Once known as the epicenter of the narcotic drug trade, Medellín, Colombia has slowly been healing from the 50-year armed conflict that ended in 2016. While the memories of the violence have certainly permeated the city, Medellín offers so much more amid its lush surroundings: good coffee, emotive street art, delicious vegan food, and more.

Safety and Getting Around in Medellín

Once known as one of the most dangerous cities in the world, Medellín has turned itself around and has become much safer. Not only has it emerged from its violent past, it has gathered that pain and suffering, and turned it into something beautiful. That being said, it’s still important to stay aware and keep your wits with you.

There’s a saying in Colombia: dar papaya, which literally means “giving papaya.” It means when someone naïvely makes themselves an easy target, such as carelessly flashing their valuables (like their newest iPhone). Since petty thefts are still common, someone might snatch it out of their hands or even violently rob them for it. As long as you keep your belongings hidden, you put yourself less as risk.

I stayed in Rango Hostel in El Poblado, which is one of the safest parts of Medellín. Women were running solo in broad daylight with headphones, which is a good sign. While it’s a busy neighborhood, I felt at ease. The tranquil Laureles neighborhood is also another good option to stay in; that part of the city is more residential.

As a solo woman traveler, I used Uber since the app tracks the location of the rides. Opting for a motorcycle or scooter is much cheaper and tons of fun! I loved feeling the summer air whipping on my skin as the driver zipped through the chaotic traffic. I could do that all day!

Generally, as long as you’re staying away from narco and sex tourism, you’ll be much safer in Medellín. Just don’t engage in either.

Vegan Food in Medellín

From bustling fruit markets to healthy vegan restaurants, there’s no shortage of food for vegans in Medellín. El Poblado has the most vegan restaurants in the city, which is another reason why I stayed there. There are others throughout as well. It was a vegan food heaven!

Plaza Minorista José María Villa

Because Colombia is in a tropical climate, there’s no shortage of the juiciest, most succulent fruits and veggies in the world. If you want to try exotic fruit and veggies that you may not find anywhere else in the world, Plaza Minorista José María Villa is the place to go. Fresh fruit is cheap and plentiful here. There was pitaya (fruit that looks like a magenta dragon egg), avocados the size of mangos, and mangos nearly the size of a football!

I bought enough avocados, mangos, plums, and pitaya to have as breakfast throughout my stay in Medellín. I also got some arepas de choclo, or corn cakes. The dense arepas were perfect to spread avocados on and sprinkle with pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Coraje Vegan

El Poblado has the most vegan restaurants in Medellín, hence why I stayed there. I didn’t go out to eat that often, because the fruit markets truly satiated me. Still, the city has so many wonderful vegan restaurants to offer, serving healthy Colombian food bursting with mind-blowing flavor.

Coraje Vegan is an eco-chic vegan eatery that serves healthy vegan food. I had the Ensalada Proteíca, a protein-packed salad topped with grilled tofu, sauteed mushrooms, lentils, cherry tomatoes, picked vegetables, avocado, and mixed seeds. The protein kept me full for longer sustained energy. This flavorful dish truly fueled me so that I could explore the city longer.

Restaurante Las Veganas

In the tranquil, leafy neighborhood of Laureles, Restaurante Las Veganas is a laid-back restaurant serves traditional vegan Colombian food. The plate I had was filled with protein-packed seitan, potatoes, a small salad, picked veggies, and slices of avocado. It was the perfect lunch to reenergize me on a sunny day.

Las Veganas also has a small shop stocked with coconut oil, sauces, protein powders, dairy-free cheeses, kombucha, coffee, and more. So, you can take a small taste of Colombia with you.

What I Did Around Medellín

Since I only stayed for a few days, I did as much as I possibly could to enjoy this city and what it has to offer. I spent much of my visit learning about the intense history of Medellín, the multi-layered 50-year armed conflict centered around narcotic trafficking, colonialism, fighting over resources, and more. As I mentioned before, Medellín has emerged to take back its collective identity. Here’s what I did to enjoy what Colombia has to offer.

Learning Colombian Slang

My Spanish has gotten pretty decent over the years. I can hold a full conversation for hours! But I only know standard Spanish, and not much slang. Colombians heavily use their local jargon, and it’s an integral part of their Spanish. Sometimes I try to listen to what people are saying, and it’s hard to recognize any of the words. To be truly fluent in another language is to know their slang well.

It’s important to note some words may have different meanings, depending on the country. Others are considered safe to use in one country, but are offensive in others. Most importantly, each country has its own slang; some of it is even city-specific.

Rango Hostel (where I stayed) offers a word drinking game involving the local slang. (I just had seltzer water.) It informative, hilarious, and even kind of offensive at times. For instance, Colombians throw around the word marica like it’s nothing. In this case, it means “dude” in a friendly manner. However, in other Spanish-speaking countries, it means “faggot” and is considered extremely offensive!

Other words include:

• Tinto: Black coffee without cream or sugar. (I saw this a lot at cafes.)
• Llave: Literally means “key.” In this case, it means “best friend.”
• Parcero: A close friend.
• Buenas: A greeting, kind of like saying “good afternoon” or “good evening.”
• Chao: Bye.
• Que video: An interjection of shock when you hear bad news, as if it only happens in a movie.
• Güevon: It means “dude” or “friend,” but is considered a playful insult. Only use with close friends.
• Ese Pirobo: “This fucking guy!”

As you can see, Colombians love using colorful language, and are delighted to rib and provoke even their closest friends. Personally, I prefer using standard Spanish, unless I am 100% comfortable using Colombian slang in the right contexts. One day, I might accidentally offend someone, and they might not want me to come back. Then again, practice makes perfect!

Strolling through Pueblito Paisa

Set on top of the lush Nutibara Hill, Pueblito Paisa is a charming replica of a traditional 20th-century Antioquian village. A prominent church graces the main plaza, with gardens and a large fountain as the centerpiece. It’s a great spot to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Amid the cobblestone walkways, this magical place has a town hall, a barber shop, snack shops, gift shops selling colorful handicrafts, and even a museum showcasing the musical influences of Colombia.

The restaurants and snack shops don’t offer much vegan food from what I could tell, but I was able to find a refreshing fruit smoothie without milk. You might spend a lot of time in this magical place, so definitely bring some snacks!

I spent about an hour in the Museo de la Ciudad at Pueblito Paisa. This museum showcases the history of Medellín. However, this exhibit focused on the musical history of the 20th century to the present: reggaeton, cumbia, rap, rock ‘n’ roll, and even punk. Most of the signs are in Spanish, but some are in English. I read twice as slow in Spanish, so I spent more time getting to know how music influenced Colombian society.

Making feline friends at La Gatoría

Housed in a Spanish-style home, La Gatoría is a warm cat cafe in the leafy Laureles neighborhood. It offers some vegan plates to enjoy amid the adorable resident and adoptable cats.

These kitties are lovely, funny, and a tad mischievous. The matriarch cat ensured that everyone knew that she’s the boss. A black-and-white cat climbed up the Christmas tree and overlooked the whole establishment on his evergreen perch. The staff even brought out 6-week old kittens! They were so cute and tiny, it was almost unbearable. I loved the little tortoiseshell kitten. She was bright and curious about the world, although the matriarch cat put her in her place.

You need to make a reservation before arriving. You also need to pay a deposit with the reservation, kind of like an admission fee. The deposit is included in the final bill.

Final Thoughts About Medellín

I loved Medellín. It really has come a long way from its violent past and turned its pain into gold. The people were friendly, kind, and excited to share their culture. The food was incredible, and the sights were something to behold. I enjoyed immersing myself in slang word games and then seeing those words on the streets. The next time someone is worried about how Medellín might be dangerous, share this blog post and show them that it’s a colorful, vibrant place that deserves recognition.

• Colombia
• travel