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Of course go to Medellin for the nightlife, but don’t drink so many Colombia Reds that you waste your days sleeping. This city has a lot to offer and it would be a true shame to spend your day locked in your hotel room.
Great, we’re in agreement. But before you get all anxious about exploring the city, I need you to book your tour with Pablo for “The Real City Tours of Medellin”. I don’t care if you ‘hate tours’ or how much ‘cooler’ you think the Pablo Escobar Tour will be …sign up for the FREE walking tour with Pablo as soon as you possibly can. Just do it, then leave me a comment immediately after thanking me. Actually, I’ll leave you my address so you can send me a thank you edible arrangement. I like dark chocolate.
THINGS TO DO:
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Again. This is free, you tip at the end if you enjoyed the tour. The tour guide, Pablo, will walk you through the city he was born and raised in, recounting the history in a lively narrative along the way. You will laugh, stop for pictures and shed a few tears at the end. I have never met a more passionate person, and his fervor for the city is infectious. If you didn’t love Medellin before, you will consider buying property here after the tour.
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Included in the price of your metro ride (which will run you about $2), you can take the metro cable cars over the less developed outskirts of the city. The glass gondolas will give you a glimpse into locals’ lives as you drift over their homes, and in some cases huts, up into the mountain tops. Get off and explore at the top or just ride back to the bottom. Keep your eyes peeled for cows grazing by the river and locals sipping aguapanela in their hammocks.
<< P A R A G L I D I N G >>
Book through your hostel as you will need to have them arrange a ride to up to the spot. There are a number of different paragliding companies to choose from, all of which offer the experience for around $40 USD. There are two hiking trail options up to the launching area, and one is much more steep and strenuous than the other. Remember that the elevation is quite high here and you will want to drink plenty of water. You will have an experienced guide harnessed to your back who will control the kite, so really all you have to do is sit back and watch the world float below you. It is quite an exhilarating, yet tranquil, feeling as you drift by farms and waterfalls. If you’re so inclined, you can ask your guide to take you high into the clouds and spiral back down at an accelerated speed. The whole ride will be about 20 minutes. Take off and landing are both nothing to fret about either, you just -literally- go with the flow.
