Jardin Antioquia

Jardin Antioquia is one of the best places we visited in Colombia. We completely fell in love with the charm and beauty of this town, let me show you why.

All our blog posts contain affiliate links that help us keep our blog running at no extra cost to you! When you click on our links to book accommodation activities or transport we earn a very small commission. Clicking on our links to book your accommodation or activities costs no extra to you but helps to keep our blog online!

How to get to Jardin Antioquia

The easiest way to get to to get to Jardin from Medellin is by private transfer or you can do what we did and go by bus. We jumped on the Rapids Ochoa bus 8:50am bus and were there in 3 hours, it cost $15AUD. If you can’t afford a few days to spend in Jardin then check out this tour that takes you from Medellin to Jardin and a great coffee tour.

How to get from Jardin to Salento

We went to both Jardin and Salento as we really wanted both experiences. There are 3 main options to do this. The first is to head back to Medellin and fly to Salento. Then there are a couple of bus options, either a Coostransio bus which changes at Rio Sucia. You will buy your ticket there for flota occidental bus to Salento. This is the most common way. Alternatively we took an early morning bus to Manzales and then Pereira where we caught a bus to Salento. You book the first bus at a cafe (picture below) right opposite the blue bus station and then buy your tickets to Salento at the bus station in Pereira. This was the best option for us and worked out really well. Make sure to buy your tickets first thing when you know the date you are travelling on as they sell the tickets in order to fill the mini bus and the first 2 seats are the best. They will call you on board in order of booking.

Where to stay in Jardin Antioquia

Budget hotels in Jardin

Jardin Secreto – we stayed here for a night and it was really nice and simple. Super cheap but tiny rooms, very clean and friendly staff. Shared kitchen available. Not too far from the main square.

Origen Hostel Jardín – well located and priced. Clean and comfortable.

Midrange hotel in Jardin

Hotel Jardin Antioquia – the most central hotel in Jardin, right on the main square. Some rooms over look the square and church which are so perfect! The rooms are lovely as is the service. Really popular and well liked. We stayed here for 2 nights and loved it! Honestly my pick of hotels in Jardin as the location can’t be beat, if we come back this is where I will stay.

La Casa de Ana – really popular, located close to centre on a quiet street, the rooms and service are excellent and breakfast included.

Luxury hotels in Jardin

Casa Passiflora Hotel Boutique – Great location not far from the main square inside a pretty old house. Great rooms and service, very highly rated. Breakfast included, we stayed for 1 night and loved it.

Is Jardin worth visiting?

Absolutely, it is one of the prettiest and loveliest places we have visited, check out what to do here.

How to spend 3 days in Jardin Antioquia?

Day 1- walk town take photos and sit in the cafes, enjoy the nightlife around the square

Start early for Day 2- breakfast, coffee farm tour, visit the church and the trout farm

Day 3-hike mirador Christ Rey and Cafe Jardin, La Gurracha, Cock of the Rock Reserve

What to do in Jardin Antioquia

Walk the colourful streets of Jardin

Jardin is one of the prettiest towns, we just loved walking the streets and finding our favourite colourful houses. The views from the end of the streets over the mountains are lovely too. By getting up early you will get it all to yourself and watch as the village wakes up around you.

Basilica and the main square

The Church in Jardin was one of the prettiest in Colombia. It is the centre of the town and you can just wander in to check it out.

The actual centre of all life in Jardin. This is where you will find the best coffee shop and where you should spend your afternoons. Come here to sit on the park benches and people watch. We loved soaking up the scene in the square for hours with an ice cream before heading over to the bars for a drink with the local cowboys. Locals tip: rock back on your chair at the bars to lean against the walls, it is the local way!

The horses on the square

Sit long enough in the square and you will surely see the beautiful paso fino horses trotting past. The cowboys ride them in to town to have their drinks and while leaving they will stop and chat to locals. The horses make a fast clip clop as they ride along in a manner we hadn’t seen before. We were told by a local that the horses are taught to walk like this so the cowboy can drink coffee without spilling and it is only in Jardin.

Cafe Jardin and Mirador Cristo Rey

This pretty cafe is set on the side of a hill overlooking Jardin. The hike up there is a popular activity and takes about 45 minutes-1 hour. You will pass by Mirador Cristo Rey which is another popular place to go in Jardin so you can combine them in one trip. It is a lovely hike up the mountain and you can take it as slowly as you like. The views from the top are gorgeous.

La Garrucha

La Garrucha is a cable car used by locals for transport from the town across a ravine to the more rural areas further up the hill. Tourists can also take a ride in this unique transportation and enjoy stunning views of the town. You will find the base a short walk to the outskirts of town and it goes across the ravine to a cafe with views overlooking Jardin and its beautiful surrounds. You can then also walk further up to a viewpoint called Mirador El Bosque or just walk back down the hill to town. Alternatively you can take the cable car over and back. It is a rustic cable car that is made of metal, locals use it daily and we watched a family head over in it also.

Drink coffee

You can easily spend a whole day cafe hopping in Jardin (if you can handle that much caffeine!) but our favourite cafe was Cafe Macanas. It is upstairs in the building to the far right of the church and there is an ATM next to the entrance. The best seats are out on the balcony where you can overlook the church and square. They also roast their own coffee and you can watch the process as well as the bakers making the pastries from the inside glass rooms. It is a great spot for excellent coffee.

Best ice cream in Jardin

We love ice cream and we are always searching for the best in each town. This little ice cream store is excellent. We loved the strawberry but chocolate was also really good.

Eat trout at a trout farm

If you love fish then you have to eat trout (or trucha) in Jardin, it is a local speciality. We were recommended La Molidar Trucheria by a local and weren’t disappointed. The trout farm is located around 10 to 15 walk from town and you will be served a set menu of fried trout, salad, platanos and sauces. There is also a local drink that is given with the meal. Mike loved it. You can also head up to Cafe Jardin from here.

Cock of the Rock Bird Reserve

If you like bird watching then this is the place for you. We liked it and we aren’t even tweeters (the term bird enthusiasts call themselves so we learnt). The Jardin Cock of the Rock Bird Reserve is a great stop in your Jardin itinerary. A small reserve that the bright red birds call home. The English translation for their name is the Andean Cocks of the Rock…whcih Mike found endlessly entertaining! Other than their striking colour and unique name the Cock of the Rock is also known for its fighting style. Apparently when two males are in close vicinity to each other they fight, which consists of a dance off, we watched to see a fight but only witnessed short bursts. I have heard they can get quite elaborate. Open in the afternoon after 3pm the cost of 15,000COP to get in is worth it. The birds are easy to see even if you don’t see a ‘fight’.

Tour a coffee farm

You have to visit a coffee farm (finca) during your time in Colombia. It was a highlight of our trip, we love coffee and really wanted to see how our favourite drink is made. During your tour, you’re also able to try delicious coffee and see the beauty of the finca.

While there are many options the one we recommend is Finca Mariposa which offers jeep transportation and has both English and Spanish tours. We loved our visit and learnt so much from our lovely farmer and interpreter. Walking and helping to work on the finca was such an enjoyable experience, and tasting fresh roasted and grown coffee was a real treat. We wrote about our coffee farm tour here if you want to get an idea of what it is like.

Alternatively if you can’t stay in Jardin you can do the tour from Medellin as a day trip, check out these tours which include some of Jardin as well.

Finca Mariposa, best coffee farm in Colombia

Where to eat in Jardin

Other than the great trout at the trout farm above that we highly recommend these are our other picks:

Lo Mejor de Aquí – we loved this little restaurant, run by the loveliest ladies! We had two excellent menu di dia for 19,000COP each.

In the evenings and especially the weekends there are food stalls around the main Plaza del Liberator. There are lots of fried options, hot dogs and fresh fruit.