Eje Cafetero

Eje Cafetero, PCC Coffee Cultural Landscape

Colombian Western Andes Region, Mountains of Coffee and Flowers
Departments: Caldas, Quindío, Risaralda and Valle del Cauca
Colombian Coffee Cultural Landscape declared World Heritage
Covers 51 municipalities and 858 villages
Distance Bogota - Armenia 282 km
Distance Bogotá – Pereira 321 km
Distance Bogotá – Manizales 304 km

Due to its conditions of "location, relief, climate and soils, this region presents a high number of habitats of strategic interest for the conservation of biological diversity." It has a large presence of native forests and biological corridors considered essential for the conservation of global biodiversity.

The economy and culture of this region have revolved around coffee for more than a century, that is, only a few decades after being populated by the Antioquian colonizers, who began their occupation of the territory in the 19th century. Processes such as the planting of the first coffee plantations, through the construction of rural houses and infrastructure for the transport, processing and commercialization of coffee, and the subsequent transformation of production techniques, have given this landscape an exceptional dynamic.

This combination of a deep-rooted coffee tradition with the heritage of the Antioquia colonization has played a fundamental role in shaping regional culture, and has generated a wealth of manifestations in fields as diverse as music, dance, traditional cuisine, and architecture, manifestations that have been transmitted from generation to generation.

There are innumerable and varied experiences that our guests will be able to explore in this region, such as: coffee tasting in a traditional coffee farm by an expert farmer, walking along coffee and cocoa trails, observing endemic species of butterflies and flying birds. free among the forests, crossing the rivers and streams that advance enriching the lands that produce tropical fruits and coffee.

At the side of the well-kept roads appear the details that represent the importance and beauty of the PCC. The uniform mountains, the coffee farms, the theme parks, the adventure scenarios, the springs that feed rivers and streams. Valleys of infinite greenness such as Maravélez and Cocora; the latter, pierced by some wax palms that touch the sky and point the way to the Los Nevados National Natural Park.

For our adventurers, the paragliding flight, coffee canopy with up to 2000 meters of travel, the journey aboard a typical Yipao, transport that for 60 years has loaded coffee, bananas, removals and passengers. Stay in a traditional coffee farm or in a glamping near Nevado del Ruiz, immerse yourself in the mineral waters of the thermal springs that emanate from the interior of mother earth; These are all the experiences that our Coffee Cultural Landscape offers.

Notable cities and municipalities: Armenia, Salento, Alcala, Pereira, Filandia, Santa Rosa de Cabal, Manizales, Aguadas, La Nubia, Neira, Montenegro, Quimbaya, Salamina, Aranzazu, La Dorada, Marulanda, Pensilvania, Palestina, Anserma.

Learn more about about

our coffee mountains, birds and flowers

Manizales

It is located in the center west of Colombia, in the Paisa region, on the Central Cordillera of the Andes, near the Nevado del Ruiz. Founded in 1849 by settlers from Antioquia, today it is a city with economic, industrial, cultural and tourist activities. Of its cultural activity, it is worth highlighting the Manizales Fair, during which the International Coffee Reign is held, the Manizales International Theater Festival, being the most important theater city in the history of Colombia, and the Manizales Grita Rock Festival. Manizales is called the "City of Open Doors" thanks to the cordiality of its people.

Pereira

It is the most populated city in the region of the coffee region and the second most populated in the paisa region, after Medellín; It forms the Central West Metropolitan Area together with the municipalities of Dosquebradas, La Virginia. It is located in the central-western region of the country, in the Otún river valley in the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. As the capital of the department of Risaralda, Pereira is home to the headquarters of the Risaralda Governor's Office, the Departmental Assembly, the Departmental Court, the Metropolitan Area, and the General Prosecutor's Office. Numerous public companies and institutions and agencies of the Colombian state are also based in it. Being in the center of the Golden Triangle (Bogotá, Medellín and Cali), it has gained great importance, especially in the field of commerce.

Armenia

It is one of the main centers of the Colombian coffee axis. It is a medium-sized city located in the Golden Triangle. Its average temperature is between 18-28 °C. Armenia's commercial activities are mainly supported by trade, agriculture, tourism, the provision of goods and services, communications and, to a lesser extent, industry and construction. The capital of Quindío operates as a collection center for all the agricultural production that occurs in the surrounding fields. Foods such as bananas, fruit trees and corn stand out.

Gastronomía

Manizales

Among the most representative dishes of this area we find beans, which are used to serve as warm for breakfast and as soup or part of the dry, for lunch or dinner. The hogao, the ripe plantain and the sancocho de uña are also very traditional in Caldas. Among the dishes that should not be missed in Manizales, there is the asorrete, a succulent beef pie with bacon, and beef tongue in cilantro and thyme sauce, for those reckless travelers who want to venture out to try something different. These two dishes can be accompanied with the traditional arepas, corn rolls stuffed with cheese. Going to Manizales and not drinking mistela is like not having gone! Go ahead and try the sweet and refreshing drink made from brandy, syrup and chamomile.

Pereira

Arepa
It is one of the main components of the typical food of the coffee zone, ideal for breakfast or snack, it can also accompany lunch.

Solteritas
They are fried wheat flour cookies accompanied by cream with orange essence. On every street you can find a sale of these delicious cookies.

Mazamorra or Claro
It is one of the derivatives of corn, it is generally offered as an after-dinner or dessert. Like the claro (white broth derived from it) it serves as an accompaniment to the bandeja paisa with a sandwich or panela.

Bandeja Paisa
It is the best known dish in the country, it gets its name from the large number of ingredients it contains, it is not very local to this region but the elements vary or change according to the climate of each region in which they are consumed.

Morcilla or Rellena
The morcilla is a rice sausage mixed with pig's blood and pieces of bacon. It is often confused with chorizo, but it is made with pork.

Sancocho
One of the dishes that requires the most ingredients for its preparation, it is made with pieces of potato, cassava, plantain and corn in a delicious chicken, rib, back or spine broth.