Medellín itinerary: 1 to 3 days
Plans for one to three days in Medellín, day by day: the Metropolitan Cathedral, La Candelaria, Botero Plaza and the Museum of Antioquia first, then El Castillo, Pueblito Paisa on Nutibara Hill, Comuna 13, the Botanical Garden and Parque Explora, and Arví Park and the Planetarium as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Medellín in 1 day
Day 1
Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín
Large brick cathedral on Bolívar Park, finished in 1931 and said to be one of the biggest brick churches in the world.
Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria
Medellín's oldest parish church, an 18th-century basilica on Berrío Park in the busy heart of the old centre.
Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture
Black-and-white Gothic Revival palace on Botero Plaza, once the government seat, now a cultural centre with exhibitions and archives.
Botero Plaza
Open-air square with 23 large bronze sculptures given by Fernando Botero, between the Museum of Antioquia and the Palace of Culture.
Museum of Antioquia
The city's main art museum, with a large collection of paintings and sculptures by Fernando Botero and other Colombian artists.
Barefoot Park
Zen-inspired park beside the EPM building where visitors walk barefoot through sand, water and bamboo groves.
Nutibara sculpture park
Sculpture garden at the foot of Nutibara Hill with works by Latin American artists, close to the Pueblito Paisa replica village.
Medellín Museum of Modern Art
MAMM, a modern and contemporary art museum in a converted steelworks in Ciudad del Río, with changing exhibitions and a cinema.
Medellín in 2 days
Day 1
El Castillo Museum
Gothic-style 1930s mansion in El Poblado with rooms of porcelain, glass and furniture and formal French-style gardens.
Medellín Museum of Modern Art
MAMM, a modern and contemporary art museum in a converted steelworks in Ciudad del Río, with changing exhibitions and a cinema.
Nutibara sculpture park
Sculpture garden at the foot of Nutibara Hill with works by Latin American artists, close to the Pueblito Paisa replica village.
Pueblito Paisa
Replica of a traditional Antioquian village square on top of Nutibara Hill, with a church, shops and views over the city.
Comuna 13
Hillside district once known for violence, now visited for its street art, outdoor escalators and guided graffiti tours.
Day 2
Botanical Garden of Medellín
Free botanical garden with an orchid house, a butterfly house and the Orquideorama, a timber canopy shading events.
Parque Explora
Interactive science museum with hands-on exhibits and one of South America's largest freshwater aquariums.
Botero Plaza
Open-air square with 23 large bronze sculptures given by Fernando Botero, between the Museum of Antioquia and the Palace of Culture.
Museum of Antioquia
The city's main art museum, with a large collection of paintings and sculptures by Fernando Botero and other Colombian artists.
Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture
Black-and-white Gothic Revival palace on Botero Plaza, once the government seat, now a cultural centre with exhibitions and archives.
Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria
Medellín's oldest parish church, an 18th-century basilica on Berrío Park in the busy heart of the old centre.
Medellín in 3 days
Day 1
El Castillo Museum
Gothic-style 1930s mansion in El Poblado with rooms of porcelain, glass and furniture and formal French-style gardens.
Medellín Museum of Modern Art
MAMM, a modern and contemporary art museum in a converted steelworks in Ciudad del Río, with changing exhibitions and a cinema.
Comuna 13
Hillside district once known for violence, now visited for its street art, outdoor escalators and guided graffiti tours.
Day 2
Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín
Large brick cathedral on Bolívar Park, finished in 1931 and said to be one of the biggest brick churches in the world.
Botero Plaza
Open-air square with 23 large bronze sculptures given by Fernando Botero, between the Museum of Antioquia and the Palace of Culture.
Museum of Antioquia
The city's main art museum, with a large collection of paintings and sculptures by Fernando Botero and other Colombian artists.
Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture
Black-and-white Gothic Revival palace on Botero Plaza, once the government seat, now a cultural centre with exhibitions and archives.
Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria
Medellín's oldest parish church, an 18th-century basilica on Berrío Park in the busy heart of the old centre.
Barefoot Park
Zen-inspired park beside the EPM building where visitors walk barefoot through sand, water and bamboo groves.
Nutibara sculpture park
Sculpture garden at the foot of Nutibara Hill with works by Latin American artists, close to the Pueblito Paisa replica village.
Pueblito Paisa
Replica of a traditional Antioquian village square on top of Nutibara Hill, with a church, shops and views over the city.
Day 3
Arví Park
Large forest reserve and pre-Hispanic archaeological site on the hills above the city, reached by Metrocable, with walking trails.
Botanical Garden of Medellín
Free botanical garden with an orchid house, a butterfly house and the Orquideorama, a timber canopy shading events.
Planetarium of Medellín
The city planetarium with dome shows and astronomy exhibits, beside Parque Explora and the Botanical Garden.
Parque Explora
Interactive science museum with hands-on exhibits and one of South America's largest freshwater aquariums.
Watch: Medellín
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Medellín
Medellín has mild, spring-like weather all year thanks to its altitude, so any season works. The wetter months are usually around April to May and October to November, with afternoon showers. The Flower Festival (Feria de las Flores) fills the city in early August, and the Christmas lights (Alumbrados) draw crowds in December.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Medellín on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Medellín on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Medellín on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Colombia from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Medellín
- The Metro and its Metrocable cable cars link the centre with the hillside neighbourhoods and Arví Park; a rechargeable Cívica card saves queuing for tickets.
- Comuna 13 is best seen with a local guide on a graffiti tour, which explains the district's history and rides the outdoor escalators.
- Botero Plaza is free to walk through; the Museum of Antioquia beside it holds many more of Fernando Botero's paintings and sculptures.
- The Botanical Garden, Parque Explora and the Planetarium stand side by side next to the Universidad metro station, so they fit easily into one morning.
- Keep phones and valuables out of sight in busy places such as the city centre and on public transport.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Arví Park: Sebas1000, Public domain
- Barefoot Park: SajoR, Public domain
- Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria: SajoR, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Botanical Garden of Medellín: Jorge Láscar, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Botero Plaza: SajoR, Public domain
- Comuna 13: José Luiz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- El Castillo Museum: XalD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Medellín Museum of Modern Art: ALONSOZAR, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín: www.hippopx.com, CC0
- Museum of Antioquia: Jorge Láscar from Australia, CC BY 2.0
- Nutibara sculpture park: SajoR, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Parque Explora: User: (WT-shared) CONOCER at wts wikivoyage, Public domain
- Planetarium of Medellín: SajoR, Public domain
- Pueblito Paisa: Jorge Gomez ( Kroyf ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture: Kamilokardona, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
