Medellin Colombia’s Libraries
Medellin Colombia has a lot of libraries where you can get a lot of coworking done and experience local flavor at the same time. They make a great alternative to coworking spaces.
Biblioteca EPM
Biblioteca EPM is the King of all libraries in Medellin. Located downtown, inside of Plaza Cisneros, it is open from 8:10 (yes you read that right), until 5:00 or 5: 30 PM. It is closed on Sundays and dias festivos. It has a cool modern design. There are plenty of cubbies, tables, and private rooms to work from.
Dias Festivos
If you’re trying to cowork in Medellin, dias festivos will drive you crazy. They are like three day weekends in Colombia. What makes them unique is that they have between 2 and 3 of these per month. So it’s more of the norm than an exception. Usually they are celebrated the Monday following the weekend, but not always. I made a habit of asking the library security about any upcoming dias festivos on a regular basis. This is an important part of coworking from Medellin that rarely ever gets discussed.
Biblioteca EPM It is totally silent during the morning hours, but it can sometimes get louder as it fills up over the course of the day. The surrounding neighborhood is jam packed with all walks of life and the locals will warn you not to go there. My initial experience was to be extremely cautious but over time I became more comfortable. The neighborhood La Toma, is close by and I became a regular up there for lunchtime, before returning to the library after to finish up my work in the afternoon.
The Wifi is good while it is working but can go out sometimes. I had to use my data from my sim card through a hotspot on my cell phone about half the time.
If you want to try this place out I recommend you get there as early as possible, work as much as you can, and then go to The Museum of Antioquia after. The museum has a nice cafe inside and you can finish your work there in the afternoon if you like. It makes for a great day.
Fundación Casa Museo Maestro Pedro Nel Gómez
This may have been my favorite place in Medellin. It is an Art Museum, outdoor garden, community art center, and library. It is an inspiring place to work as well as a great point from which to explore the hillside barrio of Aranjuez. Aranjuez is packed with so much culture and cool places to discover. I never had any problems in this neighborhood but you’ll feel a little nervous with your laptop in your backpack. You’ll get used to it though and it’ll be worth it.
The traffic in the morning can be rough. I took an UberMotoTaxi at first, but I don’t like long rides on loud motorcycles in the sun in the middle of the day on the highway. So I began taking Uber to the Metro Poblado, then I’d take the metro to Metro El Caribe, and then call another Uber to take me up the hill. This ride turned me into a local commuter in Medellin. It was fun when I had the time.
They open up at 9, but you’ll want to get there early so you can sit on the wooden swing, that hangs from a tree, in the outdoor garden, and gaze at the magnificent urban city views.
COMFAMA Aranjuez
A historic building converted into a community center is a really fun place to work. I never really fully understood what COMFAMA is, but it is some type of state run organization, tasked with education and healthcare and community services. It is surprisingly hip for being part of the government. It is focused on young children but it is a fun place to work. I spent about one week coworking here every day in combination with the Pedro Nel Gomez house. They go well together, because each can get noisy sometimes.
Parque Biblioteca Tomás Carrasquilla – Castilla
From Aranjuez I could see the neighboring hillside barrio, La Castilla. There was a church that caught my eye that I really wanted to go to. I looked all over the barrio on my google maps, clicking on all the churches I could find, but none of them looked like the one I saw. As I continued to look, daily, I kept coming across this library in La Castilla. Eventually I decided to go over there to check it out and see if being over there would help me find the church.
When I got here I was blown away at the views from this library. I discovered this library at the beginning of my third month in Medellin. It was also the beginning of the dry season, so I could work on the outside terrace without getting rained on. Coworking beside this view every morning was an unforgettable experience.
The wifi was okay but be prepared to setup a hotspot. For the most part it is a quiet place but sometimes local groups of artists or dancers will arrive to talk or to practice. I found them a welcome distraction.
Biblioteca Belen
Belen is a local neighborhood that is really worth checking out. I really enjoyed my time exploring around here. Coworking works great in the library.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, you should consider including libraries in your trip to Medellin. If you’re slow traveling they are a fantastic way to integrate local flavor into your coworking routine.
