This guide to 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍's neighborhoods can help you plan your trip 漏 oscar garces / Shutterstock
Splashed with brick towers, soaring green trees and the Andes Mountains ever-looming along its outer edges, 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍鈥檚 skyline is a visual spectacle. There are so many constants throughout the 鈥淐ity of the Eternal Spring鈥 鈥 the scent of 产耻帽耻别濒辞蝉 (fried dough fritters) wafting from hole-in-the-wall restaurants and street stands, thumping reggaeton blasting from cars zooming by and the kindness of the paisa people at every possible turn.
But, each neighborhood in 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍 offers its own unique flavors and experiences. In total, there are 16 communes (locally, comunas) to explore, many with distinct neighborhoods within them. Some give an unhindered glimpse of frills-free Colombian life, others are glamorous nightlife and shopping utopias, and so many 鈥 within a city that was once written off as one of the most dangerous in the world 鈥 put 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍鈥檚 incredible comeback on full display. While you may not be able to explore them all in one trip, load your itinerary with as many of 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍鈥檚 best neighborhoods as possible to feel its magical energy.
1. El Poblado/Provenza
Best neighborhood to be pampered (and party)
El Poblado is an upscale and sensory experience all on its own. The upper-class neighborhood is home to some of the city鈥檚 best malls (such as 厂补苍迟补蹿茅 and along the Golden Mile or Milla de Oro), trendiest hotels 鈥 and 鈥 and celebrated restaurants, including and . For nightlife, this is among the city鈥檚 elite destinations, with an abundance of rooftop bars, clubs and, yes, even a bar with a ball pit in the middle for you to jump into.
Parque Lleras is the nightlife epicenter, with oodles of raucous options lining it that stay open until the wee hours of the morning. If you decide to stay in El Poblado, you don鈥檛 have to stay right in Parque Lleras to make the most of your experience either. Spots along the Milla de Oro, such as Hotel Poblado Plaza or on the western edge of the barrio, provide a quieter night鈥檚 sleep, upscale amenities and still seamless access to the El Poblado good life.
2. Laureles
Best neighborhood to experience an upscale, residential side of 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍
A bit less glitzy and in your face than El Poblado is the middle to upper-class Laureles neighborhood. Here you can enjoy several beloved restaurants and cafes 鈥 examples include , and 鈥 as well as upper-scale lodging offerings like and .
There are two quintessential 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍 experiences to be had in Laureles. The first is a trip to Estadio Atanasio Girardot, the home stadium of Colombia鈥檚 most beloved soccer team, Atl茅tico Nacional, and its bitter rival, Deportivo Independiente 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍. If no soccer is happening, this is still a stellar people-watching spot, with a skateboard park, outdoor gym, beach volleyball courts and food stalls scattered about. The second must is a stroll down La 70 (La Setenta) just south of the stadium. This big-time party street is loaded with bars, mom-and-pop restaurants and street vendors galore. If you want to party like a local, grab a bottle of aguardiente at a liquor shop along La 70 on any Friday or Saturday night, cozy up at a table out on the street and make some friends.
3. El Centro
Best neighborhood for the daytime hustle and bustle
El Centro embodies the hecticness you鈥檇 expect in any major South American city. The buzzing neighborhood (translating to 鈥淭he Center鈥) very much lives up to its name and is a primary economic artery for locals and tourists alike. Here you鈥檒l find the heart of the city 鈥 the Fernando Botero statue-clad Plaza Botero in front of the Antioquia Museum 鈥 which is a quick stroll from the Parque Berrio metro station. From there, walk down Calle Bolivar to experience merchants urging you to buy some homemade tinto (coffee) from stalls, cheap clothes and souvenirs.
Along Avenida San Juan, you can snag photos at Plaza Cisneros 鈥 which features 300 light poles reaching up to the sky 鈥 as well as the Alcald铆a de 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍 complex (惭别诲别濒濒铆苍鈥檚 town hall) that has a handful of public art displays. There is so much to explore in El Centro 鈥 do so during the day, stay vigilant and don鈥檛 wander around it at night.
4. Ciudad del R铆o/Barrio Colombia
Best neighborhood for a local nightlife experience
Wedged just east of the Industriales and Poblado metro stations, Barrio Colombia and Ciudad del R铆o have quickly become places to be. By day, Barrio Colombia is very much a graffiti art-draped warehouse district - primarily colored with automotive shops as well as one of the best malls and coffee shops in town ( and , respectively). By night, you鈥檒l find some of the city鈥檚 most bumping clubs, including the LGBTIQ+-friendly and .
Tucked south of the massive, river-adjacent Bancolombia building (you can鈥檛 miss it) is a handful of cultural musts in the Ciudad del R铆o area. These include Mercado del R铆o, 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍鈥檚 biggest food hall, and the 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍 Modern Art Museum. Ciudad del R铆o has a handful of hotels 鈥 for its metro accessibility and central location, this is a nice base for getting to all 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍 has to offer.
5. San Javier
Best neighborhood for a tour (and Instagram-worthy pics)
Getting to San Javier is half the fun. The Metrocable 鈥 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍鈥檚 gondola lift system that reaches its mountainous neighborhoods 鈥 has a stop in the heart of San Javier (also known as Comuna 13). During the reign of 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍鈥檚 most notorious drug lord, San Javier was arguably its most dangerous neighborhood. Today, it is a major tourist and tour destination for its omnipresence of graffiti art and escaleras electricas, outdoor escalators that weave through its hills to help locals with their commute. While walkable by day, you鈥檒l want to hire a tour guide to help you navigate San Javier鈥檚 network of tight streets and ensure you get the full backstory of its transformation.
6. Manrique
Best neighborhood to see 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍鈥檚 transformation in progress
It will take a steep, hilly taxi ride to venture to this Eastern barrio, but it鈥檚 totally worth it. Once regarded as a crime-ridden neighborhood to avoid, you can see new life being breathed into this lower-income neighborhood with community playgrounds and public paintings of local icons.
At Manrique鈥檚 core is the spirit of tango. Along its main drag, Carrera 45, is a statue of famed French-Argentinian singer and tango extraordinaire Carlos Gardel, who loved 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍 and tragically died in a plane crash in 1935. The statue, which is adjacent to a colorful, flower-clad staircase, is just the beginning of the barrio's love for tango and colorful murals. To fully grasp the barrio鈥檚 history as well as Gardel鈥檚, hit the Casa Gardeliana history museum. Within Manrique, you鈥檒l also find , a homegrown dance school with regular community performances that is churning out world-class talent who have gone on to perform with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. As with so many other areas of 惭别诲别濒濒铆苍, you鈥檒l leave Manrique totally inspired.
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