It is no coincidence that Disney chose the magical village of Salento as the backdrop for their most recent film, Encanto. The Spanish word ''encanto'' translates to charm, delight, or joy in English. And as we spent eight days in this small village in the middle of Eje Cafetero, we quickly realized that Salento is truly one of the most charming, delightful, and joyful towns in Colombia. Come along with us as we share the charming beauty that make Salento a truly encanto vacation destination.
Tour the Town
Salento is a very small pueblo (population 7,000) that, because of years of isolation, has retained its colonial architecture and charm. A walk of less than a half mile will get you from one end of the town to the other. Because of its delightful decor and its tranquil way of life, Salento has become a popular tourist destination for those desiring to escape the chaos of the big city. Pick a street ... any street to begin your tour of the town. You will be greeted with colorful architectural sights all around you!
Climb to Alto de la Cruz Mirador and El Mirador Ecopark
Salento sits on a plateau overlooking the Quindio River valley. On the east side of town are two amazing miradores (viewpoints) that look out over the Valle de Cocora on one side and the town of Salento on the other. Climbing the 240 steps of Alto de la Cruz (Way of the Cross) Mirador is a challenging and healthy daily exercise routine that rewards you with beautiful urban views day or night.
From the top of Alto de la Cruz, take the path that leads to the second viewpoint, El Mirador Ecopark for a breathtaking view of the Valle de Cocora. If it is a clear day, you may even catch a glimpse of one of Colombia's snow capped mountains, the Nevado del Quindio. From the Ecopark follow the street downhill, and you will find yourself back in the midst of Salento.
Go Shopping on Calle Real (Royal Street)
Calle Real (Royal Street) is the main thoroughfare in town. It starts at the bottom of Alto de la Cruz Mirador and leads westward to the Salento town square. Every step is a feast for a shopper's or diner's eyes. Day or night, this pedestrian-only (ok ... occasionally a stray motorcycle) street is filled with people in search of that delicious meal or unique souvenir. Because the night temperatures can be a bit chilly, it quickly becomes obvious why ponchos, sombreros, and sweaters are popular items,
... and why a few of them may have made it into our luggage.
Savor the Local Flavors at Salento's Many Restaurants
Because it is a popular tourist town, it's not difficult to find a delicious meal in one of Salento's many restaurants. The difficulty is deciding which one to choose. We will start with the two local specialties, super patacones, and fried or baked trout.
I fell in love with the thin, crispy ''super'' patacones that I tried. Patacones are plantains that are deep fried, flattened, and deep fried once again to produce a thin and crispy texture. Usually they are about three inches in diameter, but the local favorites in Salento are as large as the plates that they are served on. One offering was topped with carne and hogao (ground beef and a tomato/onion salsa). The other, vegetarian, was topped with fresh sauteed vegetables and cheese .... which I chose to have on the side because the Colombians do like to smother their food with cheese.
From the local rivers, there is an abundance of trout which then makes it way onto the restaurant menus. Choose from fried or grilled (with the eyes still staring right at you) or baked in a sauce (as Doug preferred). The famous super patacón then becomes a crispy side for you to enjoy.
During one of our ''fancier'' nights out, we found an out-of-the-way bistro that served up some higher end meals. When we arrived at Bernabé at 6:45, we had the open-air restaurant all to ourselves, since most Colombians don't eat their dinner until about 8 pm. Our waiter, Alejandro, may have been a little bored, because he gave us a very in-depth Spanish lesson as he patiently went through and explained all ten pages of their menu in his slow, clear native tongue. After he was through, I realized that I should no longer avoid ''salteado'' vegetables as that just means that they are sauteed ... not heavily salted like I had originally thought. Seriously, I should look these words up sometimes! We ended up ordering a sauteed vegetable and pasta salad and the filet magnon that was enough to share. That food, a frilly fruit drink and a serious coffee cocktail, came to $27 including tip.
One of the hidden gems that we discovered was a small Venezuelan restaurant called Cumana Bistro. Doug found their traditional ''menu del día'' offering full of spice and flavor,
... and they raised the mostly flavorless arepas to a whole new level of ''yum'' with their chicken and avocado stuffed arepa. While Venezuela may be Colombia's next door neighbor, their cooking methods and use of spice are a bit different ... and we were pleasantly delighted with the change.
When we found out that Brunch Restaurant, famous for their homemade peanut butter brownie sundae was only open until 4 pm, we had to make a not-so-difficult decision. After our late morning hike, this decadent piece of heavenly bliss became our lunch ... not just one day, but two.
During one of our back road walks, we came upon a family finca that was serving up lunch with a view. Not going to pass up this kind of vista along with a $3.50 meal that will help fuel our walk back into town!
Well, enough talking about food, time to start wearing off some of these calories ...
Hold on Tight ... We're Taking a Willy Ride!
The easiest way to get to Valle de Cocora, the coffee fincas, and many of the surrounding hiking areas is to take one of the Willy Jeep taxis from Salento for about 8,000 cop ($2) round trip each.
When you see the narrow, bumpy, and winding roads, you will be grateful for your skilled and fearless driver. The Willy jeeps were brought to this area after WWII to help the farmers get their coffee and other agricultural products from their fincas high in the mountains to the town markets.
Not much room for two vehicles to meet, much less pass one another on these roads.
The big, open back area of the Willy is the perfect size for a few bags of coffee beans, or about eight tourists (with a few on top or hanging out, if necessary).
Feel the Magic in the Valle de Cocora
Valle de Cocora is the crown jewel of a Salento visit. You can drive to this park located about a half hour from Salento, but taking a Willy ride is part of the adventure!
This valley on the east side of the city is home of Colombia's national tree, the Palma de Cera (Wax Palm). This tall, slender, ''Dr Seuss-looking'' tree rises from the valley floor and often disappears into the clouds above.
The Willy drops off at the park entrance where the real go-getters will start a six hour hike up and down the mountain valley and over some sketchy-looking suspension bridges. Have at it! For the rest of us, we will follow a fairly well maintained gravel path, pay our 6,000 cop ($1.50) entrance fee, and walk under some pretty amazing leaf cover to two overlooks.
There we will be in awe of all the beauty we see stretched out before us. We will search the sky for a glimpse of Colombia's national bird, the Andean Condor ... and contemplate doing the whole six hour loop.
We will then nix that idea and turn around, hug a tree or two,
... and just miss the heart-shaped opening in the clouds,
as we catch the Willy for our trip back into town.
See the Origin of Your Morning Brew on a Coffee Farm Tour
Can't venture this far into Eje Cafetero without taking a coffee farm tour. The business that runs the Willys also sets up tours to four different coffee fincas in the area. We chose the two and a half hour Buenos Aires Coffee Farm tour. Tickets were 37,000 cop ($9) a piece and included a 45 minute Willy ride down an even more narrow and rough road leading to the finca.
Maurice, our guide, greeted us and outfitted us for an afternoon of work.
He quickly got us planting some baby coffee sprouts as the coffee plants take a certain number of years to produce beans and last only a certain number of years after that, so the farmers are constantly pruning back and replanting. The tour was all in Spanish, which Doug said he would interpret for me, but as you can see by the lack of specific details, his job as a translator leaves a bit to be desired.
But no problem for me ... once again the charming countryside captured all of my attention.
And besides, I was busy collecting all the ruby red beans for your next cup of 100% Colombian coffee
... which ''Diego'' processed, dried, roasted, ground,
... and brewed into the perfect cup of Colombian coffee. Juan Valdez would be proud!
Walk (or Ride a Horse) Along the Back Roads
Watch your step when you are walking around Salento, because this is horse country. Horses are very important work companions in the hilly fields and on the rocky roads. And they are just as popular with the tourists.
This was the constant scene outside our Airbnb apartment. There is no better sound to wake up to in the morning than the sound of horse huffs!
Our efforts were rewarded by charming views,
... and artistic cups of coffee.
Play an Explosive Game of Tejo
Tejo is an explosive throwing sport in Colombia. Really! Participants aim at small targets of gunpowder and try to explode the target by hitting it with their heavy tejo disk. It is believed that the game originated over 500 years ago by the native aboriginals in central Colombia. But, it could be just as likely that someone who had a little too much to drink one night thought up the game, as Colombian beer and aguardiente is common companions in the tejo arena.
In case you are wondering, here are the ''official'' rules (at least for the Salento Tejo facility).
In the spirit of ''you gotta try everything at least once'', I made a few attempts to try and get remotely close to the target.
Enjoy the Music and People-Watching Opportunities
No matter what time of day or night, pull up a chair or find a sidewalk bench because there are plenty of music and people watching opportunities in Salento.
From street musicians,
... to the local police band concert, music filled the air.
What a joy to see families and friends cherishing the end of their Christmas vacation by singing and dancing together!
Bonus Charm ... Bird Watching
Look in some guide books, and you will find that the area around Salento is a prime spot for bird watching. Not that I know anything about birds, but I really just enjoyed capturing their beautiful colors and unique expressions as we sat at a coffee finca enjoying our cappuccinos.
And wait ... remember that allusive Andean Condor?? Well, with the help of a knowledgeable native and my long lens camera, I was able to notice and (sort of) capture the grace and charm of Colombia's national bird soaring high above the Wax Palms in Valle de Cocora.
In so many ways our experiences in Salento, as in other Colombian locations, bring alive the words of the title song from the movie Encanto. We hope that you can visit this magical place someday and also be charmed by its beauty.
🎜 Colombia, te quiero tanto; Que siempre me enamora tu encanto! 🎜
🎜 Colombia, I love you so much; I'm always falling for your charm! 🎝
