Colombia travel blog by Mark Berman -
September 2020
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Jardin in many ways is similar to Salento but more off the beaten track. A pretty little town with colorful wooden buildings, balconies and doors and surrounded by
nature. There is plenty to do and see in and around Jardin including nature walks, bird-watching, relaxing with a coffee or eating a large fruit salad at the park,
tasting the local trout or just wandering the streets doing photography. They call Jardin the hidden gem of Colombia and it is definitely less touristy than Salento,
it's worth a visit! Getting To Jardin
Best ways to get to Jardin is south from
Medellin or north from
Manizales or
Pereira. In Medellin go to the southern bus terminal
and take a bus south to La Pintada. The distance is short but the road is clogged with large trucks so it takes about 2 and a half hours to get to La Pintada. You
can stay the night here if you wish. From La Pintada to Jardin takes 2hrs on the back of a motorbike or you can take a bus. From Pereira or Manizales take a bus
to Riosucio (2 and a half hours) then take another bus to Jardin (3hrs).
Park & Church National Monument
The attractive central park - El Libertador Park has beautiful flower gardens with rose
bushes, strawberry trees and guayacan trees, the church - Immaculate Conception Minor Basilica, museum and cultural house - Casa Museo Clara Rojas Pelaez and
multiple cafes serving coffee and nice liqueurs. On the bottom right corner of the park is Las Colonias Cafe where the theme of the colorful painted tables and
chairs outside on the pavement are of famous Argentines. These people include Agustin Magaldi (1898-1938) - a tango and milonga singer, Hugo del Carril (1912-1989) - a
film actor, Armando Moreno (1921-1990) - a singer and Libertad Lamarque (1908-2000) - an actress and singer. The park and church set in Jardin is a national
monument of Colombia (1985).
Lady Blacksmith's Path
A 5 minute walk southeast from town is the Lady Blacksmith's Path (Camino de La Herrera), a stone path leading from
the urban area through a natural tunnel made of greenery. The walkway is framed by changing landscapes that lead to the Waterfall of Love and the Corazon River.
Look out for exotic birds big and small including the Cock of the Rock and the Woodpecker and also see beautiful exotic flowers! You can come here by yourself or
with a small tour group.
Cock Of The Rock
While in Jardin you must visit the Parque Natural Jardin de Rocas where you will see many Cock of the Rock birds. The birds are
not enclosed, they just love to be here near the river. Located on private property you may need a guide from a local tour company. The birds make a lot of noise
and have fun among the tall trees that lead down to the river. The gardens here also have exotic flowers and plants to enjoy.
More Things To Do
Other activities in Jardin
include horse riding, a coffee farm tour, hiking, views from the Mirador Cristo Rey, a cable car ride and hiking to see caves.
Tweet
Purple and violet, an exotic flower in Jardin with many species to discover.
Bunch of pink bananas, also known as the hairy banana - Musa velutina, Jardin.
Distant green hills and houses that slope down to the valley in Jardin.
Handsome white horse, the locals of Jardin all have one.
