Stay Wild. Stay Kiwi.

From the airport to Casa Kiwi

International flights land at José María Córdova airport (MDE), in Rionegro, about 35 km from the city. Plan on 45 to 60 minutes down the mountain to El Poblado, more at rush hour.

• Airport bus: COP 20,000 per person (2026) to the San Diego stop in Medellín, then a short taxi or Uber to Provenza.
• Official taxi: fixed airport rate, paid in cash. Ask the price at the taxi line before you get in.
• Apps: Uber, DiDi and InDrive pick up at the airport.
• Private transfer: send us your flight on WhatsApp and we arrange it.

Small domestic flights use Olaya Herrera airport (EOH), inside the city, 15 minutes away.

Getting around

Medellín has the only metro in Colombia, and it connects to cable cars (Metrocable) that climb the hillsides. It is clean, cheap and the locals are proud of it.

• Get a Cívica card at any station to pay for metro, Metrocable, tram and some buses.
• The closest stop is Poblado station, a short taxi or downhill walk from Provenza.
• At night, use Uber, DiDi or a taxi called from an app rather than one waved down on the street.
• Provenza, Parque Lleras and most of El Poblado are easy on foot. The hills are real, though.

Provenza & El Poblado

Provenza is a few green blocks in El Poblado packed with specialty coffee shops, restaurants, rooftop bars and boutiques. By day it is all laptops and cold brew. By night the streets fill up and the music starts.

Parque Lleras, the city’s best-known nightlife spot, is a short walk away. Casa Kiwi sits right in the middle of it, on a tree-lined street, so you can walk home after dinner.

Things to do in the city

• Comuna 13: graffiti, hip hop and outdoor escalators in a neighborhood that turned its story around. Go with a local guide.
• Plaza Botero: 23 bronze sculptures by Fernando Botero downtown, next to the Museo de Antioquia.
• Metrocable to Parque Arví: ride the cable car over the city into a pine forest with trails and a farmers’ market.
• Pueblito Paisa: a replica Antioquia village on top of Cerro Nutibara with a 360° view.
• Jardín Botánico & Parque Explora: free botanical garden and a science museum with an aquarium, side by side.
• A football match: Atlético Nacional or Independiente Medellín at the Atanasio Girardot stadium.

Day trips from Medellín

• Guatapé & El Peñol: climb the 740 steps of the rock, then walk the most colorful town in Antioquia. About 2 hours away.
• Coffee farm: see how Colombian coffee goes from plant to cup, and taste it fresh.
• Paragliding: launch from the mountains in San Félix and fly over the valley.
• Santa Fe de Antioquia: a hot, whitewashed colonial town with an old suspension bridge.
• Jardín: a coffee town with a postcard plaza, waterfalls and horseback rides. Better as an overnight trip.
• Cocorná: rivers, waterfalls and our jungle lodge, Casa Kiwi Lodge.

Our reception books tours with local operators we trust.

Food & drink

• Bandeja paisa: beans, rice, ground beef, chicharrón, egg, plantain, avocado and arepa on one plate. Come hungry.
• Arepas & empanadas: the everyday snack, best with ají.
• Buñuelos and pandebono: fried cheese dough balls and cheese bread, for breakfast with a tinto (small black coffee).
• Fruit: try lulo, maracuyá, guanábana and mango biche with salt and lime, fresh or as juice.
• Aguardiente: the anise liquor of Antioquia. You will be offered some.
• Specialty coffee: Provenza has some of the best coffee shops in the country, a few steps from the hostel.

Culture & festivals

Paisas, the people of Antioquia, are famous for being warm, hard-working and proud of their city. Medellín went from one of the most dangerous cities in the world to a symbol of urban transformation, and people here like to tell that story.

• Feria de las Flores (August): flower parades with the silleteros carrying huge flower boards on their backs.
• Alumbrados (December): the city lights up with millions of Christmas lights along the river.
• Salsa: learn the basics at our free salsa class on Fridays, then practice in the city’s salsa bars.

Travel tips

• Weather: the “City of Eternal Spring” sits at about 1,500 m. Expect warm days, cool nights and afternoon showers. Bring a light jacket.
• Money: Colombian pesos (COP). Cards work in most places, but carry some cash for taxis and street food. Use ATMs inside banks or malls.
• Tipping: restaurants usually suggest a 10% service charge. It is voluntary.
• Safety: locals say no dar papaya, don’t make yourself an easy target. Keep your phone out of sight on the street, don’t carry more than you need and use app taxis at night.
• Water: tap water in Medellín is safe to drink.
• Plugs: type A/B, 110 V, the same as the US.
• Say it like a local: parce (buddy), ¿qué más? (how’s it going), bacano (cool), de una (let’s do it).