Christmas Food Tour in Medellín: Natilla, Buñuelos & Novena Traditions

December in Medellín has its own food culture, distinct from the year-round paisa cuisine and centered around two traditional Christmas foods (natilla and buñuelos) and the nine-day Novena de Aguinaldos (December 16–24), during which families and communities gather each evening for prayers, songs, and shared food. Some operators offer dedicated December food tours that combine natilla-and-buñuelos tastings with Alumbrados viewing and cultural context on the Novena tradition. This guide covers what the two foods actually are, where to find the best versions, how tour operators structure Christmas food experiences, and why this is one of Medellín's most authentic December experiences. Prices in 2026 for December food tours run $35–65 USD per person.

Natilla — The Cinnamon Corn Pudding

Natilla is a set corn-flour pudding, flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and panela (unrefined cane sugar), and traditionally served cold in wedges cut from a large tray. It's the Colombian Christmas dessert.

Ingredients are simple: corn flour, milk, cinnamon, cloves, panela, and sometimes coconut or raisins depending on the family recipe. What makes it distinctive is the texture (dense, set, almost custardy but with the graininess of corn flour) and the flavor combination (warm spices with the deep molasses notes of panela).

Every paisa family has their own natilla recipe passed down through generations. In December it's sold everywhere — home cooks make it in bulk, and bakeries and street vendors produce it commercially. Prices for a wedge run COP 3,000–8,000 (~$1–2 USD).

Buñuelos — The Round Cheese Fritter

Buñuelos are golf-ball-sized fried fritters made from a dough of cornstarch, egg, and fresh Colombian queso costeño (a mildly salty white cheese similar to a young farmer's cheese). The dough is shaped into balls and deep-fried until golden and slightly cracked on the outside, tender and cheesy on the inside.

Buñuelos are Colombian, but the December Christmas association is specifically paisa — in Antioquia, no Novena is complete without buñuelos. They're eaten warm, ideally within an hour or two of being fried.

Prices at bakeries in December run COP 1,500–3,000 each (~$0.40–0.80 USD). Sold everywhere from panaderías (bakeries) to street vendors set up specifically for December.

The Novena de Aguinaldos Tradition

The Novena de Aguinaldos is a Catholic Colombian tradition — nine consecutive evenings of prayer, songs (villancicos), and shared food, running from December 16 through December 24 (Christmas Eve). Families gather in homes, offices host workplace Novenas, and neighborhoods often have communal Novenas in local churches.

The food is always the same: natilla, buñuelos, hot chocolate (spicy or plain), and sometimes small tamales or arepas. The prayers and songs follow a specific script that changes each of the nine nights.

For tourists, being invited to a private Novena by a paisa host is a rare and warm cultural experience. If you're offered the opportunity, accept — even if you're not religious, the atmosphere is welcoming and the food is excellent.

Public Novenas at churches are open to visitors and don't require an invitation. Most Catholic churches in Medellín hold nightly Novenas from Dec 16–24, typically starting at 7–8 PM.

How December Food Tours Structure the Experience

Dedicated December food tour operators combine natilla-and-buñuelos tastings from multiple sources (bakeries, home cooks, market vendors) with either an Alumbrados viewing component or a cultural stop at a Novena celebration.

Standard December food tour: 3–4 hours, visits to 3–4 food stops, one tastings-and-conversation stop about the Novena tradition, and often ends near an Alumbrados installation for viewing. Cost: $35–65 USD per person.

Premium tours include a private home visit for authentic natilla and hot chocolate ($60–90 USD per person), which is the closest most tourists get to a real family Novena experience.

Where to Find the Best Natilla and Buñuelos DIY

If you'd rather DIY:

• Astor Bakery (Astor) — a Medellín institution since 1930, produces some of the best commercial natilla in the city. Multiple locations across Medellín
• Traditional panaderías in Envigado — the older established bakeries in Envigado's central area do December baking at a scale and quality that outperforms Poblado's newer bakeries
• Plaza Minorista market — home cooks sell homemade natilla during December mornings; ask around for freshly made
• Neighborhood bakeries in Laureles — often the best value for buñuelos, sold fresh from the fryer through the day

Prices at any of these: natilla wedges COP 3,000–8,000, buñuelos COP 1,500–3,000 each.

Combining with Other December Activities

December food tours pair naturally with:

Alumbrados viewing: food tour followed by walk to nearby installations. Many operators build this in as the ending. See our Alumbrados master guide.

Chiva rumbera: food tour early evening (5–7 PM), chiva rumbera later (8 PM–midnight). Both are December-heavy tour categories and pair well.

Novena visits: after a food tour, attend a public Novena at a nearby church for the full cultural experience. Free, no booking needed, respectful attendance welcomed.

NYE chiva: if extending into Dec 31, book a New Year's Eve chiva for the year-end celebration.