What's a good 3-day itinerary for Medellin?

Day 1 stays in Centro. Metro Line A drops you at Parque Berrío station by 8:30 AM, right beneath the Coltejer Building, the 1972 needle-shaped tower that still defines Medellín's skyline. The 23 Botero sculptures in Plaza Botero are free and best before 10 AM, when midmorning sun heats the bronze to a dull glow against pale concrete. Walk into the Museum of Antioquia, founded in 1881, which holds another 108 Botero works across 2 floors. Budget 90 minutes. The Metropolitan Cathedral sits 2 blocks east. Finished in 1931, its 1,120,000 bricks make it one of the largest brick structures in South America, and the interior stays noticeably cool even at noon. For lunch, walk south to Mondongos near Parque de San Antonio, where a bandeja paisa runs about 35,000 COP. Beans, rice, chicharrón, fried egg, avocado, arepa, plantain, and ground beef, all on one platter. In the afternoon, head north to Jardín Botánico, which is free. The orchid house holds roughly 1,000 species under a latticed wooden canopy that filters light into warm, soft stripes. Dinner at Hatoviejo costs around 45,000 COP for a full Antioqueño plate. Live trova musicians tend to drift between tables most evenings.

Day 2 heads west. Take Metro Line B to San Javier station by 9 AM, then walk 10 minutes uphill to Comuna 13's outdoor escalators. The six covered escalators, installed in 2011, replaced a 35-minute hillside climb for residents of what was once the most dangerous neighborhood in Medellín. The graffiti murals change every few months, so whatever guide photos you've seen are already out of date. Street vendors at the top sell mango biche with salt and lime for 3,000 COP. That sweet-sour bite cuts through the humidity. Spend 2 hours here. By noon, grab empanadas from a fonda near the escalators for 2,500 COP each, the cornmeal shell cracking when you bite through to the potato and beef inside. Take the Metro back to Estadio station by 2 PM and walk Carrera 70 through Laureles. This is where paisas actually eat and drink. The sidewalks are wider, prices run 30% lower than El Poblado, and tourist markup is mostly absent. Primer Piso near Circular 4 pours craft beer for 12,000 COP a pint. For dinner, El Eslabón Prendido on Carrera 70 runs about 50,000 COP for grilled meats with live music most nights.

Day 3 goes vertical. Take Metro Line A north to Acevedo, then ride Metrocable Line K up to Santo Domingo Savio. The 10-minute cable car costs the same as a Metro trip, about 3,000 COP. The Spain Library, designed by Giancarlo Mazzanti and opened in 2007, sits at the top with its three black stone volumes visible from across the valley. Mind you, the library interior has been closed for structural repairs since 2015, but the viewing platform and park still offer the widest panorama of the Aburrá Valley. On a clear morning you can see the eastern cordillera 40 km out. Head back to Poblado station by 1 PM. The Medellín Museum of Modern Art, founded in 1978 in a converted steel mill in Ciudad del Río, charges 18,000 COP. For a late lunch, Carmen on Via Provenza is likely the best restaurant in the city, running 90,000 to 120,000 COP per person for the tasting menu. If that's steep, OCI.Mde on Calle 10 serves ceviche for 38,000 COP in a cooler, quieter room.

A Cívica card ties all 3 days together. It costs 6,000 COP with a refundable 5,000 COP deposit and works on Metro, Metrocable, buses, and trams. Load it with 30,000 COP for 3 days. Medellín sits at 1,495 meters above sea level, so temperatures tend to hold between 18°C and 28°C year-round. You won't sweat through your shirt the way you might in Cartagena or Santa Marta. That said, afternoon rains from April through November hit fast and heavy, often around 3 PM, with a temperature drop of 8 to 10 degrees in under 20 minutes. Carry a packable rain shell. Total walking across the 3 days comes to about 18 km, with Metro and Metrocable covering another 25 km. The steepest sections are the hillside approaches in Comuna 13 and Santo Domingo. Wear shoes with grip, not sandals.