Medellin: Day 2

After Guatapé we devoured some triple queso arepas then went for a pretty sketchy walk through downtown Medellín.

It was different than what we expected, but we got a real flavor for the real Medellin (compared to the trendy, European vibes in
El Poblado). Allan insists on seeing different parts of cities at different times of the day/night to get a real feel for the place. To be honest, the main areas felt safe, mainly due to the lighting, amount of people there and the obvious police presence. It was getting from one area to the next that felt a bit sketchy.

We walked around and saw the majority of the main plazas and parques. Plaza Botero had over a dozen bronze sculptures, all of which were pretty big. In almost every city we've been to, you will most likely see at least one Botero sculpture, and a parque and large monument to Simón Bolívar. The Palaca of Culture was a beautiful building with cream and black bricks and gothic architecture. I think it was my favorite building of the whole walk.

Here are the main sites of our night walking tour:
Plaza Cisneros
Parque San Antonio
Parque Berrío
Monumento Pedro Justo Berrío
Iglesia La Candelaria
Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe
Plaza Botero
Parque de Bolívar
Monumento Simón Bolívar
Catedral Metropolitana de Medellín

We made it back safe and sound then headed to bed after our 20-hour day.

Noah boutique hostels Medellín
9/10
Facilities: 😀
Comfort: 😀
Location: 😀
Cleanliness: 😀
Value for money: 😀
Staff: 😀

Summary: Truly a home from home. Amazing staff.

Good: Noah’s goal is to feel like a home from home and it really did feel like that. Noah was by far the most welcoming and friendly hostel we stayed at in Colombia. We always felt safe. Staff allowed us to check into our room early after arriving on a night bus the first morning. They also allowed us to store our luggage for free when we headed to Salento for a couple of nights (Salento is highly recommended). After returning to Medellín two hours earlier than planned due to the bus driver thinking he was a racing driver, staff allowed us to sleep on the (sheltered) terrace for free and provided us with blankets. They then offered us with free breakfast and allowed us to use the shower, despite us officially checking out three days prior. Great location with massive supermarket a five-minute walk away and the nearest metro station around a 10-minute walk away.

Bad: The manager was genuinely interested in feedback, both positive and negative. At the time, we couldn’t provide any meaningful feedback/suggestions. 5% card fee. In hindsight, the 5% card fee is excessive given the actual fees for credit card payments are no more than 3% in Colombia (we weren’t charged a fee at our hostel in Bogotá). However, a 5% card fee seems common in Colombia. Furthermore, the twin room with shared bathroom was tiny and right next to reception, which could be loud at night/early morning. We knew the room was tiny before we booked but we didn’t know it was located next to reception, with the only window opening towards the reception area. We had to ask for the TV volume to be turned down one night, which, to be fair was lowered immediately. Please note, I’ve still given Noah 9/10 and each of the individual ratings the best rating despite these comments.Leer más