Experiences and local guides in Medellín

Nature

Medellín fills a valley at 1,500 m ringed by green mountains, with spring weather all year. Two hours away, Guatapé and its thousand-island reservoir, with the Peñol rock (740 steps) as a viewpoint; to the north, San Félix is one of Colombia's best paragliding sites; to the east, Arví park with forest trails; and to the south-west, Jardín and the coffee towns of Antioquia.

Activities

• Tandem paragliding at San Félix overlooking the Aburrá valley
• Guatapé and the Peñol rock: climb, boat ride, kayaking and cycling past the colourful zócalos
• Comuna 13 tours with neighbourhood guides: street art, outdoor escalators, hip hop
• Hiking in Arví park (by cable car) and on Cerro Quitasol, trekking to the Jardín waterfall
• Jardín: horseback riding, coffee farms, cocks-of-the-rock at dawn and a colourful village

When to go

All year, between 18 and 28 °C. December to February and July to August are drier; April, May, October and November bring afternoon rain. The Flower Fair is in August.

How to get there

José María Córdova airport (MDE) in Rionegro, 45 minutes from the centre, with flights from all over the Americas and Madrid. Metro and cable cars in town. Guatapé is 2 hours by bus from the Norte terminal; San Félix (paragliding) 1 hour; Jardín 3 hours. Comuna 13 tours start at San Javier metro station.