La Candelaria
El Centro (by day)
Botero sculptures, Junín street life and the city's beating heart
Go smartFree history culture metro guided-tour
Medellín's downtown, La Candelaria, holds the Museo de Antioquia, Plaza Botero's 23 bronze sculptures, the Junín pedestrian street and Plaza Minorista's fruit stalls. It is chaotic, loud and fascinating, and best explored by daylight, ideally with a guide.
Why we love it
- Plaza Botero and the Museo de Antioquia
- Lunch on a balcony over the Junín pedestrian street
- Exotic fruit tasting at Plaza Minorista
Enjoy it safely
Visit in daylight, ideally with a walking tour; carry little, keep your phone out of sight, and politely ignore persistent vendors. Recent visitor reports describe aggressive selling and drug use around Plaza Botero.
Read the full safety guideFind it
You might also love
El PobladoEl Poblado
Leafy hills, rooftop pools and Medellín's easiest first base
Everyday awarenessFree
El PobladoProvenza
Tree-lined streets, design shops and Medellín's best café crawl
Everyday awarenessFree
LaurelesLaureles and La 70
Time Out's coolest neighborhood: leafy circles, local life, salsa on La 70
Everyday awarenessFree