Six touristic pueblos in Quindio Colombia that are not on the travel agenda of your typical mass-produced tourism!

Come along for a photo tour of Pijao, Calarca, Circasia, Montenegro, Quimbaya, and Buenavista. Obviously these aren’t all of the pueblos in a department which is most notable for Filandia and Salento, which we will show you in a future edition of our Photo Tour series. 

Touristic Pueblos in Quindio Colombia 

Deep in the heart of the Colombian Coffee Axis you will find Quindio, the smallest department in Colombia. Experience the culture of the coffee cultivators, their music, customs, and dance, of small touristic pueblos in Quindio Colombia. 

Pijao

A pueblo that is small and compact, where the flow of life is slow and contemplative. Pijao, Quindio is the first “Citta Slow” in South America. It also has a local nickname, The Touristic Garden of Colombia, recognizing the flower gardens surrounding the houses on the outskirts of the pueblo, and the colorful variety of colonial architecture. 

Calarca

The smallest city in the department of Quindio, Calarca is famous for its butterfly sanctuary, a central plaza surrounded by specialty coffee shops, a coffee farm where you can go take day/night tours, or drink coffee on a terrace overlooking the pueblo. 

Circasia

Famous for its Cementerio Libre, a Masonic cemetery which is also a pilgrimage site for members of the organization, and ironically enough the pueblo was founded in 1933, and 33 is a special number for initiates. Stop in for lunch or an afternoon coffee at one of the many eateries and coffee shops situated around the main plaza. Definitely one of the strangest touristic pueblos in Quindio Colombia.

Montenegro

Like an exotic scene out of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez book, the main plaza of Montenegro is very “selvatico” or jungle-like. One of the most popular lunch hotspots is a small boutique hotel called Casa Hotel Malaga, where you will eat well prepared typical lunches with a boutique style and atmosphere. We also recommend El Paraíso del Bambú y La Guadua. The tour takes a couple hours but you will gain a deeper perspective into the many varieties of bamboo (called guadua in Spanish)!

Buenavista

It literally means “good view,” and we completely agree. For a pueblo perched on the ridge of a mountain, with great coffee, this is the place for you to visit. Near to Pijao, you can actually do both pueblos in one day. Definitely a lesser known pueblo, you won’t run into as many tourists as some of the other destinations. 

Quimbaya

A pueblo with family-friendly attractions, Quimbaya is quite large with over 30,000 people. It has a great gastronomy and coffee shop scene. There are even a few themed ice cream shops scattered around the main plaza. Be sure to stay at Balcones de Bella Vista where you will be close to everything yet still out in nature. Destination Guide >>

Conclusion

In Colombia, you can rent a car for ~$213 USD per day (prices may vary depending on season and rental location, or you can pay a private driver for about $170 USD per day (~650,000 COP). This is based off of the discussions of our Facebook Group: Expats in Pereira. 

Alternatively you can pay a private car and driver to take you to your destination, make stops along the way, wait for you, assist you with taking picture, and drive you home at the end of the day. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the adventure.

For more information on private, low profile, but safe cars for private excursions to touristic pueblos in Quindio Colombia write us via our Facebook page, or email us at coffeeaxistravel@gmail.com. We recommend drivers who have a proven track record for safety and attention. 

Top 20 Colombian Coffee Axis Destinations 2020

Sources:

1. https://www.turismoquindio.com/municipios/pijao/
2.