Check pico y placa before you drive in the Aburrá Valley

Laureles is flat, leafy and pleasant to walk, and the strip around Carrera 70, known as La Setenta, puts bars and restaurants within a short stroll while sitting closer to a metro station than the quieter parts. Rooms and meals tend to cost less than in El Poblado. Choose an address near Estadio or La Setenta, since…

Medellín has more than 1,700 homes and apartments offering stays on online platforms without the required paperwork, and the city is cracking down. Tourist lodging must be listed in the national tourism registry, and an apartment building can forbid short stays in its own bylaws. Ask the host for the registry number…

Each July the Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín gathers poets from many countries for readings, talks, workshops and concerts, now in its 36th edition in 2026. Past editions spread over the city and the metro area, with free-entry activities most days. Check the festival's official site for venues, which…

Each June the Festival Internacional de Tango fills the city with free events, among them a dance championship, a singing contest, a gala at the Teatro Metropolitano and a traditional milonga. A Tangovía closes a street in Manrique on a Friday of festival week. Dates shift a little each year, so check the Alcaldía…

Carlos Gardel died in Medellín in 1935 and Manrique has kept tango alive ever since, with Casa Gardeliana as its museum of photos, records and personal objects. On Fridays it runs tango classes, a beginners session in the early evening and a later one for more advanced dancers. Visit the museum in the afternoon, since…

The Orquesta Filarmónica de Medellín runs its Filarmed season from February to November at the Teatro Metropolitano. Concerts are ticketed and sold through the theatre box office, so check the programming page for the month you visit. Dates and programs change each season, and evening concerts are the easiest to fit…

Plaza Minorista José María Villa is the city's big farmers' market, with fruit, vegetables and typical products plus small counters for a local lunch. Go in the morning when stalls are fullest and taste tropical fruit you may not know. Take the Metro to Industriales and cross the footbridge from Minorista station…

On the first Saturday of the month Parque Bolívar hosts the Sanalejo craft market, where regional artisans sell their work. Past editions brought more than 300 artisans and entrepreneurs, with cultural performances alongside. Go earlier in the day, ask makers about their technique and buy directly from them. Hours…