| El Hueco (the hole) is the appropriately named wheeling and dealing, almost Chinatown-esk area of downtown Medellín.
Its attraction is primarily the potential for picking up a bargain, so don't leave your haggling skills at home if that is your aim.
If your shopping scene is more akin to El Tesoro, you can at least soak up the atmosphere created by seemingly endless streets of chaos.
Whatever your goal, you’ll need plenty of energy to withstand perpetual cries of ‘a la orden’ (at your service) as vendors compete for your attention. Luckily, almost every street provides a handy pit stop where you can grab some fruit, coffee or something more substantial.
This is not the place to flaunt your favourite bling. While you’re unlikely to be mugged in broad daylight, thieves can operate here with incredible skill and courtesy; so you might find your bag quietly slit open from behind if you are seen to be carrying valuables. |
