Quindío, Colombia, natural and cultural coffee landscape

Photo caption: Landscape of wax palm trees in the Cocora Valley near Salento, in the department of Quindío, Colombia.

Credit: Exequiel  Schvartz  // Shutterstock.com

Quindío is a department  of  multicolored landscapes that emerge from the mountain,  a mixture of cultures and a great diversity  of  natural resources.

Quindío is a small region with a large soul, which is part of the tourist area of the Western Andes. It is a land that has  countless landscapes and where you can enjoy all the thermal floors. Its nature is also associated with a multicolored place, not only for the different greens that paint its mountains and crops, but also for the colors of the flowers and birds it houses.   

Biodiverse destination

Quindío is the perfect destination for tourists looking for nature in all its splendor. Among the natural jewels of the department is, near the municipality of Salento, the Cocora Valley,where the emblematic Palma de Cerastands,   the Colombian native and where the parrot  or yellow-rejiam  lives.

Quindío also has the bambú  and the  guadua,two  natural resources that can not only be observed in their natural environment, but also in architectural works of the region and of course, in the beautiful crafts that capture the interest of travelers.

Featured: Download the magazine about the department of Quindío to learn more about the biodiversity of this region of the Colombian Andes occidentales.

Cultural legado to tell

Growing up in the department of Quindío is doing it with the diverse cultural legacy  left by many stories to tell visitors. On the one hand, there are the  indigenous  Quimbayas,  considered the best goldsmiths in Colombia for the mastery with which they carved gold, reflecting the calm and simple personality of this indigenous people.

On the other hand, there is the legacy of the Antioquian colonizers who came to inhabit these lands opening roads and trails, and bringing development to the region with that thriving, entrepreneurial, hardworking and helpful personality that is reflected in its inhabitants to this day.

Photo caption: Statue of a Quimbaya chieftain sculpted in gold.

Finally, to complete the mixture of cultural heritages on which the personality of the Quindian people has been built, we must highlight the coffee farmer, who day by day gives love to his crops and crops, to offerthe worlda Colombian coffee withsoul, body and heart.

A place to disconnect

Quindío is a department that invites you to explore its mountains and discover  the richness of its peasant culture. Through  experiences of rest and disconnection,visitors have the possibility to take a break from the hectic life of the big cities, to venture to discover the peace and tranquility that is breathed in the coffeefarms, where they can also learn to grow coffee, share with coffee growers, drink a good rate of coffee and taste the typical dishes of the region.

Outstanding quote: In this department is what is called the Hoya del Quindío, a territory buried in the central mountain range, which has a great diversity in natural resources.

Other activities recommended for those who enjoy the outdoors  are ecological walks within the  various roads and landscapes of the department, visit the Guaduales and listen to their cooing, observe the multiplicity of landscapes and mountains from their  viewpoints,and contemplate the natural wealth that houses the Botanical Garden and the  Butterfly Garden.

A varied tourist offer

The department of Quindío offers a variety of theme parks where it is possible to live the coffee culture, as well as find spaces of tranquility and disconnection.

The best known is the Coffee Park,  which seeks to pay homage to the coffee traditionof theregion,but there is also the Parque los Arrieros,which has leisure and learning services through artistic and cultural scenarios,and  Panaca, which brings tourists closer to all those activities related to day to day in the countryside.

Another experience that is worth discovering, is The Routes of the Charming Villages,whichinvites you to know not only the life of the villages of Quindío, but also its colonial architecture and its colorful constructions. The Routes of the Villages of Enchantment include towns such as Finlandia, Salento, Pijao, Calarcá, Buena Vista, Córdoba,  Circacia, Genoa, La Tebaida, Montenegro and Quimbaya.

Capt. With a little over 600,000 thousand inhabitants, the municipality of Pijao is known for its colorful historic center.

Gastronomic offer

The department of Quindío has to offer a great gastronomic variety that has been enriched thanks to the Antioquian heritage. Dishes such as bandeja paisa, calentado paisa, sancocho, mondongo,  chocolate en agua de panela and arepa are part of this tradition. Of course, coffee also standsout.