Cerro de Las Tres Cruces

Cerro de Las Tres Cruces (Three Crosses Hill) is located in the district of Altavista, about 11 km from the El Centro of Medellin. Cerro de Las Tres Cruces hill is roughly 300 meters high and is one of the favorite spots for people looking to do their exercise routines whilst in the fresh air. The hill of the three crosses has an approximate distance of 1.2 kilometres each way and depending on your physical condition it can take between 40 min and 1 hour to hike up the hill, keep in mind that some of the sections of the hill are very steep.

In 2019 the Medellin Mayor’s Office along with the Aburra Metropolitan Area raised and invested 26 Billion COP in acquiring the 267 acres of landing from 13 different properties that partially located on Cerro De Las Tres Cruces. With the acquisition from the Mayor Office they converted the hill into an environmental park with with protection and recovery of the ecosystem. You can find different type of species as you walk up the hill for example 83 types of birds like the white-faced woodpecker, 2 reptiles , 4 species of frogs and 6 mammals like Dog Fox, Amadillo etc..

Great Workout Session to Start the Morning

You will find a lot of people hiking up the hill in the morning, some start as early as 5am. However keep in mind that police won’t be in the area till 6am. You can find the best views of the city on top of the 300 meter hill making the walk worth the effort. If you’re lucky enough you can find some interesting birds and other animals on your way to the top. When you get to the top of the hill you will find an outdoor gym almost everything you need to do a complete body workout, from cement weights, big tires to lift and carry around, bars, chains, etc. and the best part is that it is Free to the public.

At the top of the Cerro Tres Cruces, mostly during the weekends you will find a little shop offering freshly made juice, fruit, and whatever else you might need to get your energy back. There are also three metal crosses that were built as a symbol of the three crosses of the Calvary of Jesus Christ.

Tips & Recommendation

The hill is always open for visitors, but it is advisable to go there during the day. Going to el cerro, after dark has a high risk, we have heard of stories of people that go at night unfortunately they return without phones or personal items, a term used in Medellin slang of “No dar Papaya” well, this is the perfect example for this.

Avoid going to The Three Crosses Hill if it’s raining or it had previously been raining a lot; this makes for slippery conditions on the hill. This place is one of the “must see” places in Medellin; and if you are into workout this will become your favourite spot.

Location Hours

Technically Cerro de Las Tres Cruces is open 24/7 but to be safe its recommended to go between 6am and 8pm.

The hill has two access points, one through an unsealed road that connects with the corregimiento of Alavista and the other access is from the Belén neighborhood, in Loma de los Bernal, which is where you would want to start.

The exact address is Cl. 8 #84f-25, Medellín, Altavista; make sure you get to that street, so you arrive to the correct side to start walking up.

Getting There & Parking

The best, cheaper and most comfortable option to get to El Cerro de las Tres Cruces is Uber or taxi, make sure you tell you driver to drop you off at the entrance of Cl. 8 #84 or you can just type in Uber app “Hill of three crosses” and it will take you to this street where the main entrance to do the trekking is.

An Uber from town or city centre are between 14,000 COP and 18,000 COP (3USD to 5 USD) If you are planning to drive there, there is plenty of parking on the street, keep in mind to have some cash to give to the people that help you park.

Cerro de Las Tres Cruces

Great Workout Session to Start the Morning

Tips & Recommendation

Location Hours

Getting There & Parking

Quick Summary

Free

Altavista, Medellin

Cl. 8 #84f-25

6am - 8pm

Everyday

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