Mike East explores Medellin parks and discovers a great coffee shop along the way.
Winning rightful praise for being both a great place to live in and a great place to visit, Medellin Colombia continues to impress. One of the reasons why it is such a great place to be in is its green spaces. There are many, each has its own characteristics and each is well-maintained and worth your time, for different reasons.
Medellin Parks : Botero Park Medellin (Parque Botero)
We simply have to start in the centre of the city in Botero Park Medellin. It is a fun space with 23 sculptures by the artist Fernando Botero, and visited by many Colombian families. You will see people smiling beside the sculptures, climbing on top and hanging off them just to get the cleverest or funniest photos. There are benches to sit on and places to order a drink and watch the world go by. Two blocks to the east is Parque Bolivar, which is small, but has some magnificent old trees and a large statue to the liberator of much of South America.
Botanical Garden
A little to the north, is the Botanical Garden, near the Antioquia University. This is another great green space well worth exploring. Entrance is free, you just have to present some form of identification. The garden is laid out in different biomes and has an area of orchid towers. Not all the signs are in English. The iguanas are much more friendly than in many places and allow you to get very close.
Parque Natural Cerro El Volador
One of my favourite Medellin parks is less well known: Parque Natural Cerro El Volador, a wooded hilltop on the west side of the city. The area is criss-crossed with nature walks and paths and is great for walking and running. It avoids the crowds of other areas, though there will be people enjoying park as well as you. From the top, there are panoramic views of the city and surrounding mountains. The River Park (Parques del Rio), in the suburb of Laureles, is a small park that is great for running and walking, and is located on both sides of the River Medellin in the central zone of the city.
Parque Lleras
When does a park become a plaza? That is a very relevant question to Parque Lleras, which is in the heart of the entertainment zone of Poblado, Medellin. Some greenery survives in this small space, but it is lined with restaurants, bars and nightclubs. As such, it provides a great contrast to the other parks of the city; a place to visit with a busy, energetic vibe.
…and a Coffee Shop
Just before I move on to, perhaps, Medellin’s greatest park, I would recommend Uincluye (U included), a coffee shop close to Botero Park Medellin. It is operated by the University of Antioquia and offers a pleasing range of coffees, teas, pastries and cakes. It offers employment to young adults with special needs and the upper floor has a small museum run by the Faculty of Medicine.
Arvi Park Medellin (Parque Arvi)
To fully appreciate the scale of Parque Arvi, I recommend approaching from the excellent Medellin Metro system. From Acevedo Station, change onto the cable car system and as you climb sedately to Arvi Park, enjoying some incredible views, it becomes clear that it is on a very different scale to the other city parks. Arvi has over 30 miles of hiking trails and covers almost 40,000 acres. Experience the forest, lakes, picnic spots, nature walks, cycling and horse riding. There is a food and crafts market, a butterfly garden and look for special outdoor events listed on the park’s webpage. If you want to take your time, there is a hotel within the grounds.
Further Reading on Medellin Colombia
From area of outstanding natural beauty to party central, Medellin parks mirror key attributes of this fascinating city. There is far more. See our general article on things to do in Medellin, the artistic centre of Comuna 13, or the Feria de las Flores Flower Festival.
