Antioquia Jewels (Santa Fe de Antioquia y Jardin)

This overnight trip takes you to two of Antioquias oldest and most picturesque towns, both with traditional whitewashed and painted houses but different in their appearance and atmosphere. Santa Fe de Antioquia is the regions oldest settlement founded in 1541, and known as one of the towns that formed Colombias towns as we know them today. The village Jardin was officially founded about 300 years later and is different in its structure, colors and climate. You will also get to visit a traditional coffee farm and Puente de Occidente, a large suspension bridge over the Cauca river. After a scenic more or less two hour ride on the car our first stop will be at the Puente de Occidente, or Bridge of the West as it is situated in the west of Antioquia. Finished in 1895 after 108 years of construction, it was considered the seventh largest suspension bridge worldwide and was declared a National Monument of Colombia later in 1978. First well have a look from afar before well walk over the bridge. Taking in the immense size of the Cauca River we capture magnificent panoramas of the surrounding scenery before we continue our tour to Santa Fe de Antioquia. Well arrive at the main square where well get a first impression of Antioquias former capital. Walking past the fountain and street vendors selling their goods, we make our way through traditional cobblestone streets lined with whitewashed houses to a local restaurant to have a delicious traditional lunch. After savoring our meal well have a closer look at the colonial style houses and picturesque churches and visit some of them. Well end our first day by driving about three hours to Jardin where we will spend the night at the Hotel La Casona. Make yourself comfortable in a cozy quiet traditional Antioquia house and use your free time in the evening to explore the village and visit one of the excellent restaurants (own expense). The next morning well start the day with a typical Colombian breakfast before well get the chance to see more of Jardin and its surroundings. Well stroll down the streets to have a closer look at beautifully painted houses as well as chairs that are pieces of art with hand-painted pictures of the area on them. Then well enjoy a fabulous view over Jardin when we take a gondola to the top of a mountain before well visit a trout farm and a large park near Jardin. Afterwards well be on our way to get the real experience of visiting a traditional coffee farm and hear about how Colombias finest coffee makes its way from a bean to a cup. Well learn everything from growing the beans to harvesting and processing them until they can be roasted and are ready to be used for a delicious cup of coffee. Well watch as the coffee farmer, or cafetero, prepares the liquid gold and explains different methods of brewing coffee. Then we finally get to taste the delicious result. Before we are back on the car to return to Medellin well try another traditional lunch on the coffee farm with the regions best ingredients.