Guayabal's Hidden Gems: Pocket Parks

Why does Guayabal have forgotten micro-parks?

Guayabal is the industrial lung of Medellín, but also its worst-kept secret. While all tourists crowd into Parque Lleras or Pueblito Paisa, here, among warehouses and mechanic workshops, small oases of concrete and trees survive that not even Google Maps registers well. They are not postcard parks: they are irregular plazas, hills with century-old eucalyptus trees, and asphalt triangles that neighbors turned into gardens.

The story is simple: in the 60s and 70s, when textile and food factories dominated the area, companies left "scraps" of land between their warehouses. The municipality declared them green zones, but never developed them as formal parks. There they remained, halfway between an empty lot and public space. Today, in July 2026, they are the perfect refuge for those seeking silence, real shade, and zero crowds.

What makes these pocket parks special is that they have no official name in tourist cartography. They are known by local nicknames: "the one with the tank," "the eucalyptus hill," "the triangle." If you ask a taxi driver about them, they will look at you strangely. But if you ask a lifelong neighbor, they will tell you stories of when they played there as a child.

The Route of the 3 Pocket Parks

I designed this route by walking the area for weeks, talking to warehouse guards, ladies who sweep their sidewalks, and young people who train at dawn. These are three spaces that can be covered in one morning, without rushing, and that show a Guayabal that does not appear in traditional guides.

1. The Tank Garden

Located on the block between Calle 28B and Carrera 48, this space owes its name to the old elevated water tank that still stands on a corner, out of service but painted a faded blue. It is not a formal park: it is a rectangle of compacted earth with cement benches that neighbors decorated with recycled planters.

What makes it unique is its vegetation: there is a mango tree that provides full shade by 10 a.m., and a sabanero rubber tree whose roots have lifted the sidewalk. In the planters, you will find succulents, ferns, and even a small aromatic herb garden that neighbors use for cooking. Every Thursday, a group of older adults meets at 3 p.m. to play dominoes under the mango tree.

Do not expect grass: it is a dry plaza-type pocket park. But it has something that large parks do not: the feeling of being in a shared backyard. Neighbors greet each other, dogs roam free (with owners nearby), and there is an air of trust that has been lost in other areas of the city.

Practical tip: There are no public restrooms or cafeterias. Bring your own water, and if you need something, the store "La Esquina de Don Nico" is half a block away, on Carrera 48, and they sell tinto for $1,500 COP.

2. The Eucalyptus Hill

This is my favorite and the most photogenic. You access it via a pedestrian path that starts at Calle 30 with Carrera 48B, right where the wall of a plastics warehouse ends. It is a steep hill, about 200 meters long, covered with eucalyptus trees planted in the 50s to dry out the swampy lands of the area.

The walk uphill is demanding, but the reward is twofold: at the end, there is a flat plateau with partial views of Olaya Herrera Airport and the western mountains. On clear mornings, between 6 and 8 a.m., the light filters through the eucalyptus trees and creates a golden mist effect that urban photographers desperately seek.

The ground is dirt and dry leaves, so it is perfect for running with trail shoes. Neighbors use it for functional exercise: there is an improvised pull-up bar made of steel tubes that someone welded to two trees. It is not official, but no one has removed it in years.

A curious fact: on the upper plateau, there is a large stone with a rusty plaque that reads "Tribute to the workers of Coltejer, 1978." No one knows exactly why it is there, but neighbors say it was where textile factory workers used to have lunch and watch planes take off.

Practical tip: The path has no nighttime lighting. Go only during daylight hours. Access is free and there is no official schedule, but it is recommended between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m.

3. The Triangle of la 65

This is the most "urban" of the three, and the one that best shows how neighbors have reclaimed public space. It is located at the intersection of Carrera 65 with Calle 30, an asphalt triangle left over when the road was laid out. For years, it was a debris dump and a hotspot for insecurity.

In 2021, a group of organized neighbors, with support from the Guayabal Community Action Board, transformed it. Today, it has raised planters made from recycled tires, painted in vibrant colors, and a mural on the back wall that reads "Guayabal florece" (Guayabal blooms). The mural is the work of a local artist named Stiven Giraldo, who has also painted in the Zona Industrial.

The triangle has no benches, but it has concrete blocks arranged as seating, and a small area with basic children's play equipment (a monkey bar and two swings). It is the meeting point for young skaters in the afternoons, and for moms who bring their children while waiting for the bus.

The most valuable thing about this place is its story of appropriation. Neighbors take turns watering the plants and sweeping the floor. There is a handmade wooden sign that reads "This park is cared for by all of us." And yes, it works: in July 2026, the space is impeccable.

Practical tip: It is the most accessible of the three, right on a busy corner. There is a bakery across the street, "Pan y Masa," with coffee for $2,000 COP and empanadas for $3,500 COP.

How to get there without using massive apps

Forget about calling an Uber to drop you at the door. The charm of these parks is arriving the way locals do: by bus, metro, or on foot. Guayabal is well connected; you just need to know how to get around.

By Metro

The nearest station is Industriales (Line A). From there, walk south along Carrera 48 for 15 minutes. You will pass through the warehouse and workshop area, and arrive directly at the Tank Garden. For the Eucalyptus Hill, continue two more blocks to Calle 30 and turn left. The path will be on your right, just after the wall of the plastics warehouse.

If you come from downtown, you can also get off at Exposiciones and walk 20 minutes southwest, but it is easier to orient yourself from Industriales.

By Bus

Several municipal bus routes pass along Carrera 65 and Calle 30. Look for ones that say "Guayabal" or "Zona Industrial" on the front sign. Buses do not have fixed numbers, but drivers know the main stops. The fare is $3,100 COP. Get off at the intersection of Carrera 65 with Calle 30 to reach the Triangle.

Local tip: If you tell the driver "me deja en el triángulo de la 65," they will understand you perfectly. It is a well-known landmark.

On foot from El Poblado

If you are staying in El Poblado, the walk is long (about 40 minutes), but it is a way to see the transition between the tourist zone and the working-class neighborhood. Cross the 65 bridge over the Medellín River and continue straight. You will see modern buildings give way to warehouses and single-story houses. It is a contrast worth experiencing.

Best time for each one

Each park has its ideal moment, and it is not the same for all. I learned this from the neighbors who use them daily.

• The Tank Garden: Between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. The mango's shade covers the benches, and it is when older adults come out to socialize. It is the time when the park is most alive, but not overcrowded.
• The Eucalyptus Hill: From 6 to 8 a.m. The morning light is spectacular for photos, and the temperature is cool for climbing the slope. After 10 a.m., the sun hits directly and there is no shade on the path.
• The Triangle of la 65: From 4 to 6 p.m. It is when children leave school and skaters arrive. The sunset paints the mural with an orange light that makes it look even more vibrant.

Avoid these parks on Sunday afternoons if you are looking for tranquility. Those are the days when local families take over the space, and while it is nice to see, it is not the time to meditate or take photos calmly.

Stories of neighbors who adopted them

What makes these parks special is not the trees or the benches, but the people who keep them alive. Here are three stories I gathered while walking the area.

Doña Marta and the tank garden

Marta has lived facing the Tank Garden for 34 years. When she arrived, the lot was a dump. "People threw away mattresses and debris," she recalls. One day, 12 years ago, she got tired and started cleaning a corner with her own broom. She planted a lemon tree, then an aloe vera, and little by little other neighbors joined in.

Today, she coordinates a WhatsApp group with 14 people who take turns watering and pruning. "This is not a park; it is my living room," she says with a laugh, as she adjusts a pot someone left at her door for her to repair.

Professor Andrés and the hill

Andrés is a physical education teacher at a nearby school. Five years ago, he started taking his students to the Eucalyptus Hill for circuit training. "It is better than any gym: it has incline, clean air, and costs nothing," he explains.

He is the one who welded the pull-up bar that neighbors now use. "I put it up one Sunday with help from a blacksmith friend. No one said anything, no one removed it. People use it and take care of it." His morning training group already has 20 regular members.

The triangle gang

At the Triangle of la 65, a group of young people aged 15 to 22 call themselves "the triangle gang." It is not a gang in the negative sense: they are skaters and graffiti artists who organized to clean up the lot in 2020, during the pandemic.

One of them, Sebastián, 19, tells how they convinced the Community Action Board to let them paint the mural. "We showed them a design, told them we would not do anything offensive, and they gave us a chance. Now the mural belongs to everyone."

Local tips

This section is pure gold. These are things you will not find in any tourist guide and only learn by living in Guayabal.

• Bring cash: Neighborhood stores do not accept cards, and some street vendors only take bills. There is an ATM at Carrera 48 with Calle 30, but it sometimes does not work. Better to be prepared.
• Use repellent: Eucalyptus trees attract mosquitoes, especially at dawn and dusk. The local repellent "Off" is available at any drugstore for about $15,000 COP.
• Do not wear shiny items: Guayabal is a safe neighborhood during the day, but as in any