As you know from our travel blog, we like to offer alternatives. We know that the village of Jardin has become a fashionable destination in recent years, so we wanted to tell you about our visit to Jerico, a sublime village a few hours from Medellín that is slowly opening up to tourism.
We’d been dreaming of visiting Jerico for a long time… and when we were there, we were the only tourists, so we made the most of the opportunity to wander its colorful streets
While we were there, we met Cristobal, a Spaniard who has been living in Colombia for over 15 years, who has made Jerico his home and runs a superb hotel in the village… his infectious love for his adopted village and his enthusiasm in telling us about all the wonders there were to discover there were enough to convince us that Jerico is well worth the detour!
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.
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Jerico and the vagaries of travel
OR WHY WE ALMOST DIDN’T MAKE IT
We weren’t able to stay as long as we’d hoped in Jerico, and to explain the context, we’ll need to take a few minutes: after spending 5 hours under a blazing sun during our visit to Moravia in Medellín, Angélica fell victim to sunstroke!
After a good night’s rest, we got up early to get ready and hailed a cab, hoping to arrive in Jerico before noon. Yes… we’d decided to break the piggy bank to save time, but we didn’t! The driver didn’t arrive until 2 hours later… it already didn’t smell very good..
After 1 h of driving, a police roadblock screened the vehicles passing on the road, and against all expectations (really?) we were stopped for inspection. The driver looks in his best shoes… he gets out of the vehicle… a few minutes of palaver with the Colombian policemen follow… who come back to us to ask for our passports… then comes the verdict: the vehicle is immobilized, for lack of proper papers concerning the transport of passengers outside Medellín.
Good to know
Important information about taxis
All taxis leaving their legally authorized zone to work must have passengers fill in and sign a paper called a “planilla “. If you’re going on long taxi journeys, be sure to ask the driver for authorization, and don’t leave without signing the paper.
So here we are, in the middle of the road with our suitcases. We look like the poor Robinsons of the countryside, our hands are spinning and our spirits are low. Hours go by… but still no bus to Jerico.
Finally we board a buseta and arrive in Jerico mid-afternoon, starving. Cristobal recommends a small restaurant serving typical cuisine, where we enjoy an excellent platano soup. Then, with barely enough time for a stroll through the village, night begins to fall..
Visit Jerico with a local guide
OR HOW TO DISCOVER THE VILLAGE IN DEPTH
In the evening, Cristobal invites us to discoverone of the village’sbest restaurants , Isabel. Housed in an old family home and decorated to a high standard, the restaurant offers a refined menu, specializing in high-quality meats. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, even if we’re the only customers on this Monday evening!
The next day, we finally get to explore Jerico in greater depth. Cristobal has more than one trick up his sleeve and, in addition to the magnificent rooms in his hotel, offers some great activities. He works with Jaime, a Jerico resident and tuk-tuk driver who has improvised as a local guide for several years.
Jaime knows everything there is to know about his village, every anecdote and every detail that gives us a glimpse of Jerico’s rich history.
The religious capital of the region, the small village of Jerico boasts no fewer than 17 churches! Virtually every conceivable religious congregation has left its mark here.
Jerico is, of course, home to Madre Laura, a Jericoana nun turned saint! The only Colombian saint (you’ll understand that in such a Catholic country, this is a very important thing). You can admire her portrait at the sanctuary that bears her name. One of the most beautiful churches we’ve ever seen in Colombia, with its sublime sky-blue color!
We travel around the village by motocarro to get to every nook and cranny. We frequently disembark to enter a church or a museum, but also to meet the local craftsmen , in particular the makers of the famous Carriel, or more accurately “Guarniel “, the bag traditionally worn by men in the region.
Jerico, the Guarniel capital of the world
Jerico on the outskirts of Medellín
And we enter the workshop of Mr. Dario Agudelo, one of the village’s most famous craftsmen. Angélica’s eyes sparkle as she dreams of discovering how one of Colombia’s most famous objects is made. We spend a long time talking about the history of the Guarniel with Dario, who tells us lots of anecdotes, and shares his manufacturing secrets with us… one of those great encounters that stay with you for a long time.
Did you know?
The original name of this bag is Guarniel, but the word Carriel is a distortion of the English word “Carry all”. It has 12 different pockets, including 5 “secret” ones.
Depending on the period and usage, these hidden pockets were used to conceal objects, money, lovers’ love letters… This bag was originally used by peasants who left for several days to bring goods, hence the need to have a bag where they could bring everything they needed: their work tools, a mirror, a deck of cards, tobacco, the photo of their loved one, a comb, a razor, even the bottle of aguardiente or even a revolver! Truly their world in a guarniel!
Today, the paisas men (the name given to the inhabitants of the department of Antioquia) still use it, but we haven’t been able to find out what they keep in it..
Jerico and its festival of colors
Visit Jerico
We continue to enjoy the splendid colors decorating all the houses in the village, with varying degrees of ornamentation and detail, and are lucky enough once again to enter one of the oldest colonial houses in the village.
At this almojabana maker’s, plants are king and the interior patio is just incredible! It’s like a museum, with the decor and a few objects from the era. We catch the owner gardening, watering his favourite plants.
We finish our visit at the top of the hill, with its Christ overhanging the village, where the view is magnificent.
These viewpoints are a classic feature of Antioquia villages, and here as elsewhere, an old wooden cable car is used to take visitors to the top of the hill. Except that here in Jerico the cable car is closed, not because it’s impassable, but for obscure political reasons between the town hall and the region… too bad for us!
Back in the village, we had planned to climb to the top of the nearest mountain in the afternoon, to admire the sunset view over the village and valley. But Angélica’s health forced us to forego this final effort.
It has to be said that Angélica wasn’t in the best of shape the day before, and that the next morning a plane for the Pacific coast was waiting for us in Medellín! And as this is THE trip of a lifetime, the idea of arriving exhausted and sick was not an option. Rest is the order of the day, even if the frustration is there..
We pack for the evening drive back to Medellín.
Jerico and the desire to come back
OR HOW WE LEFT FRUSTRATED BUT HAPPY
Frustrated we were! Jerico has so much to offer visitors.
To be able to enjoy the village for longer and meet its inhabitants, chat and let time fly. But also to go for walks in the surrounding area, hike to breathtaking viewpoints, dream of a paragliding flight, meet the local coffee growers… all this and much more awaited us in Jerico if we had stayed longer..
But we can’t be disappointed, because this stopover in Jerico is nothing short of a miracle! We were lucky enough to meet Cristobal and discover El Despertar. In the end, we were able to catch a glimpse of Jerico’s beauty, not only in its houses, balconies and colors, but also in its people, culture and authenticity.
In the village square, no tourist stores yet, but cafés, local tiendas, a small Sunday market, old people chatting… and us with our cameras.
Jerico nos vemos pronto!
Get in touch with a local guide
Visit Jerico
Responsible tourism
Our loca partner in Medellin are comitted to make a difference in Colombia through social and ethically responsible tourism by converting tourism into a sustainable income for local people and by contributing to the protection of Colombia’s environmental and cultural diversity.
Where to stay in Jerico
Jerico
Hostal
Las cometas Hostel
A hostal recommended by Cristobal himself for those seeking a different atmosphere to El Despertar. Located just outside the Santa Laura Sanctuary on the outskirts of the village.
Jerico
Hotel
Hotel El despertar
This is where we stayed in Jerico during our stay in this beautiful village just a few hours from Medellin. The hotel is just splendid and Cristobal, the owner, is a lovely person who is passionate about his village! A must.
How to get to Jerico
From Medellín
Bus from Terminal Sur
- Duration: Between 3h00 and 3h30
- Fare: $34.0000 COP
- Departures: every hour from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m
- Company: Transportes Jerico
Tip: ask at the counter for the bus that goes via Bolombolo, a priori the fastest route compared to the buses that go via Fredonia.
Private cab
- Duration: 2h30
- Fare: $250.000 COP
From Manizales
Bus Manizales – La Pintada
- Duration: approx. 2h30
- Fares: $35.000 COP
- Departures every hour from 4:30 a.m
- Company: Expreso Sideral, Empresa Autolegal, Empresa Arauca
Bus La Pintada – Jerico
- Duration: 1h00
We haven’t really managed to find any precise information on transport between La Pintada and Jerico. We do know that there’s a bus that goes to Jerico every morning around 7am. For the rest of the day, it’s not very clear: it’s possible that the buses will leave you at the crossroads on the road to Jerico, where you’ll have to wait for the next bus to come and finish the route. The alternative is to take a cab, as the distance isn’t that long
From Salamina
Bus Salamina – La Pintada
- Duration: approx. 4h00
- Frequent departures throughout the day
Bus La Pintada – Jerico
- Duration: 1h00
We haven’t really managed to find precise information on transport between La Pintada and Jerico. We do know that there’s a bus that goes to Jerico in the morning at around 7am. For the rest of the day, it’s not very clear: it’s possible that the buses will leave you at the crossroads on the road to Jerico, where you’ll have to wait for the next bus to come and finish the route. The alternative is to take a cab, as the distance isn’t that long
From Jardin
Bus Jardin – Andes
- Duration : 30mn
- Fare: $5.000 COP
Bus Andes – Jerico (Chiva)
- Duration: 2h00
- Fare: $13.000 COP
Where to eat in Jerico
Restaurants
Isabel
Excellent option for eating good meat in a beautiful setting, excellent service! We recommend without hesitation.
- Opening hours: Daily, noon to 9 pm / 10 pm
- Address: Calle 5 con Carrera 5, not far from the main square
- Telephone: 312 7 673 883
La Gruta
Good, inexpensive restaurant serving traditional cuisine, recommended by our friend Cristobal. Not far from the main square.
- Address: Carrera 5 con calle 8
- Telephone: 321 8 498 567
Fonda la terraza
Traditional regional cuisine. In the village square, another good suggestion from our friend Cristobal
- Address: Carrera 5 con calle 8
- Telephone: 321 8 498 567
Pizzeria de Jose
This is the place to go, not just to try their pizza… but to try Jerico’s typical dessert! Dulce Jericoano, a kind of cake made with candied fruit, arequipe and spices… this is where the tradition of making this dessert by hand is kept alive.
- Opening hours : Every day from 8am to 9pm
- Address: Carrera 6 # 6 – 2
- Phone number: 321 8 498 567
Where to drink cofee in Jerico
Café Saturia
This is the perfect place for coffee lovers, with 30 brands of coffee from the region! Here you can enjoy an experience, learning more about the production of special coffees. The café is located not far from the main square, in a colorful house with a cool decor.
- Opening hours: Daily, 9.15 a.m. to 7 p.m
- Address: Calle 5 # 4 – 27
- Telephone: 314 8 153 437
Bomarzo
More than a café, Bomarzo is a cultural center! A beautiful colonial house that served as a monastery in the 50s, a school and a girls’ hostel afterwards, has been restored, saved from becoming a parking lot and transformed into a beautiful project to bring culture to Jerico and preserve this architectural heritage. Bomarzo is a residence for artists, an art gallery, a cultural center and a lively little café!
- Telephone number: 318 8 779 110
- Address: Calle 2 – 723
Thank you very much for this very comprehensive and well-written article!
I’ve just arrived in Jerico and I’m staying at Bromazo, which is now also a hotel!
Really under the spell of this very authentic village!
Thank you for your comment! It makes us super happy 🙂
Enjoy Jerico! We love it.
Cuckoo.
On our side, I had planned Jardin AND Jericho… Except that after 3 days in Jardin, we decided to stay a little longer because we felt so good there, and to cancel the stopover in Jericho. On the face of it, the two villages are very similar. We saw very few tourists and lived at the local pace. In the evenings, sitting on the pretty, colorful chairs in the central square is a must, and the kids played a lively game of soccer with the locals (an opportunity to see how well you can play soccer with an old plastic bottle!)
As in Jericho, the surrounding area is beautiful and there’s no shortage of activities. The kids will have had their first paragliding experience. We also visited a finca cafetera and discovered some superb waterfalls. The area is also ideal for birdwatching. We were also lucky enough to attend a ceremony to mark the declaration of Jardin as a mine-free village. It was an opportunity to get to grips with a rather harsh aspect of Colombian history, but the exchange was fascinating. There’s a great film shot in Jardin that tells the story of this period through the eyes of a child: “Les couleurs de la montagne”. All in all, I think both villages are well worth a visit, and the area is a real beauty. Jardin is in my top 3 destinations for this summer, along with Mompox!
Thanks for your feedback on Jardin, which is also a beautiful village mentioned in the things to do around Medellin: https://mytriptocolombia.com/bons-plans-autour-de-medellin/