The pretty little coffee town of Jardin in the mountains of southern Antioquia department is one of Colombia’s Heritage Towns and arguably one of the nicest small towns to visit in the whole country. A charming mix of traditional architecture, stunning natural scenery and friendly local people, Jardin is worth visiting for at least a few days – but if you have only 24 hours to enjoy the town, here are some ideas for an itinerary to maximise the experience.

We took a bus from Medellin south bus terminal (Terminal del Sur) to Jardin. We took the 8:50am bus that left from Medellin and it cost S$13. We missed the earlier departure at 7:30am just by a few minutes so we had to wait for the next one. The journey to Jardin took 4 hours, with the first part on the national highway and the second half of the journey through winding mountain roads.

Upon reaching Jardin, we got our return tickets back to Medellin, choosing the latest timing at 5.45pm. It is nice to spend some time exploring the pretty streets of the town, as well as popping into the huge church in the main square. The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is the icon of the main square, with elaborate interior of turquoise tiles and a very high ceiling.  It is renowned for its half-Gothic style and for having been built with hand carved stones that parishioners brought from a quarry as penance for their sins. Panoramic views of the township and surrounding mountains can be enjoyed from its bell tower.

Checking out the Main Square

In the main square, there is also a little museum of Jardin’s history – the Casa Museo Clara Rojas Pelaez – which is worth a visit to learn a bit more about the town and see some charming black and white photos of how it used to look. In the evening, do join the locals in the main square as they listen to live music or just sip a cup of Colombian brew while catching up with friends. Jardin is a coffee town, so you cannot leave without at least sampling some of its best product.

Visit to a trout farm

Located just 15 minutes out of town is the trout farm of Estadero El Arka. A pretty little farm which channels water from an adjacent river and breeds trout in a variety of tanks, the restaurant offers guests the chance to either catch their own lunch or simply order a dish of freshly prepared trout.

Hiking to the Christ statue 

There are two cable cars in Jardin, one on either side of the town. Both offer beautiful panoramic views of the town and the surrounding mountains, but one is a touch more unique than the other. However, both cable cars are currently not in operation (update: June 2018) due to some political issues.

In the end, we had to take a long detour through the gravel road to reach the top of the hill. There is a shortcut with the entrance from the stable after the trout farm, after which it is a rocky path up to the summit. Since the path was wet and muddy, we decided to go the longer way which is to follow the gravel roads leading back down to the town of Jardin. There is a nice panoramic view of Jardin city from the top of the hill, with a small Jesus Christ statue, nothing compared to the one in Rio de Janeiro of course. We enjoyed the serenity and tranquility of the long walk, stopping by to ask locals for directions and breathing in the fresh mountain air.

Take a Coffee Tour at Finca Milena

A beautiful coffee farm just outside Jardin, Finca Milena operates excellent coffee tours where you can learn about the entire coffee-producing process from plant to cup. It also has a hotel on site and is a wonderful place to stay to enjoy a real Colombian countryside experience.

Hiking to the caves

A lot of locals recommended us to go to la Cueva de Esplendor, but it was at least a 3 hours hike and we did not have enough time to go there. This cave is much more than just a cave: a stream has eroded a hole in the cave roof and a waterfall now falls directly through the cave roof into a pool in the darkness. It is worth checking out if you are going to Jardin for more than a day. Do bring proper footwear as hiking to the cave involves walking on slippery rocks.

Taste of Jardin

Last but not least, visitors to El Jardín can taste authentic flavors such as the handmade candies, which are made using 22 varieties of milk fudge, including soursop, mango, rose petal, and sweet basil jam. Sugarcane is also grown in El Jardín, and visitors can sample trout grown in tanks and served with fried plantains. We went to Dulces de Jardin (# a 104, Cl. 5 #52, Jardín), a traditional shop selling all kinds of confectionary and homemade jams. This cavity-inducing sweets factory is famous throughout Antioquia for its wide variety of arequipe (a sweet dessert of milk and sugar),conserves and fruit candies. I bought a few jars of arequipe (different flavours including mocha, arracacha – a type of Andean plant, guava etc) and three boxes of coffee biscuits because the aroma is so fragrant. You can sample the various flavours of jam spreads before deciding on which one to buy home as souvenirs. The staff are very kind and they packed my jars neatly, wrapping it in brown paper bags before putting it in a plastic bag. I left the shop being a satisfied customer.

If you are in Medellin and want to get out of the city, do visit Jardin, the first stop on the way to the capital of the coffee plantation highlands. Jardin is a charming town in the mountains, officially declared a National Monument in 1985, a Colombian Heritage Town worth checking out.