I had the opportunity to visit Medellin for the second time in August 2016.
Before I left for Colombia I organised a private tour online through Medellin City Services – The main focus, Pablo Escobar & Griselda Blanco.
I’ve read all the books and seen all the documentaries, so I knew exactly what I wanted to see and where I wanted to go.
I emailed Camilo (Service Coordinator Medellin City Services - info@medellincityservices.com) a comprehensive list of places I wanted to visit, he was more than happy to accommodate.
My guide was Carlos, a former Colombian Police officer who served during the height of Escobar years.
The great thing about this tour is that it did not come across as rehearsed or regurgitated from a book. Carlos, as a survivor of this violent period in Colombia’s history spoke about real experiences and voiced real opinions.
The main highlight for me was visiting the remains of ‘La Catedral’. There is not alot of information online, so I wasn’t sure how accessible it actually was.
As we approach the grounds you get the feeling that it is not necessarily open to visitors as a “Pablo Escobar” tourist spot.
The site is now run as a monastery, my guide Carlos seemed to have a good rapport with the security at the front gate so very few questions were asked. As he walks you through the grounds he goes through the history of the former prison, various stories associated with Escobar, his time there and ultimately his escape. The place is still pretty amazing! My advice is don’t stop taking photos :)
The entire tour took around 4 hours, in that time we visited The Monaco Building, La Catedral, Pablo Escobar & Griselda Blanco’s Grave, Cardiso - The Butcher Shop were Griselda Blanco was shot and killed in 2012, And The safe house where Pablo Escobar was killed.
Overall the private tour was well worth the $75USD, I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the subject. A great day out!