Nestled in the narrow Aburrá Valley, this northwestern city of 2 million people is the capital of Antioquia. Once known for its drug wars and the city's most infamous son, Pablo Escobar, Medellín is now a thriving, modern, affluent city. The industrious paisas, as natives of the province are called, built the successful coffee and textile industries that have enabled Medellín to prosper; today it's the country's second-largest city and it's home to the country's only elevated train system. The city also has several interesting museums, three respected universities, and wide, tree-lined boulevards. But Medellín also has thousands of impoverished citizens whose shanties appear on the city's edges. Most of the city's tourism is centered around Parque Lleras in the heart of the trendy El Poblado district, where the best dining, nightlife, and hotel options are within walking distance. Don't miss out on the rather chaotic historic center though, which reveals the everyday Medellín, and houses the Parque Botero, a spacious plaza housing 23 works by Medellín's favorite son, Fernando Botero.