Tourism in Quindío — Coffee Region

Quindío is the heart of the Coffee Cultural Landscape, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. With just 1,961 km² —the smallest department in the Coffee Region— it concentrates an exceptional tourist density: the town of Salento with its colorful republican architecture, the Cocora Valley with the tallest wax palms in the world (up to 60 meters), mountain coffee farms, the Parque del Café, PANACA and hiking trails through coffee plantations with views of the Andes.

Armenia, its capital, is the gateway to Quindío and a perfect base for exploring the department's 12 municipalities. Quindío receives over 3 million tourists per year, making it one of the most visited rural destinations in Colombia. The Quindío wax palm —Colombia's national tree— is the department's symbol and the most iconic element of the Cocora Valley.

Main Tourist Attractions

Attraction	Type	Description
Cocora Valley	Nature / Hiking	Andean valley with the tallest wax palms in the world (Ceroxylon quindiuense, up to 60 meters). 4-hour circular trail through cloud forest, palms and mountain rivers. The most photographed landscape in Colombia.
Salento	Heritage Town	The most visited town in the Coffee Region. Vibrantly colored republican architecture, Calle Real, Alto de la Cruz viewpoint, guadua crafts and the best trout in the region.
Coffee Farms	Agrotourism / Culture	Dozens of farms open their doors to visitors: coffee tour (planting, harvesting, processing, roasting), farm breakfast, wood-fire cooking and accommodation in cabins surrounded by coffee plantations.
Parque del Café (Montenegro)	Theme Park	One of the most important theme parks in Colombia, with over 60 attractions on 95 hectares. Combines coffee culture, history and fun: panoramic cable car over coffee plantations, roller coaster, children's area, live coffee show on the origin of coffee, tour through the history of coffee cultivation and typical Coffee Region cuisine. The Arriero monument at the entrance is one of Quindío's icons.
PANACA (Quimbaya)	Theme Park / Agriculture	National Agricultural Culture Park, the only livestock and agriculture theme park in Latin America. Over 4,000 animals of 450 species, 14 interactive stations (horses, cows, pigs, birds, fish), dog and horse training shows, live milking and interactive farm for children. A benchmark for rural ecotourism and agricultural education in the country.
Recuca (Barragán / Barcelona)	Theme Park / Culture	Coffee Culture Tour: immersive 3-hour experience recreating the complete coffee process (planting, harvesting, processing, roasting and preparation) with interactive activities, traditional costumes, music and tasting. One of the best coffee tours in the Coffee Region.
Filandia	Heritage Town / Crafts	Municipality known for iraca palm and guadua basketry crafts. Viewpoint with views of the Cauca Valley on clear days. Preserved republican architecture.
Heritage Towns Circuit	Culture / History	Route through towns of republican coffee architecture: Pijao, Buenavista, Córdoba and Génova, with fewer tourists and more authenticity than Salento.
Los Nevados National Natural Park	High Mountain / Adventure	From Quindío you can access Los Nevados National Park (shared with Risaralda, Caldas and Tolima). Nevado del Tolima (5,215 meters) is climbed in 3 days from Ibagué or El Rancho.

Typical Cuisine

Quindío cuisine is coffee region cooking par excellence. Bandeja paisa and river trout are the most requested dishes in Salento. Free-range hen sancocho, Tolima-style tamal (shared with the region), chócolo arepa with quesillo, plantain aborrajado and Quindío casado (beans, rice, pork rind and avocado) are typical. Quindío's high-altitude coffee —especially from Salento, Pijao and Córdoba— is among the best in the country.

Adventure and Outdoor Activities

Hiking in the Cocora Valley (14 km circuit with ascent to 3,000 meters above sea level), rafting on the La Vieja River, canopy in Filandia, paragliding over Armenia and mountain biking between coffee farms are the main adventure activities. Expeditions to Nevado del Tolima are organized from Quindío.

How to Get There

Armenia has El Edén Airport (AXM) with flights from Bogotá (50 minutes) and Medellín (40 minutes). By bus from Bogotá it's 7 hours via the Autopista del Café. From Medellín, 4 hours. Getting around Quindío: Willy jeeps are the typical transport between Armenia and Salento (2,000 COP at Uribe Uribe Park). The Cocora Valley is 11 km from Salento by jeep.

Where to Stay

In Salento: coffee farms with cabin and included breakfast, hostels in town. In Armenia: chain hotels and apartment-hotels. For a complete rural experience: book a coffee farm for a minimum of 2 nights. In high season (Holy Week, December–January, July) Salento fills up: book 1 month in advance.

Festivities and Events

National Coffee Festival in Armenia (June), Colombian Andean Music Festival in Armenia (October). Holy Week in Salento is the busiest season of the year.

Also check the climate of Quindío, the list of municipalities of Quindío and the complete guide to Colombian festivities.