A guide to Salento | Explore the Valle de Cocora and coffee farms
Exploring Salento Where to stay Where to eat How to get around How to get there Favourite stays
Despite its relatively small size, Salento is one of the most popular places to visit in Colombia. From its colourful streets and coffee tours to the magnificent Valle de Cocora, Salento is a town you shouldn’t miss!
And in case you need more convincing before you put Salento on your bucket list, it even inspired aspects of the Disney movie Encanto! There must be a reason for this, right?
If you're visiting Salento soon, you've come to the right place. After reading this guide, you'll know which area to stay in, where to find the best restaurants and how to get around the charming coffee town of Colombia.
Also, check out our list of the best activities in Salento!
Is Salento worth visiting?
Salento is Colombia’s colourful coffee town. Situated within the mountains of Colombia’s coffee growing region, it’s one of the best places to join a coffee tour and enjoy some of the tastiest coffee in the country.
The coffee farms and delicious coffee sound great, but they’re not even the star of the show. Most people visit Salento for the Valle de Cocora — home to the tallest palm trees in the world. Find out how to visit the valley in our guide to the best things to do in Salento.
No matter where you look in Salento, you’ll be stunned by its beauty. Whether it’s the social town square, the vibrantly decorated streets or the rolling green hills on all sides of the town.
If by this point you haven’t completely fallen in love with Salento, the people will make sure you do. We’re not exaggerating when we say that the people in Salento are some of the friendliest in Colombia.
Despite living in quite a touristy town, most of the people welcome you and treat you like a friend. They’re more than happy to stop and talk with you. To share the love they have for their town.
Now, are you starting to understand why everyone loves Salento so much? Are you dying to visit?
How long should you spend in Salento?
Salento can feel a little bit like a tick-box destination. There are things that you MUST DO, and then you can leave. These two things tend to be the Valle de Cocora and a coffee tour.
If you’re tight on time, then two days in Salento is enough — one day for the Valle de Cocora and the other for a coffee tour.
For those with a bit more time, we’d recommend an extra day or two to embrace the ambience of the little town or take some day trips to other nearby towns.
Where to stay in Salento
Salento isn’t a very big place. Even if you stay outside the main town, you still won’t be too far from the action.
Seeing as location doesn’t matter as much in Salento, we’d recommend picking the accommodation that you like most.
Location #1: In the centre of Salento — close to cafes, restaurants and transport
If you’re looking for ultimate convenience, then staying in the centre of Salento is going to be easier. You’re closer to all of the restaurants, cafes and shops. Plus, the main square is where the jeeps to popular destinations depart.
Some great options close to the centre are Hotel Terasu Salento and Hotel Kawa Mountain Retreat.
Location #2: Stay on a finca surrounded by nature - relax and rejuvenate
A lot of the stunning fincas (farms) are situated slightly outside of the town, such as La Cabaña Ecohotel and Ecohotel Piedemonte.
Staying at places like these tends to be an experience in itself. You’ll be surrounded by nothing but nature and tranquillity.
Best restaurants and street food in Salento
Food in Salento can be a bit hit and miss. Some places look like they’d be great, due to their pretty interior, but actually end up being a disappointment.
That being said, there are plenty of gems that will blow you away. They serve memorable food that you’ll be thinking about months later.
To help you make the right choices, here are our 3 favourite places to eat in Salento:
Brunch de Salento — the best brownie you’ll ever have
If you want to try the best brownie of your life, head to Brunch de Salento. Their warm peanut butter brownie with ice cream is to die for! It’s their bestseller for a reason.
The rest of the menu is also something to rave about. They have an extensive menu of homemade, delicious and predominantly healthy dishes. The owner might also be one of the friendliest people in Salento.
Top Tip: Brunch de Salento sells a packed lunch for your hike in Valle de Cocora. For a very reasonable price, you get a sandwich, granola, fruit, a drink, a brownie and a few other treats.
Coco Bowl — healthy and delicious food with a beautiful ambience
Situated at the end of Carrera 6, Coco Bowl might be missed if you stop walking too soon. Keep going! The food is worth it.
All of their food is fresh, vegetarian and nutritious, ranging from smoothie bowls, pasta and noodles dishes, poke bowls, sandwiches and soups. It’s a great spot to visit for breakfast, lunch or an early dinner as it closes at 6pm.
Salento’s street food
If you’re looking for cheap and delicious food, then indulge in some street food. Once the sun sets, the street vendors begin to appear.
You can find a number of street food stalls in the main square, or dispersed along the main road. They’re whipping up tasty arepas, empanadas, burgers, sausages and other amazing treats. You probably won’t pay more than [price 10,000 COP] for any of it.
How to get around Salento
Salento is a touristy destination, so they’ve made it as easy as possible to get around.
Most of the time you’ll be able to walk to where you want to go, but for attractions outside of the town, jeeps are the best.
By foot
The best way to get around the town of Salento is by foot. This way you can pop in and out of the souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants.
Even if your accommodation is towards the outskirts of the town, it won’t take you longer than 15 minutes to walk to the centre.
By jeep
The multi-coloured jeeps of Salento have become somewhat iconic for the town. They will take you to the main attractions like the Valle de Cocora and nearby coffee farms, but they’re an experience in themselves.
Hanging off the back of the jeep is something you’re unlikely to forget.
The jeeps wait in the main square. They’re hard to miss! All you need to do is buy your ticket at the little ticket booth and they’ll tell you which jeep to get in. There’s no set timetable, they leave when they’re full.
This is the best way to get to the Valle de Cocora and nearby coffee farms. A return trip to Valle de Cocora costs only [price 8,000 COP].
How to get to Salento
In summary
Now that you’ve finished reading this guide, you're almost ready for your adventure in Salento. The next step is to create your personalised itinerary with our top picks of things to do in Salento. Simply choose your favourite activities and places to visit, and you're all set to make lasting memories in Salento.
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