The first thing is to leave prejudices aside. Decades ago, Medellín left its dark past behind: Today it is a model city, an example of how social inclusion projects through culture can create a virtuous circle.
Located in the Aburrá Valley and surrounded by the Central Andes mountain range, Medallo – that is what it is called locally, a nod to its name, which seems like a diminutive – is located 1,495 meters above sea level. Its mountainous topography shapes the city, with steep streets, stepped neighborhoods and views that open between hills. The high-altitude tropical climate maintains temperate temperatures all year round.which is why it is known as “the city of eternal spring.” It has two rainy seasons that renew the vegetation that populates it.
The streets wind their way through tropical forests. The Medellín River (also called Aburrá) runs through the city from south to north. Nature prevails, beautiful and generous. Pride in one’s own is present in fashion, design, art and also in cuisine, which particularly shines.
Flavors of the tropics
Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world (the first is Brazil, but over a much larger area): it has 433 species of local fruits, the greatest fruit biodiversity per square kilometer on the planet, which makes it a true paradise of flavors. Just visit the Plaza Minorista, the largest market in the cityto be dazzled by its variety of fruits, many of them coming from the Chocó area, in the Colombian Pacific. Pink guava (very acidic, eaten with lemon and salt), chontaduro, borojó, corozo (fruits that are usually processed and taken in juices or different preparations); and more than ten varieties of avocado (the largest, called “choque,” can reach two kilos). You can also eat in the Retail Plaza. Breakfasts with arepas, llanero cheese, tamales and fruit juices are abundant, as are lunches. At “La Esquina de la Ricura”, the market restaurant, the menu changes according to the fishing and the season. They serve sancocho de catfish — a river fish with very white and fleshy meat, very different from ours —, rice with coconut and “guandolo”, a drink made of panela water (a natural sweetener based on sugar cane) and lemon, with a sweet and acidic flavor.
Test Kitchen Lab: contemporary kitchen environment
Our luxury guide inside the market was Juan Miguel Elejalde, a chemical engineer in charge of the Test Kitchen Lab research area. The axis of this gastronomic project, led by chef Adolfo Cavalie, trained at the famous Central de Limais respect for the 100% Colombian product and the direct link with the producer. Together with him, Elejaldre designs a schedule of ingredient availability, which allows him to plan his seasonal “De Entorno” menu. For example, identify spices such as chímbaro, a very seasonal type of tree tomato that is used in cocktail pairings. This area is in charge of Cali bartender Daniela Alvarado who works with ancestral drinks such as viche, a sugar cane distillate, originally from the Pacific coast.
The eight-course tasting menu includes dishes from matured Pacific fish – bluefin tuna, a coveted species in the world’s cuisines, is an emblem of the area – and products from places like San Bernardo del Viento, on Isla Fuerte, that seem straight out of a García Márquez novel. The dishes are not only interesting, they are also tasty, very well harmonized with the cocktails: the trout with apple and cider comes with a white tequila and guava cocktail; the duck on a chontaduro base (the fruit is processed for 24 hours until a tasty dough is achieved), is paired with a shot of gin, chontaduro and coconut; etc
The research extends to sustainability. Every part of the product is used. In their homage to corn, they make chicha, distill tapetusa (a drink made with panela and corn cobs) and make the menu on handmade paper with its fibers. Haute cuisine thus becomes a contemporary reading of the territory. The end of the experience is a tasting of matured cocoa, with beans from Santander. The process includes double fermentation, artisanal drying and maturation for several months, which concentrates aromas and flavors.
Tropical omakases
The proximity between sea and mountains allows restaurants to be supplied with fresh products in a few hours. Marine fauna is also abundant: crab, shrimp, red snapper and bluefin tuna, among others, parade before the eyes of the diner-spectator sitting at the bars. There are two recommended omakases: Krudo and XO. In the first, yellowfin tuna aged fifteen days is served, with mandarin lemon ponzu; clam chowder made with shrimp, coconut milk and guanciale; and tiger prawns, an Asian species that has reached the Colombian coast, with smoked butter and corozo sauce. At XO, they offer bentos (little Japanese boxes with divisions in which different dishes are served) and Japanese dishes such as 21-day-aged meat sando are added to the fish, with wasabi and ponzu sauce.
Where fashion and art flourish
In Colombia there is a visible pride in what is indigenous. Ancestral crafts are celebrated and local raw materials are used in a mix of tradition and modernity. The fashion dazzles: designers work with natural fibers, leather and intense colors; combine irreverence and memorya kitsch and unprejudiced aesthetic that coexists with the rescue of the manual. The search is always the same: transform one’s own without losing one’s roots. Medellín is also the city of Fernando Botero. The Museum of Antioquia brings together his well-known sculptures with his lesser-known work: paintings that narrate his family history, such as those that portray his deceased son Julito, and a huge mural rescued from the streets. When Botero was asked what the best piece in the museum was, he pointed to the window that overlooks the plaza, today called Plaza Botero. There its famous rounded figures are integrated into the public space while the center bustles with fruit stalls. That mix of art and life sums up Medellín.
Vinyls, lights and storms
It is impossible to describe Medellín without mentioning its music. The audio bars, where they play vinyl with excellent hi-fi sound (high fidelity, faithful to the original sound) are an icon of the city. The first was Siete Pulgadas, a tiny space and today full of people, where, oh miracle! You can converse perfectly despite the volume of the music. The DJ, over 40, has gray hair, a lot of cool and chooses his music vinyls with a psychedelic air. The scene is reproduced in Mala, a much more spacious and sophisticated audio bar, whose wooden floors and custom-designed equipment achieve the best acoustics. The musical schedule is hectic. In 2025, Tomorrowland DJs, artists like Shakira, Maluma and bands like Guns N’ Roses, played in Medellín. In October 2025, the legendary band played in the rain. The scene was recorded as a summary of the city: energy, chaos, rhythm and a tropical storm falling on the audience. Welcome to the jungle!
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