Around Medellin Travel Guide : best things to do and see in the area

What are the best things to do around Medellin?

If we know you, there’s a good chance that your trip to Colombia will include a visit to Medellin. But what are the best places to visit in Medellin’s surrounding? As it happens, the region is full of treasures! So here are a few ideas for visits around Medellin. These are mainly beautiful villages to discover not too far from the city.

Getaways to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and connect a little more with nature and the rural areas of the region. An opportunity to discover the “paisa” culture of the inhabitants of the Antioquia department!

Three of these villages are part of Colombia’ s network of Heritage Villages, and we think they’re well worth a visit.

Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.

Contents

1. Santa Elena

2. Guatape and Peñol Rock

3. Rafting around Medellin

4. Hikking around Medellin

5. Rio Claro Reserve

6. Santa Fe de Antioquia

7. Jerico

8. Jardin

Related posts

• Rafting around Medellin
• What to do in Medellin
• Guided tours of Medellin
• Visit Jerico
• Visit Guatape

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Santa Elena

BEST PLACES to VISIT around Medellin

Medellin is also known for its flower festival, silletas and silleteros . Silletas are wooden structures decorated with flowers to create a shape or design. Their meticulousness and attention to detail make them true works of art. The silleteros are the peasants who make and wear them. It’s a genuine tradition that originated in the commune of Santa Elena, very close to Medellin.

This is where the fincas silleteras will open their doors to you, and where the farmers will be happy to tell you all about this magnificent tradition. They can show you around their flower plantations and, why not, teach you the basics of building a silleta. I, for one, would love to do that on our next trip!

Visiting these fincas becomes a must during the Feria de las flores in August, but they can be visited all year round. In fact, at other times of the year, it’s likely to be quieter and less crowded.

Santa Elena offers a wide range of activities in communion with nature, as well as beautiful panoramic views over the Aburra valley. No need to worry about finding a restaurant or accommodation if you want to spend the night. You can also contact Maria Alejandra, our local partner, who offers a visit in english to a finca silletera and a meeting with a local farming family.

Guatape and Peñol Rock

BEST PLACES to see around Medellin

For many visitors, Guatape is one of Colombia’s favorite villages . It’s one of Antioquia’s most famous tourist spots.

Samuel has happy and colorful memories of Guatape, and that’s saying a lot! Just 2 hours from Medellin, this village is one of the most beautiful in Colombia, and its colorful streets will undoubtedly charm you, as will its emblematic rock: El Péñol. Located 5 km from the village, this monolith over 200 metres high stands out like… something that shouldn’t be there!

You can climb the 700 steps of El Peñon (its other name) to enjoy a magnificent view of the artificial lake of the same name. The construction of a dam below has created a rather unreal landscape, the images of which we all have in our heads! I recently saw that it’s also possible to climb it… so it’s up to you!

If you’ve only got a day, we’d advise you to leave early to make the most of it and avoid the influx of tourists. Guatape is one of Colombia’s most popular tourist destinations. In the village, you’ll find that the lake has been equipped to accommodate a giant zip-line and offers JetSki tours and other water activities. As for the Peñol and its surroundings, everything has been designed to welcome tourists.

Here again, you can contact Maria Alejandra (below), who offers a tour of Guatape in english.

Rafting around Medellin

BEST THINGS to do around Medellin

If you’re looking for a nature getaway just a few hours from Medellin, the region between Rio Negro and Rio Claro is the place for you! Located very close to Medellin on the road to Bogotá, it’s a little-visited area where activities like rafting are exceptional!

The region has long been scarred by violence, and like many other parts of Colombia, it is now trying to turn its fortunes around. Rafting, in particular, is one of the ways in which the region is developing a first-rate activity !

The rivers here are totally unspoilt, protected for a long time from human exploitation due to the armed conflict. To take advantage of these jewels of beauty, we strongly advise you to contact our local partner , who offers several rafting activities departing from Medellin as part of a responsible tourism approach.

Originally set up by Jules, a professional kayaker, the agency works locally to conserve rivers, notably with a very fine project around the Rio Samana, which has helped to combat the creation of dams. They train local people to get them as involved as possible in the agency’s activities, and every year they organize a festival to raise awareness of their region’s natural potential. In short, go with your eyes closed!

Hikking around Medellin

What things to do around Medellin

You might not think of it when you come to Medellin, but there are some great treksto be had in the surrounding area! This is the Cordillera de los Andes, and despite altitudes a little lower than elsewhere in Colombia, all the Andean ecosystems are represented here, including the Paramos.

To the east of Medellin, for example, near the village of San Francisco, you can trek through the jungle to discover secret rivers and waterfalls, and even rock formations similar to the Piedra del Peñol de Guatapé, except that you’re a long way from the tourist trails!

To the north of Medellin, the Belmira nature reserve offers the opportunity to discover the sublime landscapes of Paramo, a unique ecosystem typical of the Colombian Andes.

Waterfalls, canyons, caves, Andean landscapes and tropical forests, an impressive diversity of flora, geological formations and fauna, and even traces of cave and parietal paintings by the region’s ancient indigenous peoples… this is what the area around Medellin has to offer!

From Medellin, our local partner offers a wide range of treks and cultural walks in the region. These activities combine discovery, adventure and cultural exchange in a responsible tourism approach. The agency trains and works with local populations, and supports the conservation of local water ecosystems.

Rio Claro Reserve

BEST PLACES to VISIT around Medellin

The Rio Claro nature reserve is one of the region’s best-known sites, even though the whole area offers unspoilt nature, with mountains and crystal-clear rivers. It’s a natural site with a beautiful diversity of flora and geological formations. There are also two “beaches” suitable for swimming (no sand).

The reserve is criss-crossed by footpaths, with accommodation available inside, and signposted trails leading through the forest, along the river and into the caves.

Although it’s impossible to be sure of spotting animals that usually avoid contact with humans, the reserve is home to many species of birds, including Toucans, but also Sloth Monkeys, Iguanas, Otters, Tigrillos and other species..

Santa Fe de Antioquia

BEST PLACES to see around Medellin

Another option around Medellin is Santa Fe d’Antioquia, which was one of Colombia’s most important cities and the capital of the department of Antioquia between 1584 and 1826. It is one of the best-preserved colonial towns in the country and, thanks to its history and heritage, is part of Colombia’s network of Heritage Villages.

In Santa Fe de Antioquia, you must take the time to stroll through the village, visit the colonial houses and churches, meet the locals in the central square and, off course, taste the products made from Tamarindo, the typical fruit of the region!

On the outskirts of town, the local attraction, you’ll find a suspension bridge: the all-wooden Western Bridge, 291 m long after all! The bridge is an emblematic landmark of the city, a local pride and a national historic monument.

Santa Fé de Antioquia is one of the most visited villages by Colombians these days, and is also renowned for its filigree jewelry, which I personally adore! I think it’s magnificent. It’s a technique of Arabic origin, apparently introduced by the Spaniards, which local craftsmen have made their own.

You can also contact Maria Alejandra’s agency, with whom we work and who offer a english tour of Santa Fé de Antioquia, to meet the local gold miners who perpetuate a local tradition of artisanal gold extraction that respects the environment.

Jerico

BEST villages to VISIT around Medellin

Less well-known than its neighbor Jardin, the village of Jerico was one of our favorites of our 2018 trip! The village is also one of Colombia’s heritage villages, and is a 3-hour drive from Medellin.

This place has the distinction of being the birthplace of Colombia’s only saint, Madre Laura Montoya. The image of the saint is therefore something of an icon for the village. It adorns the walls, the shops and even the tuk-tuks that serve as motorcycle cabs!

But Jerico’s heritage lies in its architecture and colorful houses. In the central square, for example, there are some splendidly sculpted balconies that make you want to sit back, drink a coffee and watch the village’s life slowly unfold.

Jerico is also renowned for its handicrafts, and particularly for the manufacture of carriels, one of the symbols of the region. This is a leather bag with 12 different compartments widely used by paisa men (inhabitants of the Antioquia region). Don’t hesitate to visit one of the workshops and ask about the history of this typical bag (a), it’s a good opportunity to talk to the locals.

Jerico is well worth a few days’ stay: you can go on many nature walks, enjoy exceptional views of the surrounding landscape, go paragliding and, of course, visit a coffee plantation and get to know this culture alongside the farmers who produce it. By the way, while you’re in Jerico, try the cardamom coffee, which is also a local tradition!

You can also contact our friend Maria Alejandra, who offers a tour of Jerico in english.

Jardin

BEST PLACES to VISIT around Medellin

Jardin is known as one of Antioquia’s most beautiful villages. Its streets and balconies, small plaza and cafés with colorful benches that invite you to sit down have a lot of charm.

As well as being beautiful, Jardin offers plenty of activities for those who love adventure tourism, enjoying nature and birdwatching: with over 450 species of bird, Jardin is a birdwatcher’s paradise! So get up early and go birdwatching!

As you’ve already guessed, the cable car is a great way to enjoy exceptional views of Jardin and the surrounding countryside. There’s an old cable car called “La Garrucha” that’s a must-try!

Then it’s time to sample the local flavors, discovering the 22 types of arequipe (milk jam), basil jam, rose petal specialties and, of course, farmed trout, THE fish eaten everywhere in the coffee zone. You can even catch your own fish.

As far as walks are concerned, a good option is to go tothe Cueva del Splendor, a superb waterfall to be visited on a day horseback ride that will take in the coffee landscape. Once there, you can abseil down the waterfall for guaranteed thrills! Find out more at the tourist office, info below.