We’ve been hearing about Jardín, Colombia, practically since the day we moved to Medellin. We had a picture in our minds of a fantastic old colonial square with a huge and striking cathedral and brightly painted, neat-as-a-pin colonial-era homes, all set against a stunning Andes backdrop of near-vertical mountains sporting every hue of green you can imagine. That’s exactly what we found on our recent three-night visit to Jardin, and then some. We’re in love with Jardín, and we can’t wait to go back!

Jardín Factoids
  • Jardín is one of 17 Pueblos Patrimonios, historical colonial towns that are the best examples of the country’s cultural heritage. Many publications list Jardín as the most beautiful town in the department of Antioquia. So far, we agree!
  • The dominant feature of Parque Principal – in fact, the whole city of Jardín – is the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, a National Monument of Colombia. Made entirely of hand-cut stones from the nearby Tapartó River, the church really is striking; in fact, it’s visible from the town of Andes, 16 km away. We were surprised to learn that the Basilica was only completed in 1940 – it seems much older. Peek inside to view the beautiful and intricate stained glass windows and tiled ceiling.

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    The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
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    The Basilica’s gorgeous interior
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    One of the many beautiful stained-glass windows
    • Parque Principal, also known as El Libertador plaza, is another National Monument of Colombia. Flanked by the Basilica on one side, the Parque is surrounded on the other three by whitewashed colonial buildings sporting brightly painted doors, windows, and railings.
Our Lodging: Hosteria El Paraiso

This cozy inn turned out to be the perfect home base for our visit. Located a bit out of town, it’s right on the road leading to the hiking trail for the Cascada La Escalera and the loop up to the Cristo Rey monument.  While the rooms are very basic (the suicide showers don’t work too well, for instance), they are spacious, clean, and snug. And the hosts, Dario and Gloria, welcomed us as if we were visiting their own home. El Paraiso will be our go-to lodging for future visits. 

 

Hanging Out in Parque Principal

People say that Jardín has remained largely unchanged for 150 years, compared to other municipalities in Antioquia. That’s in strong evidence at the Parque, the beating heart of the town and the gathering place for locals and visitors alike. Many of the surrounding cafes and bars have staked out their own areas on the Parque with tables and cowhide chairs brightly painted in their own, distinct styles. Have a seat, and before long a friendly server will appear to take your drink order. One of the bar owners, Jorge, became our buddy after a few visits!

At around 5 p.m. or so, as the sun begins setting and the lights start coming on, the Parque really comes alive. You’ll see old-timers chewing the fat and playing dominoes over tintos (small cups of STRONG coffee) and glasses of aguardiente, kids running around and getting into mischief, and ladies exchanging the latest gossip. 

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The late-afternoon scene at Parque Principal
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These colorful “chivas” provide local transportation.

Getting Our Hike On

In our three days in Jardín, we barely scratched the surface of the outdoor splendors that await nature lovers, birders, hikers, and other outdoor fanatics. But we made the most of our time with two excellent hikes.

On the first morning, we struck out up the road from our hotel in search of the 55-meter Cascada La Escalera (armed with Dario’s Spanish directions, we finally found it). From there, we hooked back up to the road and walked up to a local landmark, the Cristo Rey monument. Then we found the very steep and muddy path back down into town and made straight for a cold cerveza at our favorite spot on the Parque (Hola, Jorge!).  

On the second day, we joined Diego Guerrero, co-owner of Destino Montaña, for a fantastic and vertically challenging day hike in the hills high above Jardín. Diego was a great guide and an excellent companion for the day, and he shared a wealth of information about the changing ecology of the northern Andes region. In addition to hiking, Destino Montaña offers bird watching, coffee tours, rappelling down waterfalls, paragliding, and lots of other adventures. The best way to contact Diego is through WhatsApp (+57-311-752-6550).

Don’t Look Down: La Garrucha

Until a couple of years ago, a sleek and modern cable car ferried people up to the Cristo Rey monument from town. For unclear and apparently political reasons, the cable car is no more. But if you love to ride in a little box many hundreds of feet off the ground, don’t despair – there’s still La Garrucha! 

A local landowner built La Garrucha sometime in the 1990s to ferry him and his workers across a deep (and I mean DEEP!) river gorge from the town of Jardin to his property. Today it’s open to the public for about about $2 for a round-trip ride, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. An old truck engine powers the contraption and hauls it along two cables to a high vantage point surrounded by coffee and banana plantations. At the top is a very friendly little cantina with views that rival those on the other side of the gorge at Cristo Rey. We rode the box back to town, but we’ve been told that the four-mile hike down is very scenic. Next time.

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Yes, we’re not a bit worried that we’re in a LITTLE BOX 300 feet off the ground!!
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It’s a family business. These two little boys were on hand at the top to help people out of the box and take their “boletos.”
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The little cantina at the top has a panoramic view of Jardin.
Other Tips
  • Getting there: We rented a car and drove ourselves, but there are also buses running from the Medellín Sur Terminal about every four hours. Also, our driver and friend Juan Camilo Aguilar is available to drive folks to Jardín, and he can also arrange a coffee tour and other activities. WhatsApp +57-316-833-4225 or email jucaa25@hotmail.com.

    If you drive, be aware that a large part of the main road from Medellín to Jardín is closed due to a major landslide. There are a couple of detours, both of which will take you through some seriously winding roads and a fair amount of construction. Take it from John, it’s pretty tiring with a stick shift (thinking we’ll rent an automatic next time)! The normally three-hour trip now takes at least four, and longer by bus (but this is not reflected in the posted timetables). But the drive is also really scenic and took us through some areas we might not have otherwise visited. Tiring as it was, we really enjoyed the trip.
  • Other things to do (that we’re saving for next time): Visit the Museo de Clara Rojas Perez. Try the Camino Herrera, an old colonial trail that offers an easy and scenic walk on the edge of town. Check out the Parque Natural Jardín de Rocas to view one of Colombia’s most famous birds, the Andean Cock of the Rock. Do the four-mile walk down to Jardín from La Garrucha. Take a coffee tour. Go paragliding. Go birdwatching. 
  • Dining Out: There are many great restaurants in Jardín, and the prices are generally lower than restaurants in Medellín. As we said, hanging out at any of the little cafés on the Parque is a treat – the drink prices are low, and often they’ll bring you free snacks. Our favorite restaurants: Cafe Europa (oh the pizza!), Bon Appetit (an eclectic menu with many Asian-inspired dishes), La Parilla de Mi Puebla (excellent steaks), and Las Brazzas (try the menú del día for lunch). For sweets, a visit to the landmark Dulces del Jardin is a must (the alfajores are to die for!). Also check out Cafe Macanas, on the right side of the Basilica, to satisfy a late-evening sweet tooth.

***
In short, we loved our visit to Jardín, and it was well worth the challenging drive to get there. It’s an oasis of colonial charm that reminds us a lot of Arequipa in Peru, but on a smaller and greener scale. Another pleasant surprise: we expected Jardín to be very touristy because it’s a major destination on the backpacker/tour bus circuit, but we encountered very few souvenir shops, touts, or even other tourists. We’re looking forward to visiting the other Pueblos Patrimonios to see how Jardín stacks up, but those 16 towns have a hard act to follow!

Have you recently made a trip to Jardin? Let us know about your experience!

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26 Comments

  1. Oh, the beautiful Jardin. We loved that place. You captured it beautifully and the flambre picture makes me miss the Colombian food.

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      I wasn’t too sure about the fiambre but it was delicious! Maybe because we had been hiking all morning and we were famished 🙂

  2. Gil Edgett Reply

    I am so happy that I found your blog! Thank you for the gorgeous photos and travelogues on Medellin, Jardin etc.! I have been researching a trip (move) to Medellin for several months now. Between your blog & Medellin Guru I’ve found an overwhelming wealth of info. So much outdated material out there. My wife & I were ESL teachers living in PR China for 9 yrs. then lived from 2014-2015 in Cuenca, Ecuador. Loved Cuenca & the people, but the Trip back & forth to Florida took too long with stopover & connection in Quito. Heard wonderful things fro expat about their visits to Medellin and began checking it out online. Sounds & looks great! With direct flights to Orlando, etc. would be less expensive travelling to family and possibly Medicare covered health expenses also if needed. I’m too much of an adventurer to stay inside in the heat of Florida & we’re tired of working just to get by. I was happiest without a home & car to support. Our wings are ruffled & we’re ready to fly! Thanks again so much for what you do!

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      Hi – glad you like the blog! Keep us posted on your expatting plans and let us know if you have any questions about Medellin or Colombia. And you are very welcome 🙂

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      You two would love Jardin! Juan Camilo can drive you there 🙂

  3. I love how there are many small towns like this in Central and South America, and Jardín certainly looks one of the prettiest. That and the fact that the weather was sunny throughout your stay make this corner of Colombia even more enticing. With such a beautiful interior, I think I can spend hours just marveling at the high vaulted ceiling and pretty decorations.

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      We’re just starting to discover all the little colonial towns that are an easy drive away from Medellin. They’re like little packages, just waiting for us to unwrap them and discover all the gems inside! That’s one of the things we’re loving the most about Colombia, at the moment.

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      Well, I heard a rumor you’re headed this way 🙂 You two should definitely put Jardin on your list of places to visit when you get to Antioquia.

  4. Hi John and Susan: I’m glad to find your blog. Thanks for sharing Jardin and your lovely photos. I haven’t been to Columbia yet. It’s on my list 🙂 Your photo of the bus reminded me of the colourful buses in Guatemala.

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      Hi Natalie – welcome to our blog! We’re really enjoying discovering Colombia. Each town has its own variation on the colorful bus or tuk-tuk theme. We remember those from Guatemala as well.

  5. What a lovely town! Columbia has long been on my radar and I’m adding Jardin to my list! La Garrucha looks a bit terrifying, but thrilling too!

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      Thanks so much for visiting! You’ll love Colombia; there’s so much to explore here. We’re excited about seeing more of it, once the quarantine is lifted.

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      Glad you were able to visit Jardín! We are looking forward to going back someday, and seeing the other colonial towns in Colombia. Thanks for visiting our blog!

  6. Really enjoyed following your exploration of Jardin 🙂 Had to look up the “suicide shower” – that would convince me to bucket bath in a heartbeat LOL

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      Ha! After using quite a few “suicide showers” we aren’t so worried about safety – they just don’t heat the water very well. Thank you for visiting and commenting 🙂

  7. Oh this made me want to go travelling again. The Parque Principal sounds just like the one in San Miguel de Allende. Wonderful photos. I’d love to visit Colombia again. I was last there in 1978 – it was very different then – considered dangerous, especially Barranquilla, but also Medellin. How wonderful that things have changed so much for the better. The Colombia I hear about these days from you guys, and others, gladdens my heart that things really can get better.
    Alison

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      Oh, I hope you get to visit Colombia one of these days! I think you’ll have a very different experience from 1978. And maybe we’ll get to meet you – bonus! Thanks for reading, Alison 🙂

  8. You’ve brought back such good memories of Colombia . Was hoping to be there this year. I love that box you rode in and the kids and what beautiful views!

  9. thenomadicvegan Reply

    This place sounds amazing! My husband and I traveled around Colombia as part of a larger South America trip back in 2005, but we didn’t make it to Jardín (or Medellín for that matter). Reading this is making me want to go back and fill in the gaps!

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      Hope you can make it back to Colombia one of these days! 🙂

  10. What a gorgeous place the colours and the smiles are beautiful. I don’t know if I would make it all the way up in that little box lol, and I certainly couldn’t hike down but definitely one for the bucket list.

    • John and Susan Pazera Reply

      Thank you so much for visiting!

  11. Columbia looks so intriguing and adventurous. We have never been but SCUBA diving there is on our “bucket list”. You share so much information and give such great insights. I’m not sure I could brave the “tram” over the gorge but you never know. Great post!

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