Medellín in December: Weather, What to Pack and What Happens Each Week

Medellín in December is not the same city on the 3rd, the 20th and the 31st. Its mood changes week by week, and a good part of whether your trip works depends on which of those weeks you land in. Here's the practical stuff: the weather you'll actually get, what to put in the suitcase, and what's happening on the street the day you arrive.

The weather: 22 degrees and the odd short downpour

Medellín sits at 1,500 metres in an Andean valley, which is why they call it the city of eternal spring. In December the average is 22.5°C, with highs around 27.3°C and lows around 17.8°C (verified Sep/2026). Practically the same as April, or August.

December also opens the drier season. About 95 mm of rain falls, against 210 mm in October. That doesn't mean it won't rain: it means it rains less and faster. The typical pattern is one heavy shower in mid-afternoon that lasts half an hour and then clears. It doesn't ruin the day, it interrupts it.

Nights do cool down, especially if you go up to Las Palmas, Santa Elena or Pueblito Paisa. That's where you'll be glad of a jacket.

What to pack

Short and no mystery:

• Short sleeves for the daytime. You need nothing winter-like.
• A light jacket or a hoodie for the evening and the lookouts.
• A thin rain shell or a small umbrella. The afternoon downpour is real.
• Comfortable walking shoes. Medellín has hills, and the centre is done on foot.
• One pair of long trousers for evenings and for entering churches.
• Sunscreen. You're at 1,500 metres in the tropics: the sun bites even on a cloudy day.

What you do not need: a coat, boots, thermals. That's for Bogotá, not here.

Week by week

30 November to 8 December: the opening

The city switches on, literally. The alborada on the night of 30 November — fireworks from the hillsides, with no warning — the switch-on of the Christmas lights in late November or the first days of December, and on 7 and 8 December the night of the little candles, when people put candles and lanterns out at their doorways.

It's the most intense week and the loudest. If you're travelling with a dog or you're a light sleeper, factor that in. We cover all of it in Christmas in Medellín.

9 to 15 December: the best week

This is, without argument, the best week for a visitor. The city is already decorated and lit, but Colombians are still working: holidays haven't started, domestic travellers haven't arrived, and you can walk the light displays without the crush.

If you get to choose dates, choose these.

16 to 24 December: the novenas

The novenas begin: nine nights of prayer, carols and food that move from house to house until Christmas Eve. The city fills up. Paisas who live abroad come home, school holidays start, and hotel prices climb.

It's the week with the most atmosphere and the hardest one for getting around.

25 to 31 December: the lull and the año viejo

On the 25th the city wakes up asleep. Many restaurants and almost all shops close or open late. From the 26th it picks up again, and on the night of the 31st the año viejo dolls are burned in the street.

1 to 15 January: the tail end

The lights stay on until mid-January, and the city is far emptier. If you don't mind missing Christmas itself, the first week of January is a well-kept secret: the lights are still there and the crowds are not.

Prices and booking

December is high season. Hotels and apartments go up from the 15th, domestic flights sell out, and the good restaurants want a reservation.

The practical rule: if you're travelling between 16 December and 2 January, book accommodation and activities weeks in advance. Between 1 and 15 December you still have room to improvise.

What's closed

• 25 December and 1 January: almost all retail closes. The lights stay on and some restaurants in tourist areas open, but plan a quiet day.
• 8 December: a public holiday, many offices shut, but the city is out on the street.

Museums and sights usually run reduced hours between the 24th and the 1st.

Safety in December

December isn't more dangerous than the rest of the year, but there are more people out, more money moving and more distraction, which is the combination an opportunist works with. Apply the Paisa principle of no dar papaya, don't hand anyone an easy chance: phone away while you walk, and order the ride home through an app. It's all in the safety guide for visitors.

How to make the most of it

If you're coming for the lights, the question isn't when but where: we've listed the spots with the metro station for each in where to see Medellín's Christmas lights, and the official dates in the complete Alumbrados guide.

And if you've got few days — which in December is normal — the way not to spend them in traffic is to cover the city by electric bike. Yes, that's our tour; we're telling you straight. Any question, even about building your own plan, we're on WhatsApp.