Zona Cafetera

By Brenda Yun

The smell of tangy oranges, the taste of coffee, and the sound of birdsongs. These are all part of life in the impressive green lands of the Zona Cafetera, a region of Colombia that is made up of the provincial departments of Caldas, Risaralda, and Quindío. This part of Colombia is rich in rolling landscapes, golden sunsets, valleys filled with bamboo, and mountain peaks that tickle the sky. The coffee-growing region is a throbbing heart, pumping with natural life, tranquility, and adventure.

Colombia’s coffee zone is a relatively new region of the country and only has 2 million inhabitants. Its major cities, Manizales, Pereira, and Armenia, are all less than 200 years old, illustrating how this part of the country is more rich in rural cultivation and natural scenery than urban growth and prosperity. Coffee is just one of many reasons why this region has recently gained popularity. The other draws are its natural parks like Los Nevados and Valle de Cocora and its thermal springs in Santa Rosa de Cabal. This area of the country undoubtedly values tradition and a slower-paced rural lifestyle. Still, with its modern metropolises so close by, it is easy to find a spot that is just how you like it.

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