Jericó

Jericó is a colonial town in the mountains of south-west Antioquia: steep streets of houses with flower-filled balconies and colourful doors, a huge brick cathedral and a viewpoint over the whole valley. It’s less known than Jardín, which makes it calmer. It’s also the birthplace of Saint Laura Montoya, Colombia’s first saint, and the home of the carriel, the leather bag of Antioquia’s farmers. In my view it deserves one full day with a night, ideally combined with Jardín. Here’s how to get there, what to see and where to stay.

How many days do you need in Jericó?

In one full day you see the whole centre and climb to the viewpoint; staying the night lets you enjoy the evening in the square and leave at a relaxed pace. Here’s how I’d plan it:

1. Morning: early bus from Medellín, arriving around 9-10 am. Walk around the centre, the cathedral and Saint Laura’s birthplace.
2. Afternoon: walk up to Morro El Salvador through the botanical garden, back for sunset. Visit a carriel workshop.
3. Evening and next day: dinner on the square; the next morning the MAJA museum or the trip on to Jardín.

How to get to Jericó

From Medellín. Buses leave from the Terminal del Sur, opposite Olaya Herrera airport. The main company is Transportes Jericó.

• Journey time: about 3 hours via Bolombolo; the road via Fredonia can take up to 4 hours.
• Times: departures from about 5 am to about 6 pm, roughly every hour.
• Price: between 28,000 and 40,000 pesos each way depending on the source: check at the ticket office.

From Jardín. There’s no direct bus. Take a local bus from Jardín to Andes (about 25-30 minutes) and from there a chiva, the traditional colourful wooden bus, to Jericó, partly on dirt roads, in about 2.5-3 hours. Sources mention two departures a day from Andes, in the morning and early afternoon: ask for times in town the day before, as they change.

All the tips on buses and terminals are in our guide to getting around Colombia.

What to see in Jericó

What	Time	Approximate price
Historic centre and cathedral	1-2 hours	free
Saint Laura Montoya’s birthplace	30 minutes	free
Botanical garden and Morro El Salvador	2-3 hours	free on foot
MAJA museum (anthropology and art)	1 hour	a few thousand pesos
Carriel workshops	30 minutes	—

• The historic centre. The streets around the main square are the reason to come: two-storey houses with wooden balconies full of flowers, painted doors and windows, slopes and stairways. In the middle stands the cathedral, a huge brick building visible from all over the valley.
• Saint Laura Montoya. The house where Colombia’s first saint was born (she was canonised in 2013) is open to visitors and is a pilgrimage site for many Colombians too.
• Botanical garden and Morro El Salvador. A short, easy trail climbs from town through the botanical garden to the viewpoint with the statue of Christ on Morro El Salvador. The view over the red roofs and the mountains is the best in Jericó; some sources also mention a cable car for the way down, to be checked locally.
• MAJA museum. The town’s anthropology and art museum, with pre-Columbian pieces and art exhibitions. Small, but useful for understanding the area’s history.
• Carrieles. Jericó is famous for workshops that hand-stitch the carriel, the many-pocketed leather bag of the paisa farmers. Ask at the tourist office on the main square which workshops you can visit.

Where to stay in Jericó

Where	Best for	Places to consider
In the centre, near the square	arriving by bus, one night	colonial houses turned into hotels and hostels
Outside the centre, with a view	couples, relaxing	El Despertar, boutique hotel with spa

For a single night I’d stay in the centre: the town is small but steep, and the square is lovely in the evening. Many visitors come from Medellín at weekends: book ahead.

How much does Jericó cost?

Item	Approximate price
Bus Medellín → Jericó	28,000-40,000 pesos each way
Bus Jardín → Andes	about 10,000 pesos
Chiva Andes → Jericó	about 20,000 pesos
Centre, cathedral, Saint Laura’s house, viewpoint	free
MAJA museum	a few thousand pesos

Bus prices between Jardín, Andes and Jericó come from travel guides and may have changed: ask at the ticket office.

When to visit Jericó

Jericó is in the mountains, so it’s cool all year, with evenings that call for a jacket. It rains more often in April-May and October-November, usually in the afternoon. As with the other towns near Medellín, the key is to avoid long holiday weekends and Easter week, when accommodation is full. For the full picture see when to visit Colombia.

Mistakes to avoid

• Doing Jericó as a day trip from Medellín: 6 hours on the bus for a few hours in town.
• Counting on a direct Jericó-Jardín bus: you change in Andes, with few departures a day.
• Underestimating the hills: the centre is all ups and downs, so wear comfortable shoes.
• Arriving without cash: many workshops and transport only take cash.

FAQ

How do you get to Jericó from Medellín?

By bus from the Terminal del Sur with Transportes Jericó: the trip takes about 3 hours and costs between 28,000 and 40,000 pesos each way depending on the source, with departures from about 5 am to 6 pm.

How do you get from Jardín to Jericó?

Take a local bus from Jardín to Andes (about 25-30 minutes) and then a chiva from Andes to Jericó, in about 2.5-3 hours. There are only a few chiva departures a day: ask for times in town.

Jericó or Jardín?

Jardín has more nature around it, with the Cueva del Esplendor and the cock-of-the-rock; Jericó is quieter and has the more beautiful colonial centre. If you can, visit both on a 3-4 day loop from Medellín.

How long do you need in Jericó?

One full day is enough for the centre, Saint Laura’s house and Morro El Salvador. Staying a night lets you enjoy the evening in the square and continue calmly to Jardín.