Towns Near Medellín: Jericó

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Medellín is fast becoming one of the top places to visit in South America. And while the city is certainly worth exploring, there are also a number of pueblos nearby that offer a more traditional sense of Antioquia. Guatapé tends to dominate the lists of day trips, but Jericó is as equally beautiful and interesting, minus the tourist crowds.

Whether you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Medellín, or simply see more of Colombia, here’s your guide to Jericó, including its history, what to take, how to arrive, and things to do.

History of Jericó

Jericó’s religious significance was cemented as the birthplace and home of Madre Laura, Colombia’s first patron saint. Catholicism remains a strong part of the identity of the town, with nuns and priests helping to run schools and educate the children that live there. Currently, Jericó has 14,000 inhabitants and 16 churches.

Jericó is also known for its colorful houses and ornate balconies. In fact, the first line of the Jericó city anthem is “grato nido de amores” – which means “cherished love nest” in English. This came from a regular pastime of young lovers, flirting with each other from balcony to balcony.

Image result for jerico antioquia iglesia

What to bring

– Practical shoes
– Backpack
– Sunglasses
– Hat
– Sun cream
– Waterproof jacket or umbrella
– Warm layers
– Reusable water bottle
– Camera
– Swim suit
Spanish words and phrases

The view from the hills outside of Jerico

How to arrive

Getting to Jericó is easy and buses depart from Medellín very regularly. To get there, head to Terminal del Sur and ticket booth 18. Go with the company Transportes Jericó, which shouldn’t take more than 3 hours. Be warned though, much of the road is windy and bumpy, although a new and faster route will be opening up in 2020.

Getting back is similarly stress-free. Simply head to the bus station in the main plaza on the right side of the church, and buy your ticket there. Tickets cost around $25,000 COP ($8.85) each way.

Image result for terminal del sur medellin

Things to Do

Take to the skies with paragliding

Jericó is undoubtedly one of the best places in Colombia to go paragliding. The proximity of San Felix to Medellín means that many travelers passing through the region opt for this instead. But, for those willing to make the extra effort, the views around Jericó are incomparable. Here, you can soar past huge, lush mountains, through the valley, and across the Piedras River. There is nothing quite like flying through the thick clouds, next to the eagles who make the beautiful region their home.

Flights can be organized through your accommodation or by contacting EcoLand, a restaurant, and business located directly next to the starting point. Prices start from around 115,000 COP ($40.78).

Some of the views you can catch while paragliding

Hike through the countryside

There is a range of hiking options around Jericó, and more open up every day. One of the easiest and shortest options is to hike to Cristo Redentor, the large statue standing upon a peak bordering the town. From this height, you can see the entire town and the scope of nature that surrounds it.

Another option is Cerro Tuza, the biggest natural pyramid in the world. From a distance, Cerro Tuza’s shape seems too surreal to exist. However, this hike is not for the faint of heart. It takes three hours to reach its peak and is an almost entirely vertical walk.

Alternatively, walk up to Las Nubes. Though challenging in parts, the view from the peak is undeniably worth it. Opt for either a sunrise or sunset tour. It takes around 40 minutes to reach the summit, depending on your physical fitness, and the walk is fantastic every inch of the way. From the top, you can see the mountains and the river as well as the peak of Cerro Tuza.

The view from atop Las Nubes

Go horse riding

Horses are important in the town of Jericó. You get used to seeing them everywhere. It’s not uncommon to see locals cantering around the town square bareback, fuelled by copious amounts of Aguardiente. While that might not be for everyone, there are more tranquil and scenic options available.

Most hostels and accommodation can help organize horse riding trips, which start from the outskirts of the town. It is impossible not to feel like a cowboy when trotting through almost-deserted streets, only dotted by men sitting on their porches, wearing traditional hats and chewing toothpicks. 

Image result for jerico horse riding

Sample the local produce

There are several local delicacies in Jericó, some of which are unique to the region. Among these are Luisas, delicious cakes made with honey, panela and guava paste. Jericó is also said to have some of the best street food in Colombia.

Outside of food, Jericó is famous for a particular type of bag called a carriel. This was the bag of choice for arrieros, messengers who traveled from town to town by mule. This bag has since become an icon of Colombia, even appearing in the logo for Juan Valdez. The main selling point of the bag is the many pockets it contains within an extremely small space, and was also used as a pillow whilst the arrieros were on the road. This includes secret pockets, which were used to hide tokens from la otra – the mistress of the arriero.

Local Jerico delicacies

Explore the Town

The town of Jericó is home to a wealth of museums and historical points of interest. The real star of the show here, though, is the town itself, which must be one of the most beautiful pueblos in Antioquia. Every street and corner is worthy of a photograph. Within the town, you can spot typical architecture in the colonización antioqueña and republicana styles.

This is a town that is home to creatives. There’s Calle de los Poetas – Poets Street, and the street of 80 Steps and of 100 Steps, which is lined with small tiendas where you can pick up an empanada or two. Meanwhile, the town square is the perfect place to sit down, relax with a coffee and people watch.

Typical architecture in JericoPlanning more trips to towns near Medellín? Check out our guides to Jardín, Guatapé, Santa Fe de Antioquia, and Santa Elena. To really get the most out of your Medellín experience, hire the best personal travel VIP concierge service in the city.

 

About the author: Originally from Ireland, Roisin has been traveling since the age of 18. She has visited 45 countries and lived in 8, including China, Bolivia, Germany, and the U.S. You can follow her blog at http://adventuresofsheen.com/ or via Instagram.

 

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9 COMMENTS

  1. I love articles like this , it reveals the heart and soul of the country.. One question.. Are there any historical preservation society’s set up to help fix and preserve these churches that are in need of repair?

  2. Que bella alusion a Jerico, una de las mas hermosas del territorio de Antioquia, cuna de grandes personajes, sitio turistico por excelencia; que linda esta muestra de esos bellos parajes, ! Felicitaciones !!!

  3. After reading this great article, we just arrived in Jerico. We took your advice and arrived by bus which was very comfortable and are staying at the same place you found! What a beautiful little pueblo. The Maja. Museum has a free concert every Saturday night which we plan to attend tonight. We ate thrilled to be here and thank you for all of your great articles!!

    • Ingrid,

      Thanks so much for your kind comment! I am so happy that you enjoyed jericó! It’s a wonderful town and area, I didn’t know about the museum’s free concert, I’ll have to check it out!

  4. Hey! GREAT article! Definitely helpful. I’m in Jerico now writing for tourism here and I just wanted to let you know so you can keep things up to date: the cablecar isn’t in use 🙁 for about 5 months now due to lack of funds & caring, i believe, they shut it down until further notice. But it is possible to hike up the mountain to get to Las Nubes… gorgeous views, i might add. and definitely worth the hike!

    Hailey

  5. One girlfriend of mine (not my fiancee) knows well this place and wants us to move there. May be better for avoiding contamination, ever worse in Medellin; and peaceful place? We are also quite religious both.

    If I would take this woman to my wife and move to Jerico, I think we could still have our contacts and friends in Medellin. Not so far from it.

    Is there any idea?

    • I was there recently. It’s better than Medellín in terms of pollution. However, it’s not perfect. I found many old trucks and motorcycles creating pollution. It’s not as terrible as Medellín but when you walk certain main streets like Calle 1. You’ll feel some pollution, but it won’t stay trap like in Medellín.

  6. This was a great article about Jerico! I just spent the last weekend at Las Cometas Hostel and Jorge went out of his way to help me book whatever I wanted. I ended up going on a tour of a local coffee farm (run by Jorge himself) and heading to Ecoland for some paragliding and lunch!