Medellin

About Medellin

Medellin has emerged from its troubled past to become one of the most dynamic and progressive cities in the world and one of the top tourist destinations in Latin America. Known as the ¨City of Eternal Spring¨ for its perfect year-round weather, Medellin is an outdoor adventure paradise. Despite the abundance of modern high rise apartments, the city is amazingly green with huge trees and parks everywhere.

The chic neighborhood of El Poblado is the center of nightlife, restaurants and shopping with spectacular modern shopping centers to rival almost any in the US. There are other great neighborhoods such as Envigado and Laureles as well as many areas outside of Medellin like Rio Negro where the international airport is located and lots of smaller pueblos offering country living with all the modern conveniences.

Medellin is a major business and finance center. It is also a healthcare Mecca with 8 hospitals ranked by America Economia as the best in Latin America and many smaller specialized clinics for heart, lung, cancer, eye and dental.

Getting Here

Most international travelers fly direct from the US or Europe to Medellin´s modern international airport Medellin Jose Maria Cordova International Airport (MDE) located in Rio Negro about 40 minutes from Medellin depending on traffic. There is a new tunnel that has reduced the travel time to 20 to 30 minutes. 

You might also fly into Bogota first and then fly on one of Colombia´s domestic airlines (Avianca, EasyFly) which fly into either MDE or Medellin´s local airport Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH).

Hospitals:

Every year America Economia ranks the best hospitals in Latin America. Colombia consistently has over 20 hospitals ranked in the top 60 with five in the top ten...no other country comes close. Many of those hospitals are located in Medellin.

All of the hospitals included by America Economia are internationally accredited by either Joint Commission International (JCI) or ICONTEC (which is internationally accredited by ISQua - (International Society For Quality In Health Care) or both.

1. Fundación Valle de Lili (AE rank #4)  - Cali  - (ICONTEC)
2. Fundación Cardioinfantil (AE rank #5)  - Bogota - (JCI, ICONTEC)
3. Fundación Cardiovascular (AE rank #6) - Bucaramanga - (JCI, ICONTEC)
4. Centro Medico Imbanaco (AE rank #7) - Cali - (JCI, ICONTEC)
5. Hospital Pablo Tabon Uribe (AE rank #10) - Medellin - (JCI, ICONTEC)
6. Hospital Universitario San Vicente Fundación (AE rank #18) - Medellin - (ICONTEC)
7. Clinica Universitario Bolivariana (AE rank #22) - Medellin - (ICONTEC)
8. Clinica Las Americas (AE rank #30) - Medellin - (ICONTEC)
9. Hospital Universitario de Caldes (AE rank #37) - Manizales - (ICONTEC)
10. Clinica Las Vegas (AE rank # 49) - Medellin - (ICONTEC)
11. Centro Cardiovascular Colombiano CardoVID - (AE rank #51) - Medellin - (ICONTEC)
12. Clinica Medellin (AE rank # 54) - Medellin - (ICONTEC)

Hotels:

Medellin has fabulous hotels located in the best neighborhoods within walking distance of major shopping malls and restaurants.

Rio Negro

Rio Negro is an ideal situation for international patients as you can fly into MDE with many direct flights from the US daily or through Bogota. The flight from Bogota to Medellin is a quick 40 minutes. 

San Vicente Specialty Hospital is located within minutes of the international airport and great hotels. The hospital is a new, very modern hospital which is ranked as the 18th best hospital in all of Latin America.

Colombia Bariatric recommends the following Rio Negro hotels and you can book direct using our special rates.

Medellin:

Medellin has hundreds of hotels.

Colombia Bariatric recommends the following Medellin hotels and you can book direct using our special rates.