Trip report: Bogota/Medellin

[civilizedchaos]

First time in Colombia, rather than giving a detailed play by play I'm going to summarize my impressions of each city:

Bogota: Disappointing, a sprawling mass of poverty with little natural beauty. Takes forever to go from a to b. Candelaria and the Plaza de Bolivar are forlorn looking places full of beggars and street merchants, with unremarkable architecture. Only bright spot is the Zona Rosa, with excellent salsa dancing, nice restaurants, and pretty parks. Weather is crazy (to quote my cab driver, they get four seasons every day) and overwhelming urban feel does not seem conducive to meeting chicas.

Medellin: Amazing place, super friendly people, spectacular natural beauty, easy to get around, honest and helpful cabbies, not so much a city but a fabulous collection of neighbourhoods each with its own personality. Very easy to meet chicas if you speak basic Spanish. Great night life as well with a wide range of options. Never once felt unsafe. Needless to say this is where I spent most of my time.

Verdict: I am definitely going back to Colombia, I wish there were more countries like this and not so far away!

CC

[LastLion]

Finally a trip report! Thanks CC!! So how long were you there?? What areas of medellin did you visit???

Got any hotel recomendations?

How did it go with the chicas for you??

I agree with some of your assesment of Bogota, but not completely as I never had a chica problem in Bogota!!

[civilizedchaos]

Was there two and a half weeks, spending most of the time in Medellin. Chica situation was very good, found the girls very open and approachable and with none of the aloofness I see in North America. Bought a movistar cell phone and it never stopped ringing.

In Medellin I visited the usual spots (El Poblado, Las Palmas, Laureles) and also did a lot of walking downtown during the day, from El Hueco to Los Puentes, etc. Also saw various museums, Pueblito Paisa and all the usual tourist stuff.

CC

[Medellin Visitor Guide]

One of the best reasons to visit Medellin! Medellin's pleasant spring-like climate year round makes it known as 'La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera' or "City of the Eternal Spring". The average annual temperature is 22 degrees Celsius (72F). Medellin's proximity to the equator means its temperatures stay constant year round with minimal variations. With this mild climate there is almost no need for air-conditioning or heating. The climate is just one of the many reasons why people are visiting and moving to Medellin.

[RXD]

I love to visit Bogota. It has number of places to travel. Graceful churches, museums, landscapes and a thriving nightlife can keep you busy for several days.If you are going to stay in Bogota, there are many low budget accommodations.