Plaza Botero is in front of the Museum of Antioquia at the centre of Medellin
Medellin Surprises!
Medellin is not a city that has mastered the art of positive first impressions. Its reputation as a former
crime capital is a bit intimidating, and certainly the very long taxi ride from the airport to the city does not
offer spectacular beauty as you go follow the highway down, then up, then through heavy traffic and then
down again into the Aburra Valley. And what you see are thousands of homes and buildings filling in all
the spaces on the sides of the surrounding Andes Mountains.
After a 45 minute drive, we arrived at The Medellin Royal Hotel, a four-star property in a relatively safe
residential/tourist area, away from the city, and around the corner from shopping malls, restaurants and
stores. We would spend most evenings in this area, sometimes buying supplies at one of the grocery
stor