6 Things You Must Do In Jardin, Colombia
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You’ll find Jardin hidden away in the valleys of Antioquia, a puebla around 4 hours outside of Medellin. This small town holds so much charm, from its well-preserved colonial architecture to fantastic coffee there is plenty to see and do without even leaving the town. However, it would be a shame to visit and not explore the surrounding countryside with plenty of walking trails, waterfalls, viewpoints, and a coffee farm or two.
A few years ago Jardin was a very off-the-beaten-track destination, you can see from walking around the town this is now a very much on-the-radar spot. But even with a growing number of visitors you’ll still see many locals going about their everyday life outside of tourism, it’s an everyone-knows-everyone kind of town.
I adored visiting Jardin, the town and its surroundings make for a fabulous Colombian adventure so be sure to add it to your itinerary. And keep reading to discover more about the fabulous things to do in Jardin, Colombia.
Things to Do in Jardin, Colombia
Go Chasing All the Waterfalls
There are many hikes you can do around Jardin and a lot of them will involve visiting some magical waterfalls. As we are not experienced hikers, it made the most sense to go with an arranged tour and I’m so glad we did. We did the ‘7 Cascadas’ tour with Viajeros Jardin, which saw us trekking through forest and scaling up and down rocks to these breathtaking waterfalls. My favourite waterfalls were ‘Cascada Salto del Angel’ and ‘Cascada Cueva de los Guacharos’, in the whole 7 months in Latin America these spots were some of the most beautiful I’ve seen.
If you do attempt any hiking unguided please just be careful, the tracks we were walking on aren’t the best and at points the drops are high, not to mention the area is very prone to landslides, especially after heavy rain.
Another famous spot to visit is the Cueva del Esplendor, here you will find a waterfall that falls through a hole in a cave roof making for an unusual yet stunning landscape.
Climb to the Viewpoint at Cristo Rey
A simple yet must-do activity during your time in Jardin, it will take you about 20/30 minutes to get to the Cristo Rey viewpoint from the main square. You’ll find some stairs going down to the river at the end of Calle 11, this is the starting point. From there, you go over the river and start the upward climb. Be sure to wear some good shoes it's a steep path at points. You’ll find a restaurant at the top where you can either keep climbing for more views or pop in for a beverage with a panoramic view of Jardin.
Grab a Coffee in the Main Square
The square is the heart of Jardin and you will see that from the second you arrive. With many people sitting around chatting, kids playing games, and fantastic coffee being served. It would be wrong not to participate in the fun, you’ll find plenty of cafes and bars that have seating out on the square, so you can sip that cappuccino whilst people/horse watching. For context, a lot of people have horses in Jardin and you will see them everywhere.
Take a Coffee Tour
Antioquia is the second-largest coffee-producing region in Colombia and you will find many coffee farms located near the town of Jardin. A lot offer tours of their grounds to show you the coffee-making process, bean to cup. As I mentioned before we had a great experience with Viajeros Jardin and they offer a local coffee tour, so if you are interested you can either pop into their shop in Jardin or drop them a message on Instagram.
Wonder the Food Stands by Night
You’ll find the main square in Jardin really transforms by nighttime, as well as the usual cafe and bar seating, you’ll find a selection of local food stalls. You’ll find a lot of affordable and local food options here, so if you're a keen foodie it’s a great chance to experience some Colombian dishes. Maybe don’t do it the day before a big travel day, we met some people whose stomachs didn’t quite agree with the food.
Paraglide Above the Town
Want to see Jardin from above, as the birds do? You will find tour companies all over town who will be able to help you arrange a paragliding adventure, although not my first choice, I can see how this would be an amazing way to see Jardin and its vast and scenic surroundings.
Where to Eat in Jardin, Colombia
We had two delicious meals whilst in Jardin and I recommend both spots, Mambu Cafe and Pizzeria Bella Italia. Mambru Cafe had a very cool vibe to it, with many spots for the perfect picture. Also, the menu had a lot of different options with international dishes, local plates and a few pastries/cakes if you just need a little snack to tide you over. Pizzeria Bella Italia had much simpler interiors and was a lot more laid back, but you will find super fast service and delicious Italian dishes here, they also offer takeaway.
How to Get to Jardin, Colombia
If you find yourself in the popular city of Medellin you're in luck because there is a direct bus to Jardin. The bus leaves from Medellin’s South Terminal and takes around 4 hours, when you get to the terminal look for the ‘Rapido Ocho’ stand where you can buy a ticket for 38,000 COP per person. I believe there are 7 buses a day, but to check the most up-to-date prices and timings, look at their website here.
What about getting to Jardin from the lovely nearby town of Jerico, fear not I have the answers. You’ll find a local ‘chiva’ bus leaves Jerico twice a day (I recommend checking with Transportes Jerico for the most up-to-date timings) and takes you to the town of Andes, it’s quite the bumpy ride so be warned. It takes about 4 hours but, you’ll have some amazing views of the gorgeous green surroundings. From Andes you will find buses leaving regularly to Jardin, just ask around and someone will point you in the right direction, it is only a 20-minute journey.
Another popular spot to come from is Salento, to get to Jardin from Salento you will take 2 buses. It will be a long day, so it’s recommended that you start early. First, you will need to get the bus from Salento to Riosucio, it will take around 4 hours. Then you’ll find the bus from Riosucio to Jardin, taking around 3/4 hours (depends whether it’s a normal bus or a Chiva bus). I don’t know the exact timings of these buses, so I recommend asking around in Salento for the most up-to-date information.
If you are leaving Jardin to one of these destinations you can just flip these routes on their heads. You’ll find all buses leave Jardin from here, this is also where there are ticket offices with friendly people who can help you plan your route.
Jardin without a single doubt is one of my favourite places we visited in Colombia, funnily enough, the places I loved the most in Colombia were all these small, quaint towns. I found you got to see a completely different side to the country once you left the big cities, just like any other country I guess, less glitz and glam, but way more character.
And I loved Jardin’s vibes a slow pace but with adventurous activities if you wish to participate. The sound of horses cantering down the cobbled streets and the friendly greetings you receive on every corner make Jardin an inviting destination for people looking to explore the region of Antioquia, so make it a stop on your Colombian adventure.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below if you have visited Jardin before.
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