Gran Malecon del Rio

Barranquilla grew on the Magdalena but the riverfront had become industrial and effectively closed to the public for decades. The malecon, opened in stages from 2017, reclaimed about five kilometres of it as public space - a wide walkway with cycle lanes, viewing platforms over the water, food kiosks, playgrounds, an events plaza and a Ferris wheel, with the river traffic and the enormous width of the Magdalena directly alongside. It has become the city's main public space and is used heavily in the evening when the heat drops. Carnival, held in February or March and inscribed by UNESCO on the intangible heritage list, uses the area among others. The river here is close to its mouth and carries a lot of sediment.

What you actually see

• Five kilometres of reclaimed riverfront - opened from 2017.
• The Magdalena at full width - close to its mouth, sediment-heavy.
• Kiosks, plazas and a Ferris wheel - along the walkway.
• Heavy evening use - when the heat drops.

When to go

December to April; evenings are the time. Two to three hours.

Honest expectations

Daytime heat and humidity are severe - this is an evening space. The river is brown with sediment, not scenic in the conventional sense. Carnival period fills the city entirely. Some sections are busier and better maintained than others.

Nearby

Bocas de Ceniza is north at the river mouth; Puerto Colombia is west.