Botero Plaza is the stop nobody skips in central Medellín: 23 monumental sculptures by Fernando Botero out in the open, next to one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.
Updated 2026-09-29
The 23 monumental sculptures by Fernando Botero, with his unmistakable volumes: human figures, animals and characters that people touch and hug for the photo. The plaza is public and takes a good half hour, although someone always stays longer.
The black-and-white building opposite is the Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture, a Gothic-style architectural gem that deserves a photo of its own.
The historic centre is walkable in a few blocks: Bolívar Park with its equestrian monument, the fired-brick Metropolitan Cathedral and the Palacio Nacional, an old building turned shopping centre. El Hueco, the maze of bargain shopping in the centre, is also nearby; we cover it in where to shop in Medellín.
In the morning: fewer people, better light for photos and the centre at its best. The centre is a daytime plan; after dark it changes character. Hands free, phone in your pocket and no wallet out in the street are all the precautions you need.
You can get there by metro, with a station a short walk away, or on the Medellín City Tour, which drops you and picks you up at the door and continues to the Cathedral, Parques del Río and Pueblito Paisa (USD $110 per vehicle, up to 4 people).
Botero Plaza and the centre fit into a morning; Pueblito Paisa in the afternoon. If you only have one day, the Medellín in one day route pairs Comuna 13 Tour in the morning with the centre at midday.
Ask Helbert: instant answers on prices, timings and what fits together in one day.
Published prices, pickup at your hotel or Airbnb and booking on WhatsApp.
4-5 hours
Botero Plaza, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Pueblito Paisa lookout — private, at your own pace.
3-4 hours
Street art, the famous outdoor escalators and a real story of transformation — with a driver who knows the neighbourhood.
4-5 hours (extra hour available)
Santa Fe mall, El Hueco and the factory outlets — with a driver who waits and carries the bags.
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