Index:
Best places to eat in Jericó, Antioquia
⭐️ Cafe Don Rafa / $ / Google Maps
Café Don Rafa is a traditional café with a modern touch located in the main square of Jericó. In addition to offering traditional coffee, here you can also find other coffee preparation methods, such as press, V60, siphon, Chemex or Aeropress.
As for breakfasts, which start at approximately $12,000 pesos, they have a delicious option of yuca bread waffles, accompanied with cream cheese, maple syrup and fruit. They also have options such as poached eggs with artisanal bread, omelettes or French toast. All breakfasts come with coffee or hot chocolate.
If you are looking for a café where you can work, Café Don Rafa is the ideal place. The café has 30mb of speed in its wifi and has several plugs around the premises. The back of the café is designed to function as a coworking space, where the music is less audible.
Schedule: Monday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Thursday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Friday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Saturday: 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Sunday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
⭐️ La Comedia / $ / Google Maps
With a beautiful view of the Temple of Mother Laura, this café bar is one of the gastronomic places you can’t miss in Jericó. The atmosphere of this place is quiet, with soft jazz music, cookbooks on its shelves and different antique artifacts.
The specialty in terms of drinks of La Comedia is the cañonazo, a spiced red wine served hot, with a sugary edge. This place is ideal to spend the afternoon drinking a good wine, enjoying music, the tranquility of Jericó and the view of the Temple of Mother Laura.
Schedule: Monday: Closed, Tuesday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM, Wednesday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM, Thursday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM, Friday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM, Saturday: 12:00 – 11:30 PM, Sunday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM
⭐️ La Ceiba / $ / Google Maps
La Ceiba is a bakery and restaurant located on the right side of the church, looking at it from the front. Here, the most recommended thing is to sit at one of the outside tables in the morning, with a view of the square and the church, and eat a rich typical breakfast. Among the breakfast options is the “sencillo” (less than $15,000 pesos), which is an arepa with cheese, eggs with seasoning (optional), “pandequeso”, and coffee or hot chocolate. They also have other breakfast options, such as “calentados” or bakery.
Schedule: Monday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Thursday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Friday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Saturday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Sunday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
⭐️ La Danta & La Nutria / $$ / Google Maps
La Danta & La Nutria is a bookstore café with one of our favorite atmospheres in Jericó. The café is surrounded by books in every corner. This, along with its decoration and internal patio, makes it a pleasant environment to eat or have a drink and spend the afternoon.
The café owner wanted to open this café after not finding any bookstore in town. The name of La Danta & La Nutria is inspired by the idea of a fable brought into the local context. The danta and the nutria are animals found around Jericó. Previously, the nutria skin was used to make “carrieles”, as well as the tigrillo skin, before this practice was prohibited.
On their menu you can find sandwiches and toasts made with sourdough bread. We loved the specialty sandwich, Pears and Serrano ($25,000 pesos approx.), with artisanal peasant bread, soft and very aromatic, mozzarella cheese, caramelized pears and serrano ham, accompanied by slices of green plantain. As for desserts, they have poppy and orange cake and chocolate cake, among others, that look delicious.
Schedule: Monday: Closed, Tuesday: 12:00 – 9:30 PM, Wednesday: 12:00 – 9:30 PM, Thursday: 12:00 – 9:30 PM, Friday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM, Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Sunday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tangos y Algo Más / $ / Google Maps
At the Tangos y Algo Más bar you can enjoy old tango hits while having a drink. On its walls, in addition to shelves full of drinks, you will find memories of tango and a tribute to Carlos Gardel, one of the most famous tango artists in history.
Schedule: Monday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM, Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM, Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM, Thursday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM, Friday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM, Saturday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM, Sunday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
La Pizzería De Jose / $ / Google Maps
La Pizzería de Jose is known for making one of Jericó’s most emblematic dishes, the “postre jericoano”. This dessert, whose recipe is said to be around 100 years old, is composed of 7 different layers of fruits and sponge cake, all bathed in wine and rum. Although you can find the “postre jericoano” in different places, the dessert from La Pizzería de José is currently one of the most recognized in town.
Schedule: Monday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Thursday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Friday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Saturday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Sunday: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Pollo Loco / $ / Google Maps
Pollo Loco is a casual restaurant specialized in charcoal chicken, which offers a nice view of the main square and the church. The charcoal chicken is very tasty and soft, and comes with french fries or boiled potatoes and arepa. Two pieces of chicken cost around $14,000 pesos.
We recommend this place for its casual atmosphere, views of the main square, friendly service and delicious charcoal chicken.
Schedule: Monday: 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM, Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM, Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM, Thursday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Friday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Saturday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Sunday: 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Karlina / $$ / Google Maps
Karlina, owned by the same owners of Café Don Rafa, focuses on artisanal bakery and the elaboration of fermented doughs. The place is spacious and pleasant, with large windows. It is located near the main square, but far enough away to maintain a quiet atmosphere. In addition to the bakery, it offers modern gastronomy with international inspiration. If Café Don Rafa is a tribute to the grandparents of the countryside, Karlina is a tribute to their other halves, the grandmothers of the countryside.
Schedule: Monday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Thursday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Friday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Saturday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Sunday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Best Places to Visit in Jerico, Antioquia
⭐️ Cristo Redentor Jericó / Free / Google Maps
The Cristo Redentor, located a short distance from the main square, offers a beautiful view of Jericó and its surroundings. To get to Cristo from the square, the shortest method is to enter the Botanical Garden and follow the directions to climb up to Cristo.
As a curious fact, during the construction of the cable car of the hill of Cristo Redentor (which is currently not in operation), indigenous tombs with multiple pieces of jewelry were found. For more information about this finding, you can visit the MAJA museum.
Schedule: Monday: Open 24 hours, Tuesday: Open 24 hours, Wednesday: Open 24 hours, Thursday: Open 24 hours, Friday: Open 24 hours, Saturday: Open 24 hours, Sunday: Open 24 hours
⭐️ Main Park / Free / Google Maps
In the main park of Jericó you can find more local and tourist life. Colorful old Toyota Land Cruisers, fruit and crafts stalls, older gentlemen with hats and carriels, all this makes the square a pleasant place to be for a while and see the passing of people.
The park also has a nice view of the mountains and has many trees to sit under one of its shades when the sun is strong.
At night, fruit and crafts stalls are replaced by fast food stalls.
Schedule: Monday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Thursday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Friday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Saturday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Sunday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
⭐️ MAJA Museum / $ / Google Maps
In the main headquarters of the MAJA Museum, you will find an impressive collection of works and artifacts that narrate the history of Jericó, as well as permanent and itinerant art exhibitions.
In addition to having excellent collections, the museum itself is very beautiful, as it is located in an old bahareque house built in 1906. The house was expanded and restored in 2012, and has two floors of exhibitions, a nice interior courtyard, a small café called Don Rafa and a theater.
The museum also has two other headquarters in Jericó, one focused on decorative arts and the other on music. Be sure to stop by the museum gift shop, where you can find books and films about Jericó, along with crafts from the region.
Schedule: Monday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM, Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM, Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 5:00 PM, Thursday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM, Friday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM, Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Botanical Garden / Free / Google Maps
The Jericó Botanical Garden is a nature reserve near the main square. In the Garden, you can find very photogenic bridges, water ponds, and several ecological trails to enjoy nature and tranquility. There are also several kiosks where you can spend some time or have a picnic. In addition, the Garden has a trail that ends at El Salvador Hill, where the Cristo Redentor is located.
Schedule: Monday: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Tuesday: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Wednesday: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Thursday: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Friday: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Saturday: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Sunday: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Santa Laura Sanctuary / Free / Google Maps
Neogothic church in pink built in 1943. Originally called Sanctuary of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, its name was changed to Sanctuary of Santa Laura after the canonization of Mother Laura in 2012.
Mother Laura (Laura Montoya Upegui) is the first saint declared in Colombia, canonized by the Vatican in 2012. To be canonized and named a saint, the Catholic Church must prove that the person worked two miracles through their intercession. The process includes verifying a first miracle wrought through their intercession, at which point the person is declared Blessed.
Schedule: Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 AM, Tuesday: Closed, Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 AM, Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 AM, Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 AM, Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 AM, Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 AM
Learning about the history of Jericó
The first thing they told me upon arriving in Jericó, at a hotel that used to be a convent, was: “The room shares a bathroom with more than 20 rooms. There is a men’s bathroom and a women’s bathroom. The hotel door closes at 11:00 pm, if you arrive after this time we will not open it for you. By the way, we usually open the door at 7:00 am, but these days we are resting (it was after Holy Week) and we open at 7:30 am. Before checking in, do you accept these conditions?”.
Without further ado, having arrived in the town at 9:00 pm and tired from the trip, my options at that time were reduced to a “yes”.
Soon I would understand that this way of being received is part of the Jericonian culture and identity.
My arrival in Jericó, in addition to being motivated by being one of the most touristy towns in Antioquia, was also motivated by an anecdote that was told to me about the town and with the desire to learn more about its history.
When I was in Jardín, at an event at Casa Montes, I met a historian who told me a very interesting anecdote about Jericó. She recounted that in Jericó, when it was being founded, the town had rules for people to be able to live in the town. Among these rules were that they had to be religious, be workers, be able to have children, and have good moral values. Before being able to enter the town, they had to do a trial period in a nearby hamlet, Marsella, before being accepted into the town.
This anecdote or story sparked my interest in learning more about Jericó’s history and discovering the truth behind this story. This curiosity would be the fuel for a couple of adventures during my stay in the town.
Discovering the origin of Jericó
Knowing the town and not knowing who could help me validate this Jericó story or tell me more about its origins, the first place that occurred to me to start was MAJA, the Museum of Anthropology and Arts of Jericó Antioquia.
Once in MAJA, in the Anthropology headquarters (the museum has 3 different museums in the town), upon arriving at the entrance, I asked one of the people who worked at the entrance if they could help me learn more about the origin of Jericó’s history.
They immediately told me that if there was someone who could help me with this doubt in the museum, it was the museum’s director. Minutes later, I was in the museum director’s office, talking about Jericó’s history. In addition to telling me about the founder of the town and different anecdotes about the town and its most historic sites, he confirmed that part of the history I knew about Jericó was true, but if I wanted to validate details and learn the real history, I should talk to the director of the Jericó History Center.
Fortunately, MAJA’s director told me that if I wanted to find the director of the Historical Center, he would be part of several events in the town in homage to the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Jericonian writer Manuel Mejía Vallejo. Among them, a recital of some of his works at the writer’s birthplace, a tango demonstration inspired by the book “Aires de Tango” by the writer, and finally, a tribute along with the writer’s family at the History Center.
With this information in hand, I ended up attending all these events and it was at the last event, the tribute with the writer’s family, where I was able to talk with the director of the History Center. The director thanked me for my curiosity about Jericó’s history and told me that he could answer my questions the next day. My desire to know the truth about this story would have to wait one more day. That same night, I ended up going out with the director of the History Center and a historian, where they shared anecdotes about Manuel Mejía Vallejo in the town and other curious facts about Jericó’s history.
The next day, I was finally able to sit down with the director of the History Center and clarify all my doubts. The director of the History Center is considered one of the most knowledgeable people about Jericó’s history, even writing the monograph on Jericó’s history.
History of Jericó
The history of the town of Jericó dates back to the Antioquean colonization process. In 1825, eleven influential and wealthy inhabitants of Medellín requested from the government the purchase of lands southwest of the city. These vacant lands, covered by jungle and forest, were not being used and had potential for planting and livestock breeding.
Ten years after the request, the government approved the sale of these lands to these individuals, which would be known as the Echeverri concession. Of the original applicants, only a few were still alive, including Juan Santamaría Isaza, who would receive the lands that would become Jericó.
It was Juan Santamaria’s son, Santiago Santamaria, who undertook the production of these lands and eventually founded Jericó. After several expeditions to the west of the Cauca river and climbing the mountains, Santiago decided to found Jericó in its current location. At that time, the village was known as Aldea de Piedras (the name Jericó was adopted in 1853).
In the task of clearing the forest and making the land productive, Santiago began to give away land, tools, and resources to families willing to clear the land, make it productive, and build roads and other community works. This attracted families from different towns in Antioquia to settle in the area and work the land.
However, as the owner of most of the lands, Santiago Santamaria wanted to maintain harmony and development in the newly created village and was not willing to accept any family. Because of this, rules were established for accepting families in the village.
Families receiving the benefits of land and resources had to be Catholic, conservative, capable of working the land, and mostly young with good values. This was done to encourage harmony and communion in the village.
At that time, to reach the village, it was necessary to pass through Fredonia before reaching the Cauca river. It was before crossing the Cauca river where families who wanted to go to Jericó were evaluated. The only way to cross the river was by boat. Before allowing these families to cross, they were asked if they were Catholic, if they went to Mass and received Holy Communion every day.
In addition to this, families' willingness to work and endure the conditions of the forest and their adaptation was evaluated. The conditions they would find in the village were not the most abundant, and products such as milk, meat, and grains were not in large quantities. It was the work of these families to work the land to clear it, harvest it, and raise animals.
People who were willing to live in these conditions and met the requirements were accepted in Jericó.