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The Zona Cafetera is Colombia’s main coffee-producing region. The bamboo forests, babbling brooks, banana groves and coffee plantations that make up its landscape create a bewildering spectrum of greens. The three main cities – Manizales, Pereira and Armenia – are relatively new and their susceptibility to damage from earthquakes has left them lacking in architectural charm. But the surrounding countryside is brimming with delightful fincas and pretty villages. Moreover, the icy peaks of Los Nevados, the eerie wax palms of the Valle de Cocora, or the incredible volume of birdlife at the Río Blanco reserve make this an excellent destination for nature lovers.
The three departmental capitals of La Zona Cafetera are Manizales (Caldas) in the north, Pereira (Risaralda) 50 km away in the centre and Armenia (Quindío) a similar distance to the south, flanked to the east by the massif of Los Nevados. Because of the altitude, the climate is very agreeable and the road and transport facilities are good. There is much to see and enjoy and this is an excellent part of Colombia to visit with good services in the three cities. Much of the local transport in this region is by chiva (literally ‘goat’), which are old, simple, brightly coloured buses, and jeeps, often called by the historic name ‘Willys’, also ancient but lovingly maintained. You will see that this area would be much the poorer without them.
Another way to enjoy the region is to stay on a coffee finca. Colombia, with its emphasis on quality over quantity, is one of the nations that has suffered in the wake of competition from other countries growing cheaper coffee and coffee growers in the region have been forced to diversify into other crops. In 1994, Quindío’s tourism board, emulating the success of Spain’s countryside haciendas, proposed to the region’s finca owners an alternative source of income, and the idea of opening up coffee farms to tourism was born.
From stately post-colonial Antioquian mansions to some pretty primitive accommodation, no two fincas are the same. Some still produce their own coffee – and offer tours where you can learn about the process of coffee-growing – while others have retired that part of the business altogether and give guests the chance to relax, lounge around pools and appreciate the incredible richness of flora and fauna of the region.
