Beautiful towns of Antioquia to visit near Medellín

We start the tour with its capital Medellín. More than a municipality, it is the second most important city in Colombia and a captivating tourist destination where you will find a great variety of museums, history, tourist sites, parties, and a lot of friendliness; It is also called " the City of Eternal Spring". You can get to Medellín through its two airports, get to know the important sites, try its typical food, learn about its history and evolution and then go out to see the rest of the beautiful towns that we mention below.

And if you plan to visit the most beautiful tourist sites in the city, then I recommend you do some of these tours within Medellín.

Start populating Antioquia traveling to Jardín, this town is also part of the 17 heritage towns of Colombia and is located in the Southwest of Antioquia almost three hours from Medellín. Jardín is one of the most beautiful and romantic towns in Antioquia, you will fall in love with its colorful houses that are of colonial architecture and its bohemian atmosphere.

Also the streets are cobbled and there is a beautiful main square in the center of town along with a monumental basilica in the middle of it. As for tourism in Jardín, in its surroundings, you can visit the Cristo Rey Viewpoint, La Cueva del Esplendor, and the Gallito de Roca Nature Reserve, which is better to go as early as possible. For many travelers, Jardín is considered "The most beautiful town in Antioquia".

It is one of the towns in Antioquia closest to Medellín that you should visit. It is located to the west of Antioquia and is one of the most important in the department because it is part of the network of heritage towns of Colombia. It is characterized by its eight churches of old construction, a cozy warm climate, and tranquility in the entire area.

In the center you will find a large square surrounded by colorful houses with colonial balconies, cobbled streets, typical palm trees of the region, and many cafes-restaurants to sit down from the morning. Other historical sites that can be visited within the town are the Puente de Occidente, La Casa de las Dos Palmas and in the surroundings, you can go to the Volcán de La Sapera. Santa Fe is one of the largest towns in Antioquia and many years ago it was the first capital of the department, which is why it is known as "The Cradle of Antioqueñidad".

Guatapé is one of the towns in eastern Antioquia that is striking is its location in the middle of the Guatapé dam and its proximity to the Great Stone of Peñol. Guatapé is a typical paisa town, with houses painted in colors, a giant square in the middle of the town surrounded by different commercial establishments that preserve the colonial architecture intact.

It is located in eastern Antioquia about 2 hours from Medellín. On the way there you can enjoy the unique landscapes that the reservoir offers. The town also has a boardwalk where you will find restaurants, craft shops, water activities, and the giant letters of "Guatape". One of the places to populate is on the Guatapé colored stairs in La Plazoleta del Zócalo, it is a closed street full of handicraft and souvenir vendors.

As for accommodation, there are many farms in Guatapé that have turned them into very nice country inns.

Continue populating through Antioquia in Jericó, it is a very small destination that is very close to the town of Jardín. They can arrive by Chiva or jeep from it, they will pass between coffee plantations and small roads in the middle of majestic mountains. Like other towns in southern Antioquia, it has a square in the center surrounded by shops where you can buy typical handicrafts made of leather and delicious cardamom-based sweets.

Some places that you should visit in Jericó are the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes Cathedral, the Museum of Religious Art, the aerial cable, El Morro del Salvador or Cristo Rey, El Cerro Las Nubes and its park.

San Rafael is part of the towns of western Antioquia, it is also located in the middle of the Guatapé dam and is one of the cheapest tourist towns to visit. So if you are in Guatapé, take advantage of its proximity (it is 30 minutes by bus) to go to San Rafael for two days, to see some of its 14 puddles and 8 waterfalls perfect for bathing.

They can also take tours through large forests, see incredible natural landscapes and there are places for nautical and adventure activities such as rappelling and canoeing.

It is a town of rest due to its cool climate, the large number of water sources, and its landscapes of green mountains. Concepción is also a historic town, it was declared a cultural heritage of the nation for its historic participation in the independence of Colombia, it was also the home of José María Córdova, one of the important soldiers in the decisive battle for independence.

It is the most beautiful town in eastern Antioquia and although it is one one of the few visited, it is perfect to populate in Antioquia. It is considered the "Cradle of Antioquian Colonization", its houses are of traditional architecture and its streets are full of history, which is why visiting them is the first thing they should do when they arrive in town. Also, get to know its surroundings, a recommended place is El Páramo de Sonsón.

It is one of the cold climate towns in Antioquia and is located north of the department, almost two hours from Medellín. It is one of the dairy towns in the department crossed by two rivers. It is also known as "The Colombian Switzerland" because they say it is one of the country towns with the best quality of life.

It is a place with a cold climate, dairy farms, and green landscapes. Among the things they can do is visit the Piedra del Peñón and learn about the milk production process on the farms.

It is one of the towns in eastern Antioquia with rivers to enjoy, it is two hours from Medellín. The striking thing about this town is that you can visit multiple water sources in its surroundings where you will find waterfalls, puddles and streams. There is also the Melcocho River, which is one of the most crystalline rivers in South America.

It is one of the little-known towns of Antioquia, it is located in the southwest, 3 hours from Medellín. There you will find natural resources, fruit crops, and a very varied climate. It is an ideal place if you like to practice natural adventure activities because you can rappel, canyoning, ecological walks, tire, and even climb.

Inside the town you should visit the Casa de la Cultura Hipolito Cardenas and the Museum of Ecumenical Art.

It is part of the towns of southwestern Antioquia and is located 4 hours from the capital. It is a town with incredible landscapes where you will find El Páramo del Sol, Valle del Penderísco, and Las Orquídeas National Natural Park. Urrao is also called "The hidden paradise of Antioquia".