Solo Female Travel in Medellín

Nestled in the Aburrá Valley of the Andes Mountains in northwestern Colombia, Medellín is a cosmopolitan city brimming with charm and pulsating energy. Known as the "City of Eternal Spring" due to its idyllic climate, Medellín is recognized for its ceaseless efforts to reinvent itself following turbulent times. Today, it offers a juxtaposition of urban life amid lush green hills. Known for its colorful Paisa culture, delectable gastronomy, and world-renowned coffee, it's also a cradle of innovation and creativity, offering an array of cultural attractions including the Museo de Antioquia, housing works by famed artist Fernando Botero. Not to forget, the joyous Feria de Las Flores (Flower Festival) and the stunning Christmas lighting display, are both a testament to Medellín's vibrant heart and transformative spirit.

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Is Medellín good for solo travel?

Safety:

Safety:Moderate

Medellin, Colombia is considerably safer than it was several years ago, with improvements in security and a keen interest in tourism. That said, as with any big city, it is important to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings; avoid deserted areas especially at night. Local people are generally friendly and are happy to provide assistance if needed. Particular caution should be taken when using public transportation and in less touristy areas, where the risk of pickpocketing and petty theft can be higher.
Transport:

Transport:Easy

Medellín has a well-designed, extensive public transportation system including a metro system, cable cars, buses, and easily accessible taxis, which makes it relatively easy to navigate. However, the city's hilly terrain can somewhat complicate travel, and language barriers may also be a factor if you don't speak Spanish. Lastly, while the city has made significant improvements in safety, it is always advisable to use common sense precautions, especially at night.
Things to do:

Things to do:Interesting

As a solo female traveler, Medellín, offers an eclectic mix of activities that will cater to a range of interests. The city is known as the 'City of Eternal Spring', which means there is fantastic weather all-year-round, perfect for sightseeing and enjoying outdoor activities. You can explore the stunning Botanical Gardens, visit the Museum of Antioquia to experience its rich history and art, or take a graffiti tour in the famous Comuna 13. If you're a book enthusiast, it's worth visiting the modern Library Park. When it comes to dining, Medellín has a diverse culinary scene to suit all tastes. This city is also known for its kind and welcoming people. Despite its troubled past, Medellín has evolved into a safe, bustling city filled with cultural treasures and activities to enjoy.
Food:

Food:Above average

Medellín offers a wide array of Colombian and international culinary delights. From traditional dishes like bandeja paisa and arepas to high-end fusion restaurants, the city caters to gastronomes of all types. While meat tends to dominate Medellín's cuisine, there are increasingly more options for vegetarians and vegans. Street food is also worth exploring. However, if you have a sensitive stomach, proceed with caution when trying local, uncooked foods.
Budget:

Budget:Affordable

Medellin, Colombia is quite budget-friendly especially for solo female travelers. A large portion of hostels and budget hotels provide affordable accommodations. The city has a lower cost of living in comparison to major cities in Europe or North America. Public transportation, like the metro or buses, is inexpensive and extensive. Eating local food at familiar shops and markets can also be low priced. However, prices do increase if you engage in a number of paid tourist activities frequently or dine in upscale restaurants often.

Is Medellín worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.5 /5

based on 22 experiences

Things to do

4.7/5

Safety

4.1/5

Food

4.5/5

Budget-friendly

3.5/5
Offir

Offir

United States

Solo travel experience

Medellin was absolutely beautiful! From the people, to the food, to all of the incredible and inexpensive experiences you can have. I stayed for 6 days at an airbnb in Poblado. Beautiful condo near everything and I walked everywhere. Including the Metro station which is safe and super organized. My biggest advice is to leave your jewelry and expensive stuff at home. Be humble, respectful, polite, and tip every service worker who takes care of you 2000-5000 COP is the norm. Place I would recommend would be the Peñón, Poblado, take the metro and just explore! Food? Please try the typical dish “bandeja paisa” absolutely delicious! And every kind of pastry you can try

Posted: June 26, 2024
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5
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Olivia

Olivia (31)

United States

Solo travel experience

I had a wonderful time in this city! I did the free City Tour which helped introduce me to a couple of people and we all had dinner together that night. I walked around a ton on my own and felt very safe. The food and people were all absolutely wonderful

Posted: June 5, 2024Experienced: February, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

I was a bit nervous traveling to Medellin by myself after reading about the safety issues. I have to say that I stayed for a month and didn’t have any issues but I was very careful and listened to the advice I received. I’m a big walker and I did feel frustrated that I couldn’t really walk around at night even in the safe neighborhoods. That was my biggest pet peeve. The other was the food is not great, especially for vegans. But other than that I think it’s a great city. I would definitely go back but probably not alone.

Posted: May 29, 2024
Things to do: 4/5Food: 2/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 3/5
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Chrissy

Chrissy

United States

Solo travel experience

I go to Colombia every year and fall in love with the country every time. Colombia is literally my second home away from home where I live. I feel super safe in Colombia, the people are very sweet and welcoming, food is amazing, and definitely cheap. This was my second year and it was nice to explore and come back as a solo traveler. Lots of beautiful things to see and do and great to book through the airbnb app for things to do. You can also Uber around and take a taxi which is also cheap. I can’t wait to go back again!

Posted: January 21, 2024
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

I loved Medellín. I stayed within walking distance from the metro station in El Poblado, which was nice. It's not the most interesting neighborhood, but I could take a solitary walk in the evenings. The downtown was fine during the day (lots to see), but I was advised to leave when the office workers started heading home. Guatapé is worth one or two days. The graffiti tour was great, and I loved taking the cable car to Parque Arvi. Language was not a problem, Uber was great for shorter distances (to the bus station etc.) and people were very friendly.

Posted: December 2, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 4/5
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Group travel experience

I went to Medellin on a group tour and had the best time there. We took the Comuna 13 Tour, went to Guatepe, visited lots of restaurants and bars in El Poblado, participated in a bicycle food tour (Medellin has great bike paths and this was probably one of the highlights) and visited a restaurant at a viewpoint to see the city at night. I stayed at Click Clack and really enjoyed it there.

Posted: July 18, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

I adored Medellin and spent about a week there during my two-month solo journey through Colombia. Here are my favorite things: 1. The free city walk was incredible. It was very emotional. Medellin has an incredibly complicated recent history and it's amazing what the city and its residents have gone through and what they have done to make it what it is today. 2. The tour of exotic fruits. 3. Spending a day riding the cable car and walking around the neighborhoods. 4. Visiting Comuna 13.

Posted: July 8, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

I think that as a tourist/solo traveler, the best way to explore Medellin is by walking tours. I've done such tours in the city center and Comuna 13 and felt safe and confident, walking with a group and a local guide. I probably wouldn’t go there myself, as it’s easy to turn down a wrong street, and downtown Medellin is a perfect place for pickpockets.

Posted: May 1, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 4/5
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Solo travel experience

I stayed in Poblado, a neighborhood with many other travelers. I booked a walking tour of the city center and Comuna 13 through my hostel. I learned a lot about the city and met other travelers. I was outside after dark in Poblado every night and I felt safe.

Posted: May 1, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 4/5
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Solo travel experience

I was there alone at the end of July last year. Everyone was very nice and I didn't have any problems. I don't speak Spanish, which made ordering food a bit difficult for me. I loved Medellin and I definitely didn't want to leave.

Posted: April 2, 2023
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 5/5
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Is Medellín safe for women?

Safety rating

2.5 /5

Based on 5 experiences

Crime rates rating

2.7 /5

Based on 5 experiences

Medellin is safe in general but like every Latin American city you have to be careful where are you going, some neighborhoods like laureles, el poblado, Simón bolivar etc are safer while other neighborhoods don’t go if you aren’t a local, like Manrique, Castilla etc. Always be careful with your belongings, if you are traveling alone don’t say that to people and it’s better if you know some Spanish to get around. The city is safe in general but there are more tourists in the last few years which can attract people trying to get money from them

Posted: July 11, 2024
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Alejandra

Alejandra

Been living here half of my life and I have never been robbed. Guided tourists here that enjoy and end up falling in love with the city and the food, the nature and the landscape, especially in el poblado that is to the hills

Posted: July 3, 2024
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Meet locals in Medellín

Meet local women in Medellín who are open to meet up for a coffee or a drink, show you around, give local advice or practice a language with.
Alejandra

Alejandra

About Me

Architect. Sky, art, life, love lover

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Natalia

Natalia

About Me

I’m a 29 years old from Colombia, I love to meet new people and new places and get in touch with the true culture and essence of the place where I go. I love meaningful conversations, enjoy the simple things in life, dancing, watching series, I love music and nature I’m a spirited soul who thrives on adventure, creativity and deep human connection. Whether I'm exploring new trails in the forest,meditating, journaling, or sharing stories around a campfire, I find joy in every moment! I studied business management with emphasis in marketing, I was a dancer for more than 15 years and decided to focus more on conscious movement the last 5 years, after a very important and challenging moment in my life I began a deep spiritual journey where I traveled to Omán and learned how to channel, and after thousand of hours of training and retreats I became a channeling facilitator and now I’m integrating this powerful energy technique with conscious movement. I have learned with the experiences that I had that there are not limits but the ones we create

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Local tips

I live in Medellin. I definitely recommend doing the following things: a free walk around the city center, Comuna 13, a one-day trip to Guatape, a cable car metro ride to Parque Arvi, participating in an exotic fruit tour, and dining out in Provenza. These are the basics that I recommend!

Posted: November 2, 2022
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Stay with locals in Medellín

Stay with local women in Medellín who offer free accommodation as part of cultural exchange. Couch surfing is a great way to meet new people, learn more about new cultures and experience destinations like a local.
Eliana

Eliana

Medellín

Can host for:

3 days

About me

Hey! I’m Eliana :) I’m traveling through Europe for the summer and looking to meet as many new and interesting people as possible!

Speaking

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Monica

Monica

Medellín

Can host for:

7 days

About me

Hello! I’m Monica. I live in Medellin, Colombia, a great spot for digital nomads or people who love travelling. I travel a lot to the UK since my fiancé is from England. I love cooking, dancing and learning languages.

Speaking

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Mariel

Mariel

Medellín

Can host for:

6 days

About me

I m a senior lady i travel to AMÉRICA I LVE TO KNOW PEOPLE AND TO SHARE EXPERIENCES ABOUT

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Lyne

Lyne

Medellín

Can host for:

1 day

About me

Hello, I'm Lyne and I live in Medellín,

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Carolina

Carolina

Medellín

Can host for:

2 days

About me

Hi I am a good person 😂

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Manu

Manu

Medellín

Can host for:

2 days

About me

Hi, in a colombian girl following the dopamine and wanting to make a big step and become a traveler of a long trip without finish date. Im a pshycologist and filmmaker and my dream is to experience to be a digital nomad and make videos all around the world while also healing. I want to get to know people from different cultures and countrys and be able to have deep and meaningful conections. Also wanna have fun and as many new experiences as posible.

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Upcoming visitors to Medellín

Connect with upcoming visitors to Medellín who are looking for travel buddies or meet ups.
Ana

Ana

About Me

Love meeting new people, arts, thrifting, historical places and live music. In my free time, I’m a home cook and learning how to dance 💃

Speaking

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Lou

Lou

About Me

Holà chicas ! Soy una chica francesa a quien le encanta practicar español. Que decir de mi: estoy curiosa, soñadora, dinámica, positiva y con muchas ganas de descubrir nuevas culturales latino-americanas y encontrar gente copada que me enseñará su ciudad y todos los secretos que tiene :)

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