15 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN SALENTO (COLOMBIA)

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If someone asked us what is the most beautiful village of the Coffee Axis we would have no doubts: Salento. It is a timeless corner, formed by a handful of streets with colorful houses, neighbors with cowboy hat, cheerful atmosphere, and beautiful surroundings that instantly fall in love, come on ... it's a little gem! If you want to know what to see and do in Salento (Colombia), we tell you 15 things not to miss in this Colombian corner:

1. Stroll through the streets of the town and hallucinate with its little houses with colorful doors and windows. It is a paradise for photography lovers. Specific, Calle Real (race 6), is the one that has more charm, full of shops, cafes and restaurants.

2. Drink a juice in the heart of Salento: the Bolivar plaza (try coconut lemonade or lulo juice!) and visit the Church Our Lady of Carmen of SalentoDuring the mass the atmosphere is very good (both inside and outside). This place is where the whole atmosphere is concentrated, especially at night. And if you agree on the weekend, even more!

3. Climb the 253 steps that go up to the Alto de la Cruz Viewpoint: You will have great views of the surroundings and the nearest valleys. Although we have a place that offers even better views ...

4. Stay in the Mundo Nuevo Hotel. The farm is tiny but it is on the top of a hill, and the 360-degree panorama is a true pass. But the best thing is that there is a panoramic room, with huge windows and amazing views of the Cocora Valley. Waking up with this vision is almost priceless! And the breakfasts, ohhhh those breakfasts! Of the best we ever tried. Here you can see the offers to book this hotel.

5. Salento is located about 15 km from one of Colombia's best known and most beautiful landscapes: the Cocora Valley. Make the trekking circular that will take you to know the valley, the house of hummingbirds and of course the famous wax palm forests is something you can not do. Here we tell you everything you need to do the trekking in the Cocora Valley.

6. One of the essential things to do in the Coffee Axis is a visit to a farm that grows and produces coffee. And you're in luck, in Salento is one of the best coffee farms, the Finca Ocaso. We did the tour here and we recommend it: it is very well mounted, the experience is practical (they even make you pick up coffee hehe) and they explain toooodo about the Colombian star product and about its cultivation and processing process (there is until final tasting). It costs 20,000 pesos (about € 5) and here we tell you our experience (coming soon).

7. Try the trout Garlic Or smoked. Or fried. But try it! We ate it after the trekking in the Cocora Valley at Juan B Restaurant, but almost all of Salento's restaurants include it in their menus. As you can imagine, it is one of the most traditional dishes of the area, because along the Quindio River in this area there are several trout farms.

8. Rent a car and spend a day to tour more charming villages of the Coffee Axis. Here is our one day roadtrip.

9. Discover what is the yew on the court Los Amigos. Spoiler: it's a traditional game ... quite explosive! It is also known as "turmequé" and basically consists of throwing a disk on a surface of earth / clay where several wicks are hidden (they are a few envelopes with gunpowder). Extra tip: the beer they serve is fresquita fresquita!

10. Buy a coffee packet, is without a doubt the best memory to take you home. They recommended us to go to the store Jesús Martín coffee, which is awarded many prizes. Depending on your preferences, they will recommend one type of coffee or another, let yourself be advised because they are great experts!

11. To see or bathe in the Santa Rita waterfall You have to do a 2 hour walk (and pay 5,000 pesos). But if you are one of those who enjoy nature ... that will not be an inconvenience! We did not do it for time and, in addition, in Santa Rosa de Cabal, where we would go later, another waterfall was waiting for us 😉

12. Take a canelazo, a hot drink typical of the area that is prepared with brandy and cinnamon. Cheers!

13. And, of course, try the Colombian red (that's what they call coffee alone here). One of the most peculiar places to do it is in the Balcony of Memories, on the corner of Carrera 6 with Calle 5, with beautiful balconies on the street and an ideal local environment to start mixing with this beautiful land.

14. Something that DO NOT do is to ride a horse: excursions can be done perfectly walking. If you want a local transport, opt for willys, some jeeps of the II GM that have become one of the icons of the Coffee Axis and that perform the functions of “local buses”. The rates are cheap: it calculates about 4,000 pesos per person to reach the Cocora Valley.

15. And finally, enjoy the local cuisine! If you are looking for ideas of where to eat in Salento here we give you 4:

The Great Trout Restaurant, we had dinner here the first night. 14000 pesos the dish of fried trout with patacón, rice and salad.
Where Juan B, in the Cocora Valley, to try the garlic trout or a churrasco.
Lucy's Corner, menus of the day (corrientazo) for 9,000 pesos, which includes soup, plate and lemonade.
Le k'ffee, if you want tasty and tasty vegetarian food.

That said, if you travel to the Colombian Coffee Axis do not overlook this town, for us along with Filandia it is the most beautiful in the area. Do you know more things to see and do in Salento (Colombia)?