3 Days in Medellín Itinerary: Botero, Comuna 13, Parque Arví and Guatapé

Three full days in Medellín give you time to experience the city's art and social urbanism on the valley floor and hillsides over Days 1 and 2, followed by Antioquia's most famous highland lake excursion on Day 3. Base yourself in El Poblado or Laureles and pick up a Cívica card on your first morning.

Day 1 Morning: Plaza Botero, Museo de Antioquia, and Palacio de la Cultura

• 08:30: Plaza Botero and Museo de Antioquia: Ride Metro Line A to Parque Berrío and step directly onto Plaza Botero to walk among Fernando Botero's 23 bronze sculptures. Spend 90 minutes inside the Museo de Antioquia (admiring Botero's third-floor galleries and Pedro Nel Gómez's frescoes), then step into the central courtyard and rooftop dome of the Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe.

Day 1 Afternoon: Metrocable Line K and Line L to Parque Arví and Orquideorama

• 11:30: Metrocable Line K and Line L to Parque Arví: Ride Metro Line A north to Acevedo and transfer onto Metrocable Line K to Santo Domingo Savio, then board Line L for the 15-minute glide over the mountain ridge into Parque Arví (note: Line L closes on Mondays, or Tuesdays after a Monday holiday). Browse the Mercado Arví and walk a guided cloud-forest trail.
• 15:30: Jardín Botánico Orquideorama: Descend on the Metrocable to Universidad Station and walk through the 14-hectare Jardín Botánico Joaquín Antonio Uribe beneath the timber hexagons of the Orquideorama before returning to your hotel for dinner.

Day 2: Comuna 13 (San Javier), Laureles Lunch, Pueblito Paisa, and Provenza

• 08:30: Comuna 13 and Metrocable Line J: Take Metro Line B to its western terminus at San Javier, ride Metrocable Line J up and back for bird's-eye views over the western hills, and join a local guide from Casa Kolacho to walk up the six outdoor sections of the Comuna 13 electric escalators, tasting a fresh mango popsicle (crema de mango biche) at the upper balcony viewpoints.
• 13:00: Bandeja Paisa Lunch in Laureles: Stop along Avenida Nutibara or Segundo Parque in Laureles for a traditional Bandeja Paisa or mondongo lunch and a pour-over Antioquian coffee.
• 15:00: Museo Casa de la Memoria and Pueblito Paisa Sunset: Ride the Ayacucho Tram to Bicentenario to visit the moving Museo Casa de la Memoria, then head up Cerro Nutibara to watch sunset over the entire Aburrá Valley from the 1978 colonial replica plaza of Pueblito Paisa.
• 19:30: Evening in Provenza (El Poblado): Dine beneath the bamboo canopy of pedestrianised Carrera 35 in Provenza.

Day 3: Full-Day Trip to Piedra del Peñol and Guatapé (or Santa Fe de Antioquia)

• 07:30: Depart from Terminal del Norte: Ride an early bus or private car 82 kilometres east to Piedra del Peñol, climb the 740 steps up the 200-metre granite monolith before midday crowds, take a boat across the reservoir, and spend the afternoon photographing the colourful zócalos of Guatapé (or head west to 1541 colonial Santa Fe de Antioquia and the 1895 Puente de Occidente).