Jericó sits in the opposite direction from Medellín compared to Guatapé, which means combining them means treating Medellín as a genuine hub rather than trying to link the two towns directly.
Why add Jericó
Jericó is a quieter, less internationally known coffee town roughly three hours south of Medellín, known locally as the "Athens of the Southwest" for its Republican-era architecture, its coffee culture, and as the birthplace of Santa Laura, Colombia's first canonized saint. Where Guatapé draws heavy day-trip crowds, Jericó remains comparatively undiscovered by international travelers.
The logistics
There's no direct route between Guatapé and Jericó -- expect to route back through Medellín, making the full transfer around 4.5 hours including the connection. Both towns are roughly three hours from Medellín individually, just in opposite directions.
A sample 6-day structure
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Guatapé: full itinerary, La Piedra, boat tour, town |
| 4 | Transfer to Jericó via Medellín |
| 5-6 | Jericó: coffee farms, the teleférico cable car, Cerro las Nubes hike |
What Jericó adds that Guatapé doesn't have
A 750-meter cable car connecting two hills above town, coffee farms open for tours, the Cerro las Nubes ridge hike with views over the Río Cauca canyon, and the birthplace and pilgrimage site of Santa Laura -- a genuinely different flavor of Antioquia pueblo tourism than the reservoir-and-rock experience of Guatapé.
Who this combo suits
Travelers who've already done the standard Guatapé day trip and want a second, quieter Antioquia pueblo without the crowds -- Jericó rewards a bit more effort to reach with a noticeably different, more low-key pace.
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See Guatapé Tours & Prices →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jericó as crowded as Guatapé?
No -- it sees far fewer international visitors and has a noticeably quieter, more low-key atmosphere.
How do I get from Guatapé to Jericó?
There's no direct route -- plan on routing back through Medellín, making the full transfer around 4.5 hours.
What's Jericó known for besides coffee?
Its Republican-era architecture, a cable car connecting two hillside viewpoints, and being the birthplace of Santa Laura, Colombia's first canonized saint.