If someone had told me 20 years ago that Comuna 13 would become the most visited tourist attraction in Medellín, I would have told them they were crazy. But today, this neighborhood that once seemed a forbidden place, is not only the most visited place by travelers who come to Medellin, but also one of the most transformative experiences that anyone could live anywhere in the world.

If you are thinking of visiting Comuna 13, I will explain what makes it so famous and everything you need to know to make the most of this mandatory tour in the capital city of Paisa.

Ah! And before we begin, let me recommend our tour which is highly rated among locals and tourists.

What is Comuna 13?

Comuna 13 is one of the 16 communes (or territorial divisions) that exist in Medellín and is composed of 20 popular neighborhoods, most of them located in the mountains and with the typical “favela” appearance that is so common in Latin American cities.

This commune is also known as “San Javier” and is home to almost 200,000 inhabitants. Historically, the commune has not been a tourist site, nor has it been a popular site for local visitors.

In fact, it is unlikely that those who live in Medellín had visited this place before the appearance of attractions such as the Metrocable, escalators and the “Graffitour”.“.

Why is it so famous?

The main reason that has given commune 13 so much recognition is that it has become a worldwide example of urban transformation. A magical place where you can connect with the life and history of humble people of Medellín who have found in art and culture a way to change the face of their neighborhood.

But this transformation did not just happen, nor did it happen overnight. One of the main sources of change was the construction of a Metrocable in 2008: a public transport line via overhead cabins that was created to make life easier for mountain dwellers.

Before the Metrocable, people who lived in Comuna 13 and had to go out to run errands or work in other parts of the city had to take long walks or wait for hours for a small bus to take them to the city’s subway.

When the Metrocable appeared in Comuna 13, a double effect was generated. Not only did the inhabitants of the sector have an easier and more agile way to connect with the rest of the city, but it also created an effect of “intra-urban tourism” on the part of other Medellin residents who wanted to take a look at what at that time was a new transportation system for many.

But undoubtedly, what really exposed the community to Medellín and the world was the inauguration of an escalator system, which replaced 350 steps in the 20 de Julio neighborhood. This work, unique in the world, encouraged a cultural movement of graffiti artists, rappers and local merchants who ended up turning the place into what today is known as the “Grafitur de la comuna 13”.

How to get there?

The two main ways to get to Commune 13 are by Metro, Taxis or mobility apps. My favorite option is the Metro, as it will allow you to get to know the two key points of the commune: the Metrocable and the escalators (Grafittitour).

How to get there by Metro

To get to the commune by subway you must take the B line to San Javier station. If you are located in the south of the city (El Poblado, Envigado, Sabaneta or Itagui) you must first take the metro line A heading north and then transfer to line B at the San Antonio station.

If you are located in the western area of the city, sectors such as Laureles, Estadio, Floresta, you can go to Estadio station and take the train to “San Javier” which is the last station on the line.

Once you arrive in San Javier I advise you not to leave the station. On the other hand, you can go to the second floor and take a ride on the metro cable. You don’t have to pay for a new ticket.

A few months ago I did exactly this with some Brazilian friends, who were quite surprised by the ease of transportation in Medellin and how safe it was to take a metrocable ride through the popular neighborhoods. The metrocable is a “circuit” so you will not have to get off the cabin at any time and you can return to the original point where you took it (San Javier station).

Once you are back in San Javier, you can leave the Metro station to go to the Escaleras Eléctricas, which is the starting point of the Graffititour. If you have previously booked a tour, most likely the Metro station will be your meeting point and your guide will take you to the starting point.

Is it possible to get there by cab or car?

If you want to get there on your own, you can do it by cab or by taking one of the green bus routes that are located at the station exit. Just ask the bus if it passes by the escalators and gently ask the driver to let you know once you get there.

However, I do not advise you to go in your own vehicle, since around the tourist spots of Comuna 13 there is no place to park.

Image taken from Google Maps. This is the point where you take the green buses to get to the Escaleras Eléctricas.

Graffiti Tour: the best plan in commune 13

The Graffitour is a tour between the neighborhood 20 de Julio and the neighborhood Las Independencias 1 of the commune, where you can see more than 300 graffiti drawn by local artists, which tell the story of violence, displacement and rebirth of the neighborhood.

What I like most about this tour is that it is a cultural immersion where you not only see beautiful artwork painted on a wall, but you get to experience up close the day to day life of the people who made it possible to transform the neighborhood.

The Graffitour is not about seeing painted walls and taking pictures for your Instagram, it’s about listening to the history of the locals, appreciating the cultural expression through music and dances and tasting a little bit of the local gastronomy of the neighborhood.

Speaking of food, two things I love about this place are the mango biche popsicles (made with green mango and a little bit of salt) and the mangochelas, a preparation of beer, salt, lemon, mango and whatever else you want to add.

Although the graffiti tour is free and you don’t need to pay any entrance fee to see the graffiti or to enter the escalators, I recommend that at least the first time you go, you pay for a guided tour, to avoid getting lost in the chaos and congestion that may eventually exist in the area. This tour includes a guide, transportation and costs $115,000 Colombian pesos per person (approximately $28 dollars).

Recorrido

These guided tours can last 4 hours and you can hire them directly with Visit Medellin, starting the tour from a meeting point defined by you. If you wish to reach the area by your own means, several tour guides will offer you the service once you leave the San Javier Metro station, which is usually the meeting point chosen by many tourists.

The other starting point is right where the commune’s escalators begin. If you have not hired a tour in advance, for your safety, I recommend that you choose this option instead of choosing your guide at the Metro station.

Guided tour with Parche Experiences

But if what you want is to ensure a place with reliable guides, I recommend that you make a reservation online.

Commune 13 schedules

Commune 13 is an open and public place, without a specific schedule. But it is best if you can visit it ideally in the morning (between 9:00 a.m. and 12 noon). Something to keep in mind is that it is a very busy place on weekends. My last recommendation for you to enjoy the hike is to do it early, ideally before noon.

And if possible, avoid weekends, as the place is quite crowded, to the point where it is difficult to walk when you go on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. Oh, and bring an umbrella, just in case!

History of commune 13

Comuna 13 began to take shape in the 1940s in a planned manner by the municipality of Medellín. The first buildings were in the lower part of the commune, in the area known as San Javier.

However, due to the Colombian armed conflict and the industrialization of the city, informal settlements (known as invasions) began to appear in the 1950s, made up of people from different regions of the Colombian countryside who had fled displaced by the war.

Many of the houses built in the area were initially made of tin and wood and over the years there was an unstructured growth of the 20 neighborhoods formed from narrow streets and brick houses.

Along with population growth, Comuna 13 became an epicenter for the operation of guerrilla organizations fighting for territorial control of the area, the administration of the extortion business and drug trafficking. These groups were called “militias”; urban cells of guerrillas such as the FARC and ELN.

For decades the population of the commune has been a victim of the struggle of these groups for territorial control. But undoubtedly the darkest period for its inhabitants was in 2002 when Operation Orion was executed there.

Operation Orion

This has been the largest military operation in the history of Colombian cities. It was organized by the National Army and the government of then President Álvaro Uribe Vélez.

Orion was a bloody operation for Comuna 13, since in order to eradicate the guerrilla groups in the sector, the Colombian Army established alliances with paramilitary groups to carry out the operation. It resulted in dozens of civilian deaths and hundreds of missing persons (see source).

One of the images that portrayed the horror of this event was the photograph taken by photojournalist Jesús Abad Colorado. It shows a hooded man wearing rubber boots (paramilitary) giving instructions to the Colombian armed forces. Clear evidence of the complicity between illegal groups and the official army.

If you visit commune 13, the inhabitants of the sector will be able to share their personal experience during this operation that marked their lives. Listen to them with empathy and appreciate the value for a community to have revived from sordid times and become a symbol of resilience from culture and roots.

Commune 13 escalators

One of the best experiences in Commune 13 is to tour its steep mountains through the escalators, a work that was created to facilitate the life of the inhabitants of the sector and that today allows tourists to make an ascent through the mountain of the neighborhood, while observing the daily life of the inhabitants, some artistic expressions and visit stores and commercial establishments that give life to the sector.

As I mentioned above, this work was inaugurated in 2011 and is one of the most transformative that has taken place in Medellín. Not only for the touristic impact it has today, but also for the great quality of life it brought to inhabitants of the area, to connect them in an easier and faster way with the rest of the city.

It is worth mentioning that access to these stairs is free and public.

Comuna 13 and Pablo Escobar

Before you go let me demystify something. Pablo Escobar has nothing to do with the formation and growth of Comuna 13. He was not born there, was not raised there, nor did he sponsor the shaping of the neighborhood. Nor is it true that the epicenter of his assassins was that neighborhood.

The guerrilla and paramilitary groups that have inhabited the area have in fact had historical confrontations with the leader of the Medellín cartel. By the time the paramilitary groups took over this territory, Pablo Escobar had been dead for almost 10 years.

During your visit you will find multiple T-shirts in honor of this figure of Colombian terrorism and crime. While this is a method that many locals use to make a living, taking advantage of the interest that the image of the “capo” arouses among foreigners, it is a symbol of terror, death and much pain for Colombian society.