Tierra Paisa Overview

By Richard McColl

Tierra Paisa is a fertile and verdant swath of land that includes not only the massive department of Antioquia but also those of Caldas, Risaralda and Quindio, meaning it takes in most of the area known as the Eje Cafetero. As you would expect, inhabitants of the Tierra Paisa are referred to as Paisas, and they are considered among the friendliest and hardest-working of Colombia’s residents. In fact, Paisas are known throughout Colombia for their proactive business sense, including arguably the most famous of the Paisas, current President Alvaro Uribe Velez.

In keeping with their nature, Paisas have established their area as one that bears high yields in all types of industry, agriculture (coffee), mining (coal) and commerce, making it an economic powerhouse within Colombia.

In recent years Paisas have actively promoted their land as one for tourism, and for good reason: the region is littered with delightful colonial villages with whitewashed walls and conservative yet accommodating citizens with a desire to maintain their cultural heritage.

Medellin is the region’s capital, but there are other sites worth a visit such as the Gulf of Urabá on the Caribbean coast, the scenery in and about the coffee town of Salento in Quindio, the colonial masterpiece of Santa Fe de Antioquia, and the towns of Manizales, Pereira and Armenia.