FAQs

Question

Is Medellín Safe?

Answer

YES! Medellín is generally safe to visit if you follow some basic safety tips, as you will reduce your risk of being a victim of crime just as any other place in the world. Security and safety should still be a consideration when planning your trip. Medellín still has a reputation of violence and drugs to overcome that hasn’t been helped by the popular Narcos series. What many people don’t realize is the timeframe depicted in Narcos was well over 25 years ago and that Pablo Escobar is long dead and buried. In 2020, Medellin has managed the city and overall made it a pleasant place for tourists to visit. The city has it's best areas and a few you want to stay clear of. Our party will be driven by private buses and we will be in one if the most desirable areas, El Poblado. We are suggesting all to find accommodations in El Pablaso and near Parque Lleras. This is a great location to walk, eat and party. It will also keep the group in close proximity for pick ups and drop offs.

Question

What is the Weather Like in Medellín?

Answer

Medellín's is known as “the City of Eternal Spring” (La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera) with an average year-round temperature of 72.5 °F (22.5 °C). During the average day in the city, the average temperature usually ranges from 63.2 to 82.1 °F (17.4 to 27.8 °C). Keeping in mind that our event is near La Ceja is up a mountain. This is considered to be cold land and we can expect temperatures that night to drop in the 50s. Updates will be shared as we draw closer to the actual date.

Question

What is the Best Way to Exchange Money?

Answer

In Medellin you will need Colombian Pesos (COP)and other currencies like the USD aren’t used here. Remember when converting or exchanging money there is always a fee for the service. In addition, there is the exchange rate that they offer to give you. This offered exchange rate is going to be less than the current XE.com rate or Bank rate. This is where they have hidden fees (i.e. if the current XE rate is 3,000 COP but they offer 2,600 COP). That is why knowing the current exchange rate helps you to shop for the best deal. One of the best ways for exchanging money with a rate as close as possible to the XE rate is to use ATM machines. Use the ATM at the airport instead of Aerocambios, banks give a better conversion rate. There are also many ATMs located throughout the city, which are easily accessible during your trip. Make sure to alert your bank and credit card company that you will be travelling.

Question

What about transportation around the City?

Answer

The first week of August is a huge annual celebration of paisa culture. This festival is known as Feria de las Flores and literally takes over Medellin. So it goes without saying that public transportation will be packed and taxis/Ubers may be hard to come by. For this reason we are planning to hire small buses and not have to rely on public transportation. The buses will be optional for those who want reliable transportation and we hope to be able to update with price/family soon. The City is also at war with Uber and other ride hailing services and has ordered Uber to exit the market in February '20 (although its been known to continue operating illegally in the past). Other companies such as Digi will be in service which connects with both taxi companies and independent drivers.

Question

How can I order food to my hotel?

Answer

You can use RASPPI for deliveries. We used RASPPI pretty often on our most recent trip to Medellin. This is a service just like Postmates or Uber Eats. We also used Uber Eats during our vacation but the future of the service is unclear given the legal issues facing Uber in Colombia.