Commune 13 graffiti tour Medellín: Street art and cable car

Walk the electric stairs and hear the story behind every mural

A four-hour graffiti and street art tour of Commune 13 in Medellín, starting at San Javier Metro Station and traveling by cable car and metro to the neighborhood's transformed streets. The guide explains the history and meaning of the murals, you walk the iconic electric stairs, taste street food and ice cream at local spots, watch a live dance performance, and visit a rooftop bar overlooking the city. Children from age 6 are welcome. The tour includes all transport tickets, one drink, and a professional English-speaking guide.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Commune 13 with local guide

• Start at San Javier Metro Station
• Take Metrocable with panoramic views
• Ride cable car to John XXIII Station
• Stop at John XXIII viewpoint for photos
• Walk the Electric Stairs of Commune 13
• Explore colorful graffiti streets and murals
• Watch live cultural and urban dance shows
• Enjoy artisanal ice cream at Cremas Doña Alba

The experience

The tour begins at San Javier Metro Station, where you board the Metrocable cable car with your guide. The ride itself is part of the experience: the cable car climbs through Medellín's skyline, passing John XXIII Station and a viewpoint where the city spreads out below you. This is where most visitors stop to photograph, and where the guide starts explaining what you're about to walk through: a neighborhood that was once one of the most dangerous in the city and rebuilt itself through art.

Once on the ground in Commune 13, the walking tour moves through streets covered in murals created by local artists. The guide points out the work of specific painters, explains the messages of resistance and hope embedded in the images, and shares the neighborhood's transformation story. You'll walk the electric stairs, a symbol of the area's renewal, where each step is painted with a different color and design. A live cultural performance happens during the tour, subject to weather, and the energy of the neighborhood is the point: this is not a museum visit or a photo stop, but a walk through a place where residents chose to reclaim their streets.

Food and drink are woven through the afternoon. At Cremas Doña Alba, a local favorite, you get a traditional ice cream. The house specialty is maracumango, a combination of passion fruit and mango. Later, you taste street food at an award-winning venue. The tour ends at a bar with a view of the whole city, where you have one drink included. All metro and cable car tickets are covered, so you're not hunting for a card or figuring out zones. The guide handles the logistics and you move through the day.

What’s included

• Metro and cable car tickets.
• a four-hour walking tour with a professional local guide in English.
• explanation of the graffiti and street art history.
• one traditional ice cream at a neighborhood favorite.
• street food tasting at a local venue.
• one drink at a rooftop bar overlooking the city.
• a live cultural dance performance (subject to weather).
• WhatsApp support from the provider during your stay in Medellín.

Options for this experience

2 options

Graffiti tour of Commune 13Guide in English · 09:00 and 14:15Comuna 13 graffiti tour: A tour combining graffiti and gastronomy in Comuna 13, covering a panoramic route through the streets and the cable car.

Graffiti tour of Comuna 13 with street food and a panoramic cable car rideGuide in English · 09:00 and 14:15

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 14:15

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 70 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 11

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by amazing tours in medellin

Is this one for you?This is a shared group tour with a fixed schedule and a local guide leading the route, so you follow the itinerary rather than set your own pace, which is what keeps the cable car, the neighborhood walk, the food stops and the rooftop bar all inside a single afternoon without you arranging transport or timing between stops. Book it if you want the full story of Commune 13's transformation and don't want to navigate the metro system or find the neighborhood on your own.

Traveler reviews

4.91★★★★★★★★★★

192 verified traveler reviews

5 ★181

4 ★9

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★2

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (6 to 12 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What's the electric stairs of Commune 13 and why is it part of the tour?

The electric stairs are an outdoor escalator system built into the hillside of Commune 13, painted with murals and a symbol of the neighborhood's social transformation. You walk up them with the guide, who explains the history of the area and the meaning behind the art covering each section.

How do I get to Commune 13 from downtown Medellín?

The tour starts at San Javier Metro Station. You take the Metrocable cable car from there, which is included in the tour price and gives you views of the city as you travel to the neighborhood.

What kind of street food will I taste?

You'll taste street food at an award-winning local venue in Commune 13 and get a traditional ice cream called maracumango (passion fruit and mango combined) at Cremas Doña Alba, a neighborhood favorite.

Is the dance performance guaranteed to happen?

The street dance show is subject to weather conditions, so it may not happen on rainy days. Your guide will let you know on the day of the tour.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes all metro and cable car tickets, a professional English-speaking guide, the graffiti and street art walk, one traditional ice cream, street food tasting, one drink (beer, soft drink or water), a visit to a rooftop bar, and a live cultural performance when weather permits.