Introduction
Did you know that Medellín has more than 50 registered green roofs and that the number keeps growing every year? While the city fills with concrete and glass towers, there is a silent movement conquering the heights: rooftops transformed into gardens, orchards, and meeting spaces. In August 2026, El Poblado and its surroundings are the epicenter of this trend that combines sustainability, community, and a touch of urban adventure.
You don't need to leave the city to breathe fresh air. Here I tell you where those vertical oases are, how to visit them, and why locals no longer look at the ground, but up. If you're the kind of traveler seeking authentic and eco-conscious experiences, or a local wanting to rediscover your neighborhood, this tour of the green rooftops of Medellín will change your perspective.
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Forget traditional parks for a moment. The new nature of Medellín is cultivated in the sky.
The 'green roof' movement in Medellín: how the city is changing its landscape from above
Medellín has always been known as the "City of Eternal Spring," but in the last five years the concept has taken on a literal meaning. The green roof movement was born as a response to two problems: the extreme heat generated by concrete surfaces and the lack of public spaces in densely populated areas like El Poblado.
What started as pilot projects in institutional buildings is now a network of community orchards and vertical gardens that function as urban lungs. The Mayor's Office of Medellín, along with local organizations, has promoted incentives for residential and commercial buildings to transform their rooftops into productive spaces.
The little-known fact: the Edificio Coltejer, that icon of the city that looks like a tilted parallelepiped, doesn't have a garden on its rooftop, but it inspired a whole generation of architects to think green. Today, projects like the Parque Biblioteca España and the Edificio EPM lead with impressive vertical gardens that not only decorate but also regulate temperature and capture pollution particles.
But the true heart of this movement is in the community orchards. There, where abandoned rooftops once stood, today there are lettuces, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs that feed entire families. And the best part: anyone can join.
Top 5 community orchards on rooftops: exact addresses, visiting hours, and how to collaborate
Here is the list you were waiting for. Each of these orchards has its own personality, its people, and its way of functioning. Some are more organized, others more spontaneous, but all will welcome you with open arms if you bring good energy and a willingness to get your hands dirty.
1. Provenza Community Orchard
The crown jewel. Located on the rooftop of a residential building on Calle 9A with Carrera 35, this orchard is the Sunday meeting point in El Poblado. It was born in 2022 as an experiment by 10 neighbors and today produces more than 200 kilos of food per month. They have a drip irrigation system that collects rainwater, something you won't see in many similar projects.
On Sundays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., free composting and planting workshops are held. If you go, bring your gardening gloves and a water bottle. Entry is free, but it's appreciated if you buy the vegetables they harvest (prices are symbolic, from $3,000 COP). Access is through the building's parking lot; ask at the concierge that you're going to the orchard and they'll show you the way.
2. Manila Green Rooftop
In the heart of the Manila neighborhood, on Carrera 43B with Calle 12, this project is managed by the Community Action Board. What makes it special is that it functions as a seed bank: they have more than 60 varieties of native and medicinal plants that they share with anyone who wants to start their own home orchard.
They open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for guided visits, and on Saturdays there are community work sessions. There's no entry fee, but you can leave a voluntary contribution or bring organic compost as a donation. The building is a bit hard to find, so look for the hummingbird mural on the facade and go up the side staircase.
3. La Sierra Orchard, at Torre Verde building
This is the most ambitious project on the list. The Torre Verde, located on Carrera 37 with Calle 8 Sur, has a 1,200-square-meter rooftop completely dedicated to urban agriculture. It's no exaggeration to say it looks like a farm in the sky: there are fruit trees (avocado, lemon, mandarin), vegetable plots, and even a small apiary with two beehives.
Visits are by appointment (coordinated through the building's administration) and take place on Wednesdays and Fridays. The tour costs $15,000 COP per person and includes a tasting of the products and a talk on urban beekeeping. It's ideal for photographers: the city views from here are spectacular, especially at sunset.
4. El Patio Community Orchard, in El Salvador neighborhood
Beyond El Poblado, on the edge of the El Salvador neighborhood, this orchard is the best-kept secret in the area. It's on the rooftop of an old textile warehouse converted into a cultural center, on Transversal 39A with Calle 10. The space has an industrial aesthetic that contrasts with the vegetation, and it's the favorite place for local artists to find inspiration.
They don't have fixed visiting hours, but on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. they hold a farmers' market where they exchange products. The atmosphere is relaxed, with music in the background and pottery workshops held in the inner courtyard. If you want to collaborate, you can sign up for their "plant godparents" program: you sponsor a crop and receive photos of its growth every week.
5. El Vergel de Astorga
Hidden in the Astorga neighborhood, on Carrera 36 with Calle 7, this orchard is the smallest but the coziest. It started as a family project and today is a meeting point for neighbors in the area. They have a peculiarity: they grow vegetable varieties not easily found in Medellín, such as kale, arugula, and collard greens.
They open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the best times are in the mornings, when the founders are working and you can chat with them. There's no entry cost, but if you want to take products, the price is by weight (around $5,000 COP per pound). They also offer germination workshops on the first Saturday of each month, with a limit of 10 people.
Iconic vertical gardens: from Edificio Coltejer to hidden residential projects
Orchards aren't the only thing transforming the landscape. Vertical gardens are the other side of this green coin. While orchards produce food, vertical gardens are living works of art that purify the air and cool facades.
Edificio Coltejer and its legacy
Although Medellín's most famous building doesn't have a garden on its structure, its silhouette inspired the design of many later projects. The Plaza de las Luces, a few blocks away, has an interior vertical garden that locals use as a meeting point. It's a good place to start your tour of urban tree planting.
Vertical garden of Edificio EPM
This is the most impressive in the city. The headquarters of Empresas Públicas de Medellín, on Calle 44 with Carrera 55, has a wall over 30 meters high covered with native plants. The irrigation system is smart and controlled from a cell phone. You can't enter the building without authorization, but from the street it's perfectly visible. Go in the morning, when the sun lights up the facade and the leaves shine.
Hidden residential gardens in El Poblado
The true gem is in residential buildings. Many apartment towers in El Poblado have turned their facades into vertical gardens. The Edificio Jardines de Provenza, on Carrera 35 with Calle 8A, is perhaps the most photogenic: a cascade of ferns and bromeliads covering three of its four sides. Visitors can appreciate it from the street, but if you know a resident, ask for access to the lobby: they have an interior garden with a completely green wall that looks like a miniature jungle.
Another interesting case is the Edificio Milla de Oro, on Carrera 43A, which combines vertical gardens with solar panels. It's an example of how sustainability can be integrated into modern architectural design.
The 'rooftop gardens' circuit: cafés, yoga, and gardening workshops in the heights
Beyond community orchards and iconic gardens, there's a whole circuit of experiences that combine nature with leisure. If you want to enjoy green rooftops without having to work the soil, these places are for you.
Verde Café y Jardín
On Calle 10 with Carrera 36, this café in a
