Last Updated on August 10, 2024
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Salento is a town in the Quindio region of Colombia, in the heart of Zona Cafetera. Despite its small size, this town is one of the top tourist destinations in Colombia. Most people come to Salento to hike the nearby Cocora Valley, which is home to the tallest wax palm trees in the world. While Valle de Cocora is the number one attraction, there are several other things to do in Salento. I recommend staying for a couple of days enjoying this colorful town.
The town of Salento also happens to be located right in the heart of Colombia’s coffee region, so if you are a coffee lover, that’s another reason to add it to your Colombia itinerary.
This is a very small town, with everything within walking distance. It’s very quaint and colorful, with a small square and one main pedestrian street. It’s surrounded by mountains and coffee farms; people are really friendly. English is pretty much nonexistent, so be sure to learn some Spanish.
How to get to Salento, Colombia
Salento will most likely be one of the stops on your Colombia trip and you can easily reach it from cities like Bogota, Medellin or Cartagena. You can either fly or take a bus, but unless you are on a really strict budget, I recommend flying. It will save you a lot of time.
Getting to Salento by air
The best and quickest way to get to Salento from any of the major Colombian cities is to fly. Since Salento doesn’t have an airport, you need to fly either to Armenia (AXM) or Pereira (PEI). Both cities are more or less the same distance from Salento, although Pereira might have more flights coming and going, as it’s a bigger airport. Avianca, LATAM and Viva Colombia all fly to both airports and the flights are quick and reasonably priced. I flew from Cartagena on Avianca for $50 one way and it took just under an hour.
Once you land in Armenia or Pereira, you are about an hour away from Salento. Your options are to take a bus, grab a taxi just outside of the airport or arrange a private transport in advance like this one.
Buses from Armenia to Salento are very frequent, every 20 minutes or so and it takes 50 minutes to get there. To catch a bus from Pereira’s airport, you first need to get to the bus station, which is a quick 15-minute taxi ride. There are plenty of taxis lined up outside of the Arrival Terminal.
Taxi from Pereira Airport straight to your hotel in Salento will cost you around 160,000 COP.
Getting to Salento by bus
If you are on a strict budget and don’t want to fly, you can also get to Salento by bus from Medellin or Bogotá. It’s a long day on the bus though. Traffic, road work and accidents are very common and can make your journey even longer.
- Medellin to Salento – there are direct buses from Terminal del Sur in Medellin to Salento. It takes 6 hours to get there and tickets cost around 78,000 COP on Flota Occidental bus.
- Bogotá to Salento – there is no direct bus between the two cities, you will need to go from Bogotá to Armenia or Pereira first, then take another bus from there to Salento. You are looking at a 9-hour journey.
Things to do in Salento, Colombia
Hike Valle de Cocora
Every list of best things to do in Salento starts with a visit to Valle de Cocora and for a good reason. The beautiful Valley is one of the most beautiful places in Colombia and why most people come to Salento in the first place.
Cocora Valley is part of Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados and is home to the tallest trees in the world. QuindÃo wax palm trees can grow up to 60 m (200 f) tall and are the national tree of Colombia. The views are out of this world and it’s definitely one of the most beautiful and unique places in the country.
Hiking Valle de Cocora is one of the must things to do in Salento and I can guarantee you, it will be one of the most beautiful hikes you’ve ever done. The trail at Cocora Valley is one big loop, about 12 km long, which takes 5-6 hours to complete. You have a choice to go either clockwise or counterclockwise.
Going clockwise means you start where the wax palm trees are, then continue through the forest. When hiking counterclockwise, you will go through rivers and bridges first and end with the palm trees. A lot of people prefer going counterclockwise, saving the best views for last. This makes sense, but keep in mind, that there’s a way higher chance of thick fog and rain later in the day. So, by the time you reach the area with palm trees, you might not have the best visibility. That’s why I feel it’s better to go clockwise starting with the palm trees, especially when you’re there in the morning with clear blue skies.
If you are not up for doing the whole loop, you can also do a short hike, which is about 2.5 km and takes around 90 minutes, depending on how often you stop. This takes you through the most scenic part of the Valley with all the wax palm trees and two Miradors. See the Valle de Cocora map below to get a better idea of what the trail looks like.
Hiking Cocora Valley is pretty easy, your biggest challenge will be muddy trails after a rain fall. Some parts might be a bit hard on the knees, but overall, it’s not a very hard hike.
Weather is usually better in the morning, so I recommend heading out as early as you can. Salento and Valle de Cocora often get rainy in the afternoon, and you have better chances at clear skies early in the morning. There will also be less people on trails.
It’s very easy to visit and hike Cocora Valley on your own, but you can book one of the guided hikes if you’d like.
How to get from Salento to Cocora Valley? Getting to Cocora Valley from Salento is very easy. All you need to do is walk to Plaza de Bolivar, the main square, and get a ride on one of the Willy jeeps. You can’t miss them, they are all lined up next to the booth, where you buy your tickets. One way ticket costs 5,000 COP (10,000 COP round trip) and it takes about 20-30 minutes to get there.
First Jeep leaves Salento around 6.30 am, and then every half hour until 6 pm. There is a timetable, but in reality, they leave when full. To get back to Salento, just head back to the same spot where you got dropped off and wait for the next Jeep. They run every hour on the hour between 11 am-6.30 pm.
How much does it cost in 2024? There is an entrance fee of 6,000 COP to start the hike. If you decide to do the entire loop, it’s another 20,000 COP. Entrance to the Hummingbird Sanctuary is additional 20,000 COP (comes with a drink like coffee). You do not need to enter the Hummingbird Sanctuary if you don’t want.
What to bring to Cocora Valley? Raincoat, comfortable walking/hiking shoes, that you don’t mind if they get dirty. Water and snacks, especially if you plan on hiking the full loop. Small change for the bathrooms.
Visit a Coffee Finca
Colombia is the third largest coffee producer in the world, after Brazil and Vietnam. Majority of it is produced in Eje Cafetero, the coffee triangle that consists of three departments: Caldas, Risaralda and Quindio. The entire region was even declared UNESCO World Heritage Site called the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia.
Out of all the places you can visit in Colombia’s coffee region, Salento is the most popular one. There are many coffee farms, called fincas, that are open to visitors and offer guided tours. From small, family run places to fincas operating on a larger scale. No matter which one you choose, visiting a coffee farm is one of the top things to do in Salento, Colombia.
I visited La Ocaso, which is one of the better known and popular fincas in Saletno. They offer tours several times a day, in Spanish and English. You can choose from a standard 90-minute tour and a Premium Coffee tour, which lasts 3 hours. The standard tour costs 40,000 COP and there are 8 tours throughout the day (4 in Spanish and 4 in English). The price for the Premium Tour is 100,000 COP and there are only two tours a day: 9 am in Spanish and 2 pm in English. Reservations are not required for the standard tour, but they do ask you to pre-book the Premium Tour, as the group is limited to 10 people only. It’s best to book directly on their website.
To get to La Ocaso, or any other finca, walk to the main square and purchase a round trip ticket for the Willy jeep. They run throughout the day and are timed with the finca tours. Some people choose to walk from the town center, which is doable and will take 1.5 hour depending on your pace. But if you end up doing one of the tours, that ends in late afternoon, I probably wouldn’t walk back in the dark.
Plaza de Bolivar
Plaza de Bolivar is the main square in Salento and the heart of town. It’s surrounded by colorful buildings, many restaurants, coffee shops, souvenir stores and a supermarket.
There is also a church, Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen, which you can visit (for free) if you’d like. And a statue of Simon Bolivar in the center of the square.
Plaza de Bolivar is also where you will go to catch the Willy jeep to take you to Cocora Valley and coffee fincas.
Walk the colorful streets of Salento
If someone asked me to describe Salento in one word, it would be colorful. Even though Guatapé is considered to be the most colorful town in Colombia, Salento can’t be far behind. Calle Real, the main pedestrian street is the most popular and incredibly photogenic, but don’t miss all the side streets. They are just as colorful and beautiful, and less crowded.
There are many great photo opportunities in Salento, if it’s something you enjoy. If you’d like to photograph all the pretty doors and the streets in general with no people there, plan to do it early in the morning. Around 9 am, the stores start opening the doors, so you won’t be able to see them. Also, the streets get busy later in the day, so it’s best to head out early.
Stroll down Calle Real
Calle Real, also known as Carrera 6, is the main drag in Salento and it’s the most colorful of all the streets in town. It runs from Plaza Bolivar all the way to the staircase leading up to Mirador Alto de la Cruz. The white buildings that line the street, have beautifully painted doors and balconies.
Calle Real is mostly stores and restaurants. If you are looking to buy a souvenir, this is where you should go. You can find anything from rugs, clothes bags and jewelry. On the weekends, there is a market with vendors setting up the stands right on the street.
Go souvenir shopping
If you’d like to bring home some souvenirs, Calle Real is where you want to shop. There are many great boutique stores selling anything from clothes, bags, hammocks to jewelry and ponchos.
One of the most popular items to buy are the colorful Waayu Mochila bags. They are hand made by indigenous Waayu artisans, and come in all different colors and patterns, each very unique. You can buy them all over Colombia and most stores in Salento have them as well. I think they are one of the best souvenirs from Colombia.
Enjoy the views from the Mirador
If you walk to the end of Calle Real, you’ll end up at a steep staircase. The colorful stairs, about 200 of them, lead to first of the viewpoints in Salento, Mirador Alto de la Cruz. It’s free to visit and offers nice views of the town and the surroundings. It’s also a great spot to watch the sunset.
After you are done, don’t rush to go down. To the left of the staircase (or the right, if you are facing the town), there is a pathway, that leads to another viewpoint. Just follow the path and after a short walk you will end up at Mirador de Salento. While the first viewpoint was all about the town, this one offers spectacular views of the mountains stretching all the way towards Valle de Cocora. This one is also free.
As you walk down the path towards Mirador de Salento, right before you reach it, there’s a small bar called Botanica. It’s a great spot to grab a drink and watch the sunset, if you happen to be there around that time.
Coffee shops
One of the best and most popular coffee shops in Salento is Café Jesús MartÃn, right in Plaza de Bolivar. I also really liked Concreto, another cute place with excellent coffee, this one on Calle Real, close to the Mirador.
If you need to grab a cup of coffee early in the morning, Andarie Go! is the place to go. It’s a small coffee shop, right in the main square, on the corner and it was the only place open at 7 am. Great coffee and pastries, perfect if you need a cup to go before heading to Valle de Cocora early in the morning.
Try trout
As much as I loved Colombia, I’m not going to lie, I was not crazy about the food. With a couple of exceptions, one of them being trucha. Trucha, or trout in English, is the most local dish you can get in Salento. It comes as a huge fillet, and it can be cooked in many different ways. Trout baked in the cream sauce with garlic and cheese seems to be the favorite.
Being the town’s signature dish, almost every restaurant will have trout on the menu. It’s usually served with a couple of sides and patacón, which is basically a fried plantain.
Go horseback riding
If you love horseback riding, Salento is a perfect place for it. The landscape is beyond beautiful and there are plenty of trails to go on to enjoy the views.
One of the most popular places to have that amazing experience is Valle de Cocora. You can do it instead of hiking or do both. You can book your Horse Riding in Cocora Valley trek here.
If you are up for a longer tour, this Cocora Valley and Salento Tour is fun option. During the 6-8 hours, you get to explore both Salento and the Valley on the back of the horse.
You can also go horseback riding to Santa Rita waterfall, through coffee farms and other trails. A local company Cabalgatas San Pablo offers those treks and several more. They are highly rated, and most importantly their horses are healthy and well taken care of. Which sadly, is not always the case.
Expect to pay 40,000-60,000 COP depending on how far you go. No matter which trail you choose, it will be one of the best things to do in Salento.
Visit Finlandia
I didn’t get to do it during my trip, but if you have extra time, you can also do a day trip from Salento to Finlandia. This is another small town in the QuindÃo region, about 40 minutes away. Finlandia doesn’t get nearly as much attention as Salento does, it’s way less touristy and quieter.
Finlandia is pretty similar to Salento, in a way that it’s also a small town, also very colorful with similar buildings. If you are not too familiar with either and saw pictures online, you’d probably think it’s the same town. But there are definitely more things to do in Salento than Finlandia.
There’s no direct bus between Salento and Finlandia, so you’ll need to either grab a taxi or one of the Willy jeeps from the main square. They do not sell round trip tickets, so you will have to buy your return ticket in Finlandia.
Where to stay in Salento, Colombia
Despite its small size, there are quite a few hotels in Salento. You can stay either right in town, or just outside of it, in the countryside. Both have its pros and cons, so it all comes down to what kind of experience you are looking for.
If you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery along with peace and quiet, choose a hotel in the countryside. If you’d rather be in the middle of all the action, close to all the restaurants and stores, definitely stay in town.
Terrazas de Salento – this boutique hotel with just 7 rooms is one of the best hotels in Salento. It’s located right on the edge of town, near the Mirador de Salento. While staying at Terrazas de Salento you get the best of two worlds, you are just a walking distance to everything, but away enough, that is quiet. The hotel has lovely grounds and beautiful views. Very good breakfast with many things to choose from is included in the rate.
La Posada de la Plaza – great hotel if you want to be in the heart of town. La Posada de la Plaza is right in the main square, so you are in the middle of all the action.
Hotel Kawa Mountain Retreat – if you are looking for an upscale place and tranquility, this resort is a perfect choice. Because of the location, you get breathtaking views and a peaceful stay. Rooms are spacious and beautiful, and you will love relaxing in a jacuzzi and sauna at the end of the day. Great breakfast with tons of options is included. From the hotel, it’s a few minute walk into town via a foot path.
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