When wondering where to stay in Medellin, you basically have just a few options.
The most popular area to stay in Medellin is El Poblado and for the majority of the tourists, this area will perfectly do.
However, there are a few other options and alternatives that we would like you to inform.
After giving a short answer to where to stay in Medellin, we dive deeper into each recommended area and tell you what kind of benefits each area has.
With that being said, let’s jump straight to our recommendations.
Medellin as seen from the cable cart that takes you to Parque Arvi
Medellin as seen from the viewpoint of Cerro de Las Tres Cruces. Where to stay in Medellin? Keep reading!
What are the best areas to stay in Medellin?
The best areas to stay in Medellin are El Poblado and Laureles. These two areas are by far the safest, most convenient, and most popular areas among foreigners and tourists.
You can find the majority of the hotels in these two areas as well, whereas the alternative areas are not represented by hotels that much.
The alternative areas to stay in Medellin are Envigado, La Candelaria, and Loma de Los Bernal.
If you’re planning to stay longer in Medellin than the average tourist, these alternative areas are worth considering as you pay far less for a room than the premium areas like El Poblado and Laureles.
The Botanical Garden.
Local nightlife area in Laureles called La 70.
How to move around in Medellin?
Medellin is still the only city in Colombia with a properly working metro system.
You can easily move from one side of the city to the other without much hassle.
However, taxis do come cheap and the Uber-alternative app called Didi is even cheaper and safer.
There are some horror stories about robberies that take place with taxis, although I personally don’t know anyone who was robbed in the last few years.
But we still recommend you use either Uber or Didi and pick a driver with plenty of reviews, just to be sure.
Is Medellin a safe city?
Yes, when you use your common sense and don’t look for any troubles, Medellin is a perfectly safe city.
Popular city highlights such as Botero Plaza are known for their pickpockets, but then again, so is the city of Barcelona.
Never bring too much cash with you, leave your passport at home, and don’t walk around with expensive jewelry.
These are common practices for a tourist in a country far from home.
Yes, there are horror stories as mentioned in the previous paragraph, but just use common sense and when things are too good to be true, simply walk away.
The metro cable to Parque Arvi leads you to this local comuna.
Plaza Botero with its iconic statues.
Parque Arvi is great for a hike in the forest.
Provenza is perfect for a night out!
The best areas to stay in Medellin are:
1. El Poblado
El Poblado is by far the most popular area to stay in Medellin for tourists but also ex-pats.
It’s an upscale neighborhood with plenty of restaurants, bars, shops, and cafes. It’s the epicenter of the city and especially when you enjoy the nightlife, El Poblado and Provenza in particular (a smaller area within El Poblado) is the area where you want to be.
One of the major benefits of staying at El Poblado is the convenience.
You can walk from one part to the other without much hassle.
There is also an abundance of excellent restaurants ranging from local eateries to upscale dining.
Have a look at our article about the best restaurants in El Poblado if you’re planning to stay in this area.
But El Poblado is also the area where you will find the most tourists and foreigners, which is something not every type of traveller wants.
If you want to be in an area with fewer tourists, then Laureles, which we discuss in the next paragraph, is the alternative.
Some of the best hotels to stay in Medellin in this particular area are visually listed below:
Agoda is part of Booking.com, and often offers significantly cheaper options compared to its competitors. You’ll get the same service that you are used to at Booking.com, but you simply pay less.
2. Laureles
Laureles is one of the oldest parts of the city and nowadays, it’s the most popular area for ex-pats.
It’s a relatively quiet area compared to El Poblado, although it does have a few streets that come to life during the evening.
Laureles is even safer than El Poblado, but also less vibrant (perhaps the word laid-back is the right description).
In El Poblado, the popular parts are concentrated in a smaller area, while in Laureles, these popular parts are more spread over Laureles.
But that doesn’t mean that Laureles is boring. There are plenty of leisure venues and activities nearby.
Another great thing about Laureles is that you have good access to public transport.
The metro system in Medellin is the only one in the country that is completely operational and it gives you as a traveller on a budget all the possibilities to travel easily to each part of the city.
Lastly, the local nightlife scene is quite popular. It’s located on a street called La 70 (pronounced as la Setenta) and is the perfect spot to enjoy the city’s nightlife.
Most foreigners tend to party at Provenza (Poblado) and end up in one of the nightclubs in Las Palmas.
If you do want to end up in a nightclub, head over to La 33, which is a street near Laureles where most Colombians head to party until the early morning.
Relevant food article: Best restaurants in Laureles.
Some of the best hotels to stay in Medellin in this particular area are visually listed below:
Agoda is part of Booking.com, and often offers significantly cheaper options compared to its competitors. You’ll get the same service that you are used to at Booking.com, but you simply pay less.
3. Envigado
Envigado is a large area south of El Poblado and similar to Laureles, it’s mostly a residential area. But this part of the city gets more popular nowadays and isn’t as quiet as before.
A taxi ride to El Poblado takes you about fifteen minutes if there is no traffic and in return, you’ll stay in an area where you are just one of the few tourists. It’s a safe area, but there aren’t as many hotels as the previously two recommended areas. Also, there aren’t as many highlights nearby.
But then again, a short taxi ride takes you to the epicenter of the city where you can explore the city mostly on foot. Envigado is an alternative area that offers cheaper and more spacious hotels, meaning it can be an excellent choice if you’re traveling with family.
One of the best things about Envigado is the amount of authentic local eateries, whereas in El Poblado for example, most of the restaurants are trendy. Places like Tamales Exquisitos, La Rochela Restaurante, Mondongos Ajiacos y Algo Más, and Fries Papa Lovers are among our favorites. For local nightlife, head over to Zona 9 (Envigado Centro).
Relevant food article: Best restaurants in Envigado.
Some of the best hotels to stay in Medellin in this particular area are visually listed below:
Agoda is part of Booking.com, and often offers significantly cheaper options compared to its competitors. You’ll get the same service that you are used to at Booking.com, but you simply pay less.
4. La Candelaria
La Candelaria is the area where you can find several highlights of the city, including Plaza Botero. Some parts of this area of Medellin are sketchy, but these are not the parts where you will pass through.
When staying in this part, you’re located next to the two most popular areas: Laureles and El Poblado. One of the great things about La Candelaria is that you have great access to the public transportation system.
Compared to El Poblado, the hotel prices are much cheaper, so it’s an alternative when you’re on a stricter budget.
Some of the best hotels to stay in Medellin in this particular area are visually listed below:
Agoda is part of Booking.com, and often offers significantly cheaper options compared to its competitors. You’ll get the same service that you are used to at Booking.com, but you simply pay less.
5. Loma de Los Bernal
When you’re planning to stay in Medellin for a longer period, you probably use a form of AirBnB. But when you’re looking for a place to stay for a month or so, you’ll notice that the prices are extremely high, especially in parts like El Poblado. An alternative is staying around Loma de Los Bernal and Belén. These two areas are perfectly safe but offer a good variety of affordable accommodations.
Many young Colombians live in this part of the city. But the major highlights of the city are located on the other side of the city. That’s why we would only recommend staying here if you’re planning to stay for a longer period of time.
One of the best things about staying on this side of the city is the access to the mountains. In our article about things to do in Medellin, we recommend you climb the Cerro de Las Tres Cruces, which is a short yet steep hiking trail that takes you to a superb panoramic viewpoint. For many locals, a daily climb to the top of this hill is their cardio exercise.
A taxi ride to Laureles or El Poblado takes you about fifteen minutes when there is not much traffic, so in the end, you’re not located that far from everything.
Some of the best hotels to stay in Medellin in this particular area are visually listed below:
Agoda is part of Booking.com, and often offers significantly cheaper options compared to its competitors. You’ll get the same service that you are used to at Booking.com, but you simply pay less.
Map of the best areas to stay in Medellin
The next image is a map of the best area to stay in Medellin including its highlights.
The image is in high resolution so you can easily zoom in to see all the details.
A map will follow soon.
There you have it, our recommendations when it comes to where to stay in Medellin.
Relevant articles about travel in Colombia