Pub Crawl Paisa: A Bar Crawl in El Poblado

TLDR? Pub Crawl Paisa is a bar-hopping experience for foreigners that’s great for meeting new people in Medellin!

You probably have a lot of options when choosing what to do on a Friday night in Medellin, but I bet this one wasn’t on your list: the Pub Crawl Paisa!

A paisa pub crawl is a fun way to get to know the best bars in Medellin, especially in El Poblado and its surroundings.

Let’s take a look at what to expect on this fantastic experience and why it’s a must-try in Medellin.

What Is a Pub Crawl?

If you’ve never pub crawled, you probably don’t know what it is. I didn’t know what it was until I was dragged to do one and I thought that it was not possible that I had not done it before.

A pub crawl is a tour of several bars that you do with a group of people (or that one crazy friend) in one night. So, in one night, you won’t visit one bar; you’ll go to several. The idea is to try different liquors, listen to different music, and meet new people.

It’s an excellent Friday night option in El Poblado (or any other day, you decide!).

A Bit About Bars in Medellin

El Poblado has many different bars and nightclubs, so one night won’t be enough to get to know them all. But, with a bar crawl, you can at least find a couple of clubs that you might want to go back to in the future.

What I like the most about the bars in Medellín is that each one has a different style. Some focus only on Colombian culture, while others mix foreign cultures with traditional Colombian dance styles.

On a pub crawl, you and your companions can choose what type of crawl you want to do. For example, if you want to learn to dance salsa, you can do your tour only by visiting salsa bars.

On the other hand, if you want something varied and spontaneous, go for one of the more lively pub crawls that take you to big nightclubs.

Shots and Drinks on Your Pub Crawl

The purpose of this tour is to try different liquors,as well as visit the different bars in the city.

You can tell the bartender that you’re doing a pub crawl and ask for his opinion on the best shot in the place. 

My favorite was the tequila; they give you a lemon wedge with salt that you suck like there is no tomorrow and get a mixture of flavors in your mouth. The best thing ever. 

This is your chance to find your favorite shot and lose your mind!

My Experience on a Pub Crawl Paisa

There are a couple of different pub crawls around El Poblado, but as you can probably guess from the title of this post, I went on one called Pub Crawl Paisa.

Pub Crawl Paisa is a super popular pub crawl that I personally found on TripAdvisor. However, you can also book it via Viator.

The pub crawl includes free entry to five bars in Poblado, and comes with a free welcome shot at each one. The shots vary, but they’re all straight liquor, so nothing fancy. The shots I had were:

1. Fireball
2. Aguardiente
3. Jägermeister
4. Hpnotiq
5. Tequila

The shots change though, so don’t expect to get the same ones when you go on the tour.

The crawl is advertised as being for both locals and tourists, but I’ll be honest—there wasn’t a single local person on the crawl. Everyone was from somewhere different, but that was actually pretty cool because you got to meet new people.

I went on a Thursday night because too many crowds can be overwhelming for me. But, if you go on a Friday, the first bar you go to includes a free salsa lesson.

A Few Other Top Pub Crawl Tours

Pub crawls have become very popular in Medellín in the last few years, so you can find different businesses that offer this experience. Even though I went on the “OG” Pub Crawl Paisa, there are other places you can check out.

Here are some options for you to take a look at.

Lilo´s

Lilo’s is a pretty popular pub crawl in Medellin and is definitely one worth checking out for a night. Here’s what this tour includes:

• Tour five bars or clubs (with free entry)
• Games
• Discounts
• Dancing and music

This is an affordable option, as the tickets are quite a bit cheaper than some of the other tours on this list. Visit their website for reservations and meeting points.

Website: https://www.eventbrite.co/e/medellin-pub-crawl-by-lilo-tickets-169554063769

Medellín City Services

The best thing about Medellin City Services is you get a bilingual guide (which helps if your Spanish isn’t very good yet).

The tour includes:

• Hotel pick up and drop off
• Traveler’s insurance
• Private car with bilingual driver and AC
• Parking fees
• Courtesy shot at every stop
• Free entries to main bars

Your tour lasts approximately 3 hours, so it’s one of the shorter tours out there.

Check their calendar and book your tour in time. They have a cancellation period of 24 hours.

Website: https://medellincityservices.com/pub-crawl-tour/

Get Your Guide

Get Your Guide offers amazing personalized bar crawls. In the price of your tour you’ll get:

• A bilingual guide
• Free cancellation
• A welcome shot at every bar

You can make a reservation without paying, and they’ll charge your card 72 hours before your tour. This tour lasts approximately four hours, so get ready to do some serious partying.

Website: https://www.getyourguide.com/medellin-l1215/medellin-pub-crawl-tour-t51569/?partner=true

Tips for Staying Safe and Being Responsible on Your Pub Crawl

You know that this is a tour on which you’re going to be drinking liquor. So, just make sure to be responsible if you decide to do this tour on your own (or even with a group).

As I mentioned before, you can pay for a tour or choose a designated driver among your friends (which I did in my case). That made the experience more fun because you can relax and say ‘yes’ to that second shot of guaro.

You also need to keep in mind that the legal drinking age in Colombia is 18 years old. If you’re going with anyone younger than that, they won’t be able to participate.

Finally, make sure not to accept drinks from strangers on the pub crawl. Keep an eye on your drink and you should be all set to have a great time.

Take to Ride in El Poblado and Do a Paisa Pub Crawl 

I have to say that pub crawling in El Pablado was one of my more unique experiences in Medellín. I met many new people from different Latin American countries and a few from Europe at the bars we visited.

It’s simple but fun, and you can do it any day of the week (not just on a weekend). Do a pub crawl in El Poblado, stay safe, and meet some new people!

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