Medellín Was Named the Best City for Urban Green Space

There’s nothing like vacationing in a new city—but in between visits to museums and restaurants, it’s nice to take a break and relax in the verdant peace of the outdoors. A new study from Time Out quizzed 18,500 people all over the world to determine which cities had the best green spaces, information that nature-loving travelers can use to plan their next trip.

The survey found that one destination was resoundingly loved by participants—92 percent of locals in Medellín, Colombia, rated their green spaces and access to nature positively. Medellín enjoys toasty daytime temperatures thanks to its trade-wind tropical climate and is nicknamed “Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera” or the “City of Eternal Spring.”

There’s definitely plenty of green space to love in Medellín, and spending time outdoors here doesn’t require a trip outside of the city limits. However, its extensive amount of green space hasn’t always been a reality for the city. The temperature in Medellín hovers between the 60s and 80s year-round, but the urban environment, concrete, and asphalt often made the heat feel more extreme. So, back in 2016, the city started a project called “green corridors,” that sought to increase the amount of trees, shade, and foliage in Medellín. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, 2.5 million plants and 880,000 trees were planted by 2021.

All of that planting, in parks, vertical gardens, and walkways, helped cool and improve the air quality of the city. It also gave locals and visitors alike ample opportunities to spend time in nature without ever needing to leave the confines of the city. Parques del Río Medellín, a riverside network of parks, alone offers 71,800 square meters of outdoor space. There’s also the city’s botanical gardens, the ecological preserve at Parque Arví, the Natural Park Cerro El Volador—the largest in the Medellín metropolitan area, the Sculpture Park, and a host of other options.

However, as the second largest city in Colombia (following the capital city of Bogotá), there’s no shortage of reasons to visit Medellín, that don’t require tying on your hiking boots. There’s the attention-grabbing and ever-growing food scene, a vibrant LGBTQ+ community, a world-class coffee scene, and plenty of museums and art. Plus, the scenic small town of Guatapé, where you can climb rocks and hike to waterfalls, is just two hours away by car.

If you are curious about the other cities that are well-regarded for green space, you can visit TimeOut’s website to see the full list of rankings.