El Tibirí

El Tibirí is a salsa bar in a basement on Carrera 70, at the corner with Avenida San Juan. It opened in 1991 and is one of the oldest salsa bars still open in Medellín. In 2023 it was among the recommended spots in Laureles when Time Out picked the neighborhood.

You go down a staircase into a low-ceilinged room, with murals of dancers on the walls and tables right up against the dance floor. They play salsa brava, the old-record kind, and the floor fills with people who know how to dance; those still learning have room too.

It's hot and there's little ventilation, so wear light clothes. Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest, from 10 p.m. on.

What to see

• The basement dance floor on a Friday or Saturday.
• The murals of dancers on the walls.
• La 70, right outside, with its bars and street food.

Getting there

• Metro: Estadio station (Line B), then about a 5-minute walk along Carrera 70 to Avenida San Juan.
• Taxi: ask for Carrera 70 with Avenida San Juan (Calle 44).

Tips

• Go Friday or Saturday after 10 p.m., when the most people are dancing.
• Wear light clothes; the basement gets hot.
• At night, head back in a taxi booked through an app.