Even though it’s been years since Medellin renounced its title as ‘Most Violent City in the World’, my friends in the U.S. still seem surprised to hear that I would want to go there again for a vacation. What I love about photography is that photos allow me to relay the beauty of a place in a way that I would simply be unable to do solely with my words.
Though there are many places where you can have a fun time taking photos in Medellin, I found that one of the places I found most endearing, and visually stimulating was in Barrio Santo Domingo Savio. Here’s why:
1. If you’ve already purchased a ride on the metro, once you arrive at Acevedo station, you are able to take a free cable car ride up the mountain. This provides a fun way to preview some of the amazing views of the city that you’ll be capturing from the top.
2. It gives you a quick glimpse into real life in Medellin, and allows you to capture what daily life is like for much of the city’s 2.1 million inhabitants.
Directly outside the metrocable station
3. There is a concrete bowl by the Parque Biblioteca España that seems to attract much of the local action sport aficionados. This provided a perfect opportunity to work on my sports photography.
4. In my experience, the locals are extremely friendly and do not freak out when a camera is pointed in their direction.
5: One of the main reasons why Santo Domingo became one of my favorite spots to shoot, was that it has some insanely beautiful views of Medellin. On a clear day, the views are seriously awe-inspiring.
The view from Biblioteca España
*Just a quick note: As a general rule of thumb, it’s usually unwise to be flashing a camera that could be the equivalent of half a year’s salary when walking around in the barrios since theft/robbery is still a valid concern. As I was reminded by the security guard at the biblioteca, as long as you stay by the main streets, and walk along well lit areas with a lot of foot traffic, you and your camera should be relatively safe.
Also, if anyone has any recommendations on places within Medellin that provide great photo opportunities, please leave a note in the comment section below. Thanks!
Mapes24 
Love this! Thanks a lot.
I want to get the most of my trip to Medellin, and capturing the movement (and stillness) of the city is a big part of that. Do you recommend any other places?
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For street photography, Plaza Botero is a pretty cool spot as there are a ton of people that walk through the area on any given day. But be careful, as it can get pretty sketchy just a block or two in each direction from the main plaza. If you stay in the main Plaza area you should be fine!
Another cool spot for landscape/cityscape shots are at the escalators in Comuna 13. There’s some colorful homes, and a really awesome view of the city once you get to the top. Hope you have a great time!
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Thanks! I just learned of Comuna 13 yesterday and I definitely want to visit. Do you think its worth it to do a tour? I am thinking of maybe doing a tour and coming back on my own – if time permits.
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If you want to tour the homes away from the escalators, it’s probably a good idea having a guide as Comuna 13 is still not really considered to be a safe area. But if you’re planning to just take photos in the immediate area around the escalators, a tour guide really isn’t necessary.
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Sounds good. I may do the tour to get more of the background history, etc. I am not sure what area it covers. I will see! Thanks, again, for the info
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My pleasure!
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I enjoyed my weekend here and the day trip to Guatape, I just wish the food was better
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[…] first stop is Santo Domingo, one of the safer faevlas. While it’s not advised to walk around at night on your own, it is […]
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