Welcome back to Curious Perro. In this article, we are going to take a closer look at the Salento – Cocora Valley area of Colombia’s “Eje Cafetero” region also known as the “Coffee Triangle” or “Coffee Axis” of Colombia.
We will provide you with tips and suggestions for traveling from Pereira to Filandia to Salento and finally to the Cocora Valley which in my opinion is the most beautiful place in the world.
Discovering Colombia is one of my favorite pastimes. To expand my horizons, I research potential Colombian destinations for future trips such as Caño Cristales and The Lost City (Ciudad Perdida).
Filandia is a small quaint town of about 7000 people. The economy of this community relies on agriculture and tourism. It is located 45 minutes from Pereria.
In addition to coffee, which is its primary crop, the locals grow a wide array of fruits and vegetables because of the diverse climate in the area.
Nicknamed “La Colina Iluminada de los Andes” or “The Illuminated Hill of the Andes“, Filandia is best-known for its “mirador” or viewing tower.
The second leg of our trip is the town of Salento as we approach the foothills of the Andes Mountain Range. It is located about 40 minutes from Filandia. This colorful Andean town is best known for its coffee, the surrounding coffee estates (or fincas) and the views of its lush, green scenery.
The Calle Real, or main street, in Salento is a tourist paradise with cute shops and carts filled with local crafts and coffee, restaurants and beautiful views. Before we head to Cocora Valley, we are going to check out some of our accommodation options in and around Salento.
First, we will explore the Hotel Salento Plaza. Located only 350 feet from the main square of Salento, it offers well reviewed accommodations with couples giving it a 9.9 rating on Booking.com. I gravitated toward the Deluxe King Room of 269sf with breakfast included. The average price per couple is $46-48 per night.
Hotel El Mirador del Cocora boasts a terrace with panoramic views of Cocora Valley, it is only 1,650 feet from the main square. A daily gourmet breakfast with views of the Cocora valley is served at the terrace.
On Booking.com, this hotel received a 9.5 rating from couples. The average cost per night for the King Room with Mountain View is $72-75 per couple.
Finca El Ocaso Salento is a working coffee farm with double rooms for couples. It offers a great alternative to a standard hotel. With daily coffee tours, a mountain rich setting and their very own coffee shop on site. For only an average cost is $42-50 per couple per night, this experience can’t be beat.
The highlight of this trip is visiting the Cocora Valley and its incredible views and lush green mountains. Cocora Valley is only a 22-minute drive from Salento. It is famous for the wax palm that dominate the area. The wax palm is declared to be the national tree and symbol of Colombia.
Before traveling to Colombia, it is very important to plan ahead. If you are not a Spanish speaker like me, it becomes doubly important. I recently created an itinerary for a three week trip that included San Andrés, Wayira Beach Hotel in Guajira and Decameron PANACA in the Eje Cafetoria Region of Colombia
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