Travel Guide Filandia

Travel guide Coffee Triangle

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About Filandia

In this travel guide Filandia, you will find everything you need to know about this authentic village in the Colombian coffee region, 20 km from the popular Salento. Filandia is easily accessible by Willy Jeep from Salento or by bus from Armenia or Pereira. The village is located on an altitude of 1900 meters and has about 12,000 inhabitants. The name Filandia translates as “daughter of the Andes.” It is a Unesco World Heritage Site with a rich tradition.

Although the village is a lot less famous than Salento, it has built its own reputation, especially in the gastronomic field. Indeed, with a number of excellent restaurants, Filandia is known as the gastronomic hotspot of the Colombian coffee triangle.

Despite Filandia being known as the “less popular sister of Salento,” it is certainly not a sleepy village like, for example Pijao. Especially on weekends it is crowded with Colombian tourists.

Filandia has a lively coffee culture, there are a number of small museums and also in terms of nature, there is much to enjoy in the area around Filandia. For example, the village is close to Barbas Bremen Nature Reserve, home to 200 different species of birds and howler monkeys.

Our Travel Guide Filandia tells you how to get to Filandia, what is there to do and what are the best areas to stay in Filandia. We also include tips for the best hostels and hotels, cafes and restaurants and useful practical information and tips for your trip. If after reading this travel guide you are in doubt whether to go to Filandia or Salento, read this article comparing the two villages and see which one suits you best.

All about Filandia

How to get to Filandia

 

What to do in and outside Filandia
Where to stay in Filandia?
The best restaurants in Filandia
Practical information about Filandia

Practical information about the coffee triangle

Travel guide Coffee Triangle

Home 9 Category: Travel guide Coffee Triangle ( Page 2 )

In this guide you will find practical information about the coffee region: how is the climate, how do you pay, what is the best time to travel, how many days do you need and how is the safety in the Colombia’s coffee region. Keep on reading for useful tips about a stay in the coffee triangle.

Climate

The coffee triangle is a hilly to mountainous region, with towns that are more than 2,000 meters above sea level, such as Manizales in Caldas. The climate is tropical, with warm days and nights that can cool off considerably. The average temperature there is around 22 degrees. Caldas is more mountainous, making it colder there than in lower-lying Quindío.

Best travel period

The coffee triangle can be visited year-round. It rains a lot, especially in the months of April/May and September through November. We have been to the Zona Cafetera twice, the first time in March 2019 and the second time in late September 2024. In the month of March, there were brief showers in the afternoon hours. In late September it also rained mostly in the afternoon, but the showers were heavier and lasted longer. We also had conversations with locals about the weather and they told us that the rainy season in Salento is actually no longer a rainy season and the dry season is no longer a dry season. Because of El Niño, everything has changed and the weather is no longer really predictable. Around Christmas and New Year’s period is the high season, from mid-December to mid-January. Easter week and (long) weekends are also very busy in villages like Salento and Filandia, so if possible, avoid these periods. Harvest times for coffee beans are April/May and Oct/Dec. For most action on the coffee plantations, that is the best time to visit the coffee triangle.

Events:

  • January: Carnival of Riosucio/Caldas
  • March: Risaralda bird festival in Pereira
  • June: Fiesta Internacional del café in Calarcá (Quindío).
  • October: Fiestas Cuyabras de Armenia, celebration of the anniversary of the city of Armenia

How many days do you need?

This depends entirely on what you want to do. If you are only going to Salento and the Valle de Cocora, then 3-4 days is perfect. If you want to see more of the coffee triangle and maybe also do a multi-day trek in Los Nevados National Park, then you can easily entertain yourself for 2 weeks. Read on for sample itineraries and more information about the coffee triangle.

#ColombiaMyWay tips
 #Tip 1
Fly from Bogotá to Armenia and start your journey in the coffee triangle in Quindío, in the south of the coffee triangle. After this, climb up through Risaraldas to Manizales, where you end your journey in the coffee triangle. From here fly back to Bogotá or continue by bus to Medellín
#Tip 2
Click here for a sample route in the coffee triangle

Look here for the best of the Coffee region
Look here for organized tours

Important info A-Z

Can you use ATMs in the coffee triangle? Are credit cards accepted, is the coffee triangle safe, where can I find a doctor or dentist and what should I bring with me to the Zona Cafetara? You can find this and other useful information about the coffee triangle here.

Drinking water

Water from the tap is not drinkable. If you don’t trust the hygiene anywhere, watch out for ice cubes, salads and uncooked vegetables.

Money
  • You can safely use debit cards. In the larger cities, it is best to use (safe) ATMs in shopping malls. Banks all have their own rates for ATM transactions
  • Credit and debit cards are accepted in most larger stores and restaurants in the cities. If you travel off the beaten track, you can often only pay in cash
  • We could not pay with US$ anywhere. In Salento we exchanged some dollars (at an unfavorable rate). If you withdraw larger amounts, it is more favourable to go to an ATM than exchange dollars or euros
  • $1=about 4000COP. Check here for the current exchange rate: exchange rate Colombian peso
Locals & language

Little English is spoken in the coffee triangle, so a basic knowledge of Spanish is very helpful. Still, you can usually get by even if you don’t get beyond a few words of Spanish. The locals are generally very helpful and patient and ready to help you, even if it is in sign language -:)

Medical

Vaccinations

There is no yellow fever or other vaccination required for the coffee triangle. Click here for general medical information in Colombia.

Medical aid
There are services such as Angeles Al Llamado that can come to you if you need a doctor’s consultation in the coffee triangle. Want to know more about this service? Then read here about our own experience with the Angeles Al Llamado.

Hospitals

  • Armenia: Hospital San Juan de Dios
  • Pereira: Hospital Universitario San Jorge
  • Manizales: Hospital Universitario de Caldas

Dentists

  • Armenia: Dentisalud Armenia
  • Pereira: Sonrident 160
  • Manizales: Vive Dental

 

What to bring
  • Clothes in layers! It’s warm during the day, but it can cool off considerably at night. If you are going to Los Nevados National Park, prepare for low temperatures anyway. Bring clothes that you can combine with each other; a t-shirt short sleeve, t-shirt long sleeve, thin sweater and a fleece jacket.
  • It rains frequently (especially in the afternoon), so bring a rain jacket or poncho
  • Hiking shoes
  • Flip flops and possibly a bathrobe for the thermal baths

 

Supermarkets and drugstores

Opening hours
Supermarkets are generally open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Some drugstores are open 24/7.

Supermarkets

  • Éxito, Jumbo and Carulla are popular supermarkets. Carulla is a more expensive supermarket that sells many imported products. In Pereira you will also find the Supermercado Surtifamiliar and in Manizales Mercaldas. Super Inter has several supermarkets in the coffee triangle.
  • At the larger supermarkets such as Éxito, medicines are also sold.
  • Tienda Olímpica; medicines are also sold here in the Drogerias Olímpica 24/7
Safety

The Coffee Triangle is one of the safest regions of Colombia. In the larger cities, you  need to be more cautious, especially in Pereira.

ATM’s
Use ATMs in shopping centers and supermarkets where you can safely withdraw cash

 

Wifi

Most larger hotels and hostels have wifi, at least in the common areas. If you travel off the beaten track, there is often no or unstable internet.

Best hotels for your trip to the coffee region

Travel guide Coffee Triangle

Best hotels for your trip to the coffee region

Home 9 Category: Travel guide Coffee Triangle ( Page 2 )

Where to spend the night?

The best hotels in the coffee region can be found here. Whether you’re looking for a tree house hostel or finca in Salento, Filandia or Armenia; a spa hotel near Termales Santa Rosa de Cabal; a luxury lodge in the middle of nature in Pereira or a coffee hacienda in Manizales. Keep on reading for our tips for the best hotels in the coffee region for every budget.

$ price range up to $35

$$ price range $35 – $60

$$$ price range above $60

Armenia

$

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More hotels in Armenia-Coffee Triangle

Salento

$

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More hotels in Salento Coffee Triangle

Filandia

$

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Insiders tip: If you want to stay overnight in the perfect natural setting of the Barbas Bremen natural reserve, then check out the luxury hotel Casa Tuirak

More hotels in Filandia-Coffee Triangle

Pereira

€

€€

€€€

More hotels in Pereira-Coffee Triangle

St Rosa de Cabal

$

 

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More hotels in Santa Rosa de Cabal-Coffee Triangle

Manizales

$

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More hotels in Manizales-Coffee Triangle

Find a hotel on the map

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Transportation in the Colombian coffee triangle

Travel guide Coffee Triangle

Home 9 Category: Travel guide Coffee Triangle ( Page 2 )

How to get there

How to get to the Colombian coffee triangle? Transportation to and in the coffee triangle is well organized. The major cities are easily accessible by plane and the smaller cities such as Salento and Filandia and villages such as Pijao and Buenavista are easily accessible by bus. The public transportation network is extensive, with several buses daily. Air travel is the most comfortable way to travel from Bogotá to the Coffee Triangle. Tickets are relatively cheap and you avoid the winding roads through the mountains. Also check here for different modes of transportation once you are in the coffee region.

(updated November 2024)

 

By plane

Airports

  • Pereira (Risaralda) : Matecaña airport (PEI)
  • Armenia (Quindío) : El Eden airport (AXM)
  • Manizales (Caldas): La Nubia airport (MZL).

Flights

  • Bogotá – Pereira (55 min), including Latam, Easyfly and Avianca
  • Bogotá – Armenia (1h), including Latam, Easyfly, Avianca and low cost airline Wingo
  • Bogotá – Manizales (1h), including Easyfly, Avianca.
  • Medellín – Armenia (50 min) o.a. Avianca
  • Cartagena – Pereira (1.25h), including Avianca

#ColombiaMyWay tips

From Armenia, Pereira and Manizales you can travel further to Salento and the other villages in the coffee region. Check the links below for more information:

How to get to Salento?
How to get to Filandia?

    By bus / car

    Bus

    • Shortest route: Cali – Pereira – COP 56,000/€15 (3.30h)
    • Popular route: Medellín – Manizales -COP 70,000/€19 (5-6h)
    • Longer route Bogotá – Armenia COP 75,000/19€ (9h).

    Car
    Driving yourself to the Coffee Triangle is of course also possible, only the road through the mountains from Bogotá is a challenge, especially if you have no experience with traffic in Colombia. In the Coffee Triangle itself, the roads are generally good. Alternative to driving yourself to the Coffee Triangle is to rent a car at your destination.

     

     

    Transportation in the Coffee region

    Once you arrive in the Coffee Triangle, there are several (fun) options for getting around. The Coffee Triangle is not a mega large area, yet you are often on the road longer than you think in advance when you look on Google Maps. Because of the many mountainous roads, you won’t get from A to B very quickly.

    Bus, Willy Jeep, Chiva

    Bus

    Buses run very frequently in the coffee triangle and are an inexpensive way to get to your destination. Depending on traffic, you can get to most places in the coffee triangle in 1-2 hours.
    Average travel time/price:

    • Pereira-Salento 1h. COP 8,800/€2.40
    • Armenia-Salento: 45 min. COP 5,300/€1.45
    • Manizales-Pereira: 1¼ h COP 15000/€4
    • Manizales-Armenia: 2 ¼ h COP25000/€6.75
    • Pereira-Armenia: 1 h COP9000/€2.45
    • Pereira-St.Rosa de Cabal: 45 min.COP3000/€0.85

    Willy Jeep

    You can’t avoid it; the Willy Jeep, the main means of transportation in the coffee triangle. The Willy Jeep is a popular way to get to the Valle de Cocora, among other places. Price Indication

    • Salento-Valle de Cocora: 8000COP return
    • Salento-Filandia: 5500COP, you pay for Filandia 2x one-way ticket
    • The jeeps go about every hour and only leave when they are full!
    • Prices may vary with the season

    Chiva

    Chivas are often used as a means of transportation in the more remote areas. The buses are easy to recognize; colorful and painted in cheerful colors, especially yellow, blue and red. Each Chiva is a work of art in itself.

    Partybus At night, some Chivas are transformed into “Partybus” and you can take a ride on them, with music on board, lots of ambiente and Aguardiente!

    Rental car, Uber, taxi, private transfer

    Uber
    Uber is available in the larger cities like Pereira, Armenia and Manizales. If you want a taxi serice in smaller cities like Salento, you can take a taxi (or the popular Willy jeep) from the central Plaza.

    Taxi’s
    For short trips around town and to and from the airport, taxi’s (or Ubers and other Apps) are a great option. For longer trips, a car with a private driver is more common.

    If you travel off the beaten track in the Coffee Triangle, public transportation is sometimes limited. A rental car, private transport or taxi is then often the only way to get to your destination.

    Car rental
    The roads are generally good. There are special coffee car routes, which you can download into Google maps via the website Rutas del Paisaje.  If you drive a lot on unpaved roads, a higher car is recommended.

    Private transfer
    Don’t feel like driving yourself or taking the bus? Then private transportation is an option for longer trips. This can often be arranged through your hotel. The drivers are usually excellent guides, adding a personal touch to the trip. Also, if you want to take a moment to withdraw money, have a cup of coffee or run an errand, this is usually no problem. If you can share the cost with a travel partner, then private transportation is affordable. If you travel alone, the costs can add up quite a bit. Prices are around 150,000 COP (37.50€) for a 1.5h ride and around 250,000 COP (62.50€) for a 2.5h ride.

    The Coffee Triangle: Quindío, Risaralda and Caldas

    Travel guide Coffee Triangle

    The Coffee Triangle: Quindío, Risaralda and Caldas

    Home 9 Category: Travel guide Coffee Triangle ( Page 2 )

    The famous coffee region of Colombia, also called the Coffee Triangle, Zona Cafetera or Eje Cafetero, consists of the departments: Quindío, Caldas, Risaralda, Tolima and northern Valle de Cauca. The 3 best known departments and cities in terms of tourism are Quindío (Armenia), Caldas (Manizales) and Risaralda (Pereira). These regions make up the Coffee Triangle.

    Going to the coffee region for the first time and not sure where to start? Then check out the tips below from our travels to this beautiful region.

    Where do you start?

    ColombiaMyWay Tips

    Tip#1
    Is the main purpose of your trip to the coffee triangle hiking in Valle de Cocora and visiting coffee plantations? Then stay overnight in the towns of Salento or Filandia in the Quindío region.

    Tip#2
    Do you prefer (still) unknown coffee villages? Then villages like Pijao and Buenavista in Quindío are recommended, or Salamina in Caldas.

    Tip #3
    Are you traveling with children? Then there are many fun things to do in the town of Montenegro, such as the Parque del Café. Montenegro is not far from El Eden Airport in the Quindío region.

    Tip #4
    Want to chill in thermal pools, go bird watching or visit the Los Nevados National Park? Then plan your trip to Pereira in the Risaraldas region or Manizales in the Caldas region.

    Tip #5
    If you are traveling to the coffee triangle from Jardín and/or Medellín, Manizales is the first major city in the coffee triangle. If you are traveling from Bogotá, Armenia is the first major city in the coffee triangle.

    To get an idea of what you can do where, we have listed the departments with their airports and highlights.

    Quindío

    Capital Armenia
    El Edén Airport

     

    Risaralda

    Capital Pereira
    Matacaña airport

     

    Caldas

    Capital city Manizales
    La Nubia airport

     

    Check out our tips for what to do in the coffee region, the best hotels and hostels and more in our complete travel guide about the Colombian coffee region.

    The coffee region: shopping and browsing

    Travel guide Coffee Triangle

    The coffee region: shopping and browsing

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    Shopping in the coffee region can be done in luxury malls in the bigger cities Pereira, Armenia and Manizales, as well as souvenir shops and stalls along the way. Whether you’re looking for the best coffee beans, handmade souvenirs or local delicacies, the coffee region has it all.

    Read on for the best tips for shopping in the coffee region.

    MALLS ARMENIA

    MALLS PEREIRA

    SHOPPING CENTERS MANIZALES

    SOUVENIRS

    Salento andFilandia

    There are many stalls and stores where you can score a nice souvenir, such as a nice hat or bag.

    Tip from a local when buying a bag: check that you are really buying a Colombian bag and not a “made in China” bag. Bags made in Colombia can be identified by the label with the Colombian flag.

    COFFEE

    Coffee plantations

    You can buy coffee beans on the plantation itself or in supermarkets and souvenir stores. There are also all kinds of coffee-flavored products for sale, such as jams and chocolates. Want to take home an original souvenir? Then buy at the coffee plantation a coffee bag used for exporting coffee beans.

    AREQUIPE

    Stalls along the way

    You can buy the famous Colombian caramel in many varieties: as candy, with brevas (figs) or coffee-flavored (Cafequipe). Our favorite; macademia nuts topped with arequipe! You can also find plenty of arequipe in stores, such as the larger supermarkets like Exito.

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