Parque Lleras
Not What It Used to Be
(2022)
Let’s take a look into the continuously changing face of Parque Lleras. A place that is no stranger to highs and lows.
By Kaveh Paymayesh
Parque Lleras located in El Poblado was long hailed as THE best spot for nightlife in Medellin. A truly established hub for tourism and fiesta. But sadly, Parque Lleras has since become a victim of its own success.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a lot of fun to be had, with plenty of ongoing investment and infrastructure. At first sight, it’s a place that appears well-groomed and inviting. Alas, the terrain has evolved; the profile of visitors has changed, and there are things you should definitely be aware of when visiting Parque Lleras.
What is Parque Lleras?
It’s a park located slap bang in the middle of Medellin’s Zona Rosa.
Parque Lleras is nestled within the hub of Medellin’s Poblado district. Up in the hills but still at a lower elevation than much of Poblado’s more exclusive neighbourhoods. Its location makes it a place that is, quite literally, descended upon by many international visitors.
The park is surrounded by an eclectic selection of different bars, restaurants and clubs, resulting in a destination that truly comes to life in the late (and early) hours.
Oh yes, Lleras Park is very much nocturnal. During the day the atmosphere is a lot more… reserved, let’s say.
Not that there’s nothing to do: trade still occurs, restaurants are open, tourists can be found wandering. BUT the district is a LOT calmer and emptier during sunlight hours.
During the sleepy hours of the day, the zone can again be frequented by families and kids. As the area recovers from the bustle of the night, it takes on a new atmosphere. One that I personally prefer. One without lingering prostitutes and their corresponding punters.
Frankly, the juxtaposition is stark. During the day I love to come to Lleras, have breakfast and zen out. Maybe go bird spotting whilst sipping on a trendy coffee. It’s a cool place to visit, definitely!
At night? I’m not a fan, read on to find out why.
Where is Parque Lleras located?
The famous Parque Lleras is located in Comuna 14, otherwise known as El Poblado.
The actual park is situated between las carreras 37 and 39, with calles 9 and 9a.
Officially, this is what constitutes Parque Lleras. However, the greater Lleras area stretches out to calle 8, encompassing everything within the greater red diameter.
I know, directions are so convoluted in Medellin!
How to get there
I’d always advise people to hop in an Uber or taxi. They’re cheap and safe ways to traverse the city. Effective? Maybe not so much; the traffic in Medellin is painfully slow-going.
Alternatively, catch the Medellin Metro. The A-line (the metro’s longest) will take you to El Poblado.
From there, you’re 20 minutes from Lleras. Follow Calle 10 up the hill. You’ll get there eventually!
What I like about Lleras
Regardless of the challenges faced, Lleras remains a cool patch with lots going for it.
Food & bars
Lleras still reigns as a gastronomic powerhouse of Medellin (competing with Mercado del Rio). There are many options for excellent food, all densely packed within a 5-minute leisurely walk.
If you’re looking for international food or home comfort, you’ll most likely find it around here.
Furthermore, you’ll be next to Provenza; another ritzy area nestled north of Lleras. There you can also find plenty of unique culinary options.
Stretching from Lleras to Provenza is a multitude of different things to do (at night). Looking for a language exchange, or meetup? It’ll likely be within this stretch.
I love how you can stroll about in any direction for a good 10-15 minutes and have access to all that you desire.
People often compare Parque Lleras to Provenza. Yet, the transition from one to the other is seamless and hard to distinguish. They belong to the same sector.
Greenery
Another thing that I like about Parque Lleras is that it’s bioactive!
The area is tree-lined, and not just with palm trees. You see, I get excited by flora. I notice and appreciate it. Parque Lleras is incredibly green, with native trees providing shading and habitat.
Whilst eating, drinking a coffee or even doing some work, you can enjoy the sounds of different birds chirping. Or if you’re really attentive, even capture a sighting!
If you want to see them you’ll have to come during the day. Also, when there’s no construction going on, which admittedly feels perpetual. The constant sound of drilling is at least a sign of prosperity, I guess…
Click the video below to hear my impressed father. A cool sighting during his breakfast in Lleras.
Security & ambience
Finally, another thing that I appreciate about Lleras is the sense of security. It feels secure. Note that actual and perceived security are two different things…
Just because somewhere in Medellin feels safe, it doesn’t mean that it is. The converse is true. Just because you’re in a slum, it doesn’t necessarily spell disaster.
The Lleras area can actually be highly perilous, but only under limited circumstances. We’ll talk about that later. Lleras otherwise benefits from intense policy scrutiny, CCTV, regular patrolling, and lots of security. It’s in Lleras where the city’s security fully flexes its prowess. Unless you’re engaging in risky activities, you’ll feel very safe here!
A little bit of history
Parque Lleras wasn’t always wild as it is now. It was built as a residential area in the 1930s by Colombia’s first national institution: the Central Mortage Bank. The manager of which was named Julio Eduardo Lleras.
And voila – that’s how the park’s name came to be!
Parque Lleras was named after the manager of the bank that funded the creation of the neighbourhood:
- Back in the day, Lleras was simply known as Barrio Lleras.
- The middle-class neighbourhood was no more than 45 houses large. Each property costing between 3,000-8,000 COP.
- It was about 25-30 years ago that those same houses would begin to sell off and convert into what we see today: bars, restaurants; businesses.
Did you know?
On May 17, 2001, a Volkswagon Beetle loaded with explosives was detonated in the park. This occurred at a time of high activity – 10 pm on Thursday night – a time known as “Bar Thursdays”.
Eight lost their lives whilst 138 more were injured with debris; glass, rubble and metal.
A horrific event that was perpetrated by right-wing paramilitaries, known as the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia.
It’s a sobering realization – one that reiterates just how far the city has come. Horror stories like this align with the historic perception of Colombia that many are familiar with: perilous and precarious.
It’s hard to comprehend that such a horrific event happened when visiting Lleras.
The resurgence
If you found it hard to believe that Lleras was the target of a lethal terrorist attack, then you might struggle to believe that this same event was the catalyst for the park’s future success…
Just 3 years after, Parque Lleras had already developed into the gastronomic & touristic HUB of the city.
How? Well, not surprisingly, after the attack people lost interest in coming to Lleras. This prompted restaurants and bars to pump discounts and offers – the impetus that would again get things going, bigger than ever.
My personal memories of Lleras
The first time I ever stepped foot in Medellin was on the 17th of March 2016. That same day, I anxiously descended from my Airbnb by Verona Mall down to Lleras and Provenza.
Have in mind that I was freshly turned 21, and Colombia was technically still in its civil war. Tourism MUCH less developed but under a period of rapid growth. There was little online content, few YouTube videos. The biggest videos on Medellin were the ones from Nat Geo or Ross Kemp’s Most Dangerous Cities!
Unlike in 2022, it was challenging to gain insider information about living in the city. However, at this time there was a blog, Medellin Living; an invaluable resource that did provide all that needed information for foreigners. The first of its kind!
And it was from this same source that I quickly learnt about Parque Lleras – that it represented the best of tourism, safety and exuberance within the city.
It was the place to be! According to Medellin Living’s 2011 article on Lleras, it was the playground for Medellin’s “upper crust”.
And that it was! I remember Lleras park being the coolest place for nightlife in Medellin. It was highly regarded. You’d find the most privileged Medellinenses hanging out here.
A glimpse at a time now gone
Looking back on this same article that I utilized 6 years ago, it’s shocking to see how dated it has since become.
It really shows its age when stating that one can ‘feel comfortable drinking in the park’. It was during my stay in 2016 that this became prohibited.
But that’s not the only change. I’d recommend you read the article for yourself. It provides a glimpse into a better time; one can see how the park has really changed for the worse.
For example, nowhere does it say anything about prostitution, nor the growing prevalence of druggings.
Furthermore, nowadays you’d be hard stretched to find many non-working girls in Lleras, let alone Medellin’s ‘upper crust’. They’re definitely nowhere to be seen…
A lot has changed, in little time!
Back in 2016, Parque Lleras was mostly as is described within the article. Even then the top of the park was congregated by sex workers, but all this was done within a fine equilibrium. It was just one of the many facets of Lleras.
Fast forward to 2022 and it seems that the park is dominated by prostitution and promiscuity.
This change, undoubtedly fueled by foreign demand, has changed the landscape of Lleras completely. The demographic of visitors has changed from “upper crust” Medellinenses to sex tourists & sex workers.
What I dislike about this is that it’s become the handkerchief of Medellin’s societal ills. What you see in Lleras are the ‘fruits’ of inequality and desperation.
Those sex workers, of which the majority are young and attractive, are there because of economic hardships. Many are Venezuelans that have been in Colombia for less than 5 years. It doesn’t take a genius to recognize that poverty and prostitution are heavily tied.
There’s a lot of beauty in Medellin. But in Lleras, ironically, you won’t find much of it.
If you look a bit deeper than surface level, you’ll see a collection of sad tales. Lleras tells a thousand different stories that are easily overlooked in the pursuit of hedonism.
As a once great place, Lleras was quickly able to garner foreign attention. Unfortunately, this has resulted in overwhelming debauchery making Lleras a victim of its own succcess.
The growing use of scopolamine
The hyper-sexualization of Parque Lleras has created growing threats to those that go there. It’s become a marketplace for PAPAYA, so to speak.
What we’re seeing in Lleras is an increase in the use of scopolamine to drug and subdue punters.
It’s common knowledge that the clientele of Lleras are foreigners, mostly from the US & Europe. The assumption is that we’re packing money!
In expatriate groups, the prevalence of druggings is becoming increasingly obvious.
Parque Lleras is a hotspot for drugging. As it turns out, men are very vulnerable in the pursuit of sex.
The predators out there know that all too well.
Price gouging, drugs & scamming
Just 6 years ago, you would have to somewhat search to find a foreigner. Now, the inverse is true. It’s hard to find Colombians there that aren’t working.
This is NOT surprising; Colombian society is highly divided by class. Most Paisas avoid Lleras like the plague as they don’t want to be associated with prostitution.
Furthermore, the hoards of foreigners attract scammers and dealers that appear each time more brazen.
Fighting back but failing to address the problem
In August of 2021, the government fought back to reestablish Parque Lleras as a culturally important part of the sector. This was known as the Plan of Economic Reactivation in the Zona Rosa.
What did this involve?
Street art
1,620 square metres of contemporary art were painted on the floor of Lleras and Provenza.
Creating new public space
500 square meters were dedicated for merchants in the form of stools. These were located at the top of Lleras where sex workers congregate.
Increasing security
Increasing police presence (even more) and implementing the Puesto de Mando Unificado.
Raising awareness
Addressing vulnerable groups to raise awareness on the exploitation of minors and potential sex workers.
1.620 m² fueron intervenidos con obras de arte urbano para promover los establecimientos comerciales del Parque Lleras y Provenza, y así garantizar la #ReactivaciónEconómica del sector de una manera más segura.
— Alcaldía de Medellín (@AlcaldiadeMed) August 13, 2021
¡Te estamos esperando para que disfrutes de este renovado lugar! pic.twitter.com/OValSER6WR
In my opinion, these actions are commendable. There is a lot being done. After all, this zone is very important for tourism and economic activity.
I just don’t think it’s enough. Painting the ground is cool but ultimately does not address the pressing issues that the sector faces.
Prostitution is deeply embedded within Colombian society and requires deeper and holistic action.
Sadly, Lleras has already established itself a new identity. One that is being cemented by word-of-mouth and plentiful YouTube videos that promote prostitution.
When you look at Lleras, you are seeing the embodiment of society’s ills and shortcomings.
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