Travel Guide Salento

Salento is one of the most beautiful villages of theEje Cafetero, the most touristic, appreciated by Colombians as well as foreign visitors. This typical village of the antioqueña colonization is located at one hour drive from Armenia and Pereira. It was the first municipio of the Quindío. The village was located at the level of the current Boquía river, and was moved to higher ground in 1865 due to repeated flooding. At an altitude of about 1,900 meters, Salento offers a magnificent view of the valley and the Quindío River from the viewpoint, which can be reached by walking up Calle Real, which starts at the central park. This colorful street is full of craft stores, cafes and restaurants.Salento is also known for its Cocora Valley, located a few kilometers away and usually reached by Willys Jeep. The Cocora Valley is home to approximately 2,000 specimens of the famous wax palm(palma de cera or Ceroxyla de Quindigo). The national tree, all in trunk and being able to reach more than 60 m of height has the particularity to grow between 1 500 m and 3 100 m of altitude, geographical coquetry for a tree more familiar of the seaside! A little further from Salento, the Tochecito Valley (La Carbonera) is less known but offers even more impressive landscapes, with the most abundant wax palm forests in the world (about 600,000 trees!). It is difficult to get there by yourself, but there are organized hikes or bike rides through the agencies in Salento.