Invitación

MuSeUmS

The Museum of Antioquia

There are more than a dozen fine museums in Medellin. The Museo de Antioquia, located in the heart of Centro, is one of the most popular!

A few of the many permanent galleries include: Pre Hispanic, Colonial and Republican, Murals, Photographs, National Artists, International Artists, Sculptures, Contemporary, etc., and the most visited gallery: Botero.





The Medellin Museum of Modern Art

Located just five minutes from the center of the city, and a few blocks from the METRO Station-SURAMERICANA, the Museo de Arte Moderno was founded in 1980.
Pictures, sculptures, photographs plus other forms and works of modern art created by Colombian and international artists of acclaim, are on display in expansive salons featuring both artificial and natural light.

The Museum provides a permanent collection from world-famous artists such as: Debora Arango, Enrique Grau, Leonel Gongora, Manuel Hernandez, Olga Almaral, Beatriz Gonzalez, and Hugo Zapate.

The Medellin Interactive Museum

The Museum seeks to create a better understanding of the discovery, evolution, advancement and utilization of the sciences toward improvement in the lives of humankind. In teaching the sciences, interactive education is the second leg of effective communications: Tell about it. Do it. Review it.

The Museum staff incorporated 3-D digital animations, state of the art audio systems, interactive games, and a hi-tech A-V Hall (audio-visual),for movie projection. The overriding theme, which is repeated throughout the Museum, is Science, Nature and Conservation. The investment in The Future Pavilion, by EPM, was 2,630 million Pesos, or about $1,127.100. U.S.

FeStIvAlS

January / February
Bullfights in Medellin

Where: La Macarena Stadium
Saturday for six weeks with two special evening events.
Overview: Every year at the end of January and the beginning of February, Spain comes to Medellin, and the very best Matadors in the world come to show off their skills in the beautifully restored Macarana stadium.
Every afternoon for six Saturdays the party revolves around the Macarana stadium and spills over into the streets, bars and restaurants of the Zona Rosa. The city is filled with spectators from all over the world and many places put on special events during the festival.


March / April
Easter /Holy Week

Where: La Macarena Stadium
Saturday for six weeks with two special evening events.
Overview: The Holy Week of Easter is the most important Catholic religious festival in South America. Semana Santa, Holy Week, celebrates the last days of Christ's life, the Crucifixion and Resurrection, as well as the end of Lent. Semana Santa is observed with a range of celebrations, from the most solemnly religious, to a mix of pagan/Catholic, to commercial. There is a four day long weekend in Medellin so it's party time!!


July
ColombiaMODA

Where: Centro Internacional de Convenciones Plaza Mayor
Overview: Colombiamoda is the most important annual fashion event in South America, presenting around 450 Colombian and international exhibitors in the Centro Internacional de Convenciones Plaza Mayor in Medellín. Visitors are expected from all over Latin America, Europe, the United States and the Far East.
Colombiamoda, organised by fashion promoter Inexmoda, has taken place every year since 1990. This year there are products shown for men, women, teens and children in formal, casual, underwear, sportswear and swimwear, as well as supplies for fashion dealers, machinery and all the other services related to the sector. A host of related events take place alongside the fair, including daily catwalk shows.

July
The International Poetry Festival in Medellin

Where: The Universtiy of Antioquia - Along with many smaller open street venues
The rapid progression of the Festival's growth (which is directly related with the number and quality of the more than 747 participant poets representing 131 countries of the five continents, added to the great public attendance to all the Festival's acts) and by other side the consolidation of publications, poet's organizations and international poetry festivals in the world, can anticipate a bigger influence of poetry in human society.

August
The Flower Festival


Where: Throughout all of Medellín
Overview: The centre of Medellin bursts into flames of colour and a delicious bouquet of sweet smells during the Flower Fair, the city's most important cultural event.
Colombia is famous for its flowers and exports them all over the world. This annual celebration has been going strong since 1957 and is always held during the first two weeks in August






December / January
The Festival of Christmas Lights

Where: Throughout all of Medellín
Overview: The Christmas lights decorating Medellin, make it the most beautiful Latin American city in South America over the Christmas holidays. The lights are illuminated from mid December to mid January. The most impressive parts are centered around the Rio Medellin at the 'puente de Guayaquil'. Large statues made of lights can be found throughout the city.



December
Santa Fe de Antioquia, Colombia Festival the Cinema

Where: Carrera 51 No. 52-03 Palacio de la Cultura, Of. 313
Tel: (57-4) 251 6888 Telefax: 513 3653 Medellín, Colombia
Telefax: (57-4) 853 3988 Santa Fe de Antioquia
Overview: For all you lovers of cinema there are two annual film festivals in the town of Santa Fe de Antioquia. Take a tour of this incredible town with its Colonial style architecture which has been preserved in time with its vertiable maze of cobbled stone streets. It features one of the world's first suspension bridges in all of Colombia.

EnJoY tHe TrAnSfOrMaTiOn Of MeDeLlíN

Enjoy the transformation of Medellin

Medellín has changed. Those who visited it in the past will surely be surprised when seeing it again. Its transformation is due to a work plan and to social programs that make our city an example in the continent. Through big projects that turn the eyes of tourists and visitors, the Metrocable, the four Library Parks with all their technology, the Explora Science Park, the Orchid Showroom, and the pedestrian walkways for enjoyment and shopping, like the ones in Carabobo and El Poblado, open new spaces to understand how this city is transforming itself. Medellín continues to be a pioneer in Colombia as a city of big events and, plaza Mayor becomes the ideal space for large conventions, forums and fairs that choose it for their meeting. Likewise, Medellín is the city of fashion and medicine, but also, of entrepreneurship and culture; with important events like the Poetry festival, the International Tango Festival, the Christmas Lights, best in the country, and the Flower Fest. But what really attracts visitors, is the peace and reconciliation felt in every street of our city. Walking through Medellin is safe and its warm and friendly people will guide you thru this route of education and culture. The city has a wide offer of museums, new parks and streets, shopping centers, theaters, places of tourist interest like Cerro Nutibara (Nutibara Hill), old churches and convention centers ready for you to enjoy them with optimism and to meet friendly people willing to welcome you and have an unforgettable experience.

LoDgInG - HoTeLs

Medellín is a contrast metropolis - nature, it is vibrant, vital, and in full development, with an intense interaction among commercial, industrial, cultural, religious, social and sports activities.

It has an ample and varied offer of large, medium and small hotels for all budgets. Its position as an industrial and business city has converted Medellin into a much visited metropolis.

The hotel industry in Medellín reported an occupation of 56.1% in 2007 in average, for the period January – December, according to data supplied by COTELCO- Chapter Antioquia-Chocó.

Between 2005 and beginning of 2008 10 new hotel projects were developed in the city; 18 more projects are expected between 2008 and 2009.

The new hotels

have added 876 rooms and 1.059 beds to the city.

Three areas of the city offer hotel services, their fees for meetings and conventions oscillate in the following range:

* DOWNT OWN AREA: between USD 34 and USD 90.
* LAUREL ES AREA: between USD 69 and USD 153.
* POBLADO AREA: between USD 113 and USD 215.

HeAlTh

Milestones in the history of medicine in Colombia:

Pioneers in transplants:

Medellín did the first liver transplant in Latin America and the first trachea transplant worldwide Also, it performed the first heart, lung, bone marrow, kidney, stem cells and intestine transplants.

*Created the first valve laboratory and tissue bank.
*Leaders in Latin America in obesity surgery (gastric bypass and gastric billon)
*Leaders in Plastic and reconstructive Surgery in Colombia.

Medellín is THE capital of Colombia’s health, since it is leader in the rendering of health services of high specialization. The quality, experience and reputation of Antioquia’s medicine open doors to the health sector in the world market.

The city has an excellent academic and scientific professional education; with a wide network of hospitals and clinics, a state of the art technology and comprehensive service to the patients. Hospitals and clinics are equipped with last generation technology for diagnostic aids at competitive prices.

50% of hospitals and clinics accredited in Colombia are in Medellin.

It also has excellent universities which are well known in Latin America; some of the most representative institutions are: University of Antioquia, Cardiovascular Clinic, CES University, University Hospital San Vicente de Paul, Clínica Medellín, Clínica Las Américas, Clínica El Rosario, Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital, Clínica Las Vegas, among others

uTiLiTiEs

One of the manifestations of the progress of the city is the vigorous manner how throughout this century it has been able to use its natural resources. Today, our city is recognized as the Latin American capital with the best utilities infrastructure thanks to Empresas Públicas de Medellín (Medellin Utilities Company) which covers 95% of the population.

Medellín has a state of the art technology which includes an ample service portfolio in a smart web: power supply, gas, drinking water, sewer system, access to cable and WI – FI Internet, card and coin public phones, national and international long distance phone service, cable television, garbage collection and road ways provision.
Likewise, several generator and distributing companies that provide energy to Colombia and other countries in Latin America, operate in the city.

The utilities capacity and, the manner in which it manages its scientific and technological environment, have converted it into a technological city and undoubtedly, in an urban center that grew through industrialization, to become a metropolis.

TrAnSpOrTaTiOn aNd MoBiLiTy

Transportation and mobility

Medellín and Antioquia have had an important advance in transportation during the last few years thanks to a number of programs implemented by the National and State Government, such as, road security campaigns, investment in the infrastructure of roads, and several reforms to stimulate mobilization of vehicles and, the creation of new routes by the bus terminals.

In general terms, land transportation has showed growth rate increases in the last years, generating an increment in passenger mobilization towards different parts of the country.

Land transportation terminals

North terminal: Integrates bus, taxis and metropolitan train services. All national and inter municipal public transportation coming from the north of Valley of Aburra and the country, arrives at this Terminal; there are 47 transportation companies.

South terminal: National and inter municipal taxis and buses coming from the south of the Valley of Aburra and the country, arrive at this Terminal; there are 39 transportation companies.
Public transportation in the city

Metro: Medellín has the only metro system in the country; massive transportation system that since 1995 with its Line A, runs North-South and vice versa. The B Line runs from downtown towards west of the city and vice versa, moving more than 480.000 passengers daily. This modern and sophisticated transportation system solves the urban congestion problems. It runs between 4.00 A.M. and 11.00 P.M.



Metrocable:

The city has two funicular railway type aerial metro cables connected to the metro. One is located in the North Eastern area of the city and it has been in service since 2004, the second is located in the West part of the city and was put in service in 2008. This unique massive transportation system moves between 12.000 and 14.000 passenger each one daily. The metro ticket includes one trip in the metro cable.

Soon to come, the Metro Plus: system integrated to the metro, with 21 stations, it is expected to transport 164.000 passengers daily.

BUSES: The city has a private system of urban buses serving all areas of the Valley of Aburra and the Metropolitan area. All routes go downtown from the different areas, including the urban buses arriving from the municipalities belonging to the Metropolitan Area.
Average fare COP 1.300

CoNnEcTiViTy

Medellín is an accessible and equidistant place; it is connected with the highway Medellin-Bogota, which connects the city with the center of the country.

AIR ACCESS: It has two airports:

AIRPORT OLAYA HERRERA: Located within the city, next to Park Juan Pablo II. It serves domestic, regional and some national flights.

Airport José María Córdova:

Located at the municipality of Rionegro, in the eastern part of Antioquia, 40 kilometers away from the city and its metropolitan area.

This semicircular terminal is crowned by an immense transparent dome that covers the commercial, service and waiting areas of the airport; it serves as commercial and cargo airport for national and international flights...

Airlines offering their services to the city of Medellin

ToUrIsT pLaTfOrM

Safety

Medellín, is today one of the safest cities in Colombia and Latin America, thanks to an unprecedented cultural, social and urban transformation, it is reuniting again with the world and making part of the global community.

HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF THE HOMICIDE RATE IN MEDELLIN 1986-2007

Medellín is undergoing a “social urbanism” transformation that deals with the reconstruction of its social weave, its development and a better quality of life for its population.

It is a city that firmly believes in cohabitation and reconciliation, presenting a more cultural appearance and generating commitment among its citizens.

Important transformations have happened in our city during the last few years:
Investments in infrastructure in all areas of the city.
More commitment with the more vulnerable communities which have less financial resources.
Urban spaces are recovered and new ones are created for the citizens to enjoy.

Model city for peace processes and social reinsertion.More police force and guarantees for the security and justice organisms.
Programs of Inclusion, solidarity, education, health and cohabitation.

This is reflected in the construction of five new library parks, ten new schools and improvements in the old educational institutions.

GaStRoNoMy - HoMeMaDe DeSsErTs

Sweet fig with caramel spread



Miguelito

This dessert is prepared with figs cooked in syrup and filled with caramel spread, a typical Colombian dessert made of rice flour, milk and sugar. Is usually homemade, but it can now be found already prepared at grocery stores.








Guava paste



A jelly of guava sifting cooked with sugar up to the point of solidification, it can be combined with caramel spread. It used to be homemade, but is now an industrial product.

Dulce de brevas con arequipe

This dessert is prepared with cooked early fig in syrup filled with arequipe, that is a colombian tradicional dessert elaborated with rice flour, milk and sugar. It is a homedessert but you also can get it in the supermarket.

Bocadillo de guayaba

A jelly of guava with sugar, cooked until solidify point. They are only with guava or mixed with arequipe. It was a homedessert, kown it is an industrial product.

Coconut based sweets (panelitas)

Is a simple dessert to prepare and is based on brown sugar, cinnamon, and grated coconut

GaStRoNoMy - SnAcKs

Snacks

Among the best known snacks stand out the empanada (antioqueñan pie), the buñuelo (cheese puff), sausage with arepa, stuffed potatoes, chicken pie, cheese sticks, pan de bono and, sweet corn arepa

GaStRoNoMy - PrInCiPaL fOoD

La arepa (cornmeal cake)

If there is a food that characterizes Medellin and Antioquia, it is the arepa. The traditional arepa is made with cooked corn, grated and mixed, without any more ingredients because is inspired and it tastes according to what you put in it. Usually you eat it with butter and salt, but you can also put in avocado, cheese, ground meat, etc.

There is so much variety of arepas as types of corn there are: white, yellow, oven made, corncob and, they come in different shapes, round, thin and, ball shaped. Not long ago, people used to make their own arepas at home, but now its manufacture is industrial and it can be found at stores and supermarkets. Its consumption is a must at breakfast but it can also be eaten with other meals.

Bandeja paisa

It is the typical dish by excellence. It can be found at many popular restaurants, but also at specialized elegant places. When it is complete, it includes: beans, rice, pork, ground meat, sausage, blood sausage, fried eggs, fried plantains, arepa, salad and avocado. It is served on a wooden or porcelain tray

El sancocho

It is a soup for home consumption, very popular around the country. In Medellin and Antioquia is prepared with pork or cow meat and, sometimes chicken. Large pieces of yucca, green plantain, carrots, potatoes, coriander and other seasonings are added to the kettle. It is served as an only dish and it is accompanied with arepa and salad.

Tamal antioqueño

The tamale is a national dish of Indian origin cooked in a plantain leaf. Each region prepares it differently. In Medellín and Antioquia is part of the home menu and, it can be found already prepared at the supermarkets and popular restaurants. It is made with corn mass, pork, cow and chicken meat, carrots, green peas and potatoes. The leaves in which it was cooked keep the food warm to take on a trip to be eaten later.

Mondongo

It is for house consumption but it can also be found at specialized restaurants. Medellín has several places of excellent quality that are visited by tourists. It is made with chopped potatoes, and small pieces of cow tripe. It is served with white rice, arepa, coriander, chili peppers, lemon, avocado and bananas.

La mazamorra

It is an after meal food, meaning, it is eaten after lunch or dinner. Its origin is mainly Indian and it is prepared with grains of cooked corn previously peeled, it is served hot or cold, depending on the particular taste, mixed with milk and accompanied with brown sugar, guava paste or some other sweet.

OuTsTaNdInG pErSoNaLiTiEs

Alvaro Uribe Vélez

President of Colombia for two consecutive periods since August 2002 until the year 2010, he was born in Medellin on July 4 of 1952, graduated from Law School at the University of Antioquia and did postgraduate studies in Administration and Conflict Management at the University of Harvard and Oxford respectively.
He has held different public offices, among them, Head of Patrimony at Empresas Públicas de Medellín, Mayor and Councilman of Medellin, Governor of Antioquia, and Senator. While in the Senate, he was recognized as a Star Senator, Best Senator and as the Senator with the best initiatives.

Belisario Betancur Cuartas

Was born in Amaga, Antioquia, on February 4 of 1923. He was president of Colombia and during his term in office, national and international literature and poetry were promoted.
He is an attorney by profession and a poetry lover, he holds a Honoris Causa Degree from the Universities of Colorado and Georgetown in Washington D.C. He writes opinion papers for several newspapers and has written books on education, economy, sociology and politics.
He was also the Labor Secretary, Ambassador of Colombia in Spain and a representative of Colombia in several Arab countries.

Héctor Abad Faciolince

One of the most representative Colombian writers; he was born in Medellín in 1958. He started to study medicine, philosophy and journalism but never finished, at present he works as translator and has a column in Revista Semana; jobs that he alternates with writing novels and literary critic. He has received several awards such as the Simon Bolivar Opinion Journalism Award, the National Story Telling Award and the Award to the Best Foreign Novel Award.



Manuel Uribe Ángel

He was known as the most important intellectual of his time, he was born in Envigado in September of 1822 and died in Medellin in 1904.
He studied ecology and became the first person to practice this profession in Colombia. He also studied medicine and geography; he was a scientist, writer and was a passionate student of Colombia’s history. He published several books, was governor of the State of Antioquia, senator and co founder of the Universidad de Antioquia and its School of Medicine.


José María Córdova

Recognized as the most important Antioqueñan General during the independence of Antioquia, he was born in Concepción, Antioquia the 8th of December of 1799 and died the 17th of October of 1829. His performance during the battle of Ayacucho helped Antioquia to become independent from Peru, the creation of Bolivia and the independence of South America, for these reasons he is known as “The Hero of Ayacucho”


Fernando Botero

Recognized as one of the greatest artists in the world, this Colombian painter awakens the admiration of the people who look at his work. Born in Medellín, city with which he maintains not only a sentimental bond but also is recurrent in the images of his work. Our city has the largest collection of his work, thanks to a donation that he gave with the purpose of supporting the arts and generate cultural and educational spaces in the community.
His paintings and sculptures adorn the downtown area at the Museum of Antioquia and the Sculpture Park, preserve the work of this plastic artist whose color and massive figures exhibit the reality of the world seen through eyes of an unprecedented creative artist. The world has seen how his exhibits have reached cities such as Venice, Rome, New York, Madrid and many others, generating opinion and transforming the social language through art.



Juanes

Paisa musician. who at an early age, found in music a way of expression. This singer, guitarist, producer and author of all the music and lyrics of all the themes he sings, creates his music with a variety of styles, sources and themes which are a mix of vallenato, country, tango, bolero Cuban son and rock, the result is the expression of his feelings which many times are dedicated to his
country and his roots.



María Luisa Calle

With a degree in Administration of Agricultural Companies, Maria Luisa realized that she wanted to dedicate her life to sports and, made her first contacts with mountain biking from where she moved to compete in track and route competitions. This 38 year old paisa has dedicated 12 years of her life to cycling, specializing in the modality of track individual persecution. This paisa has participated in different national and international events, Olympic competitions, world championships, and Central American and Bolivarian games obtaining numerous medals including the Gold medal at the World Bicycle Track Competition in Burdeaus, France. This perseverant cyclist has remained strong without caring for the difficulties brought by the demanding sport.

Santiago Botero

Santiago Botero had his first contact with a bicycle at 7 years of age. In the nineties, his enthusiasm for mountain biking led him to win the individual persecution, imposing a new national record which permitted him to begin a new series of triumphs and obtain success in the different races in which he participated. Among the most important victories in his career are the stages against the clock in the Cundinamarca Tour, the Tour of Chile in 1997 and, the second stage of the Mitsubishi Gran Prize in 1998. He obtained his first victory in a stage, in the Tour of France, wining also the recognition as the best mountain racer. He was also professional world champion in the race against the watch.

Sergio Fajardo Valderrama

He became mayor of the city of Medellin the 1st of January of 2004, after obtaining the highest voting registered in history for this office. This mathematician and Master of Science from the University of Los Andes (Bogota) also holds a PhD in mathematics with a minor in economics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison U.S.A. He has participated in peace processes and lectured on the armed conflict in Colombia. He worked as a journalist and Associate Director of the newspaper El Colombiano and had an opinion column in the newspapers El Mundo, El Espectador and the magazine Dinero; he also worked in television programs such as Operación Ciudad of Telemedellin and Zanahoria of Teleantioquia, as well as radio talk shows like Viva FM of Caracol Radio. This mathematician committed with his city has initiated a great compromise of social transformation in which Medellín has moved from fear to happiness with perseverance and the diligent work of a leader and his team, convinced that through education and security, great changes and new leadership can be promoted.