Medellín Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour with Escalators & Street Food

4.97

(146 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I’d heard stories about Comuna 13, but honestly, nothing really prepared me for walking those hills. Our guide—Andrés, who grew up nearby—started us off right away with a fruit popsicle (I picked mango, which melted way too fast in my hand). The walls were just alive with color; every mural seemed to have its own heartbeat. I caught myself stopping mid-step more than once just to stare at the details—faces, birds, words I couldn’t quite translate. There was music somewhere above us, drifting down like it was part of the air.

We took the famous outdoor escalators up through the neighborhood—never thought I’d be riding an escalator outside, surrounded by murals and kids racing each other up the steps. Andrés explained how these escalators changed everything for locals here. He pointed out La Independencia #2 and told us about what it meant for families to finally have easy access in and out. I could see people waving from balconies or just sitting on stoops watching us pass by—some smiled back when I waved first.

There was this moment at one of the viewpoints where you could see all of Medellín stretching out below—clouds hanging low over the city, rooftops stacked like puzzle pieces. We tried empanadas from a tiny stand (mine was still steaming inside), and someone nearby started rapping in Spanish while a group of kids broke into dance right in front of us. I didn’t expect to feel so welcome as an outsider; maybe it was Andrés translating jokes or maybe just the way everyone seemed to move together.

By the time we ducked into an art gallery tucked behind a mural-covered wall, my shoes were dusty and my head kind of spinning from all the stories. There’s something about seeing a place that’s been through so much change—it stays with you longer than you think. I still remember the sound of laughter echoing off concrete as we made our way back down.