Medellin is the capital of the Antioquia region of Colombia and the city is surrounded by traditional ‘pueblos’ full of character and charm. At the weekend many locals head out into the country to escape the hectic speed of life in the city or to party in a ‘finca’, a farm or country house.
You can reach dozens of interesting, unique towns within just a couple of hours from Medellin. Most will share some key characteristics but each offers a distinct experience. Staying in a small town can also be the perfect base to explore the surrounding nature with rivers, mountains, waterfalls, and a giant climbable rock overlooking turquoise water as far as the eye can see.
The weather and temperatures also vary significantly across the region. Medellin and the South East have spring-type weather all year with warm, comfortable temperatures and occasional heavy rainfall. This varies significantly depending if it is the dry or rainy season. One reason visiting pueblos close to Medellin is so popular is you can drive for a couple of hours and enjoy very different weather.
You can head to Magdalena Medio, Bajo Cauca, and Urabá for hot and tropical weather or to the north and east of the region for cooler temperatures. Locals can enjoy a hot and sunny weekend around the pool in some towns or some cozy days up in the cooler, fresh air of the mountains in other pueblos.
There is a lot to consider when playing your trip and in this article I will discuss the best towns to visit near Medellin.
Santa Fe de Antioquia
The town famous for its perfectly preserved colonial architecture, cobbled streets, warm weather and friendly rural charm.
Santa Fe was founded in 1541 by Jorge Robledo and is one of the oldest and best-preserved settlements in Antioquia. It is affectionately known as “The Mother City” as it was the capital of the Antioquia region of the country. The regional government moved to Medellin in 1826, leaving Santa Fe a beautiful remnant of the region’s past.
Best things to do
During the week the town is calm and relaxing with locals, horses and mules in the central square as baked goods, fruits and vegetables are sold. At the weekend a large number of tourists visit, giving more of a lively energy. The pueblo has white-washed buildings with colourfully decorated doors and windows that are covered in flowers. You really feel the history and tradition of the place.
You can try delicious coffee at Cafe Canelo, a stylish cafe where you can learn about the local coffee process. Cafe Canelo is at the Hotel Mariscal Robledo, a major landmark in the village with its beautiful architecture and celebration of sport and film from 1920s and 1930s Colombia.
La Casa Solariega is a Belgium owned restaurant with a very unique style plus tasty Belgian beer and ice cream. There is the Juan del Corral museum, a villa which is free to enter and features preserved colonial decoration and artifacts from early indigenous communities in the region. Here you can find the table where Juan del Corral signed the independence of the Antioquia region in 1813.
Despite being a small town, Santa Fe de Antioquia has many beautiful churches such as Nuestra Señora de Chiquinquira. You can enjoy the beautiful interiors or attend mass. There is a market outside with stalls selling snacks, desserts and artisanal goods.
Just south of the town is Parque Kanaloa. This is a waterpark with slides, pools, large statues and surrounded by nature. It is a bit of a hidden gem and can be an excellent option with the hot weather all year.
Finally, no visit to Santa Fe could be complete without a visit to Puente del Occidente, the most famous symbol of the town and one of the key sites in Antioquia. Construction on the bridge began in 1887 and was completed in 1895 with the project designed and overseen by José María Villa, a Colombian who also worked on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. It was once the longest suspension bridge in South America and an important national monument.
It takes one hour to walk to the bridge from the town or it is a short ride on a tuk tuk.
Santa Fe is definitely one of the best towns to visit near Medellin.
Weather
Santa Fe is notably warmer and drier than Medellin. It has a tropical, humid climate and is at a low altitude, with a climate more comparable to Cali than Medellin. The average temperature is around 26 degrees and you can enjoy bright sunshine throughout the year.
Travel from Medellin
Santa De de Antioquia is around 60km from Medellin and it takes about 90 minutes to drive, depending on traffic. During the week it can be quicker but it can be slower if you are traveling on a 3-day weekend. There is one toll on the road which costs 12,000 COP. In terms of travel time, it is definitely one of the best towns to visit near Medellin.
You can take a direct bus from Terminal del Sur in Medellin with prices around 15,000 COP.
Jardín
A particularly beautiful town in the heart of Antioquia’s coffee-producing region where time moves slow and you can really unwind. Jardin was recently recognized by the UN World Tourism Organisation as the best village in Colombia for rural tourism.
You can find a seat in one of the excellent coffee houses surrounding the central square, sit back, relax, and watch the world go by. The main landmark is the neo-gothic style Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, a church that is impressive but surprisingly large for what is a town made up of just a handful of narrow streets.
Best things to do
In Jardin every building is painted differently and every street is unique. You can take some amazing pictures of your favourite designs before heading to El Libertador Park and Basicila of Immaculate Conception. There is a fountain in the middle of the central square with people going about their lives and children playing. It is a great place to grab a coffee and watch the world go buy.
Once you are ready to explore the surrounding area you can take a guided tour of a local farm to find out where your delicious cup came from and learn about local coffee culture.
You can take a guided tour around one of the local farms to learn about production and coffee culture.
The town has a cable car called La Garrucha which is used by locals to travel across the ravine. It has some amazing views of the surrounding hills and farms. Once cross on the cable car you can continue to the Mirador El Bosque, which is a 45 minute hike and has one of the best views in the whole of Antioquia. The cable car crosses around every 30 minutes or whenever it is full.
Another amazing destination for a hike is Cueva del Esplendor. You can trek around 15km each way or take a guided tour to get to the reserve. Cueva del Esplender is a cay with a waterfall falling directly from above, making for amazing pictures as the sun shines down through the water.
Another beautiful waterfall is Cascada del Amor (Waterfall of love) and i would strongly recommend going for a swim in Rio Volcanes.
If you are feeling more adventurous then you could opt to paraglide over the epic mountains of Jardin. La Tienda del Parapente has an experienced, certified team who take you on a flight around the town over the lush green landscape. This is something that can be enjoyed across Antioquia but Jardin is a great spot.
For those who want local charm and a friendly atmosphere, Jardin is one of the best towns to visit near Medellin.
Weather
Jardín has a subtropical highland climate with an average temperature of 19. There is abundant rainfall throughout the year which supports lush vegetation with cool rivers and streams. The town is located in the Andes Mountains close to Jericó and Támesis, just north of the neighboring Caldas department.
Travel from Medellin
Driving from Medellin to Jardin takes from 3 hours and 30 minutes to 4 hours. The distance is 134km and there is one toll which costs 7,700 COP You can also take a bus from Terminal del Sur with Rapido Ochoa which costs between 30,000 and 45,000 COP.
One of the best towns to visit near Medellin if you don’t mind a bit of a drive.
Guatapé
Guatapé is a beautiful example of a typical, small Colombian town. Just over 6,000 live in the picturesque town but each weekend the population triples.
There is a main central square surrounded by restaurants and small bars. The Church of Señora Del Carmen stands as the tallest with a striking white facade with dark red details on the outside. The square hosts concerts and events at times and is very typical of the Antioquia region.
What sets Guatapé apart is the brightly painted zócalos on houses and stores all around town. Each house has intricately painted designs that tell the story or background of the family or business that owns the building. There are a lot of farm animals and priests, as you would expect in a rural town, but you can also find dragons, giraffes, and zebras – which are surely accompanied by an interesting tale.
Best things to do
The highlight of a trip to Guatape is climbing the rock of El Peñol. The rock is around 65 million years old with indigenous Tahami people worshiping the rock. It was first climbed in 1954 on an expedition which took 5 days, today it can be done in 30 minutes although the 600+ steps are definitely a challenge.
There are 740 stairs from the bottom to the top of the rock, with various viewing platforms and rest spots along the way. It is a bit of a challenge but people of all ages are able to make the ascent, so just take regular breaks and enjoy the view if you are short on breath.
When you get to the top you will find an incredible 360 degree view with a couple of small restaurants to get an ice cream, a fruit juice, beer or a michelada (a refreshing local favorite with beer, some lemon juice and salt around the rim of the glass). There is also a circular building with some stores and an elevated viewing platform for the perfect view.
There are dedicated up and down staircases on the rock and during your descent you will be deeper inside the rock out of the sun.
Majestic Yate is an impressive glass boat which allows perfect 360 views for a fun 2 hour trip around the Guatep and El Penol.
The boat leaves Saturday at 5.45 pm and Sunday at 1.45 pm and costs 89,000 COP (US$22) for two people. Included in the price is a buffet lunch or dinner plus 2 strong cocktails. There are tables throughout, sunbeds, and hot tubs in each corner of the 2-story boat.
Guatapé is the most popular and one of the best towns to visit near Medellin.
Weather
The weather in Guatapé is generally warm and humid, with average daytime temperatures around 24 degrees dropping to about 15 in the evening. The weather is similar to Medellin with the dry season from December to March and January as the month with the least rain.
This is the perfect time to enjoy everything the region has to offer but you will find warm weather throughout the year.
Travel from Medellin
Driving to Guatapé takes a little over 2 hours, depending on traffic, and the route covers around 85km. You can a direct bus from Terminal del Norte for around 20,000 COP. There are also guided tours leaving Medellin which include transport.
The bus first stops at the bottom of El Peñol before continuing to the town of Guatapé. When I visit for the day I usually buy a one-way bus ticket and get off at the El Peñol. I then walk up the hill, climb the rock and take a tuk tuk back to Guatapé, asking the driver to leave me at the terminal de buses. I then buy a return ticket for around 2-3 hours later. This way I have a good amount of time to explore and get some food.
This is probably the most popular pueblo, so expect it to be busy at the weekend and on national holidays.
Jericó
Jericho is known as the Athens of the Southwest with well-preserved colonial architecture, surrounding green mountains and Cristo el Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) standing above and overlooking the town from El Salvador.
The small town is an important religious center in the region with a beautiful, open, peaceful church. It is also famous for its long history of high-quality coffee cultivation.
Best things to do
Jerico has charming, colourful houses with colonial architecture and some impressive churches. Bomarzo is a cultural hub in the city with restaurants and bars surrounding an open space. It is also a spot local artists use to share and sell their work.
There is a really welcoming small town feel to Jerico, with locals homing into town for some drinks and partying with visitors at the weekend.
Horses are a popular mode of transport in town and you will see them lined up in the square. You can book horseback rides into the surrounding countryside with great views across the Rio Cauca. Jerico is another popular paragliding spot with the town sitting at the base of the 6,400 feet Western Mountain Range.
Jerico is the home of the Carriel, a traditional Antioquia leather bag that was created over 130 years ago. These are popular across the region and you can go direct to the local workshop where you will find excellent quality.
Finally, you can visit one of the local coffee farms to learn and experience Arabica coffee culture. You can enjoy some of the very best coffee in the world with spectacular mountain views and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
One of the best towns to visit near Medellin if you want a relaxing, authentic experience.
Weather
Jericó is located in the South East of Antioquia and is set within mountainous terrain with areas reaching up to 2,500 meters above sea level. Heading down towards Cauca the weather is hot, in the town temperatures are warm and then the higher areas can be much cooler. Generally the weather is warm, averaging around the low to mid 20s.
Travel from Medellin
Jericó is around 110km South of Medellin and it takes around 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on traffic. Rápido Ochoa have a direct bus to the pueblo from Terminal del Sur which Expreso Sideral, Sostrasanvicente and Arouca also stop in the town.
San Rafael
San Rafael is another picturesque town which sits on the fast-flowing Gutape river, past the previously mentioned town of the same now. The beautiful town is, as is often the case, centered around the main square and the San Rafael Arcángel church, an impressive white and yellow structure.
San Rafael was founded in 1864 by a group of miners who were in search of gold. It continues to retain a bit of a wild west feel with lots of horses, cowboys and small lively bars in the evening but it is also very safe and popular to visit.
Best things to do
One of the big attractions of San Rafael is its wide variety of swimming spots with waterfalls, fast and slow-moving water, places to dive and some spectacular views. The natural pools of Las Tangas and Trocadero are a great place to relax or you can opt for tubing, rafting and kayaking if you want something more fast-moving.
Charco El Limon has some incredibly clear waters while you can hike to some spectacular waterfalls such as El Salto and La Honda. You can trek to visit these popular spots traveling through amazing countryside.
You can go kayaking or paddleboarding along the Arenal River with companies offering equipment hire. This can be a really fun and relaxing way to spend a sunny afternoon in the country. Vandurga Ashram is a beautiful retreat offering yoga and meditation if you really want to find peace and connection in the dense jungle.
One of the best towns to visit near Medellin if you want to enjoy the warm weather and then cool off with a swim in the fresh, cool river.
Weather
San Rafael is one of the towns with the warmest towns close to Medellin. The average temperature is over 27 degrees, with a hot and humid climate. There is quite a lot of rain but the skies will soon clear up and the bright sunshine returns. The town is known for its cristal clear waters which bring visitors from across the region.
Travel from Medellin
It is around 100km from Medellin to San Rafael. Driving it should take a lilttle more than 2 hours while a bus will be at least 3 hours. You can also get from Guatapé to San Rafael in about 1 hour by bus, with prices around 7,000 COP.
