Medellin Downtown

Medellín is the capital city of the Antioquia´s Department in Colombia. It was founded in 1675 by Miguel de Aguinaga. As of 2006, Medellín municipality has a population of 3.312.165 inhabitants (2005), making it the second most populated city in Colombia after Bogotá. Medellín also serves as the core of the Valle de Aburrá metropolitan area, the second largest in Colombia, with more than 3.3 million inhabitants, and a leading and productive industrial and urban center.

Until the late 1990s, the city became known for being a base for the most powerful international drug trafficking organizations and for being constantly affected by the violent Colombian conflict.

Recent social changes have led to make Medellín a peaceful place. The city's major concern, shared by many other Colombian cities, is the ongoing unemployment and sub-employment problem.

Medellín, city of opportunities, cultural city, Botero's city, opens its arms with all the warmth of its people, to receive them with a change of attitude towards the new millennium. Medellín, city with the green color of the hope painted in its slopes, waits to offer a message of faith in the future.

This large city, Industrial Capital of Colombia, welcomes you in the middle of two imposing mountain ranges, with all the energy of its Empresas Públicas, leaders in Latin America and with the greatness of the work of the master Fernando Botero. We invite you infect yourself of our optimism and for it we offer cultural spaces, permanent work to find ways of coexistence and all the magnetism of our enterprising and untiring people.

Distances

Their proximity to the Gulf of Urabá, the tie point of the Americas, with the commerce of the world through the Panama Canal, key in the opening and modernization of the economy make of Medellín an international communications center. Medellín is the forced step of both axes conceived to unite by land South America and Central America, including the integration from Venezuela to the Pan-American system.

Medellín is 400 kms of Bogotá, (30 minutes by airplane) 416 kms of Santiago de Cali, 700 kms of Cartagena, and 370 kms of the future international port of Turbo, in the Gulf of Urabá. The International Airport: Jose Maria Córdova (Rionegro) 40 minutes outside of the city.

Climate

Plaza de las luces

The privilege to be surrounded by mountain ranges that remain green throughout the year, gives a spring climate appropriate for the exercise of any activity. Its average temperature is of 35 degrees Celsius, which allows the organizations public and deprived to maintain its programs of culture, recreation, sports, markets or businesses always open. Traditionally it is known as the city of the eternal spring.