From Slum to Social Innovation

Put on comfortable shoes and enjoy a memorable tour in an area that was once considered the most dangerous neighborhood of Medellin and meanwhile has changed into a still poor but lively neighborhood with beautiful street art and boiling social innovation. Our expert guide will share his wide knowledge with you, point out important places of changes and tell you about what made Medellin the worlds Most Innovative City of the Year' 2013. Our tour starts at your hotel from where well take a taxi to the closest Metro station and then ride the Metro to San Javier, or Comuna 13. Boarding the Metrocable, once developed as an alternative form of public transportation for local residents, we will get to see San Javier from above. While floating up the hill and enjoying the view well learn about how much easier it became for locals to get to work and how much time they can save nowadays because of the Metrocable. Back at the platform well hop on a bus that takes us near the electric escalators that were built in 2011. They replaced 530 concrete steps and reduced the time for getting up 384 m (1,260 ft.) immensely. Thanks to this, the complicated social dynamics of what once was another slum gradually turned into a brighter panorama. The electric escalator will take us up to a platform from where we get another stunning view at Medellin from above. Taking a closer look, we notice amazing street art everywhere: colorfully painted roofs and drawings on the walls, from professionals as well as from children. While we climb up the narrow streets a bit further to have a look at the side streets, we may get a chance to talk to people on the street and ask them how their lives changed during the last few years and if it was caused by the electric escalators and other projects of the neighborhood. As we walk our way back down the electric escalators and head to our final destination, the library of San Javier, we will see how Comuna 13 became a remarkably good neighborhood for children, inspiring them to be creative in arts and sports and encouraging them to study. The San Javier Library Park is known as a place that brings families together to partake in literary, cultural and musical activities. After our visit of the library well walk back the short distance to the metro and make our way back to your hotel.