Comuna 13 tour with Julio @medellinexperience — Local services in Medellín

I really loved this tour and can definitely recommend it. What I appreciated most was when Julio shared his vulnerable memories of growing up under the terror of the guerrilla and paramilitary forces in Comuna 13, the real life stories about Operation Orión and much more. This is not a graffiti tour, it goes far beyond that. It’s about learning and listening to the history of the neighborhood and its people. About becoming part of the remembrance of the suffering and resilience of those who lived through it. And about seeing how the community managed to build an entire comuna on their own. It’s also about understanding how vulnerable people are when left wing or right wing groups take over, trying to rule without ever being asked, and how in the end they all bring the same kind of terror and destruction.

By taking this tour, you really understand more about the neighborhood. And despite the mass tourism that has exploded in Comuna 13, you can also see how in some ways it brings benefits and hope for the younger generation.

To be honest, I believe that everyone who visits Comuna 13 should hear the stories about the politics, what happened there, how deeply it affects people, and its countless victims, before stepping into the commercialized and exploited noise of consumerism.

Afterwards, I walked on my own through the neighborhood in the non-tourist areas, and people were extremely welcoming. From young people to older people, everyone greeted me. I sat down during the heavy rain and talked with locals about politics in today’s world. Young people shouted that I was welcome there. When you step away from the cafés and restaurants, you discover a warm and lovely neighborhood. I must have heard “welcome to our neighborhood” at least twenty times. So definitely walk up and down into the areas where there’s no tourism.

Also worth mentioning is that I have medical problems and need to walk much slower on steep parts or stairs. I never felt like a burden, as I often do on many tours. There was a respectful way of moving up, not too fast and without drawing attention to me each time. That is important for people to know as well.

Highly...

Julio is the best tour guide I’ve ever experienced. He has utmost respect and passion for Colombian history and culture, which was evident throughout our tours with him. We did two tours with Julio. First the City tour, which brought us through the city of Medellin where he gave us the walkthrough of the different regions and their respective timelines and events that occurred that shaped the city.

Secondly, we were so impressed with Julio that we booked him for his personal Comuna 13 tour. Please if you’re in Medellin do this tour with Julio. He grew up in the area and has such a wealth of knowledge and personal stories that will give you so much of a deeper understanding than typical tourist tours.

Lastly, I want to add that Julio is a fountain of knowledge in general. We bombarded him with difficult questions throughout the tour particularly about the political dynamic and context during that time and he always answered with an unbiased opinion giving the group thorough understanding of how and why people supported these figures at...

I took this tour with my husband and our 11yr old son. I did a google search and after reading on other people’s reviews, we decided to book with Julio. Why? Because this is not your typical tour where you have 10-20 people taking pictures and selfie’s and your tour guide is rushing you because he has another 10-20 people waiting for him/her. This tour is an authentic experience. Julio dives into the history of the Comuna 13, the social issues, the transformation of the neighborhood and its people. Additionally, Julio grew up in the Comuna 13, so his knowledge isn’t just based off a script, it’s personal. He is passionate, kind, extremely knowledgeable and professional. If you don’t speak Spanish, no worries. Julio is 100% fluent in English. I can’t recommend him enough. If you come to Medellin and decide to visit the Comuna 13 not just for it’s graffiti but wanting to learn about its past, present and future, and live the essence of its people this is the perfect tour. Thank you Julio for making this tour an unforgettable...