One of Medellin’s most walkable neighborhoods, Laureles unfurls from its center, the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, unveiling a barrio full of cafes, restaurants, and endless nightlife options. Oftentimes combined with El Estadio, the neighborhood around Stadium Atanasio Girardot (home to both Athletico Nacional and Deportivo Independiente Medellin), together they form the double neighborhood Laureles-Estadio. While lots of university students call Laureles home, it’s also become popular with foreign transplants seeking to leave the gringo bubble of Poblado, helping to fuel an explosion of neighborhood cafés. Both Rituales Café and Café Revolución serve specialty coffee, while Café Zeppelin has a hip ambiance.

Laureles contains some of the city’s best coworking spots: plant-filled and pet-friendly Circular Coworking, working hub and artisanal coffee shop Semilla, and the peaceful CoWorking Inspira. If you like to treat yourself, Ivy Laureles even has onsite wellness services, like massages and chiropractic sessions. For meals, order traditional Colombian plates at Donde Dario, sweet treats at Gloria’s Waffles, and vegetarian dishes at Saludpan. For pastries, head to La Migueria, a local bakery chain.

A prime biking spot due to its flat streets, Laureles offers many fitness options from grinding rails at Skatepark Estadio to practicing yoga in English at Flying Tree Yoga. Poledanzarte holds aerial and pole dance classes, and for salsa, you can dance for hours at bars El Tibiri or Son Havana, especially when there’s a live band. Both are located on La 70, one of Laureles’ two main nightlife streets. The other street, Calle 33, is a behemoth of bars and clubs home to Ping Pong Drinks, a ping pong parlor and bar. For a more relaxed activity, see Pre-Colombian art Fundación Aburrá.