.

A neighbourhood of favelas in the background is seen through blades of grass in the foreground. This is Comuna 13 in Medellín. — Operation Orión turned Comuna 13 into a war zone for four days in October 2002

Armed militias held control of Comuna 13 well into the 2000s, but in 2016, President President Juan Manuel Santos struck the National Peace Deal with them.

The deal sought to integrate non-criminal members of the armed groups into regular society and prosecute those who had committed crimes, and played an important role in finally loosening the criminal grip on Comuna 13.

Today

Local initiatives have also helped Comuna 13 move further away from its violent past. Young people have popularised an ‘artivist’ movement, using music, dance and graffiti to express themselves and protest violence.

A large sculpture of an indigenous Latina American Person. Two men are sat in front of it.

Comuna 13 has since become a major tourist attraction in Medellín. The streets here are once again safe to walk and indiscriminate killings are a thing of the past.

But the district still has a ways to go; poverty is a serious problem as is the lack of opportunities, especially for young people. And as long as these issues exist, then the door to crime remains open.

What to do in Comuna 13

Although Comuna 13 is the entire district of San Javier, you can find all of the attractions along the main touristy street which traverses the hillside after you take the escalators.

I tried creating a map to highlight this street, but the crammed favela housing makes it almost impossible to identify on map applications. However, once you’re in the district you’ll know exactly where I mean as it’s impossible to miss.

A map showing the location of Comuna 13 in Medellín.

Explore Comuna 13 with a tour

Visiting Comuna 13 will be a much richer experience with the knowledge of a local guide. A huge part of why Comuna 13 is famous in Medellín is because of its history and what better way to learn about this than from someone who lived it.

I made the mistake of visiting solo and, honestly, I don’t feel like I gained much from it. Having researched to write this blog post, if I ever went back to Comuna 13, I would definitely go with a guide to learn about locals’ experiences during the dark days.

A man stands while looking down at the camera. He is holding a flag with a blue triangle and. star on it.

You can organise a tour locally or online beforehand. If you prefer to have everything booked beforehand, then this is the tour I recommend. You get a cable car ride included in the price, which is a great bonus as Medellin’s cable cars are really fun.

Enjoy the views

As you walk through Comuna 13, it can feel like something is always being shoved in your face. There are so many vendors and the amazing murals are eye-grabbing too.

All these distractions and attractions mean you can easily forget to stop and enjoy the amazing city views. As the comuna sits at the foothills of the Aburrá Valley, there are great scenes across the valley overlooking Medellín.

Large clouds illuminated with sunlight fill the sky above a city. The clouds have turned a pink colour. This is a sunset view from Comuna 13 in Medellín, Colombia.

Eat and drink

You’ll walk a lot in Comuna 13 and will probably end up quite hungry, but there are plenty of restaurants along the main street with terraces. I stopped for lunch and made the most of the views.

Prices are a little more expensive than what you usually find in Medellín, but you can’t blame the locals for taking advantage of the flocks of tourists. That said, you can find a menú del día (your typical set-lunch menu) at a more standard price if you look around.

A man stands on a restaurant terrace. A city is in the background. This is Comuna 13 in Medellín. — Not a bad spot for a bite to eat. The sign reads: “Viewpoint, come up”.

There are also a tonne of bars with terraces to enjoy a drink with a view. A group of locals invited me to a shot of their aguardiente, an anise-flavoured alcohol. I normally don’t drink, but as aguardiente is a local tradition and I’d never tried it before, I made an exception.

Watch artistic performances

Hip hop rappers tell stories and break dance groups battle it out in the streets of Comuna 13. These performances are fun to watch and some of the artists are really talented. Keep in mind that performers rely on tips to make a living. While it’s not mandatory, if you can spare some change it’ll go a long way.

A young male breakdancer dances in the street. He is wearinga white jumper, black trousers, and a green hat. There are spectators in the foreground.

See the graffiti

The colourful graffiti in Comuna 13 is much more than art. It’s a visual account of the history of the district and inspires hope for its residents.

I recommend taking some time to understand the deeper meaning of the art pieces. Again, joining a tour is the best way to do this as who knows better than the locals, right?

A colourful graffiti mural on the side of a favela building. The mural depicts young women. This is graffiti art in Comuna 13, Medellín.

Go on the slingshot/bungee ride

There’s a sling shot ride which shoots you up into the air against the stunning backdrop of Medellín. Although I didn’t ride this, it did look fun.

If you’re thinking about giving the sling shot a crack, I’d scope it out first. Ask the operators a few questions about security and maintenance and then decide.

A woman suspended in the air by bungie chords attached to the harness she is wearing. This is the sling shot ride in Medellín.

An electric train passes along an overpass in a city in front of a large mural in the style of Botero. This is in Medellín, Colombia.

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.

How long do you need in Comuna 13?

You can explore Comuna 13 within just a few hours. This will give you time to see many graffiti works, walk the main streets, enjoy the views and stop for something to eat.

I know it seems like I’m pushing this, but a tour, which usually lasts around 3 h, really is the best way to experience Comuna 13. I often avoid organised tours, but in my honest opinion, visiting Comuna 13 without the historical knowledge of a guide is only half of the experience.

A multicoloured flight of steps with Spanish words painted on them.

How to get to Comuna 13

Comuna San Javier (Comuna 13) is easy to get to thanks to the metro system. You’ll need to take metro Line B to the final station, also called San Javier.

You can either head to a station along Line B directly, or you can transfer to Line B from lines A or T-A at San Antonio Station in the city centre.

The easiest way to use Medellín’s metro is to pay for journeys with a Civica card. Here’s my guide to getting around Medellín as a tourist with key information for using the metro including how to get a Civica card.

A crowded uphill street. In the centre of the crowd is a man wearing a vibrant blue shirt. — You walk up this busy hill after getting off the bus.

A busy uphill street crowded with people. Further uphill there is favela housing. This is Comuna 13 in Medellín. — You walk up this busy hill after getting off the bus.

Once at San Javier, head outside the station to the bus rank where you’ll see the bus 225. This runs between Comuna 13 and the metro station regularly throughout the day.

The bus brings you to within a few blocks of Comuna 13’s touristy streets and from here you just need to follow the crowds. It’s hard to get lost as everyone will be heading in the same direction. The bus journey takes around 20 min and costs 1,900 COP ($).

When to visit Comuna 13

The best time to visit Comuna 13 is during the day. Not only is it safest during the day, but street performers will be out and restaurants and bars will be open.

A man wearing colourful clothing walks on stilts in a narrow streets.

Being one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city, it’s hard to avoid the crowds at Comuna 13. But getting here earlier in the morning will help you avoid the masses of people which arrive later in the day.

For the best weather, visit Medellín and Comuna 13 outside of the months of April, May, September and October. These months are considered the city’s rainy seasons.

Is Comuna 13 safe at night?

I don’t recommend visiting Comuna 13 after dark. While the area is considered safe during the day for tourists, it’s best to leave while still light. Criminal gangs are still active in the area, which pose the greatest threat.

My recommendation to not hang around Comuna 13 at night is based on not taking any chances in an area that has historically been very dangerous.

Three woman ascend an escalator. There is a city in the background.

However, I have to say Comuna 13 didn’t feel dangerous when I was here. In fact, I stayed at a rooftop bar taking pictures of the city with my digital camera until around 21:00. I then walked back to the bus and eventually took the metro.

I still maintain that you shouldn’t visit after dark, but if you’ve already decided to, then take extra precaution with your valuables. Don’t leave the main touristy street for any reason either.

How do locals feel about tourism in Comuna 13?

The local community has mixed feelings towards tourism in Comuna 13. While some welcome it, others say it has turned their home into an exhibition.

A man holds up a piece of grilled meat on a skewer which he has cooked on his grill. He is a street vendor in comuna 13 in Medellín. — Some locals benefit from tourism in Comuna 13 while others dislike it.

Tourism here has boosted the local economy, helped improve safety and helped the district establish itself as a cultural icon of the city. But it has also led to rising costs, overcrowding and increased noise.

The tourism boom in Comuna 13 has also brought new opportunities for criminals to exploit and some local business owners have reported increased extortion by gangs.

Final tips for visiting Medellín’s Comuna 13

Keep in mind these final tips to have fun in Comuna 13 while respecting the locals.

Avoid visiting in a large group

One of the main complaints of the locals is overcrowding so by visiting in a small group you can minimise your impact on this issue. If you’re booking a tour, you could ask the agency about group sizes beforehand.

A pair of young male breakdancers dancing in the street. They are street performers in Comuna 13, Medellín.

Don’t be rowdy

Comuna 13 is a fun place to have a drink, but I’d avoid having too many and taking the energy levels up too many notches. Not only is it disrespectful to locals whose houses are just one street behind where all the bars are, but you’re also making yourself an easier target for any potential pickpockets.

Keep an eye on your valuables

Even though I said before that the area felt safe to me, it did seem like an ideal place for pickpockets. With thousands of people crowded into just a few streets and everyone moving along slowly, Comuna 13 is prime hunting ground for someone looking to swipe valuables.

A cluster of favela buildings. The buildings are painted different colours and there is a bar business in one.

Stick to the touristy streets

It’s highly unlikely anything will happen to you in the touristy part of Comuna 13. But, if you venture into the quieter streets further up the hillside, there’s no guarantee you won’t be a target. After all, poverty is rife here and all it takes is an opportunistic criminal to ruin your day.

Also, it won’t take long before you come to someone’s home. Houses in Comuna 13 pretty much open up onto the pathway and I can’t imagine any local enjoying these narrow pathways being filled with tourists.

Cover your back

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Enjoy your visit to Comuna 13

So that’s why Comuna 13 is famous in Medellín. I hope you learnt a thing or two from this brief insight into the district’s history and encourage you to read more about it before visiting.

Medellín is a diverse city and there are great hikes to enjoy and the cable cars too. In fact, one of my favourite Metrocable lines, which has great views of Comuna 13, is Line J. This line starts at San Javier metro station, so you could combine it with your visit to Comuna 13.

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Why is Comuna 13 Famous in Medellín? Guide for Your Visit