Medellín is a city with spaces for everyone, either locals or foreigners, partiers or dreamers, big spenders or big savers.
In the particular case of the parks, you will find the perfect one for you, whoever you are. Medellín has one for everyone. You’ll find from urban environments, classic, traditional and full of history, to innovative areas that became benchmarks of the capital. Today, VICO will show you four of the must-see parks in Medellín.
Poblado park: where Medellín was born
Located in commune 14, Poblado Park is the place where the first settlement of the Aburra Valley was formed. But you may first wonder what the Aburra Valley is. Easy! It’s the group of municipalities that make up the narrow valley. More precisely, from north to south, it’s composed of Barbosa, Girardota, Copacabana, Bello, Medellin, Envigado, Itagui, La Estrella and Caldas.
In a few words, this park is the starting point of the Medellin you now today. It is a place of relaxation, where you can hang out with your friends, go shopping to craft fairs, have a drink or just sit and watch the urban landscape. Nearby, you will find the Golden Mile, Lleras Park, and the entire Zona Rosa de Medellín.
The dynamic of the park changes quite a lot according to the day and time. In general, those who go there in the morning and afternoon are mostly executives and seniors. They usually meet to drink coffee and talk about the country’s current affairs or other grown-ups topics. However, the panorama from Thursday to Sunday during the night is completely different. It becomes a meeting place for diverse cultures and young people who found in the park the perfect place to hang out and party
You can get to the park by Metro, get off at Poblado station and walk about 10 minutes. If not by metro, you can also get there with different urban buses. Lastly, if you want more comfort, you can always opt for a good old taxi or Uber.
Location: The Poblado, commune 14.
What to do? Chill out, drink a beer, relax and chat with friends after work
Type of visitors: executives and seniors during daytime and people between 17 and 40 years old at night.
Parque de los Pies Descalzos: A mini beach in the city
Would you expect to find a beach in the center of Medellín? Well, we told you, this city has it all. The idea of this park is to go there barefoot to enjoy the water and the sand. And to feel ever closer to the nature, the park also has a small bamboo forest that makes you forget about the city.
Besides that, you can find nice restaurants and outdoor cafes to enjoy your “time at the beach”. Plus, this place hosts a lot of various event, from concerts and exhibitions to daytime outdoor activities. Lastly, the park is located near the Interactive Museum of EPM. So you can also satisfy your need of culture before or after your chilling session at the beach.
You can simply reach the park by Metro through the stations Alpujarra or Cisneros. But since it’s in the center of Medellín, you can basically use any type of public transportation to get there. Take off your shoes and just enjoy your stay in one of the most surprising parks in Medellín.
Location: The Center, commune 10.
What to do ?: Relax in the bamboo forest, walk on the sand and cool off in the water fountain, as well as enjoy the gastronomic cuisine and attend the various events. You can also visit the EPM museum.
Type of visitors: Its audience is very wide. You can see from children to seniors depending on where you are.
Plaza Botero: where the most famous and elegant fat women are.
Also located in the center of Antioquia’s capital, it is the perfect place to get a taste of the local culture. The particularity of this park is the collection of bronze sculptures that covers the square. The famous sculptor Fernando Botero donated 23 of his chubby characters to the city in 2001, turning the park into a symbol of Medellín.
La Plaza Botero is also home to the Museum of Antioquia and the old building of Antioquia’s government. Now recognized as the Palace of Culture, the building provides a beautiful Gothic style to the park and its sculptures.
It is a city attraction that you can not miss. You can take pictures with the sculptures for free while enjoying a refreshing mango during the hot afternoons of the eternal spring (nickname of Medellín city).
Getting there is pretty easy. You just have to take the Metro to the Parque Berrío station, which is right next to the park. You could also use the other transportation means of the city. Of course, we recommend to be careful with your belongings and always be alert. However, do not miss out on taking advantage of an excellent open-air museum.
Location: The Center, commune 10.
What to do?: Take pictures with the 23 sculptures, visit the Museum of Antioquia, walk through the square and see the landscape.
Type of visitors: The Square is visited by a diversity of people, since it is a cultural meeting place.
Lleras Park: entertainment at your fingertips
This park is doubtlessly the most visited of all parks in Medellín. Located in El Poblado, it is one of the most recommended places for foreigners. Indeed, the Parque Lleras is the heart of the Zona Rosa, a party territory where you can also enjoy nice gastronomy and different types of entertainment. The parks hosts places for all tastes and budgets.
But the Lleras park has not always been the party heaven that it is today. It used to be Medellín’s high class families’ neighborhood until they were displaced. Nowadays it is an area overflowed by nightclubs, bars, cafes, restaurants, boutiques a commercial offer at your service.
As all the other parks in Medellín, you can get there by Metro, getting off at the Poblado station or with any other transportation mean. You can even stay near the park since it has a wide range of hotels and hostels. Do not miss out on all the activities you can do there!
Location: The Poblado, commune 14.
Do what?: Eat at a nice restaurant, have a drink at a bar, enjoy a Colombian coffee, go party with your friends in one of the multiple clubs.
Type of visitors: During the day, it is visited by executives and basically anyone who is looking for nice gastronomic offers in the area. At night though, it turns into a place to party and it is frequented by people over 18 years of many nationalities, cultures and traditions.
We recommend to enter here before going anywhere to learn some words from the lexicon of Medellín. That way, it will be easier for you to socialize with other people in the parks in Medellín
The invitation is done, the spaces waiting for you, you just need to choose when and where. We hope you will enjoy our selection of the best parks in Medellín!
