Medellin to me had meant drugs, drug wars, and in particular, Pablo Escobar. So I was quite surprised to hear from both of my daughters, who spent time there separately, that it was a great place to be.
Pablo Escobar was killed in 1993. At that time, Medellin was the most dangerous city on the world. But in the 20 years since, Medellin has reinvented itself. The power of the gangs were destroyed with Pablo Escobar. Even though there are still gangs and drugs, they are much smaller, without the power of the single gang which was Pablo Escobar?s group. There?s perhaps 20 smaller gangs now.
Medellin has done a lot to reinvent itself since then. There has been a lot of work done, not just in fighting crime, but in improving transport and facilities for many of the poorer areas of the city. In 2013, Medellin was named as the world?s most innovative city.
I visited for five days in early December. My impression was very positive. It?s a city with good infrastructure, and with a great vibe. The climate is excellent- spring temperatures all year around. So people like to get outside. I got a feeling of people who really enjoyed the freedom after so many years of living in fear. There seems to be an air of happiness.
There?s many high rises. I stayed in an AirBnB unit, on the south side just off the metro line. It was on the 15th floor, in a gated community, which consisted of about 12 blocks of units. There was a large communal area, including a pool, in the community- and on the day I arrived, there was a community party in the communal area. The view was excellent- 180? - which was enhanced by fireworks being let off in various places around the city (I had arrived on a public holiday).
The Christmas light display was superb. It was named by National Geographic magazine as one of the ten best displays of Christmas lights in the world.
Medellin has had a huge growth in the number of visitors. Ten years ago, there were 10,000 a year, now there are 200,000. There is a big demand for accommodation. This has become especially acute in the area of stays between 3-30 days. Hotels facing competition from AirBnB have possibly been behind laws placing restrictions on private stays for that period. Longer term rentals can be difficult to arrange for outsiders, as guarantees from locals may be required.
There are many undesirable, and even dangerous, areas within Medellin, but the good areas are extremely safe. The inner areas are generally good, with El Poblado being a popular area with reasonable prices. $US150,000 to $US250,000 offers a big range of apartments. Yields of 10% for a furnished apartment are easy to find, and higher yields are available.
Prices in Medellin were flat during the GFC, but rose in the periods before and after.
Pablo Escobar was killed in 1993. At that time, Medellin was the most dangerous city on the world. But in the 20 years since, Medellin has reinvented itself. The power of the gangs were destroyed with Pablo Escobar. Even though there are still gangs and drugs, they are much smaller, without the power of the single gang which was Pablo Escobar?s group. There?s perhaps 20 smaller gangs now.
Medellin has done a lot to reinvent itself since then. There has been a lot of work done, not just in fighting crime, but in improving transport and facilities for many of the poorer areas of the city. In 2013, Medellin was named as the world?s most innovative city.
I visited for five days in early December. My impression was very positive. It?s a city with good infrastructure, and with a great vibe. The climate is excellent- spring temperatures all year around. So people like to get outside. I got a feeling of people who really enjoyed the freedom after so many years of living in fear. There seems to be an air of happiness.
There?s many high rises. I stayed in an AirBnB unit, on the south side just off the metro line. It was on the 15th floor, in a gated community, which consisted of about 12 blocks of units. There was a large communal area, including a pool, in the community- and on the day I arrived, there was a community party in the communal area. The view was excellent- 180? - which was enhanced by fireworks being let off in various places around the city (I had arrived on a public holiday).
The Christmas light display was superb. It was named by National Geographic magazine as one of the ten best displays of Christmas lights in the world.
Medellin has had a huge growth in the number of visitors. Ten years ago, there were 10,000 a year, now there are 200,000. There is a big demand for accommodation. This has become especially acute in the area of stays between 3-30 days. Hotels facing competition from AirBnB have possibly been behind laws placing restrictions on private stays for that period. Longer term rentals can be difficult to arrange for outsiders, as guarantees from locals may be required.
There are many undesirable, and even dangerous, areas within Medellin, but the good areas are extremely safe. The inner areas are generally good, with El Poblado being a popular area with reasonable prices. $US150,000 to $US250,000 offers a big range of apartments. Yields of 10% for a furnished apartment are easy to find, and higher yields are available.
Prices in Medellin were flat during the GFC, but rose in the periods before and after.