Parque Arvi

According to Wikipedia, Arvi Park, also called the Ecotourism Park Arvi, is both an ecological nature preserve and a pre-Hispanic archaeological site. It lies in the northeast of Medellin and also covers parts of Envigado, Bello and Copacabana. The Medellin municipal government gives the park's extent as about 1,761 hectares, although Wikipedia cites about 16,000 hectares of which 1,760 are natural forest, and the park has some 54 miles of walkable trails.

The park is known for wildflowers, butterflies and trails, and activities include hiking, nature tours, cycling and outdoor adventure sports. An outdoor food market stands next to the cable car station, and a nearby ecological hotel, Piedras Blancas, has a private reserve beside the park.

The park was developed entirely by regional public agencies and companies, including EPM, the Metro de Medellin and Comfenalco. Wikipedia reports that it raised the amount of green space per resident in Medellin from about 4 square metres to 12 square metres. It forms part of the city's strategy of linking its hillside areas with the urban core.

Arvi preserves traces of pre-Hispanic construction, including old buildings, water works, platforms, roads, gardens and ditches. A route called the Camino Cieza de Leon, or the Prehispanic Trail, is thought to be more than 1,500 years old. It is wide and built of stone, and parts of the original surface are still well preserved. Walking it gives a sense of how long people have travelled through the hills above Medellin.

The approach is part of the experience. According to Wikipedia, the park can be reached from downtown Medellin via the metro, where a line connects to Arvi Station with a direct link to the Metrocable. Cable Arvi, also called Metrocable Line L, connects the Santo Domingo Savio station with the Arvi Ecotourism Park. It is described as the first tourist line of the Metro system and the third cable car line, and it began commercial operation in February 2010. The ride rises from the city's hillside neighbourhoods to the park, and the gondola itself is oriented towards ecological tourism rather than daily commuting.

Because the park sits in the mountains above the valley, the air is generally cooler than in the city centre, so a light layer and sturdy shoes are advisable. Trails range from short walks to longer routes, and local guides can show visitors the pre-Hispanic path, the plants and the birds. The outdoor food market beside the station is a natural place to pause. A private guided visit can combine the cable car ride with a walk and lunch, with transfers arranged to and from the metro stations by a driver.