A complete guide to all the awesome things to do in Jardin, Colombia.
Jardin is one of the most beautiful and authentic towns in Colombia, but it does not always appear on travelers’ itineraries. But I am yet to meet a person who regretted making this stop.
I myself wasn’t sure whether I would travel to Jardin until the last minute. I knew I’d be heading for Salento, but I had heard legends about how difficult it is to travel to Salento from Jardin. But I decided to risk it. I embarked on the bus from Medellin to Jardin and embraced the unknown.
The moment I arrived in Jardin and looked around, I knew I had made the best decision. I couldn’t stop looking around in awe and whispering “wow” to myself. This town really is something special.
Jardin is a colorful historic town nestled in the hills of Colombia’s coffee region, where time seems to have stood still and not much has changed in 400 years. Almost.
Jardin is located in the department of Antioquia, just a few hours’ drive from Medellin, in the heart of Colombia’s famous coffee region.
Visiting Jardin is a great idea if you want to stay away from the tourist trail and immerse yourself in the traditional, slow, and relaxed way of living. All that, among the most spectacular views and nature.
This is your best travel guide to magical Jardin in Colombia!
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Why you should visit Jardin in Colombia?
Jardin is a mesmerizing town. Every single building is beautifully painted. The cobbled streets stretch to all sides of the town and end with an incredible view of the mountains. The main square is one of the most beautiful squares in Colombia.
The Jardin is a feast for the eyes and a balm for tired souls. And a photographer’s paradise!
It is said that the Jardin has remained largely unchanged for the last 400 years. Hard to believe, but once you are there, you will understand why.
Around the Plaza del Libertador, you can see men in cowboy hats sipping coffee from porcelain cups, walking leisurely or riding their horses. People go about their lives as if the outside world did not exist.
The architecture of the town remained very much unchanged for decades, and the surrounding Andes remind us how insignificant our everyday problems are.
If you are looking for a traditional, colorful Colonial pueblo but without all the hoards of tourists and tourist traps, you should go to Jardin
Are heading to Salento next? Be sure to read my Complete guide to all the great things to do in Salento! And for more charming Colombian towns galore, read this Filandia travel guide!
Best Time to visit Jardin
The absolutely best time to visit Jardin is during the dry season which runs from December to February (the driest season) and July to August. But for lower prices and fewer tourists, you can definitely visit Jardin during the rainy season. During this time, you can expect some rain in the afternoon and hiking may be tricky or not recommended.
Jardin is located in the mountainous region of the Andes and the Eje Cafetero, so as in any mountainous region you have to expect rain or a change in the weather at any time. I was in Jardin in August and experienced a few rain showers, which were shortly replaced by glorious sunshine.
Jardin is located in the mountainous region of the Andes and the Eje Cafetero, so as in any mountainous region you have to expect rain or a change in the weather at any time. I was in Jardin in August and experienced a few rain showers, which were replaced by glorious sunshine.
The temperatures remain the same all year round and range between 15°C and 25°C (60 to 78 °F). It is pleasantly warm during the day and a little cooler at night.
The rainiest months in the region and throughout Colombia are April, May, September and October. Keep this in mind, especially if you are planning multi-day hikes.
On public holidays and weekends, Jardin can be a very popular place to visit among Colombians and hostels get booked up. Try to travel during the week and it will feel like it’s just you and the locals.
How long should you stay in Jardin?
I strongly recommend you stay at least 2 nights in Jardin, especially if you are making a stopover there on your way from Medellin to Salento.
If you are planning your trip between Medellin and Salento and only have time to stop in Jardin for one night– don’t do it! Seriously, if you only have one night, skip Jardin and head straight to Salento instead.
Here’s why.
Although it’s quite straightforward to get from Medellin to Jardin, the journey from Jardin to Salento is a different story.
There is no direct bus on this route and you will have to embark on a long, arduous journey involving a chiva bus (Colombian chicken bus) and multiple changes which will take a whole day.
Don’t get me wrong – I wouldn’t do it any other way; it was an experience in itself. But I’d advise you to only do this if you’re planning a longer stay in Jardin to make the trip worthwhile.
But the most important thing is that you can’t experience and enjoy Jardin in a few hours. I mean, you can, but why would you?
Jardin deserves a little bit more than just a few hours of your time. And trust me, you will be heartbroken if you don’t dedicate more time. I’m saving you some misery!
Awesome things to do in Jardin
Explore the town!
Getting lost in the colorful streets, wandering around, and soaking up the atmosphere is hands down the best thing to do in Jardin.
Start from the main square where you will see many locals going about their lives or sipping tinto (black coffee) in one of the many colorful cafés and bars. Start your day with a black Colombian coffee and a piece of cake and once you are done, wander around. You will find many local restaurants serving the menu del dia, guys in cowboy hats on their horses, and breathtaking views of the mountains from afar.
Be sure to stop by the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. The basilica was built in the Neo-Gothic architectural style, which is relatively rare in Colombia, and it truly stands out clearly from the rest of the town.
Directly in front of it you will find a large square, the Plaza Libertador, with many cafés and bars.
Go hiking!
Jardin is a hikers’ paradise
I didn’t know Jarding boasted so many hiking trails until I spoke to the girl at the reception of my hotel. She handed me a map and pointed out all the great walks I could do.
But it was not until I ventured onto the hiking trails that I realized how incredible the hikes around Jardin are. It was at this point that I started regretting not booking a few more days in Jardin!
I set off with a vague plan and allowed myself to go with the flow. I quickly got into the relaxed atmosphere of the town and adopted a ‘whatever, and wherever’ hiking mode. And I loved it so much that I did it again the next day!
I felt very safe walking around Jardin and hiking its trails. The scenery, the trails, the waterfalls, and the views of the mountains were breathtaking.
But if you want to be a little more organized than I was here, here are some of the specific hikes you can take in Jardin Colombia:
Be sure to stop by The La Garrucha cable car
La Garrucha cable car is truly something else. It’s not really a cable car. It’s just a box made of wood and metal to take you down to the town. It was not in service during my visit, but even if it had been, I’m not sure I’d brave it.
Some travelers have done it, and I have heard it’s an ‘’exhilarating’’ experience.
Visit Reserva Natural Jardin de Rocas
The name Jardin translates to Garden. And that name is extremely accurate. Jardin is like a garden set in the mountains.
If you enjoy bird watching, you have to visit Reserva Natural Jardin de Rocas where you can spot the colorful Gallitos de Rocas, aka cock-of-the-rock birds.
It is located just on the edge of the town, just before the yellow bridge on Calle 9. The opening hours vary and are set to the time when the birds are most active. Check their website for up-to-date hours usually it’s sometime between 16:30 and 18:00.
You will have to ring the bell, and the lady that lives here will open the door and take you to the lookout.
The admission fee is 15,000 COPs. This place is magical!
But of course, you can just venture into the wild and surround yourself with the most spectacular nature completely free of charge!
Learn about the coffee-growing culture
In the Colombian Coffee Triangle (Eje Cafetero) there are many towns and villages where you can visit a coffee farm and learn all about the cultivation and production of coffee in incredible surroundings.
But there is something about the rawness and authenticity of Jardin, that makes this town the best place to start.
During this experience, you will learn everything about coffee growing. From planting a coffee seed to learning how to grind the coffee properly and how to brew and pour the perfect cup of coffee. If you are a coffee fanatic like me, you will love it!
There are a couple of ways you could take a coffee farm tour. You can book an organized tour, which also includes transportation, or you can visit the coffee farm independently.
The best coffee farms to visit around Jardin are:
Go on an adventure!
If you are an active traveler, you will find plenty of things to do in and outside of Jardin.
One of the most popular activities in Jardin is horseback riding. Take a trip to Chorro Blanco and you will not regret it! You can also combine horseback riding with a coffee farm visit. There is a local agency offering these and many other adventurous tours.
Another great adventurous thing to do in Jardin is paragliding. What better way to admire the city and the surrounding mountains than from a bird’s eye view?
And if you are feeling even more adventurous, you can try canyoning at La Escalera waterfall!
How to get to Jardin, Colombia?
How to get to Jardin from Medellin?
It is pretty straightforward to get to Jardin from Medellin. There are regular buses from Medellin Sur bus station (by two different companies) and the journey lasts around 4 hours. There are no changes and tickets shouldn’t cost more than 40 000COP with Rapido Ochoa in 2024. You get it on Red Bus but you can also get it at the station.
The day I went from Medellin to Jardin was one of those crazy moments when I (totally unintentionally) huggled for the bus ticket!
I arrived at the station and was immediately surrounded by guys offering bus rides. In a typical Colombian fashion. With an unimpressed but polite face (necessary) I walked into the place where you are meant to buy tickets and was told it was 40 000 COP. Huh? I was told it shouldn’t be more than 35 000 COP – I said. Ok, 35k then! Only later did I find out that you could get it even cheaper. Well, you just have to love Colombia!
It is the easiest way to get to Jardin from Medellin, so I recommend visiting Medellin first and then moving on down south.
How to get from Jardin to Salento?
This journey is quite adventurous, so strap up!
To get from Jardin to Salento, you must first take the 8 am Chivas bus from Jardin to Rio Sucio, which costs 25,000COP. Please be aware this is a crazy bus. It’s fun, but the bus is open-top and not very comfortable. The drivers drive crazy and the roads are hmmm, crazy too. Wear warm clothes, especially if it’s raining. I was freezing up in the mountains. I also made the mistake of dozing off and banged my head on the metal rail on the sharp bend. Fun times!
The view is great! In the mountains, you will most likely also make a stop where you will also be able to get some hot coffee and arepas with weird cheese.
In Rio Sucio you will change to a bus to Pereira. The bus station is not bad, but Rio Sucio has nothing spectacular to offer.
Once you arrive in Perreira, you can finally change to a bus to Salento. The whole journey takes around 8 hours and costs around COP 50,000.
Update September 2024 – I have heard that there is now a direct bus from Rio Sucio to Jardin, operated by Flota Occidental. I have not taken this bus so cannot confirm this, but it’s worth checking out!
Where and what to eat in Jardin?
There are many great restaurants in Jardin serving both local and international dishes.
If you are on a budget look for restaurants offering menu del dia (menu of the day). I found 2 great places where you could get soup, a main dish, and a drink for 10 000 or 15 000COP. And the food was lush! I recommend La Parrilla De Mi Pueblo, Gloria and Momentos de Jardin.
For an international cousin, I recommend Cafe de Europa, where the pizza is so famous that there are queues forming in the late afternoon. I had vegetarian lasagna and a really nice glass of wine.
In the evening make sure you make your way to Plaza Libertador where you can have some greasy, carb-heavy, and super yummy Colombian street food like salchipapas!
When in Jardin you need to try a local trout! This part of Colombia is famous for its trout and it is absolutely delicious! The best trout you will find in La Argelia Restaurante – Truchera – Molienda!
Where to stay in Jardin Colombia?
For the best prices and no crowds, I suggest visiting Jardin outside the national holidays and weekends as Jardin is a popular escape for Colombians.
There are plenty of accommodation options in Jardin for all types of travelers.
If you are looking to stay in a hostel both Origen Hostel Jardín and Sergeant Pepper’s Hostel have great reviews and offer great location too. If you want to experience the stunning nature around Jardin, you have to try the La Casa Amarilla.
For my stay in Jardin, I decided to rent a private room and I couldn’t have chosen better. I stayed at the Hotel La Casona which is a stunning and very reasonably priced colonial-style hotel with great service and everything the travelers would need.
If you want to splurge a bit of coin for beautiful accommodation with spectacular views, then you should consider Hotel Plantación.
That’s it, my friends! I hope this post will convince you that you just need to visit Jardin and what’s more – stay for a few days!
Happy travels and enjoy Colombia!
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