The short answer
Yes. Medellín receives millions of visitors a year, has a clean and punctual metro, entire neighborhoods built for walking, and a food and culture scene that surprises anyone arriving with the image of the nineties in their head. The city from the TV series no longer exists; the one that does, you get to know best with someone who lives here.
That said, it is a big city in a country with inequality, and that calls for common-sense rules. Here are the ones we give our own family when they visit.
The numbers: from 1991 to today
In 1991, the worst year in its history, Medellín recorded more than 6,000 homicides: a rate of 381 per 100,000 inhabitants, the highest in the world at the time. In 2025 there were between 325 and 346 depending on the source, about 13 per 100,000. And in 2026 the figure keeps falling: from January to September there were 183, 27% fewer than in the same period a year earlier, and September closed with five, the least violent month in fifty years according to the mayor's office.
At the same time, more people arrive every year: in 2025 more than two million passengers went through immigration at José María Córdova airport, about 1.2 million of them foreigners, 11.7% more than in 2024. What violence remains rarely touches visitors; what does touch them is theft, and that is what the rest of this guide is about.
"No dar papaya": rule number one
In Colombia people say "no dar papaya": don't make it easy for anyone. In practice it means not walking down the street staring at your phone, not pulling out a full wallet, not hanging your bag on the back of a chair and not wearing flashy jewelry. Most incidents involving tourists are opportunistic thefts, and almost all of them are avoided with this one rule.
Where to stay
El Poblado, Laureles and Envigado hold most of the hotels and apartments for travelers. All three are calm for walking by day and have nightlife with a police presence. Laureles is more residential and local; El Poblado, more international. Our Pablo Escobar and Guatapé tours leave from Parque de El Poblado precisely because it is the most convenient spot for almost everyone.
Each area in detail, with Metro access and apartment rules: where to stay in Medellín.
How to get around
The Metro is the safest and cheapest way across the city; people take care of it and it shows. For night trips use a ride-hailing app or a taxi ordered from your hotel, and avoid hailing taxis on the street late at night. The Metrocables are public transport and a lookout at the same time: worth riding even if you have nowhere to be.
Metro and airport: 2026 fares
A Metro trip costs 4,400 pesos with the pay-as-you-go Cívica card, the one a visitor buys at any ticket window (the card itself costs 12,100 pesos); with the personalized Cívica it drops to 3,820. It runs Monday to Saturday from 4:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sundays and holidays from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
From José María Córdova airport, in Rionegro, the taxi to Medellín has an official fare: 132,000 pesos since February 2026. Pay exactly that and take the taxi from the authorized line at the exit. The airport bus costs 20,000 pesos and runs 24 hours, but it does not reach El Poblado: it stops at San Diego, downtown (Nutibara) and at the Exposiciones Metro station, and from there you continue by taxi or ride app.
The detail of each option, with stops and times, is in how to get from the airport to the city.
What to avoid
Walking alone downtown after dark. Accepting drinks from strangers or leaving your glass unattended in bars: scopolamine thefts exist and have been rising (figures below). Buying drugs: besides being illegal, it is the fastest route to serious trouble. And dating-app meetups with people who insist on coming to your apartment on the first date: stay in public places.
Scopolamine and dating apps: the real risk
This is the risk that most affects foreigners in Medellín, and we prefer to say it plainly. According to the city's security information system, by August 2026 there had been 428 reported scopolamine thefts, against 227 in the same period of 2025: 89% more. They concentrate where the nightlife is: El Poblado (108 cases), Laureles-Estadio (106) and downtown (80).
The pattern repeats: a dating-app date or a meeting in a bar, a drink someone else poured, and waking up without phone, cards or any memory of the night. In January 2024 the US embassy warned about eight deaths of its citizens in Medellín in just two months, several linked to dating apps. The point is not to be scared, it is to know what not to do.
- First date always in a public place, never at your apartment or theirs.
- You order your own drink, watch it being poured and never leave it.
- Tell someone who you are meeting and where.
- If you are robbed, do not resist: things can be replaced.
And Comuna 13?
Today it is one of the most visited places in the city and by day it is full of families, artists and travelers. It is walked with peace of mind, and with a guide from the neighborhood it is walked better: they know which way to climb, whom to greet and what story sits behind each mural. Our Graffiti Tour leaves three times a day from a coffee shop in the 20 de Julio neighborhood, and the guides wear a green shirt with their name.
Before you head out
Keep these details: the emergency number in Colombia is 123. Carry a copy of your passport and leave the original at the hotel. And if anything worries you during your trip, message us on WhatsApp: we reply every day, even if you did not book with us.
With that clear, all that is left is to enjoy it: start with things to do in Medellín.
- Areas to stay: El Poblado, Laureles, Envigado, Sabaneta.
- By day: downtown, Comuna 13, Metrocable, Botanical Garden, Parque Arví.
- At night: ride-hailing app, no street taxis, glass always in sight.
- Emergencies: 123.
Sources
The figures in this article were checked on October 4, 2026. Where two sources disagree, we give the range.
Frequently asked questions
Is Medellín safe for tourists?
Yes, with the common-sense rules of any big city. Most incidents involving tourists are opportunistic thefts, and almost all are avoided by not showing your phone, wallet or jewelry on the street.
What does "no dar papaya" mean?
Not making it easy for anyone: not walking while staring at your phone, not pulling out a full wallet, not hanging your bag on the back of a chair and not wearing flashy jewelry.
Which area of Medellín is best to stay in?
El Poblado, Laureles and Envigado hold most of the hotels and apartments for travelers. Laureles is more residential and local; El Poblado, more international.
How do you get around Medellín at night?
With a ride app or a taxi ordered from your hotel. Avoid hailing taxis on the street late at night and walking alone downtown after dark.
What is the emergency number in Colombia?
123.
