Today at the coffee shop we will take a tour of the coffee axis and its coffee route. Among a beautiful landscape of mountains, coffee plantations, guayacanes, yarumos, guaduales and banana trees, there is a route of 62 municipalities in Colombia that hide in their essence the magic of natural coffee.
From the mythical Cartagena de Indias, to the imposing Bogotá, passing through Medellín or Cali or remote towns with the Amazon jungle or the mountain ranges as a backdrop, Colombia has plenty of charms for a dream trip. Away from mass tourism, the country seems to be a destination more called than recommended for the practice of ecotourism and, without a doubt, the Colombian coffee axis is one of the best scenarios to carry it out.
Reading: Ruta del cafe en colombia
But what exactly is the Colombian coffee axis? Behind this denomination there is much more than passion for coffee, and that is that the country nestled in the extreme north of South America can boast of being one of the largest producers worldwide. So much so, that the region that mainly comprises the departments of Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío, is an obligatory stop for coffee lovers. but there is more.
Its natural wealth that gives away movie landscapes and the area’s agricultural exploitation model, which coexists with and cares for the environment, earned it UNESCO recognition as a World Heritage Coffee Cultural Landscape almost a decade ago.
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Hundreds of thousands of families live from the tradition of coffee in Colombia and, many of them, offer the visitor the opportunity to learn about it first hand. The coffee route is located in the central western part of the Colombian Andes, which is made up of three departments: Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío. and the three main cities in this area are its capitals: Manizales, Pereira and Armenia, respectively. They are part of the 62 municipalities of the coffee axis, where coffee is produced and exported internationally.
the coffee axis is the best-known area for planting grains, which converges through three departments (caldas, quindío and risaralda). There are several options to visit but if you have the time, you can go through Armenia, Salento and the Cocora Valley.
Armenian
Founded on October 14, 1889, at first they had thought of assigning the name “Villa Holguín”, although the settlers who inhabited it felt that it was not appropriate, and so they opted for Armenia.
in this welcoming city, the green panoramas stand out, in an environment surrounded by coffee farms, rural areas and an irresistible aroma of mild Arabica coffee, of which Colombia boasts of being the first producer worldwide.
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Without a doubt, one of the must-sees in the historic center is Bolívar Square, a place that brings together the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the Monument to Effort, and the Quindío Government Building. in addition to the Quimbaya gold museum, which allows you to discover the goldsmithing of the Colombian indigenous peoples.
Armenia is another great coffee city, whose productions travel all over the world, and where you can enjoy the yipao festival, held in October, in which coffee is the protagonist of the famous event.
Salento, one of the most beautiful and picturesque towns on the axis.
Here we will follow the first settlers from Antioquia who arrived in the region in the mid-19th century to start the exploitation of coffee. up to here they brought the colonial architecture and began the transformation of the landscape. To get to the Alto de la Cruz viewpoint, you have to climb almost 300 steps. but the effort is worth it. From up there you can perfectly understand what coffee means for the region. the transformed landscape; the remains of native jungle on the tops of the hills and the reddish roofs of a pretty town.
The other great landmark near Salento is the Cocora Valley, one of the most beautiful places in all of Colombia. The best way to get to know this unique place is to walk. The ‘willys’ (jeeps from the 50s) leave from the Plaza de Bolívar and leave you right at the start of the road. there are trails for all tastes, but the best thing to do is to do the circular one that will allow you to visit the meadows near the quindío river, the patches of native rain forest and the palm groves. This is a magical place that must be seen no matter what and where it is worth spending a whole day.
Doing this coffee route means discovering viewpoints that look like postcards, delving into their culture, visiting and traveling through colorful family haciendas to learn about the best-kept secrets for generations in the cultivation and preparation of one of the best coffees in the world and enjoy the warm hospitality of the coffee farmers, who show with pride and passion the process that culminates in a delicious cup of coffee.
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