Time Out's 2023 top pick for the coolest neighborhood is Laureles, nestled in Medellín, Colombia. This vibrant district offers a unique blend of modernity and tradition. It's the perfect haven for digital nomads, remote workers, and adventure-seekers, providing a distinct and culturally rich experience.

Laureles: The world’s coolest neighborhood for 2023 by ‘Time Out’ is in Medellín, Colombia

We are proud to announce that Laureles has been classified as the coolest neighborhood in the world, in the first place of a long list of worldwide places that Time Out Global Magazine launches every year.

The Winner: First Place

Laureles: Medellin, Colombia.

Photo by Bureau Medellin.

Second Place

Smithfield: Dublin, Ireland.

Photograph: Light House Cinema.

Third Place

Carabanchel: Madrid, Spain.

Photo by David Spence del Valle/Shutterstock

Laureles, a neighborhood once popular among retirees, is now gaining popularity among digital nomads. Entrepreneurs, investors, and foreigners are attracted to the area, seeking a comfy lifestyle filled with adventure, peace, and opportunities. Medellin has transformed into a desirable city, attracting remote workers who want to experience Colombian culture while working.

Other places in Colombia offer incredible nightlife and weekend activities. Still, Laureles and other neighborhoods, such as El Poblado, are now the centers of digital nomadism. With a vast infrastructure composed of co-livings and hostels with all the amenities needed by remote employees and entrepreneurs, streets full of colombian and international restaurants, a variety of coworking places with the best internet service to execute activities or create content, and a great offer of visas to choose, Laureles and all the city of Medallo are great options to visit and live in Colombia for months, or even for years.

Laureles is the best place to live in Medellin

In Medellin and Colombia, there are a lot of neighborhoods and towns that are eligible as an option to live if you want to experience something new, but Laureles surpasses all of them, not only for its low-cost lifestyle and affordable rentals but also for its wonderful climate and dynamic lifestyle. In Laureles, every day can be different for you. One day, you can work from a rooftop with a large city view; the other, you can work from a coworking cafeteria with the best colombian coffee and delicious desserts.

Transportation

Restaurants

Coffee shops

Coworking

Hospitality

Healthcare

There are many things you can do if you live there. On weekends, you can opt to go near Medellín to great places like Guatapé, Jardín, San Vicente, Jericó, or any other wonderful village. If you like the city’s activities more, you will find many things to do inside Medellín to enjoy the colombian culture. Museums, restaurants, sports events, and concerts.

Laureles: Everything in just one place

Laureles is located in Comuna 11, in the city’s western center, and connected with other unique places. That’s why you can get to any place in Medellin from there. Even if you want to go to any place in the center of town, go on a tour around Comuna 13, or go outside of the city, you can go easily from Laureles.

Although it is a great and quiet place to live and work, the nightlife in Laureles is very attractive for all kinds of people. With many restaurants to get amazing dinners, bars, and dancing clubs to have fun, or only if you want to go on a walk with friends, this is a safe place to enjoy the nightlife of Medellin.

And related to the cost of living, Laureles is a premium neighborhood with a low-cost lifestyle. You can find single accommodation options for one person or unfurnished, furnished apartments and houses for a couple or an entire family with all the necessary amenities. Public services, food, and the internet are very cheap, and the quality of life can be increased with the minimum investment.

Bring your laptop and work from anywhere in Laureles

Laureles is ideal for digital nomads who are looking for a place where they can work, live, and have fun at the same time. With only a Digital Nomad Visa, remote workers can stay in Colombia for a long time. They’ll have access to a lot of options, such as co-livings, hotels, and hostels with entire floors and spaces dedicated to coworking activities.

There are a vast and active digital nomad community. You can access a great offer of valuable events to make new friends and establish new relations in your business area. It can be advantageous because it can open new opportunities to know people from all over the world in just one place.

The educational offer is more significant, too. You can study languages or any other courses with bilingual teachers in Laureles or the nearest neighborhoods of Medellín. If you want to live in Colombia for a while and study here, you can opt for a student visa and continue your studies here without leaving your job or business.

A complete offer of internal and international transportation

Compared with other countries or even many colombian cities, the transportation in Medellín is one of the best. You can get to Laureles by Metro B Line and Metro Plus O line. Those are near and cover some zones of the neighborhood. The metro connects it with all the city. Other public transportation options are very accessible and cheap, and the cost of taxis is lower than in cities like Bogotá.

The strategic location of Medellín in Colombia makes access easy to any region of the country. If you choose Laureles as your next destination, you will not only enjoy the beautiful things of Medellin and Antioquia, but you will also be able to discover all the wonderful things that Colombia has to offer with just one or two hours by plane.

The best thing about this place is that it’s near the Olaya Herrera International Airport and the José Maria Cordoba International Airport. You can go from the airport to your new home quickly after arriving in Medellin. Even if you choose to travel inside of Colombia or if you are a frequent traveler who visits various countries for work or pleasure, choose Laureles as your base, which can give you freedom and facilities to maintain your nomadic lifestyle without losing your stability.

Medellin Guru Guides

Download the guide Colombia: a must-see destination from ProColombia with helpful information about Medellín and Colombia.

How to enjoy Laureles?

As you can see, Laureles is definitely a neighborhood that accommodates all tastes, ages, and preferences.

You will find an extensive and desirable gastronomic offer, with restaurants specializing in not only local food but also Mexican, Asian, Argentinian, Peruvian, and Italian food, among many others, where you will not know which one to choose, so to help you, we leave you here our latest guide that brings together the 20 best restaurants in Laureles.

In addition to delicious food, it has spaces to enjoy just a good coffee. Of course, you can have a Starbucks while working on your laptop or meeting with a friend, but we share here our complete guide on where to find good coffee: 8 top Laureles Coffee Shops. We invite you to tour them and tell us which you liked the most.

Furthermore, in Laureles, you can find all types of businesses to meet your needs. You even have a Shopping Center at your disposal: Unicentro. This shopping center has cinemas, a supermarket, a gym, clothing, shoes, and accessory stores for you, your home, pets, technology, restaurants, and much more.

Laureles also has a place for dancing, enjoyment, and nightlife along Popular Avenue 70. It also houses the Atanasio Girardot Stadium, the main stadium in the city and one of the most important in Colombia; it is also a place that has brought together thousands of people around different events and concerts of an international nature.

Even so, it not only has a place for a busy life and adventure but also has very quiet spaces, which even encourage walks through its shady streets thanks to the numerous trees and low traffic flow.

We could continue listing things to do in Laureles. Still, we encourage you to discover it yourself and fall in love with the coolest neighborhood in the world.

Find more information about Laureles

At Medellin Guru, we have written valuable content over the years. Here, we share the list of all our articles related to Laureles. They will surely be helpful to you:

Digital Nomads

From our posts, we leave you some helpful articles about Digital Nomads.

The Botton Line: Laureles: The world’s coolest neighborhood for 2023 by 'Time Out' is in Medellín, Colombia

Laureles, crowned the coolest neighborhood in the world by Time Out Global Magazine, has rapidly transformed from a retiree’s haven to an enticing hub for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, investors, and adventurers.

With a unique blend of modernity and tradition, Laureles offers a dynamic lifestyle, a thriving community of remote workers, and many amenities for a comfortable and affordable living experience. Beyond the charm of co-living spaces, international dining, and top-notch coworking facilities, Laureles presents diverse cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities.

Its strategic location and excellent transportation options allow you to explore not only the beauty of Medellín and Antioquia but the entire richness of Colombia. Whether you seek the excitement of nightlife or the serenity of shaded streets, Laureles caters to all tastes, making it an unparalleled choice for those seeking a unique Colombian adventure.

Come and discover the world’s coolest neighborhood: Laureles.