Guatapé, Antiochia, Colombia

Posted by geoff on Jan 16, 2012 in Best of Medellin, Nearby | Comments Off on Guatapé, Antiochia, Colombia

Guatapé is one of the most beautiful places in the world. A hydroelectric dam was built in the 1960s that filled in a relatively flat, yet hilly region, creating an incredibly complex system of lakes and islands.

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Mall Santa Fe

Posted by geoff on Jan 13, 2012 in Best of Medellin, Shopping | Comments Off on Mall Santa Fe

One of the most spectacular, and newest shopping malls in Medellin, Mall Santa Fe is a gigantic, multi-level mall with stunning architecture.

Urban Art Gallery (Galeria Arte Urbana)

Posted by geoff on Jan 13, 2012 in Art, Best of Medellin, Ciudad del Rio | Comments Off on Urban Art Gallery (Galeria Arte Urbana)

Part of Parque Ciudad del Rio in Medellin (River City Park), the Urban Art Gallery is a very long set of amazing spray paint artworks by Narkografika.

This long wall is next to the Museum of Modern Art, which has a very nice cafe, as well as a skatepark and a rock-climbing wall.

Parque Explora

Posted by geoff on Jan 12, 2012 in Best of Medellin, Parque Explora | Comments Off on Parque Explora

Parque Explora, which would translate to “Exploration Park” in English, is in the center of Medellin, and is one of the most popular attractions in Medellin with locals and tourist alike.

Plaza Botero

Posted by geoff on Jan 12, 2012 in Best of Medellin, Parks | Comments Off on Plaza Botero

One of the most popular spots in Medellin is Botero Plaza, which is next to the Palacio de la Cultura.

There are over a dozen huge bronze sculptors by Medellin’s most famous and most loved artist, Botero, who is famous worldwide for his artistic renderings of “fat people”. Botero says that he doesn’t paint fat people, but he paints figures more voluminously. You’ll notice that they don’t actually look fat… they’re just bigger in some areas. In any case, his unusual and very distinctive style has made him very famous and his pieces are collected worldwide. Botero currently lives in Rome, Italy.

On the other side of the Plaza, opposite the Palacio, is the Botero Museum, which has several rooms of his paintings, as well as other wings of the museum containing works of abstract art and many Colombian historical paintings.

Orchideorama at the Botanical Gardens

Posted by geoff on Jan 12, 2012 in Best of Medellin, Famous Buildings, Jardin Botanico | Comments Off on Orchideorama at the Botanical Gardens

 Perhaps the most beautiful modern structure in all of Medellin, the Orchideorama events center in the Jardin Botanico is made of a series of huge roof structures, and underneath events such as weddings, large parties, shows etc are held.