Surrounded by a magnificent panorama of Andean peaks, Medellin was founded in 1616 by the conquistador Francisco Herrera Campuzano and is Colombia’s second largest city. For years associated with Pablo Escobar, Medellin has long left its dark days behind and is Colombia’s most dynamic and indeed world’s most innovative city for 2013. Moreover, what Medellin lacks in colonial charm, it more than makes up for with its vibrant art scene and culture. The numerous parks and commercial centres are dotted with Botero sculptures while the centre abounds with exhibitions, museums and galleries. To get around, why not take the famous, aerial metro developed in 2004, and explore the surrounding suburbs by cable-car? For horticulturalists, the city explodes into colour each August with the annual “Feria de Las Flores” flower festival, an event that attracts experts and tourists from far and wide.