Things to do in Medellín: Visit the street that spawned its own verb
For more than 50 years, Versalles has been serving customers a classic menu that includes Argentine empanadas.
Medellín is one of the most loved cities by visitors to Colombia. Year-round spring-like weather in the Antioquia region make Medellín a top place you’ll want to go if you’re planning a trip to Colombia, but getting to know the cheerful and fun-loving locals, known as paisas, will make you want to stay. If you’re planning a trip to the city, don’t miss out on your opportunity to do as the locals do, especially if you want to know what makes the city tick. You’ll discover Medellín’s history and culture, while navigating this thoroughly smart and modern landscape.
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Visit the Medellín’s Calle Junín, the street with a word named after it.
Only a few blocks away from Parque Botero — a highlight for all first-time visitors to Medellín— why not walk a few block to the Parque Bolívar and then stroll the Calle Junín. The pedestrian street in El Centro stretches south from the Parque Bolívar to the Coltejer building. In the 60s and 70s, the two famous blocks were home to popular bars, restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores and retail stores.
It became a thing to “juninear,” a word to describe going there late in the afternoon to see, and be seen by, the most fashionable paisas of the city. The street was crowded with people window shopping at elegant boutiques, going to the theater and hanging out in the cafés, drinking coffee or tea with friends. It wasn’t uncommon to spot a celebrity or two in the crowd.
Historic photo of El Astor Tea Room on the Calle Junín in Medellín. Photo courtesy of the Biblioteca Público Piloto de Medellín.
Over time, the Calle Junín became a shadow of its former self. High-end retailers gave way to shops selling cheaper, lower quality goods. Today, it remains a busy thoroughfare for people passing by, mostly out of necessity rather than pleasure. Still, there are those that stop to juninear, especially older generations looking to relive the golden years and to share the experience with their grandkids.
The best time to juninear is in the afternoon. Get together with friends and chat over coffee, tea and a pastry.
The city of Medellín recently implemented a plan to make improvements to the promenade for future generations to continue conjugating the verb “juninear.” The revitalization project aims to improve the surroundings so that locals and visitors will want to continue making memories on the street that has been a witness to changing times.
Where to go on the Calle Junín to “juninear.”
The interior of Salon Versalles, a long-time favorite eatery on the Calle Junín.
The Salon Versalles specializes in Argentine empanadas, but the extensive menu has a long list of traditional favorites from buñuelos (cheese fritters) to giant portions of breaded chicken, along with pastries and ice cream. El Astor is a tea room that serves Swiss-chocolate delights, cookies and almond alfajores that have tempted the tastebuds since 1930. If you don’t have time to juninear, there’s a satellite location in Medellín’s international airport (MDE) in Rio Negro, where you can pick up a few tasty souvenirs to take home.
Top tips for making the most of your visit to Medellín’s Calle Junín:
1. Plan your visit when you visit other top sights in the center of Medellín.
The Parque Botero and the Museo de Antioquia are only a couple blocks away. Go there first and then stop by the Calle Junín for a late-afternoon snack around 4 p.m.
2. Check your calendar.
If you time your visit on the first Saturday of the month, be sure to head over to the Parque Bolívar for the long-running San Alejo Market (Mercado de San Alejo) to shop for all kinds of affordable souvenirs. Since the early 1970s, vendors have set up their booths to sell everything from jewelry and souvenirs to houseplants and sweet treats. This is where I tried my first solterita, a crispy deep-fried orange-hued cookie piled high with a sickening-sweet cream in the same shade of orange. It’s a paisa tradition with Arab ancestry by way of Spain.
The San Alejo Market in the Parque Bolívar in downtown Medellín.
How to get to the Calle Junín in Medellín.
Get there by Metro to Berrio station. Walk to Calle Junín between Calle 52 and 54.
Find a place to stay while you’re in Medellín, aka the “City of Eternal Spring.”
A vast majority of foreigners who visit Medellín find that the El Poblado neighborhood is not only safe, but also offers comfortable places to stay and a wide variety of dining options. However, if you want to match the faded elegance of the Calle Junín with a hotel that is nearby in the heart of the city, then the Hotel Nutibara is worth checking out. The historic hotel, built in the 1940s, has hosted top celebrities and politicians throughout the years and is located just steps away from Calle Junín, not to mention top attractions, such as the Parque Botero, the Museo de Antioquia and the Botanical Garden. The rooms are clean and affordable and conveniently located to the airport bus and Metro stop.
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