The Primer Parque de Laureles: Why It Is My Favourite Park in All of Medellin
It’s with good reason that they call it the Primer Parque!
By Kaveh Paymayesh
I had the luxury of living in front of the Primer Parque back in 2016. After spending time throughout the valley, I’m here to explain why the Primer Parque is the best place to live in Medellin.
I know… It’s a bold statement. Medellin takes pride in its parks. The competition is fierce. Not long ago, the city realized a project to upgrade over 100 of them.
It may not be the biggest or oldest, but it has a whole lot going for it. All things considered, this is my favourite park in the city and could very well be yours, too.
Read on to see why the Primer Parque makes it to the top of my list of parks in Medellin…
What & where is the Primer Parque de Laureles?
The Primer Parque de Laureles is located in the heart of Medellin’s second most exclusive neighbourhood – Laureles.
The park was designed in 1943 by the same architect and engineer responsible for shaping Laureles, Pedro Nel Gómez.
Laureles is quirky; it’s different to any other neighbourhood in Medellin. Its convoluted circular design is no accident, but the result of meticulous planning.
Pedro Nel Gómez, in an attempt to distinguish the affluent neighbourhood, wanted Laureles to emulate European design. That is why Laureles is home to the first roundabout in Medellin, where the Segundo Parque is.
What you see in the Primer Parque, much like the rest of its surrounding neighbourhood, is an enviable urban design coming to life.
The name ‘Laureles’ means Laurels. Why? Pedro Nel Gómez recognized the importance of green spaces. In 1943, he planted laurels throughout the sector. What were once tiny trees are today some of the city’s biggest and most stunning trees.
The Primer Parque embodies the very thing that gives the neighbourhood its name… Laurels!
To get there, your best option would be to catch the metro to Estadio. From the station it is 1.3km away; a 17-minute walk.
The park is surrounded by the following addresses:
- Calle 39C – 39D
- Circular 74
Not that you’d need to give these addresses to your taxi driver. Most Paisas should know how to locate the Primer Parque.
1. Location, location, location - Medellin's nucleus.
So why is the Primer Parque such a great park?
First of all, I’d argue that it is Medellin’s nucleus (as far as foreigners should be concerned).
Medellin’s hub? Isn’t that going to be somewhere in Poblado? More like Provenza, right?
I’d argue otherwise. Laureles’ location is almost slap bang in the centre of Medellin, and even the Aburra Valley altogether.
Excluding the downtown area, the construction of Laureles marked the beginning of urban and economic growth in the city.
The barrio was designed to include all the trappings of an affluent neighbourhood. This includes plenty of greenspaces, bars, restaurants, gyms, shops and most importantly, proximity to the rest of the city.
By contrast, El Poblado is located further south. Whilst it may be the oldest settlement in the valley, it was long considered difficult to traverse from Medellin’s economic centre (El Centro).
Only during the turn of the 20th century did Poblado begin to earn its name (The Populated).
From the Primer Parque, the nearest station is only 1.3km away. On the other hand, the closest station from Parque Lleras is 1.8km.
From Parque de El Poblado it is 900m. The caveat is that it’s on a steep gradient. Laureles is flat and so easier to traverse. I know that hills are a common complaint for many of Medellin’s inhabitants.
So, just remember that with a city as congested as Medellin, distance matters!
Oh yeah, the park contains a bike station and is surrounded by incredible, FLAT cycle infrastructure. It is a healthy, fun way to circumvent the motorised traffic.
The Primer Parque: surrounded by everything you’d need
Not only is the park a hub in the geographic sense, but it’s also surrounded by everything a tourist could need.
That brings us to my next point…
2. The park is a stone's throw from everything you'd want
I’ll never forget my first time at the Primer Parque back in 2016. I was lucky enough to live directly in front of the park. Back then, the foreign footprint was not perceptible.
Perhaps that is why my Airbnb cost just $7 per night.
My good fortune hadn’t hit me until my second day when the rains finally abated and I could venture out.
So,
I left the apartment and walked down Avenida 74 towards the Segundo Parque de Laureles.
Wow!
The abundance of options… Trendy bars, and restaurants, both franchised and independent. They were everywhere…
It immediately became clear to me that I was in an extraordinary spot. Between the two parks, there was everything you could possibly want.
Everything is accessible by foot.
I’m not referring solely to restaurants & bars. In the subsequent months, I joined a gym and even got extensive dental work at a top clinic. Again, all a stone’s throw from the Primer Parque.
NOTE that in 2022, Medellin has continued to prosper. Tourists and foreigners are no longer an odd sight throughout the district. There are now more trendy and international restaurants than there ever have been.
The growing ‘expat’ or foreign community (as we should call it) may be a bad thing for those looking to distance themselves from other foreigners. Conversely, if you’re looking to network with others like yourself, then you’ll have no problem. Surrounding the park are various coffee shops such as Café Revolución.
They are frequented by plenty of digital nomads. Café Revolución is an awesome spot to meet savvy tourists and nomads. They’re not hard to miss as they sit with their coffees, plugging away on the laptop.
3. Community
As I previously mentioned, foreigners are commonplace in Laureles, especially in the area surrounding the Primer Parque.
If you’d rather turn a blind eye to them, worry not! Laureles is home to a vibrant community of (upper) middle class Colombians. I’ve made some long-lasting relationships with cool Colombians by simply chilling in the park, and shooting the sh**. Not boasting, but I’ve met, and subsequently befriended some Colombian celebrities by simply chilling in this park.
That’s an awesome feature of Paisa culture that I never experienced back home. People are always chilling at the park, no matter the time. Unlike other parks in the city that are frequented by addicts and crooks, the crowd at the Primer Parque is typically a lot cooler, safer and friendlier. There are also dog walkers everywhere.
So try it yourself. Leave behind that social stiffness; it doesn’t belong here. This is Colooombia baby!
If you would like to dive into the foreign community that exists around the park, search amongst the different Facebooks groups. There is always something going on.
4. Spanish/cultural immersion
Now, if you’ve read my other articles then you’ll know that for me, Medellin is one of the best places to learn Spanish.
Why?
- Low English proficiency amongst Colombians
- Friendly, outgoing people
- Smooth, rhythmic Spanish which is easy to understand and learn.
In the Primer Parque de Laureles, all of these factors come to life. In and around the park is a bustling community of workers and residents. Most of whom are curious and friendly – easy to talk to.
Speaking from personal experience, I learnt a lot of Spanish in Laureles, simply by engaging with locals. It’s pretty easy and very memorable. It’s an amazing feature of Paisa society.
Finding Paisas to chill with is much easier than with foreigners. Although there are now franchises that surround the park, you can still find traditional bars. They’re adored by locals. Anytime there is a live sports game, especially football, the crowds will be massive. Get amongst it!
So, earlier I was saying that I engaged and befriended many locals. Well, I made some lasting relationships – all of which were made and depended on my Spanish.
At the time, my Spanish was probably at a B1-B2 level. I had to fake it. It was like doing 12 rounds with Tyson.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. That, my people, is how you learn a new language, rapidly!
Maybe I’m slightly biased towards the Primer Parque. After all, that is where I learned a great deal of my Spanish. Parchando – a term used by Colombians when chilling at a certain spot, never felt so valuable…
The best part? It was all free!
5. Safety
Yes folks, SAFETY! Now, before some of you zealously challenge me by citing robbery figures for Laureles – hear me out.
I know, Laureles experiences the second-highest amount of robberies in the city (after El Poblado, by the way). Here’s the thing, the park itself is very safe. The Primer Parque is under surveillance 24/7. Furthermore, you have a police station just 2 minutes away.
While robberies can occur anywhere and at any time, it is not easy for ladrones to catch a break in this particular park.
If you lack common sense altogether, please don’t come to Colombia. It’s not the place for you.
That aside, I would maintain that the Primer Parque de Laureles is amongst the safest in the valley. It’s certainly safer than those located in Poblado, like Lleras or Parque de Poblado.
Unlike the parks mentioned above, the Primer Parque is not inundated with prostitutes and schemers. Due to the influx of foreigners in Poblado, these parks have become more unsafe. Not that they are particularly dangerous per se, they are teeming with suspect characters. By contrast, the First Park of Laureles is more catered to locals. The atmosphere is more genuine and relaxed. It’s better suited for living, and poorer suited for debauchery.
At the Primer Parque, there is a notable police presence, with patrols making routine visits to keep an eye on pot smokers.
It’s super chill at the Primer Parque so make sure to parchar.
Conclusion
The Primer Parque de Laureles is my favourite park in the city. It is far better suited to living than most of the parks found in Poblado, especially Parque Lleras, which is not what it used to be.
The park, much like its surrounding neighbourhood, is an exemplary display of good urban design. It is predominated by native flora, giving the neighbourhood its aptly given name, Laureles.
Laureles is located in the heart of the city, making everywhere else easier to traverse. Furthermore, it is a great place to socialise with locals and foreigners alike.
Finally, it is a safer choice than other parks found in Poblado thanks to its lower profile among foreigners.
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