Nowadays, Comuna 13 is the most visited place by tourists in Medellín since this Comuna is, without a doubt, an example of improvement that represents the progress and the change in the city of Medellín on a small scale. In this area, you can find a bit of everything that represents the Paisa (this is how people from the department of Antioquia where Medellin is located are called) and Colombian culture and almost everything that a tourist looks for when visiting a place: food, entertainment in the form of street performances, art, and history. An unmissable combination that almost no one can resist. However, when visiting Medellín and Comuna 13 for the first time, many visitors come with their own ideas of what happened in this place and what this represents for the community. That is why here we leave the top 5 mistakes that you cannot make when you go to Comuna 13 in Medellín.
1. Assuming that the Comuna 13 is a neighborhood
Most people who visit Comuna 13 in Medellín assume that it is a large neighborhood. However, it is not. A comuna is not a neighborhood, but a group of neighborhoods. The city of Medellín is divided into 16 comunas, each of which is made up by a different number of neighborhoods. Each of these comunas has a neighborhood that represents it. For instance, the neighborhood that represents comuna 13 of Medellín is San Javier, where the Metro station with the same name is located. However, there are 20 other neighborhoods in this comuna.
2. Thinking that the graffiti tour is in the neighborhood San Javier
Within the 21 neighborhoods that are part of the Comuna 13, there is one called Las Independencias. This neighborhood is divided into three sections: Independencia 1, Independencia 2 and Independencia 3. It is in Independencia 1 (a section of Las Independencias neighborhood) where the whole experience of the graffiti tour is located, not in the neighborhood San Javier. Independencia 1 is only a small area of Commune 13 that was part of the conflict and, despite being recognized by many as if it were the only area affected by the conflict, it was not. There were actually other neighborhoods involved in the conflict, but this is the one receiving all the recognition and attention thanks to the graffiti and the outdoors escalators.
3. Having the idea that the violence of the past had something to do with Pablo Escobar
Many people think that during the time when Comuna 13 was considered a dangerous area that should not be visited by tourists or locals who did not live in it, the reason behind all the danger was the control of Pablo Escobar. But this could not be further from the truth! The causes that turned this comuna into a place of fear and death began with the assassination of Pablo Escobar. The death of this man opened the doors for armed groups that controlled the rural areas of Colombia to move to Medellín and establish themselves in Comuna 13 and use it as a strategic place to run their operations.
4. Visit the place on a Sunday afternoon
Being such a crowded and famous place, Comuna 13 is visited every day by thousands of people and the number of people is much greater as the weekend approaches. The best days to visit it are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays the number of people is greater, with Sundays being the busiest days. Sunday morning is a good time to visit this place, but the later it gets, the more people arrive and the more difficult it is to stop, walk, and enjoy the place.
5. Leaving the area that is already marked out for the tour
The neighborhoods of Medellín of strata 1 and 2, such as the area where of the Comuna 13 where the graffiti tour is located, are not heavily patrolled or protected by the police, and furthermore, they have many entrances and exits that can easily make a person get lost. That is why it is important that visitors stay close to their guides and follow the route that has been laid out for the tour.
Remember that Comuna 13 in Medellín is a place full of entertainment and history. Taking a tour around independence 1 is an experience that cannot be missed if you come to Medellín. You will surely want to return as many locals and tourists do. Some people stay a little longer after their tours to take their time looking at the street art on their tour and take some great photos to remember this colorful place.