How to Make Friends in Medellín

TLDR? The best way to make friends in Medellín is to try different activities while you’re traveling alone!

Traveling alone is one of the best ways to find yourself. And you also get to immerse in cultures far away from home! 

Medellin, Colombia, is an ideal destination for backers and solo travelers. It has incredible attraction spots, food, shopping centers, and affordable accommodations. Don’t forget that public transportations are very accessible too! 

And, of course, going solo gives you the chance to make new friends, especially Colombian locals. This guide teaches how to make friends in Medellin and make your stay in this beautiful city memorable! 

Let’s get started. 

Join Facebook Groups

We get it. It can be too much to just jump to the following local you see on the street and start talking. So, if you’re not confident in approaching people in public spaces, start with social media. 

Several Facebook groups are available for meeting new people in Medellin, so be sure to check those out. We can name a few:

• Medellin Meetups & Expat Info For Freelancers, Retirees & Digital Nomads
• Medellin Foodies Group
• Medellin Expat and Tourist Info
• Doing Business and Living in Medellin
• Medellin Hiking Group

Most of the members of these groups are locals, ex-pats, and tourists like you. And when you find someone who clicks with your vibe, that’s the time you can set lunch out. 

Our advice? Be brave. Interact with these new people in group posts. Don’t be afraid to hit someone up and send a private message. 

Once the conversation starts going somewhere, invite them for lunch or coffee.

Attend Language Exchange Meet-Ups

Improving your Spanish language might also be on your bucket list. And if it is, attending language meet-ups can be perfect for you! 

Joining language exchanges is a perfect activity to learn a new language. At the same time, you have the chance to meet new people and bond with them! 

Also, you don’t need to be a professional when joining language exchanges. We’re sure that most members are also not fluent. Meeting people from these exchanges can also give you insider tips on different Medellin sights and attraction spots. 

And if you’re in Medellin looking for love, joining language exchanges is just perfect! Don’t forget to dress well, and find a potential date! To name a few, here are famous language exchanges in Medellin:

• Toucan Cafe – every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm
• Hostel Ondas – Every Wednesday at 6:30 pm
• Colombia Immersion – every Friday at 6:30 pm
• The Wandering Paisa – every Thursday at 8 pm

Join Hiking Groups

Thanks to Aburra Valley, Medellin has some of the best hiking routes and picturesque spots. And even when you’re not the best hiker in town, it’s still worth of discovering the Antioquian wilderness. 

As mentioned, Medellin Hiking Group is a group on Facebook where anyone can join any hiking trip posted. Hiking is one of the best activities you can do alone and meet new people. 

Aside from the Facebook group, Kinkaju Hikes and Adventures is another organization that plans group hikes. 

Get the best of both worlds with hiking. You get to experience Medellin with a view and meet fantastic people from various parts of the world! 

Join Volunteer Works

While Medellin continues to evolve, it still needs volunteers for various urbanizing activities. Signing up to volunteer is the best way to give back and meet new friends. And it costs nothing! 

Becoming a volunteer allows you to meet locals, speak with them, and discover their life situations in Medellin. It also enables you to understand the Medellin way of living better. 

There’s just so much you can do with volunteering. You can participate in fundraising events, join ark workshops, and build homes. 

For instance, Nomads Giving Back is a unique organization for ex-pats who desire to help the local communities. 

Arrange Meet-Ups

Today, most people living in Medellin are adopting the lifestyle of digital nomads. They spend more time on their computers because of remote work. This decreases the time they spend with real people. 

If you’re a digital nomad yourself, fret not! The nomad community continues to expand, and arranging meet-ups is now common in Medellin. Meet-ups are perfect for the following:

• to widen your network
• collaborate on new projects
• make new friends! 

You’ll find several locations and organizations hosting meet-ups in Medellin. Most of these involve certain work elements, including marketing, design, and communications. 

Here are a few suggestions of great locations to hold meet-ups:

• 20Mission Cerveza
• Selina
• Barrio Central
• Naturelia Cafe
• Cafe Cliche

Meetup Medellin is also a great website to check the full schedule of the entire city. 

Medellin Living Hosts and Meet-ups is also a great group where readers can meet to share stories and ideas over a few drinks. 

And if you can’t find anything that matches your interests, it’s time to create your own meet-up! You can check out the following Facebook groups where you can connect with various organizers:

• Medellin Entrepreneurs Society
• Digital Nomads Medellin
• Medellin Ex-pats

Enroll in Salsa Classes

And finally, experience the beauty of Salsa by taking classes. Come across any local, and you’ll be surprised that all of them are into dancing! Salsa is important in Colombian culture, and learning it is a great way to immerse yourself in this foreign neighborhood. 

We suggest signing up for group lessons if it’s your first time learning. Group classes are great ways to meet locals and know their stories! 

The best Salsa schools include Academia Santo Baile, Salsa Classes Medellin, and Dancefree. And if you’re too shy to go alone, look for people in Medellin Facebook groups who also desire to learn the dance. 

Meet New Friends in Medellin

Medellin gives you a unique outdoor experience with its lush greenery, coffee spots, and more. And the best way to experience this place is to go out and meet new people! Follow our tips in this guide, and you’ll be making new friends in no time! 

But a little advice? Don’t trust too easily! Always protect yourself, especially at night. While Medellin is not the most dangerous town in Colombia, there are still bad people you should watch out for. 

If you like this blog, you might like the Casacol Instagram page to keep up with all the new articles. Anything we need to update or correct? Care to contribute? Email us at blog@casacol.co.