- Medellin's 10 Best Neighborhods.
- Ranking each on 12 different criteria like location, food, and safety.
- Top attractions, restaurants, and hotels in each.
The Difference Between Love and Hate is Location
This post is part of Everything to Know Before Visiting Medellin, a collection of no-B.S., unique guides to an unforgettable stay in Colombia.
Whether you’re coming for two days, two months, or two years, you have to be strategic in deciding where to stay in Medellin because it can make the difference between loving and hating the city.
Kim and I learned this the hard way.
We picked the wrong neighborhood and almost abandoned Medellin prematurely because of it. Luckily, we gave Medellin a second chance, moved to another neighborhood, and never wanted to leave.
This guide will help you avoid making the wrong choice like we did, and instead find the perfect place to stay in Medellin that best meets your personal criteria.
The Wrong Question…
and the Right One
Don't Ask "Laureles, Poblado, or Envigado?"
When we were deciding on the best place to stay in Medellin, we thought we had to choose between the most popular and comfortable areas for expats: El Poblado, Laureles, and Envigado.
That's a mistake.
Choosing between those three is not particularly helpful because they're huge districts, not neighborhoods:
For example, as you can see from the Google map screenshot below, it takes one hour to walk from one corner of Laureles to the other:
You could easily hate one part of Laureles (or any district) and love another.
We did.
The Better Question Is, "Which Barrio?"
The best approach to finding the best place to stay in Medellin is to choose between the various barrios (or neighborhoods), within these big districts.
Medellin's metro area has 300+ neighborhoods so at first that'd seem like an impossible task. Practically speaking, though, there are only a handful of neighborhoods most expats and visitors will want to choose between.
These are the top ten neighborhoods we'll be ranking across a dozen criteria to help you find the best place to stay in Medellin.
Medellin Neighborhood Rankings
Here are our top ten contenders for best neighborhood in Medellin, ranked by twelve different criteria.
For each criterion, the best neighborhood gets 10 points, the next best 9 points, and so on all the way down to the worst, which gets 1 point.
Medellin's Top 10 Neighborhoods
Here are Medellin's 10 best neighborhoods:
- Central Laureles
- La 70, Laureles
- Northeastern Laureles
- Central Poblado
- Lower Poblado
- La Florida, Poblado
- El Dorado, Envigado
- Central Envigado
- Northern Envigado
- Downtown Medellin
And here are quick overviews, rankings on 12 important criteria, and the best places to stay for each of them:
Laureles Neighborhoods
1. Central Laureles
The epicenter of trendy Laureles, it's full of cafés and eateries and is where people who think El Poblado is "too gringo" often go.
The biggest problem with Central Laureles is it's far from the metro, which makes getting around to other parts of Medellin more difficult.
Notable Spots
- Rituales Cafe, the overwhelming winner of best coffee in Medellin from our blind taste test.
- Many of the best lunch restaurants in Medellin, including Cafe Cliche, Naturalia, and Ocre.
- Calle 33, to the south, is a popular local nightlife district.
- Nearest Metro Station: Estación Estadio, a 20 to 25-minute walk.
Top Accommodation
- Inntu Hotel, on Segundo Parque in the heart of Central Laureles, is well-run, stylish, and modern and has a rooftop terrace.
- There aren't any amazing hostels in Central Laureles so you'd have to stay at one, like Hostal Cattleya, in the adjacent la 70 neighborhood.
To Airbnb or Not to Airbnb?
Airbnb is generally cheaper than hotels in Medellin, but it's hit-and-miss. See why in our Pros and Cons of Airbnb Versus Hotels: A Wake-Up Call.
2. La 70
(Florida Nueva / Bolivariana)
Closest to the metro station and the hecticness that comes with being beside the soccer stadium, La 70 is the liveliest neighborhood in Laureles.
Notable Spots
- Carrera 70 isn't the nicest or most-relaxing street in Medellin, but it's always busy and it has plenty of local vibe, eats, and drinks.
- Estadio, the stadium complex where you can join tens of thousands of passionate Paisas for a football match, do a workout in its public outdoor gym, and get around town easily from its metro station.
- Nearest Metro Station: Estación Estadio, a 1 to 9-minute walk.
Top Accommodation
- Obo Hotel opened recently, is getting excellent reviews, and is ideally located away from the noise of la 70, and in between Central Laureles's restaurants and cafes to the south and the stadium and metro station to the north.
- Hostal Cattleya gets exceptional reviews, in particular for its fantastic staff and comfortable beds which, in our books, is what matters most.
- See Airbnbs around La 70.
3. Northeastern Laureles
(Estadio / El Velodromo)
Laid-back and well-off residential area in Laureles that's close to the Estadio sports complex and Cero Volador park/hill, both of which are great for exercising.
The downside of the quiet is there's not a lot going on in Northeastern Laureles and it can be quiet, and therefore dangerous, at night.
Notable Spots
- Cerro Volador, which has better views of Medellin than the way overrated Pueblito Paisa.
- A few metro stops away is San Javier and the famous Comuna 13.
- Estadio sports complex has facilities for practicing just about any sport you could possibly want to partake in.
- Nearest Metro Station: Floresta, a 1 to 10-minute walk.
Top Accommodation
- Hotel San Pedro del Fuerte is the best of the slim pickings from the area. You'll enjoy a local experience there for better (good value and friendliness) and for worse (a bit noisier).
- Yellow House Hostel is renowned for its great breakfast, friendly owners (and owners' dog). And since it's just two blocks from Floresta metro station, it's convenient for exploring the city.
El Poblado Neighborhoods
4. Central Poblado
Central Poblado is definitely the most popular place to stay in Medellin for both tourists and long-term foreign residents. I sometimes almost forget I'm in Colombia when I'm in this part of town.
Parque Lleras isn't that nice, but a lot of the surrounding areas like Provenza, which is just up the hill, are popular with not just expats but well-off locals as well.
Notable Spots
- The hedonistic nightlife district of Parque Lleras.
- Pretty much every fine-dining restaurant in Medellin, including our favorite, the more hip-than-fancy Alambique.
- Quite a few low-cost but delicious, huge, and authentically Colombian lunch places. See our menu del dia guide for our favorites.
- A collection of breezy cafes including Pergamino, which lives up to its lofty reputation and popularity.
- Nearest Metro Station: Poblado. From the station, it is a 20 to 30-minute walk up a steep hill to get to Central Poblado.
Top Accommodation
- The Charlee Hotel, a boutique five star hotel right in the center of it all, is far and away the most popular place to stay in Medellin for the stylish crowd.
- Casa Kiwi is the #1 most-recommended hostel in our mega recap of what other bloggers have written about Medellin. For a chiller hostel, consider Rango Boutique Hostel, which is backed by peaceful Parque Presidenta.
5. Lower Poblado
(Manila / Astorga / Northern Patio Bonito)
Down the hill from Central El Poblado, Lower Poblado is more low-key, but there's no mistaking you're still in gringolandia. It's full of hostels and restaurants that cater to foreign tastes.
Since it's close to the metro and has a big Exito grocery store, we found it to be the most conveniently-located El Poblado neighborhood.
Notable Spots
- None, really. It's a low-key residential place whose big advantage is being conveniently close to El Poblado metro station, the mega Exito supermarket, and all the restaurants, nightlife, and cafés of Central Poblado while still remaining peaceful.
- Nearest Metro Station: Poblado. It is a 5 to 15-minute uphill walk from the station to Lower Poblado.
Top Accommodation
- Travelers Orange Suites Medellin. Airbnb put us up here after a disastrous experience and it was perfect: decent breakfast, rooftop pool, full kitchen, friendly staff, and, in our opinion, the most convenient location in Medellin.
- Los Patios Hostal Boutique is easily the best-rated hostel in Medellin. As I write this #3 on Booking.com, #1 on TripAdvisor, #3 on Google reviews, and #2 on Hostelworld. Some hostels game one site to rank high on it. You can't game 'em all, though.
6. La Florida
A swanky area of high-rises, hills, and malls. The streets are quiet, mostly because there are few shops and people drive everywhere (or get Rappi to deliver everything to them).
Notable Spots
- Oviedo and Santafé shopping centers, which are overrated as Medellin tourist attractions, but are handy for longer-term residents.
- Otra Estacion, an uncharacteristically (for the area) low-key spot to enjoy some empanadas, cheese sticks, and beers with friends.
- La Provincia restaurant, which was Kim's parents' favorite from their visit.
- Nearest Metro Stations: Poblado or Aguacatala, depending on your hotel. At least a 20-minute walk to either.
Top Accommodation
- Whichever hotel chain you're loyal to: Sheraton, Marriott, Holiday Inn, NH, or Hilton.
Envigado Neighborhoods
7. El Dorado
El Dorado has a true neighborhood feel, with smaller houses that have shops, bars, mini-markets, and other small businesses all along its narrow streets.
Notable Spots
- The unbelievable, romantic Casa de las Piedritas, probably our top-recommended attraction in Envigado (and possibly all of Medellin) is a short walk away.
- Go to Colombia Immersion for their always fun and friendly Friday night language exchanges.
- A couple of our favorite restaurants in Medellin, including Burro Pizzeria and Pedacito de Amor.
- La Cancha sport complex has a track, turf field, basketball court, and outdoor gym.
- Nearest Metro Station: Envigado Station to El Dorado is a 25-minute walk, part of which is uphill.
Top Accommodation
- Hotels weren't allowed in Envigado until recently, so there's only one, Hotel Arame, which is a 15 minute walk from El Dorado
- Airbnbs are your best bet. Here are the Airbnbs in El Dorado. If you've never used Airbnb before, use our coupon code for a discount on your first stay.
8. Central Envigado
Envigado's small "downtown" feels like you're not in Medellin anymore, which was indeed the case not too long ago.
Notable Spots
- El Parque de Envigado, the city's main square, is wildly decorated during the month of December and fun for people-watching all year long.
- My absolute favorite food in Medellin, the insanely huge chicharron from la Gloria de Gloria, is just up the street.
- See our Envigado guide for lots more highlights.
- Nearest Metro Station: Walking from Envigado Station to the central square takes 20 minutes and is uphill.
Top Accommodation
- Hotel Arame, a 5-minute walk from Envigado's main square and conveniently close to the metro station, is the only, but still highly-rated, hotel in all of Envigado where, until recently, hotels were forbidden.
- See Airbnbs in Central Envigado.
9. Northern Envigado
(San Marcos / La Magnolia)
These residential neighborhoods may have less street life than El Dorado, but they do contain Envigado's fine-dining / entertainment district, La Calle de la Buena Mesa.
Notable Spots
- Otraparte, a cafe, museum, and garden all in one, is one of our favorite places to hang out in Medellin.
- Go to Chiclayo for excellent Peruvian food, Zacatecas for spicy Mexican, and Casa Antonios and Prana for healthy lunches.
- Nearest Metro Station: Between Envigado and Ayurá stations, which will be 15 to 25-minute walks.
Top Accommodation
- Airbnb is your only choice because there are no hotels or hostels anywhere close—not because it isn't an attractive place to stay but because hotels weren't allowed in Envigado until recently. Here are the Airbnbs in Northern Envigado. If you've never used Airbnb before, use our coupon code to save on your first stay.
El Centro Neighborhoods
10. Downtown Medellin
(La Candelaria)
The the heart of downtown Medellin, La Candelaria is starting to carve out its position as a potential neighborhood for foreigners to stay in. It's right in the middle of all the action, for better and for worse.
Notable Spots
- Tons of the tourist attractions like Plaza Botero, Plaza Cisneros (a.k.a. Parque de las Luces), Paseo Carabobo, and the Antioquia Museum. Do the Real City walking tour, one of our 10 top things to do in Medellin, to get acquainted with them all.
- Plaza Minorista, Medellin's hectic central market.
- Nearest Metro Stations: San Antonio and Parque Berrío are both in the center of the neighborhood. DON'T walk between either station and Plaza Minorista.
Top Accommodation
- Quite honestly, there are no hotels in Downtown Medellin that we feel 100% comfortable endorsing. If you have a recommendation, please let us know in the comments.
- Raiz Hostel is the only hostel close to downtown worth considering, though it's a bit of a ways from the downtown attractions.
- See Airbnbs in Downtown Medellin.
The Criteria
Click any link below to jump directly to the criterion you're most interested in.
- High-End Food
- Local Food
- Cafés
- Access to Groceries
- Cost of Living
- Local Culture
- Nightlife
- Tranquility
- Social Activities for Expats
- Safety
- Exercise and Parks
- Getting Around
Best High-End Restaurants
By American and European standards, high-end restaurants in Medellin are cheap (around $15 USD an entree), so tourists may factor proximity to them as an important factor in deciding where to stay.
If you're living in Medellin longer term this won't matter as much—especially if you're earning Colombian pesos. You can just take a taxi across town on the odd night you go out.
The vast majority of the best restaurants in Medellin are in Central Poblado, though Lower Poblado, Central Laureles, and Northern Envigado all have fine-dining areas too.
Other neighborhoods on our list of contenders are ranked based on the few nice restaurants they have and their proximity to the aforementioned barrios.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | Central Poblado |
| 2 | La Florida, Poblado |
| 3 | Lower Poblado |
| 4 | Central Laureles |
| 5 | Northern Envigado |
| 6 | La 70, Laureles |
| 7 | El Dorado, Envigado |
| 8 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 9 | Central Envigado |
| 10 | Downtown Medellin |
Best Budget, Local, and Menu del Dia Restaurants
For budget travelers and longer-term expats looking for the best place to stay in Medellin, being close to a variety of cheap but tasty eateries is a must.
This is especially the case with the amazing menu del día lunch specials here, which should your bread and butter (or rice and beans) when it comes to eating out.
Since it's the business center of the city with many mouths to feed, Downtown Medellin ranks as #1. Close behind is Central Envigado, which has multiple spots per block as well.
Ranking the neighborhoods in the 3 to 8 range is as difficult as finishing a chicharron platter from La Gloria de Gloria on your own. They all have so many light-on-wallet, heavy-on-taste options you could live and eat in any for ages without getting bored or going poor. Even in fancy, touristy Central Poblado. You just need to know where to look. (Again, see our menu del dia guide).
Only two of the contending barrios stand out for having a particularly poor selection of cheap eats: la Florida and Northeastern Laureles.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown Medellin |
| 2 | Central Envigado |
| 3 | La 70, Laureles |
| 4 | Central Laureles |
| 5 | Central Poblado |
| 6 | Lower Poblado |
| 7 | Northern Envigado |
| 8 | El Dorado, Envigado |
| 9 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 10 | La Florida, Poblado |
Most and Best Cafés
Whether you're a coffee fiend or a digital nomad in need of a place to work, you're going to need a few nearby cafés with reliably strong WiFi and tasty beans.
Central Laureles wins this one by a hair over Central Poblado. Both have a comparable selection, but the cafés in Laureles tend to be less busy. Plus, Laureles is home to the best coffee in Medellin, according to our professionally-run blind taste test.
Lower Poblado and la 70 both have smaller but decent selections of cafés and benefit from being not too far from the aforementioned neighborhoods. Northern Envigado has a couple of the best spots, like El Café de Otraparte and Cocolatte, but only a couple.
As for La Candelaria, it's a place for tintos (local cheap coffee) and not one where you want to take your computer out in public.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | Central Poblado |
| 2 | Central Laureles |
| 3 | Lower Poblado |
| 4 | Northern Envigado |
| 5 | La 70, Laureles |
| 6 | La Florida, Poblado |
| 7 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 8 | Central Envigado |
| 9 | El Dorado, Envigado |
| 10 | Downtown Medellin |
Easiest Access to Groceries
This criterion is of no concern to you if you're a non-budget tourist or you prefer to pay someone to deliver everything you need with Rappi (which many of our friends do).
But if you're a "traditionalist" who prefers to pick out your own produce and are staying in Medellin long-term, it's pivotal. Being able to pop downstairs to pick up an avocado, milk, and some Aguila beers (or, based on our Colombian beer blind taste test, maybe Club Colombia instead) can be a huge quality of life booster.
If you're part of the latter group, Central Envigado and nearby El Dorado are ideal. The streets are lined with produce markets, meat shops, and supermarkets.
On the other end of the spectrum is la Florida and, to a lesser extent, Central Poblado. But people in those swanky areas can afford to pay for grocery delivery, I suppose.
The Laureles neighborhoods are in the middle of the spectrum. They're spread out, but there are grocery stores around.
Then there's Downtown Medellin. While it's closest to the best market in the city, La Plaza Minorista, we strongly advise against walking there because it goes right through Medellin's skid row.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | Central Envigado |
| 2 | El Dorado, Envigado |
| 3 | La 70, Laureles |
| 4 | Central Laureles |
| 5 | Northern Envigado |
| 6 | Lower Poblado |
| 7 | Downtown Medellin |
| 8 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 9 | Central Poblado |
| 10 | La Florida, Poblado |
Most Affordable
A modern apartment in Central Poblado or la Florida is double the same in Envigado. In the Laureles barrios, it's somewhere in between, approaching El Poblado prices in some areas. Roughly the same applies to hotels and Airbnbs.
That all said, there are tons of hostels in Central and Lower Poblado. They're affordable, but certainly not as cheap as those elsewhere in the city.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | Central Envigado |
| 2 | Downtown Medellin |
| 3 | El Dorado, Envigado |
| 4 | Northern Envigado |
| 5 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 6 | La 70, Laureles |
| 7 | Central Laureles |
| 8 | Lower Poblado |
| 9 | La Florida, Poblado |
| 10 | Central Poblado |
Most Local Culture
By "Local Culture," we mean the "Colombian-ness" of the neighborhood. Basically, it's inversely proportional to the number of foreigners who can be found there.
For some, the more fellow foreigners where they're staying the better. Others prefer to immerse themselves in the local culture. In this case, we're doing the rankings from the latter perspective.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | Central Envigado |
| 2 | El Dorado, Envigado |
| 3 | Downtown Medellin |
| 4 | Northern Envigado |
| 5 | La 70, Laureles |
| 6 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 7 | Central Laureles |
| 8 | Lower Poblado |
| 9 | Central Poblado |
| 10 | La Florida, Poblado |
Best Nightlife
While local partygoers are starting to move away from Parque Lleras, Central Poblado's famous fiesta fantasyland, it remains the place to go for nightlife. Ciudad del Rio, a short cab ride to the north, also has quite a few places to let loose, so Central Poblado is still the surefire #1 when it comes to nightlife.
Calle 33, to the south of Central Laureles has a more local vibe, as does Carrera 70 in the eponymous la 70 neighborhood. It's a long walk to either street from Northeastern Laureles.
As for Envigado… well, nightlife there mostly consists of men drinking at bars that surround the town square (though there are a couple fun bars like El Callejón).
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | Central Poblado |
| 2 | Lower Poblado |
| 3 | La Florida, Poblado |
| 4 | Central Laureles |
| 5 | La 70, Laureles |
| 6 | Downtown Medellin |
| 7 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 8 | Northern Envigado |
| 9 | Central Envigado |
| 10 | El Dorado, Envigado |
Most Peaceful
For light sleepers and those uninterested in the party life, peace and quiet plays a big role when deciding on the best places to stay in Medellin. Not only do bars and clubs in Medellin play very loud music, but traffic noise can be very sleep-disturbing as well.
Tranquility here doesn't only relate to when you're in your hotel or apartment. We're also considering how serene (or not) it is to walk around the neighborhood.
Only the La Calendaria downtown and Zona Centro in Envigado are noisy and busy all day long. During the day and even in the evening (and especially on Sundays), even many parts of 8th-ranked Central can be quite peaceful.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | El Dorado, Envigado |
| 2 | Northern Envigado |
| 3 | La Florida, Poblado |
| 4 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 5 | Lower Poblado |
| 6 | Central Laureles |
| 7 | La 70, Laureles |
| 8 | Central Poblado |
| 9 | Central Envigado |
| 10 | Downtown Medellin |
Most Social Activities for Expats
For this criterion, we're referring to MeetUps, language exchanges, and Facebook Group events that are non-Spanish-speaker friendly. There are tons of these in Medellin—Get on the Catalyst Weekly mailing list to keep up to date.
With rare exceptions, like the always popping Colombia Immersion Friday language exchange in El Dorado, they are always in the El Poblado or Laureles barrios.
Kim and I didn't consider this when choosing where to stay in Medellin, but now we go to one or two of these events a week, so being close to them definitely helps. You may want to consider the same.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | Central Poblado |
| 2 | Central Laureles |
| 3 | La Florida, Poblado |
| 4 | Lower Poblado |
| 5 | La 70, Laureles |
| 6 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 7 | El Dorado, Envigado |
| 8 | Northern Envigado |
| 9 | Central Envigado |
| 10 | Downtown Medellin |
Safest
Safety will likely figure on the top of everyone's list of criteria when deciding on the best place to stay in Medellin.
The good news? There's only one neighborhood among our candidates where we wouldn't want to walk around at night: Downtown Medellin.
Nevertheless, in every other neighborhood we're still much more conscious about keeping our valuables concealed and protected than we are in Canada, the US, Europe, or even Mexico City.
Busy neighborhoods like Central Poblado and Central Envigado are safer when it comes to robbery because there are always people around, but those same crowds increase the risk of pickpocketing. Quiet neighborhoods like Northeastern Laureles and la Florida have less pickpocketing risk, but you can find yourself in the potentially dangerous position of being the only one walking on the street.
Envigado is definitely where we felt safest. Though it's been swallowed up by Medellin's growth, it retains a friendly small-town vibe.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | El Dorado, Envigado |
| 2 | Northern Envigado |
| 3 | Central Envigado |
| 4 | La Florida, Poblado |
| 5 | Central Laureles |
| 6 | Lower Poblado |
| 7 | Central Poblado |
| 8 | La 70, Laureles |
| 9 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 10 | Downtown Medellin |
Best Neighborhoods for Outdoor Exercise
We don't know about you, but having easy access to outdoor areas where we can exercise is very important to us.
Overall, Medellin does an admirable job of making this possible. There are little public workout areas scattered everywhere around the city and it has the weekly Cyclovia, where main roads are closed for traffic for the benefit of pedestrians and cyclists.
The neighborhoods in Laureles take the cake (but don't eat it!) when it comes to exercise. They are close, or close-ish, to fantastic facilities like the Atanasio Girardot and Belén sports complexes, and the big, green Parque Metropolitano.
El Dorado in Envigado has its own field and outdoor workout area called La Cancha, and it's within walking distance of another sports complex, the Estadio Polideportivo Sur.
Central Poblado has a decent little outdoor workout area, but most people stick to working out (and checking each-others' spandex onesies) inside in the area's many fitness centers.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 2 | La 70, Laureles |
| 3 | Central Laureles |
| 4 | El Dorado, Envigado |
| 5 | Central Poblado |
| 6 | Lower Poblado |
| 7 | Central Envigado |
| 8 | La Florida, Poblado |
| 9 | Northern Envigado |
| 10 | Downtown Medellin |
Best Locations for Getting Around Medellin
"Getting Around" means how easy it is to get from the neighborhood you're in to other areas and attractions in Medellin, particularly on public transit.
This is especially important for travelers deciding where to stay in Medellin, but even those living in Medellin will want to move around from district to district more often than you might think.
It should be no surprise that when it comes to getting around, Downtown Medellin is the best place to be. It's the hub of all metro and bus lines and is in the center of all the attractions.
Unfortunately, all the other contending neighborhoods aren't very central. Getting from Envigado to Poblado is an easy bus ride, but it still takes 20-30 minutes. And getting between Poblado to Laureles is around 45 minutes.
In any of these areas, it helps to be close to a metro station. That's why Lower Poblado and la 70 in Laureles are the next highest ranked, and why Central Laureles and El Dorado are at the bottom. It's a twenty-five-minute walk from those barrios to the nearest metro station.
Buses are handy if you can figure them out and taxis are everywhere and inexpensive (around 15,000 between Laureles and Poblado). The problem is with Medellin's bad traffic you'll find yourself wanting to minimize your amount of time in them as much as possible.
| Rank | Barrio |
|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown Medellin |
| 2 | La 70, Laureles |
| 3 | Lower Poblado |
| 4 | Central Poblado |
| 5 | Northeastern Laureles |
| 6 | Central Envigado |
| 7 | Northern Envigado |
| 8 | La Florida, Poblado |
| 9 | Central Laureles |
| 10 | El Dorado, Envigado |
Wow! You guys really went into so much detail! My boyfriend and I are so thankful! We've been traveling for about 18 months now, staying month to month in every country or city we choose. We are choosing Medellin around December – ? and have been wondering what area we want to stay. You really broke it down! We're saving this blog for sure. From what I'm seeing, we're "Central Laureles" kind of people. Thank you! -Karla
Hey Karla. You're a Central Laureles-er are ya? Muy bien. It's definitely a relaxed, friendly part of town with good people and good food. It takes some time to warm up to and find your way around, but when you do it'll hopefully live up to your expectations.
And do I understand you right that you've done 18 different cities/countries in 18 months? Whoa. Where's YOUR blog? We'd be interested to hear your stories!
When you say "Western Patio Bonito" I think you mean northern. Your map on that one, for whatever reason, is on its side. North is to the left. Thus north looks like west.
You're totally right! Brain fart by me. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll fix it right now.
Hopefully, thousands of people haven't misguidedly eschewed "Eastern Patio Bonito" in favor of "Western Patio Bonito" because of my careless mistake; I could never live that down!
I really appreciate the information you have provided in your blog, it is very helpful. I am looking forward to visiting Medellin and might possibly stay for a month. According to what I have read, one of the downsides of living in Medellin is the high levels of pollution. It was stated the pollution levels can vary based on the neighborhood with some neighborhoods in Medellin having higher levels than others. I suffer from asthma and this is a major concern for me. What neighborhoods in Medellin are safe for a foreigner and also have the least amount of pollution? I can accept living in a neighborhood with less western amenities if it means getting cleaner air to breath. Thanks for your assistance.
Hey Floyd, Yeah, pollution is a serious problem in Medellin. Kim was particularly sensitive to it and even got sick a couple of times when we lived in Envigado. It's lower down in the valley and the streets are busy and narrow, so you suck in more smog there. Envigado's great, but in your situation you'd better avoid living there. In El Poblado she was fine, though. We stayed in a less-trafficked area of Patio Bonito.
Alternatively, you could get out of the valley entirely and try somewhere like El Retiro. Quite a few expats are settling over there and it's a lot fresher. The downside, of course, is being further from the city.
Best Medellin-Guide I've seen so far. I arrived yesterday and looking for apartments now. Want to stay a couple months, maybe until February, March but don't really want to move during that time. I check out a couple apartments everyday and didn't really have time to explore the neighborhoods yet. Your guide certainly covers that :o)
I actually would love to go to Envigado (have read your guide about it as well but sadly haven't found any apartments in El Dorado yet) but I am a "foodie"/like to mingle and I want to have as many restaurants/bars near me (not like next to my room but in walking distance) as possible. And also coworking-spaces and places where Nomads and Locals meet. Therefore I guess Laureles is the place for me 🙂
well, not that you're interested in those thoughts I just had to write them down 😀 thx again for the guide!
Actually, I am interested in your thoughts, Fabian, so thanks for sharing them. I suggest you consider Patio Bonito in El Poblado as well. It's close to the coworking spaces and food in El Poblado, which is where most of it is located, more than Laureles, and it's still quiet and easier to get around town from there than further up the hill.
Thanks for all the info you guys!! Planning my trip to Colombia for this february and looks like ill be staying in Central Envigado! I love the concept of your blog as well. Keep up the great work.
Cool! Check out our Envigado post then for tips on the area. And, if it's still available and you're looking for somewhere cheap, central, and affordable to stay at, consider staying at Mafe's Airbnb, which I believe we linked to there.
including the neighborhoods you discussed-where is the best few places to live in the city with the lowest amount of pollution?
Good question Alan. I haven't been able to find any actual studies that compare pollution levels in different parts of town, so I can only answer based on my anecdotal experience. In general, the higher up and the farther from high-trafficked streets the better. El Centro is a no-go for both reasons. Envigado is dense with busy narrow streets and bad too (unless you go way up the hill, but then it's not central). Central and Northern Laureles are low-lying but don't have much traffic and plenty of trees, so they're not bad. Same goes for Lower Poblado. And Central Poblado is higher up, which is good, and leafy too, but the busy streets, especially Calle 10 aren't ideal. Here's a quick, rough ranking:
1. Lower Poblado
2. Northeastern Laureles
3. Central Laureles
4. Central Poblado
5. La Florida, Poblado
6. La 70, Laureles
7. El Dorado, Envigado
8. Northern Envigado
9. Central Envigado
10. Downtown Medellin
Great guide, thank you! You mentioned that first you picked the wrong neighborhood and hated it, and then moved to another one and never wanted to leave. Do you mind sharing which neighborhoods those were? The one you hated and the one you loved. Thanks!
Hey Humi. Sure. We didn't mention it since we didn't want to bias others' decisions, but since you asked:
The neighborhood we really didn't like was Northeastern Laureles and the ones we really like were Central Envigado (we spent 1 month there), El Dorado (1.5 months), and Lower Poblado (3 months).
Wondering if you are familiar with any safe fringe areas (outer suburbs/neighborhoods or pueblos around Medellin that are more semi rural in nature, not too far from The Metro access and with cable available. I would be looking to rent a small house or apartment, possibly full time with plans of becoming a part of that neighborhood.
Thanks
Hi David. Most expats we met who lived in rural parts of Medellin were around Santa Elena or Rionegro. Neither is close to the metro, though. But I can't think of anywhere semi-rural that is within a few kilometers of a station. Your best bets would probably be, unsurprisingly, towards the ends of the metro lines: up in the hills behind Envigado and Sabaneta (well-established with expats), or, the other way by Niquia station, which we got a really nice vibe from in the afternoon we walked through it after hiking Cerro Quitasol. Hope that helps at least a little bit.
Your site is perfection. The time you put into the research and direct links is so very appreciated. I also love the format and the interactive rating chart is pretty much what I need in my life to make every daily decision lol.
Question. I have an opportunity to stay at one of the chain hotels for Free! but as you stated it will be 20-30 mins from transportation/downtown. I'm only staying the weekend and wondering if I'll spend more in taxis than if I just stayed at the Travelers Orange. I already have a soccer match planned and parasailing – which both include transportation. I just dont want to spend $70 in taxis when if I stayed downtown I could have walked everywhere.
Thanks for the comment and the question! I'm not 100% clear where exactly your free hotel is, but if it's somewhere in the city I'd take the hotel if I were in your position. Note that's partly because I don't have a real job and need to be careful money. 20-30 minute cab rides are cheap in Medellin (Likely around $10USD. Just avoid crossing the city in rush hour). Since you already have a couple things planned that include transport you won't need to take more than a few of them. Have a great weekend!
This is a fabulous and very thorough blog post, I really appreciate it! I am planning a trip with my entire family so I have several factors to take into account- parents in their late 60's and my sister's family which will include a 5 year old and an 8 month old. After reading this I'm leaning towards Central Envigado, but I am worried about the pollution after seeing those comments.
Any other great neighborhoods for families with little kiddos? Any thoughts on renting a car instead of relying on public transportation?
Hey Liz, I suspect Central Envigado will be a bit too chaotic for what you're looking for. El Dorado is more peaceful and even has a playground, and it's super safe and welcoming, so that'd be a good, if unconventional choice (because you'll find few if any tourists there). For a more conventional alternative, Central Laureles will be your best bet.
For getting around, the metro is a good bet during non-peak hours. But avoid it during rush-hour, which may be too much to handle with small kids. Combine that with Uber or even taxis, which I'd recommend over it or renting a car. Taxis/Uber won't cost much more than public transit when you have a full car.
Hi, Thanks for the great info. My husband and I, and our 15 year old daughter will be travelling to Medellin in August. We would like to be in a safe area, but we only have 2.5 days in Medellin so would like to be close to some of the main attractions, and out of the majorly touristy areas. Before I read this, we had booked a place at Backpackers Inn Medellin, which gets great reviews. It is in the La70 area of Laureles, so maybe not the safest? We found a hotel (Casa Hotel El Jardin) in what I guess would be Central Laureles, so maybe safer? The reviews are good, but not quite as good as the Backpackers. They really aren't that far apart. I realise a few blocks can make quite a difference in certain areas of cities. Is this one of those cases? Thanks for your help. My daughter has always wanted to visit Colombia; I am a bit nervous about the trip. Also, we don't speak a lot of Spanish if that makes a big difference to where we stay.
Hi Michelle, Thanks for your comment. The lines between La 70 and Central Laureles as we informally define them here are quite blurry and I'd actually say Backpackers Inn falls within Central Laureles. Based on the reviews and the location, it looks like a great spot for you and your family. Have a great trip and please let us know how it goes!
I'm thinking of renting a really nice apartment on Airbnbn in Guayabal (to be more precise the area called La Hondonada). Is this neighborhood safe? Would it be easy to get to the center and other activities? Should I use uber there or the public transportation is fine? It's my first trip to Columbia, I still have one month to work on my Spanish.
Thanks
I'm not familiar with La Hondonada, but from the looks of where it is on the map it's going to be a pain to get around. For working on your Spanish (i.e. not being surrounded by fellow English speakers) but still being reasonably central, my first recommendation would be around El Dorado in Envigado.
Thank you for the answer! Ended up renting near Parque La Milagrosa (a bit more East). Is this a Buenos Aires area? is it safe? Any fun things to do, maybe good restaurants or Spanish classes nearby? Thanks!
Hey Alex. Sorry to say, we're not familiar with that area at all, so we can't help you. Please keep us posted on how it goes so we can update this post to share with others.
A few comments: First of all, thank you for a really great guide with your thoughts and experience. I have visited Medellin numerous times in prior years and have now lived here in Florida Nueva, Laureles Estadio, since March this year. Secondly, on your first map under Don't Ask "Laureles, Poblado, or Envigado, in the caption you have Laureles, El, Poblado, etc. Obviously there should be no comma between El and Poblado. Also there you have that north is to the left (correct) but you identify top as west. That should actually be east. West is to the bottom. That is also misstated on another map that I looked at. You may want to correct that. Thanks again for a great, detailed blog.
Fixed! Thanks for taking the time to point out those errors, Phil. I truly appreciate it.
Thank you for such a detailed post! My fiancé and I will be spending about four weeks in Medellín, so your post is super helpful!
Cool. You going to set up a similar ExpatLauncher service in Medellin? Either way, enjoy your stay .
Love the blog guys, loved staying at Guido's place in Busuwanga! We are heading to Medellin in the new year and I had a quick question on the neighbourhoods.
This article ranks central Laureles as number one, but your article on most overrated and underrated things to do, you say that Laureles is the most overrated neighbourhood and that there is not much character, not much to do and far from everything.
Looking for some clarification for what you would recommend people that don't want to stay in a super touristy area, but also want cool restaurants and things to do.
Thanks!
You stayed with Guido, too! I'm so happy to hear that.
Good sleuthy question on the neighborhoods. The overall ranking here means nothing unless you prioritize each of the criteria we list equally. Otherwise, pick the criteria that matter most to you to get a better indication of which neighborhood's the best fit.
Central Laureles has a lot going for it, especially if you're living in Medellin and get to know it and want a more chill place to stay. But because of the location it's maybe not the most convenient for a shorter stay.
Based on your very brief description of yourselves, consider El Dorado in Envigado and use our Envigado guide to find some things to do around there. Otherwise, to be closer to the attractions and action but not too surrounded by tourists, maybe Lower Poblado.
You won't go wrong regardless, especially given the type of travelers you seem to be. Have a great trip and let us know if you have any discoveries worth adding to our posts.
This is fabulous! Thank you. I just booked an ABNB and was then told by people who live there that it was not in a safe area. SOOO today began my new search and found you. Thank you. I am a solo traveler and this info is so helpful.
Any suggestions for Cusco, Peru. I'm going to be traveling for 3-5 months.
Kathleen
Quick question for you: We are planning a quick trip to Medellin from South Florida where we live. We have never been to Colombia (or Central/South.America). Our trip will be 2 full days plus 1 half day. We would like to walk, see the city, we love to EAT, and we would consider a hiking trip, maybe a half day thing. I have read the articles and I am thinking Central Poblado for the hotel (or Air B&B). Any comment/suggestion will be appreciated. Cheers!
Hey Manuel. Lower Poblado or Central Poblado sound like the best bets for you. See our favorite things to do, Medellin hikes, and favorite restaurants in Medellin for some ideas. Hopefully you enjoy Medellin so much you'll return for a longer stay!
Wow Based on your recommendation I stayed closes to the stadium, as according to you this supposed to be second best location to stay and I must say I hated this neighborhood from tje first minute! There are no nice cafes or places to work out at all! Unlike you stated in your post! This make me feel you haven't been here or have no taste at all! This place is like nice place to stay in the 80's. Please don't make these reviews because your are ruining people's holidays!
Hey Mat. Sorry to hear that.
Can you help us understand why you picked the area around Estadio (Northeastern Laureles, as we called it)? We gave it a 4 for cafés, 3 for dining, and 2 for cheap eats, so if that's what you're looking for why did you choose it? And did you go to the stadium to work out? It has every type of exercise equipment imaginable.
It seems like either you misinterpreted our guide or the guide isn't clear enough. Please let us know what caused the confusion so we can help clear it up for other readers.
You win…this was a great and thorough article about the micro-neighborhoods or barrios of Medellin. I'm here on my fifth trip and looking to purchase a home, but am so specific when I book Airbnbs, I want to make sure I have found my ideal neighborhood.
Thanks Dannyboobo. I checked out your blog. Seems like we have a lot in common (though maybe not on affinity for Airbnb). Come to Cape Town sometime before/after you settle in Medellin! Best of luck with the home hunting.
Slightly confused by your 'number' ranking, so if you could please clarify. One(1) through ten(10) = best to worst (1 being the best, and 10 being the worst). Or is it the reverse. I look forward to your response. Thanks for blazing a trail for the rest of us.
Cheers, Brad
Hi Brad. 1 is worst. 10 is best. Enjoy Medellin!
hi guys, looks great. been living in ibague for almost 2 years, moving to medellin in Jan 2023… so the only real question I have is whether post covid has changed any of this information?
Hi Ron. I wish I could tell you, but I don't know, since I haven't been to Medellin since pre-panademic.