Laureles
Where real paisas eat, drink, and dance. A grid of tree-lined streets, authentic restaurants, and the city's best salsa scene.
Where Medellín Eats
Laureles was developed in the 1940s and 50s as a middle-class residential neighborhood — and it still feels like one. Named after the laurel trees that once lined its streets, Laureles is unusual for Medellín: it has a grid layout. While the rest of the city sprawls chaotically across hills, Laureles sits flat and orderly in a valley bend.
The heart of the neighborhood is Carrera 70, a walkable restaurant strip that locals call "La Setenta." On any given evening, families, couples, and groups of friends fill the outdoor terraces. This is where Medellín's real food scene lives — not the international prix-fixe of El Poblado, but the bandeja paisa, the mondongo, the arepas de choclo that paisas grew up on.
South of the restaurant zone lies the Estadio sports complex — a massive grid of soccer fields, tennis courts, Olympic pools, and running tracks that's free to use. At night, head to Calle 44 for the "Cali burger" strip, or to Son Havana for the city's best live salsa. Laureles doesn't try to impress you. It just gives you a great time.
Local Knowledge
Named After Laurel Trees
Laureles literally means "laurels." The neighborhood was named for the laurel trees that once lined its streets. A few still survive near the Estadio.
The Only Grid in Town
Medellín is famously chaotic — except Laureles. Its flat, grid layout makes it the easiest neighborhood to navigate on foot. No getting lost on hillsides here.
Salsa Capital of Medellín
Son Havana, the city's most famous salsa bar, is in Laureles. Live bands, no tourists, pure salsa culture. Arrive by 9PM or you won't get a table.
The Cali Burger Strip
Calle 44 is lined with burger joints that fuse Colombian and Californian styles. It's where Laureles' young crowd hangs out after dark. Cheap, loud, delicious.
Free Sports Complex
The Estadio neighborhood within Laureles has a massive free sports complex — soccer fields, tennis courts, Olympic pools, running tracks. All public, all free.
Real Paisa Coffee Culture
While El Poblado has specialty coffee shops for Instagram, Laureles has the coffee shops where people actually sit and talk. Tinto (black coffee) on every corner for COP $1,500.
Best Restaurants
Mondongo's Laureles
The Laureles location of Medellín's most famous mondongo restaurant. Hearty tripe soup, sancocho, and cazuela de mariscos served in enormous portions. Where real paisas come for comfort food.
Di Luccio
Neighborhood Italian favorite with wood-fired pizzas and homemade pasta. The kind of place where the owner knows your name after two visits. Cozy, unpretentious, always packed on weekends.
Pergamino Café Laureles
The Laureles outpost of Medellín's pioneering specialty coffee chain. Single-origin pour-overs from Colombian farms, excellent sandwiches and pastries. A favorite for remote workers and morning coffee rituals.
Bonhomía
Laureles' go-to brunch spot. Eggs benedict, avocado toast, smoothie bowls, and excellent coffee in a bright, plant-filled space. Weekend lines are real — arrive before 10AM.
Verdú
Healthy bowls, wraps, and fresh juices on Carrera 70. The kind of place that makes you feel virtuous without sacrificing flavor. Popular with the yoga and fitness crowd from Estadio.
Huerta
Farm-to-table Colombian cuisine with ingredients sourced from local farms in Antioquia. Seasonal menus, craft cocktails, and a charming courtyard. The tasting menu is a steal at this price.
Mana Especialidad Cafetera
A hidden gem for coffee nerds. They roast their own beans on-site and offer cupping sessions. The cold brew is legendary. Tiny space, big flavor — exactly how locals like it.
Circo Bar
Circus-themed cocktail bar with creative mixology and small plates. The signature drinks come in unexpected vessels — teapots, vintage glasses, even tiny bathtubs. Laureles nightlife at its quirkiest.
Looking for guided experiences?
Find tours, food walks, and local experiences in Medellín
Browse Experiences →Who It's Best For
- ✓Food lovers — the most authentic restaurant scene in the city
- ✓Budget travelers — prices 30-50% lower than El Poblado
- ✓Salsa dancers — Son Havana is Medellín's best live salsa venue
- ✓Athletic travelers — free Estadio sports complex with pools, courts, tracks
- ✓Culture seekers — where locals actually live and socialize
Very Safe
Laureles is one of Medellín's safest neighborhoods. The grid layout means plenty of foot traffic and good visibility. Walk Carrera 70 and the restaurant strips at night without worry. Use normal city precautions — Uber over street taxis after dark.
Walk + Metro
Laureles is flat and walkable — the easiest neighborhood to navigate on foot. Estadio Metro station connects to the full city line. Uber to El Poblado COP $8,000–$12,000. Airport (MDE) 35 min, COP $65,000–$85,000.
Laureles on Video
Explore Laureles with a Local
Our ambassadors know every hidden restaurant, salsa bar, and shortcut the guidebooks miss.
Browse Services
