Filandia is a town and municipality in the northern part of the department of Quindío, Colombia. Located within the Colombian coffee growing axis, the historic center of the town was made part of the “Coffee Cultural Landscape” UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.
The coffee axis is a region in Colombia that mainly occupies the departments of Quindio, Risaralda and Caldas, which are represented by the capital cities of Armenia, Manizales and Pereira. These three departments make up the “Coffee Triangle”
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Filandia is often overshadowed by its ever-popular neighbour Salento, while this beautiful town has just as much to offer. The city sparkles with bright colorful architecture, the most beautiful cafeteria views and an unbelieve nature just a short hike away.
This little town is undiscovered by tourists which makes it a perfect getaway for a chill weekend or daytrip. If you want to include something more authentic on your Colombia itinerary, then Filandia is an easy pick. Here’s why you should add Filandia to your Colombia bucket list.
How to get to Filandia?
You can easily visit Filandia from Armenia, Pereira and Salento.
- Armenia
To get to Filandia from Armenia, you must go to the transport terminal and take a direct bus to Filandia. This will cost you around 4500 COP (1 USD) and will take you around an hour to get there
- Pereira
To get to Filandia from Armenia, you must go to Terminal de Pereira and take a direct bus to Filandia. This will cost you around 6000 COP (1.35 USD) and will take you around two hours to get there. Buses leave from 06:00 am until 19:30 pm. Please note that at the time of writing (07-07-2022) there are no buses between 12 am and 2 pm. I made the mistake twice by showing up at 12 am.
- Salento
Visiting Filandia from Salento is very easy. There are direct buses from Salento to Filandia, and they depart from the main square in Salento (Plaza de Bolivar Salento). However, these buses are infrequent and there is not a specific schedule.
All buses drop you in the main street of Filandia, so you can’t really get lost.
If you are planning a day trip, make sure to buy a return ticket to save you the hassle of waiting in line on the way back. Especially on the weekend.
Things to do in Filandia
- Mirador Colina Illumindad
One the best visited places in Filandia is Mirador Colina Illumindad. The 27.5-meter mirador is the tallest building in Filandia with a total of 9 levels. On a clear day, you can see almost all the municipalities of the Quindio region and Pereira from the different levels, which makes it the perfect spot to enjoy the view of Filandia from above.
Besides the beautiful view, you will also get some information about the Quindio region. Each floor of the structure offers a different view of the region and a piece of information about the selected view.
Make sure you grab an oblea on the way back. This is one of the most popular snacks in Colombia. A popular dressing for oblea is dulce de leche, jam and cheese. Yes, all combined.
Entrance: 8000 COP. (1.80 USD)
Opening Hours: from 9 am to 6 pm daily.
- Visit the double waterfall Cascade Don Lolo
Cascade Don Lolo is a small waterfall that is only a 1 hour walk from the main square in Filandia. You don’t need to be an expert in hiking to do this small hike, but if you are a bit slower, the hike can take you 2 hours.
To get there you must take a path next to the Don Lolo restaurant. This path will get you to a river that you have to pass. Just walk along the river and it will get you to the waterfall. The path is easy to follow but can be slippery and muddy. On weekdays the place is usually empty.
Don’t forget to bring your camera to make the perfect shots.
- Catch sunset or sunrise at Mirador Del Tiempo Detenido or Mirador Colina Illumindad
Both Mirador Del Tiempo Detenido and Mirador Colina Illumindad offer a breathtaking and dramatic view over the beautiful landscape surrounded by very quiet surroundings. It’s the perfect place to start or end your day.
- Visit Filandia’s main square
Every town in Latin America has a main square with a beautiful church and Filandia is no different. In Filandia, the Iglesia María Inmaculada stands on the northeast side of Parque de Bolivar, Filandia’s main square and strikes your attention immediately with its striking blue and white colors.
You can visit the church, but there are no specific opening hours. Just pop up for a visit when you see that the doors are open.
Where to stay?
Filandia is a town full of cute accommodations. There is something for everyone in every budget. You won’t be disappointed. I listed a few places with high ratings and good reviews, but also places that have been high on my list to book.
Airbnb’s
This Airbnb looks insanely beautiful. I saved this one for a future visit or maybe when I finally found a boyfriend after 11 years to share it with lol. The place comes with a king bed, jacuzzi, in room projector with Netflix, 2 bicycles, a bonfire and much more things that would make your stay perfect.
Price: 126 USD a night.
This is the Airbnb where we stayed. It was tiny, but perfect and cozy for a few nights. Unfortunely you cannot cook or make breakfast in the apartment. But you don’t really need to since you have Restaurante Filañdiaat the end of the street and many coffee places in a 3 minute radius.
Price: 27 USD a night
Hostels
Selina finally found its way to Filandia. Normally I don’t really recommend Selina’s to people. Selina looks nice and is nice for co working, but the bathrooms are always a mess and hygiene in general is always an issue.
But this one is quite “new”, and the reviews are looking great, overall. The hostel has an outdoor swimming pool, a hot tub, a bicycle rental service and glamping tents. It’s a bit outside of the city (20/30-minute walk).
Price: Dorm: 16 USD a night. Double room: 55 USD a night. Glamping tent 61 USD a night
This is a family-owned hostel and only 200 meters from the city center. The owners really care about the hostel and would help with whatever. They serve breakfast daily.
Price: Dorm: 6 USD a night. Double room: 27 USD a night.
Hotels
This is a beautiful cabin only 5 minutes from the main square. You can share this cabin with friends or family if you want. It has 4 bedrooms, and each room has its own bathroom.
Price: 94 USD a night
El Reloj is close to the main square and has all the facilities you need.
Price: 61 USD a night
Where to eat for lunch or dinner?
This restaurant is rated the best restaurant in the coffee region and is even the most famous restaurant in Colombia. Which is a big surprise since it’s located in tiny Filandia. Helena Adentro has gained international fame for its creative dishes. The menu is inspired by international and local dishes and come in small and large plates.
What makes the restaurant even more amazing is the view over the valley, which creates a nice vibe to enjoy your food and drink while taking in all the beautiful scenery.
This is a Thai restaurant with a wide variety of Thai Food. We found this place by coincidence while we were walking around Filandia. I will never say no to Asian food, so the choice was easy. We have had a seat on the balcony which gaves us breathtaking views over the valley.
If you want to have a break from Colombia food, this is a nice option. They also have a few vegetarian options.
Mocafe probably has the best coffee in town. Coffee is not only perfectly prepared, but it is also freshly on the spot. This tiny place is always packed with people, which is a good sign. Their coffee is very tasteful, and the cakes and pastries are also of high quality.
Definitely recommend this place. If you want the place all to yourself, make sure to visit around 11 AM. This is after breakfast and before lunch time. Most people won’t be needing them coffee fix yet.
- Restaurante Filañdia
Unfortunately, you can’t find this restaurant on Google Maps. We found this restaurant by accident in the same street as our Airbnb. The Airbnb is on Calle 8. You can’t miss it.
If you like the local Colombian cuisine, this is the place to go. They have a daily menu where you can choose your starter (a soup) and fish, chicken or meat with rice or potatos and a salade. All of this for only 20.000 COP (5 USD)
It’s only open at lunch between 10 am and 2 pm.
I would go back to Filandia in a heartbeat. It’s the perfect little town to unwind and just relax and do nothing.
Here you can find more tips and information about Colombia in general.
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