Armenia Colombia :: 7 Experiences Not to Miss

This post is the first of my five-part series on Colombia, South America.

“Why would you go to Armenia of all places in Colombia?” you might ask. Let me preface my answer by saying that neither Roydio nor I speak much Spanish (save for the few words and phrases we’ve learned over the years living in California) and yet we found ourselves in Colombia for the very first time, a country where very few people speak or understand English. Our motivation for visiting was a young couple from Colombia whom we had met while vacationing in China. We kept in touch over the years and had hoped to meet each other on the road again but our paths never crossed. So we decided to take matters into our own hands and visit them in their home country.

Our plan was to spend four weeks in Colombia exploring different parts of the country including a week in Bogota where our friends live, a week in Medellin, a week in Cartagena and then another week exploring the coast and Rosario Islands. But then we came upon the opportunity to spend our first week in Colombia with Roydio’s Spanish-speaking brother and his friends who happened to be traveling to Armenia during the time we were to be in Colombia. So although this particular city was not originally in our plans (not even on our radar, to be frank) we changed our itinerary to begin our Colombian journey there.

From what I was able to gather before our trip I found out that Armenia is the capital of Quindio department, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011 (you know by now how much I love visiting UNESCO sites!) and named the Coffee Culture Landscape of Colombia, being an integral part of the coffee triangle, and one of the main centers of the national economy largely due to, I would venture to guess, its coffee production).

We were so excited to visit Colombia for the first time and Armenia turned out to be the perfect place to start. Forgive me for taking so long to answer the original question. Of all the amazing qualities held by this city and the areas surrounding it, here are the Top Seven Things I recommend doing when visiting Armenia ::

Warning: You may be getting a Spanish lesson in this post so… be prepared!

#7. Spend time in downtown Armenia.

Being in the center of Colombia’s coffee triangle you will find local cafeterias (coffee shops) on every corner. The people are friendly and are happy to give you samples of the foods they sell. They genuinely want you to taste the goodness before you buy. 

And speaking of taking time, I’d also recommend you visit some of the surrounding towns such as Salento, Buena Vista and Cocora Valley, each of which I will be mentioning again later in this post.

#6. Be sure to eat bandeja paisa.

Bandeja paisa (local Armenian meal) includes cerdo (pork) and huevos (eggs), frijoles (beans – I absolutely LOVED the flavorful frijoles!), chorizo (sausage), and try the mazamorra (porridge made with corn, milk, sugar cane) which are distinctive dishes in Armenia. 

Patacones (plantains) grow abundantly in Quindio department so naturally they have found many ways to eat it. One dish is “Salentune Patacon” which is a smashed, thin fried layer covered with queso molido (ground cheese), carne molido (ground beef) and salsa de pina (pineapple sauce).

Arepa, a thick tortilla-type food made of ground maize (corn), is also popular and can be eaten plain (be sure to add table salt!) along with huevos (eggs) and/or cheese and sometimes comes filled with pollo desmenuzado (shredded chicken), carne asada (roasted beef) or pieces of chicharron (fried pork belly).

TIP :: When eating plain arepas be sure to add table salt (there’s a reason they put salt on the table) because the flavor can be quite bland.

At one of the local places we had the pollo a la parrilla y papas (barbecued chicken and potatoes) and although that may sound like a simple meal the only thing simple about how the Armenia’s serve it is the way it simply melts in your mouth (see what I did there?) with a wonderful local flavor! And then always served with patacones.

TIP :: When tipping at a Colombian restaurant some people tip anywhere from 1000 pesos (less than 30 US cents) to 2000 pesos (less than 75 cents US). Locals generally tip very little if at all. Tipping is not expected but always appreciated.

I also recommend stopping at one of the local panaderias (bakeries) for the bunuelos (round fried dough balls or fritters like donuts only without the hole) or the cocadas blancas (or what we called “coconut balls” because really, that’s what they are) which are made with sweetened condensed milk. Oh Em Gee. You definitely don’t want to miss that.

There are a couple of nearby towns that are worth a visit as well. In Filandia try the desserts at La Casa Del Pandebon which served amazing baked items.

In Salento be sure to dine at La Fonda de los Arrieros which has a wonderful ambiance and where they serve the best traditional foods :: arepas, frijoles (beans), arroz (rice), chorizo (sausage), chicharron (pork belly) and aguacate (avocado) and don’t miss trying the refajo (local beer mixed with Colombiano which is a local soda) as well as lulo (local fruit which means “little orange” made into an amazing juice – my very fave in Armenia). They also have a little mariachi band that will come and play for you at your table. So fun!

#5. Visit a local finca (farm).

The landscape is breathtakingly beautiful and it is really a wonderful treat to see how the livestock in Armenia is raised and treated and fed.

You might even consider a Farm Stay. Finca Hotel La Tata Premium in Pueblo Tapao Montenegro about a 30-minute drive east of Armenia comes highly recommended. Click on the link and check it out. Great reviews and property! Hiking and coffee/banana plantation tours can be arranged from here.

We had the pleasure of visiting our friends’ finca de la familia (family farm). Several of us milked the vacas (cows) and fed their babes (babies)… and a couple of us even rode the caballos (horses). It was a lovely way to spend the day for sure and I highly recommend you do this when you’re in Armenia.

I would highly recommend getting out into the open and visiting a finca or two in Armenia. It is truly a beautiful area and the air is so fresh and clean!

#4. Go river rafting in Montenegro – Balsaje Por El Rio La Vieja.

OK so Montenegro is a country in Europe but it’s also a city in Colombia near Armenia. Who knew? This was the most relaxing day we had in Armenia thus far and it was absolutely perfect! Rather than white-water rafting this is more of a “lazy” river rafting experience that floats along peacefully with the help of the two guides who kept us from bumping into the banks. Sometimes we got a little rush but most times it just gently took us along. And it went slow enough that we were able to jump into the river and just float (or swim) alongside the raft.

The time of year we did this the area had experienced 40 days without rain so we were not able to visit the anticipated waterfall La Cascada and although it was a disappointment it really didn’t take away from our rafting experience at all.

We took a lunch break in a beautiful spot overlooking the river which was absolutely perfect. Lunch was arroz, pollo, patacon and vegetales (vegetables) in a delicious sauce served altogether in a hoja de banana (banana leaf). OMG was it good! Seriously delicious!

TIP :: If it’s a super sunny day be sure to ask them to put up a roof for you (they are more than happy to oblige). It can get hot and being in the shade when you need it is really helpful.

#3. Go paragliding in Buena Vista.

I know, I said it. Me. With my overwhelming fear of heights which I am desperately trying to overcome. Well, by the coercion, I mean encouragement, of our friends and with some reticence as you can see in the pic below, I agreed to give it a try. OMG.

Running off a cliff was seriously one of the scariest things I’ve ever done in my life… who’s idea was this???

But I must say, once I was off the ground and some time had gone by (with the help of my instructor who owned the company *whew!* and who helped distract me by pointing out some interesting views in the distance) I am so glad I did it. The view was breathtaking (I think I’ve used this word many times in describing what I’ve seen of Colombia so far and I don’t think it will be the last) and the air was so fresh and clear. It was a perfect day. I had the perfect instructor. He even let me steer us for a while. One of the highlights of my life so far, for sure.

Considering everything is much more affordable in Colombia than in the US it was really refreshing to be able to do many activities without breaking the bank. For instance, our paragliding experience cost only $40US per person while in California it would cost anywhere from $175 to $250. I am so glad I didn’t chicken out and took the leap… It is definitely one thing checked off my bucket list and something I can brag about (hehe) for years to come.

After our successful experience in the air we spent some time in the cute little town of Buena Vista.

#2. Go horseback riding in the Andes Mountains.

Climb into a jeep for a 2-hour drive to Cocora Valley and ride up into the Andes Mountains on caballos that know the trail very well.

Definitely not a leisurely ride, it was an incredible experience with breathtaking views as we rode our caballos through narrow trails of rocks and streams and trees and waterfalls. This adventure is definitely not for the faint of heart but surely one I will never forget!

Our destination was a hummingbird sanctuary high in the hills to which we had to climb about 100 very steep steps. Once we got up there (whew!) we enjoyed the scenery, refreshments and the beautiful hummingbirds flitting about. This also gave our caballos a break before heading back to town.

Check out this slow-mo video I took of these adorable birds…

TIPS ::
#1. Again, this experience is not for the faint of heart. You will need to be a mediocre horseback rider or else they will give you a guide to help you along the trail as I did (I’ve only been on a horse a handful of times in my life).
#2. We had a dry and beautiful sunny day but I have heard that it can rain and get muddy on this trail so be prepared with a raincoat and boots.
#3. Be prepared for this ride to take your breath away at times. Seriously incredible.

#1. Visit a coffee farm and take the tour.

Since Armenia is located in the middle of the Coffee Triangle and named the Coffee Culture Landscape of Colombia for good reason it really is a must to see how the coffee is grown, harvested and prepared for public consumption. WakeCup Coffee Tour by Experiencia Cafetera is located about an hour’s drive south of Armenia in Pijao where you will experience an immersive, full-day coffee tour known to be one of the best coffee tours in Colombia. The tour will take you through every step of the production process as well as all the way through to the end product and how best to serve it.

There are also other farms and tours available in Salento and in Armenia itself. It doesn’t really matter where you go, just don’t miss the opportunity to take a tour. Especially if you’re a coffee connoisseur (but even if you aren’t – like me) you will not want to miss this experience.

In the pic above I am drinking coffee. Duh! But what you may not know is that I am NOT a coffee drinker. Well, unless you count Starbucks Frapuccino as coffee; most people don’t. HA!

But as I was explaining this to the server he gave me the rare opportunity to change my mind by giving me pure Colombian coffee with the actual coffee cherries as a sweetener instead of sugar (a true Colombian coffee shop does not believe in using sugar in coffee – in fact, they don’t even have it available in the store!). He asked me to chew the coffee cherry (the outside of the coffee bean that is usually removed before the bean is roasted) and then take a swallow of coffee and cherry at the same time. OMG.

This is the first time I have ever really enjoyed a cup of java. Wow. I wish we could get these coffee cherries in the US!

Read More ::

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Lisbon :: One of My Very Favorite Cities in Europe

Sorrento :: A Charming Town on the Coast of Italy

Armenia was the perfect start to our time in Colombia. The fact that we were able to travel this week with Spanish-speaking people really helped us get more comfortable, learn and understand more Spanish.

But more than that our adventures in Armenia were unforgettable. The landscape was breathtaking. Everywhere we went we were overwhelmed by God’s beautiful creations in nature. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to spend time in this incredible area of Colombia and especially to be able to spend it with family and friends.

Our next adventure in Colombia takes us to Medellin. Stay tuned in next week’s post for a recap of our time there. You will not want to miss it!