Jerico

Jerico, close to Jardin and very much alike it, is also part of the network of heritage villages throughout Columbia. It is situated in Antioquia, on the road heading to the coffee region, 120kms and 3hrs South-West of Medellin.

It is the birth place of the Santa Madre Laura Montoya, saint Columbian canonized in 2013 by Pope Francisco. Santa Madre Laura played a big part in the growing notoriety of the village, and we can see effigies of her around the place.

Jerico is very much alike Jardin in its colourful architecture and sculpted balconies. You can paraglide, do mountain-bike, visit a finca de coffee.. There are numerous bars and restaurants. The local speciality is also trout (as most villages above 1700m altitude), but also different sorts of cakes made with cardamom. Like in Jardin, we used to be able to get to the top via a modern cable car but can no longer do it for unknown reasons, so you can get there on foot or by tuctuc. Tuctuc is a very good way to visit the village, its numerous churches and its botanic garden are worth a look.

One asset Jerrico has over Jardin is its craftsmanship, in the use of leather, especially in the making of “carriels”, symbols of Antioquia region, and of “arrieros”, muleteer farmers who used to move around to buy and sell merchandise. It is possible to visit several workshops; it is a good opportunity to chat with people passionate about what they do.

From our eco-touristic point of view, Jerrico is lacking the natural beauty found in Jardin’s landscapes. There are lots of plantations, plastic greenhouses. Whereas Jardin also has lots of plantations, but more rivers, pieces of jungle, canyons, and so many more bird species. The best is to visit both if time allows it.

Altitude 1900m