The Magic of Medellin Is In Its Story

Everyone loves a redemption tale

Every January (in non-COVID times), I spend the month living in a different country. Being there for an extended period means I can travel, sightsee and experience daily life while still completing my freelance work.

You can find digital nomads everywhere, but they tend to congregate where the quality of life is high and the cost of living is low.

I assumed this was the reason travelers kept recommending that I head to Medellin, Colombia. Although the city looked beautiful, I admit I was a little mystified about its appeal. I could think of numerous places higher up on my list to visit.

In 2019, I decided to do my annual trip a little differently and booked with Unsettled, an adventure travel/work company. I liked the idea of having built-in adventure buddies who were also juggling work and play.

Since they happened to have a month-long trip to Medellin planned for that January, I smirked and thought, ‘alright, I give. let’s see what this place has to offer.’

Anyone who hypes up Medellin begins with the weather. It’s nicknamed ‘the city of eternal Spring’ because the unrelenting heat from being so close to the equator is tempered by the cool air coming off the Andes mountains. These dueling forces create a continuously temperate climate year-round.

I love being from a four-season country, but there is something magical about a whole month where you’re never overheated and never need a jacket. Day or night, rain or shine. The apartment complex we lived in had major cut-outs in the sidewalls creating a gorgeous cross breeze down the hall. Open-air living. Imagine the magic of never having to think about the temperature because it’s always perfect.

The lush beauty of the area also cannot be overstated. Anything and everything grows to giant proportions in this land. Greenery abounds. Avocados get bigger than your hand. We spent a 3-hour tour sampling produce I’d literally never heard of before at the local market. the whole place bursts with life.

I’ve been to tropical places, but I’ve never seen bounty like this.

All of that is great, but I think the real magic of Medellin is more subtle. I’ve traveled a fair bit, but I’ve never been anywhere where tourists are more genuinely welcomed. This is not simply because tourism is a significant part of the economy — that’s the case in many countries. It’s something deeper.

Citizens of Medellin are proud of the turnaround their city has made.

Not that long ago, Medellin and Colombia were synonymous with drugs, violence, and Pablo Escobar. No one wanted to visit. Locals were focused on survival. Many parts of the city were in tatters.

Today Medellin, with the support of the Colombian government, has undergone an impressive re-build. There’s a bustling downtown with a beautiful town square. The transit system is impressive, with a modern subway (metro) and a MetroCable system that provides easy access for mountain communities. It’s a livable and attractive city, flanked by scenic mountain views.

In Communa 13, a community in the mountains housing some of the city’s lowest-income citizens, our guide Stiven warns us to stay with the group for our safety. Nevertheless, the area has been completely transformed since his youth. As he shows us around, he shares his memories of hearing gunfire while walking to school, and how he once had to step over a dead body. He shows us a home riddled with gunshot holes that once housed Escobar’s henchmen. At a young age, death was very much a reality for him. He and his schoolmates knew they were fortunate to have survived the day.

Today he makes his living sharing this history. Local artists have immortalized these experiences in murals on every available wall. Stiven explains their meaning — which centers around themes of growth, healing, and re-birth. They’re colorful and beautiful, a point of neighborhood pride.

Stiven founded Storytellers Tours five years ago and now has numerous employees. The name is fitting — his memories, which he shares with sadness and pride, bring the neighborhood’s history to life.

This is the case with all Colombian tours. The locals are masters of story-telling, maybe because they have such a compelling story to share. Escobar fancied himself as Robin Hood but locals refer to him as “He Who Shall Not Be Named”, a Harry Potter reference. This is to underscore the devastating impact he had on the area and to take away the power of his name. Our downtown tour guide asks us not to say it out loud so we don’t upset local passersby.

No story is more compelling than a redemption tale. The tours always end with recovery and re-building. More than 30 years later, Medellin’s brutal history is a wound not quite healed, but the much more peaceful present is increasingly a focus.

I believe this is why Colombians are so genuinely welcoming of tourists — the fact that their country has become a tourist destination is a point of intense local pride. It’s a symbol of growth and healing — the city has overcome.

All of our tour guides speak English beautifully. It’s no coincidence — the English schools in Medellin are always full. This is a symbol of the highly entrepreneurial nature here — locals know how much opportunity there is in tourism. Stiven and the other guides studied hard to become fluent so they could be part of the new economy.

Medellin is beautiful, but you can find more awe-inspiring places. The food is delicious, but you could find great cuisine in many countries. It’s interesting, but there are a lot of places with a fascinating history.

I think the reason the city is so compelling is its spirit. Locals haven’t forgotten what they’ve been through, and they don’t intend on wasting their second chance. They believe working hard will give them a more secure future and in many cases, they’re right. They love to share their country and enjoy people’s surprise when they see the changes hard work and passion have wrought.

Human beings connect with stories, and Medellin tells a great one. It’s a redemption story they work hard to bring to life every day.

Medium is full of great lifestyle content like this. You can get access for only $5/month by clicking here. If you join using this link, I’ll earn a commission.