The beautiful pueblo of Salamina was the second stop on our road trip through Colombia’s Eje Cafetera (coffee zone) earlier this year. Known as the “City of Light” for the poets, artists, and other creators that were born there, Salamina is a Colombian national monument. It’s also one of Colombia’s 18 Pueblos Patrimonios, officially designated heritage towns (so far, we’ve visited 13!). It’s easy to see why: Salamina is a gem of a town, with its colorful colonial architecture, tiled roofs, beautifully carved balconies festooned with flowers, and a caffeine-fueled heritage that dates to its founding in 1825.
Coffee culture is strong in Salamina. The town sits high on a bluff, with panoramic views of the surrounding hillsides cultivated in hectares upon hectares of coffee plants. Salamina is a working agricultural town, where the business of coffee pervades virtually every aspect of life. And trust us, you’ll have the best cup of joe you’ve ever tasted in one of Salamina’s many cafeterías.
Here’s how we spent three nights in this picturesque, friendly, and peaceful village, and encountered a couple of surprises in the bargain!
Stroll the Town
The best way to get the sense of a place is to get out and walk. Salamina is a great place to explore on foot, with colorful sights and sounds around every corner.
Visit the Cemetery
We have a weakness for historic cemeteries, and Salamina’s beautiful Cementerio Nuestra Señora de la Valvanera did not disappoint. This lovely and peaceful place doesn’t seem to have changed much since its beginnings, well over a century ago.
Surprise #1: Eggs cooked with an espresso machine!
In operation for more than 50 years, Cafe El Polo is a must-visit for Salamina visitors – and not just for the excellent cappuccinos. The cafe’s specialty is huevos al vapor (steamed eggs) that are prepared in a china cup using the steam tube of an espresso machine. The result is some of the fluffiest scrambled eggs you’ll ever have, and if they’re even better if you order them with bits of bacon. Another Cafe El Polo creation is the macana, a local breakfast item that combines crackers with butter, sugar, and milk, also steamed with the espresso tube and served in a china cup (it tastes a lot better than it sounds!).
Surprise #2: The hidden wax palms of La Samaria
Colombia’s wax palms are a national treasure. Not only is the wax palm the national tree of Colombia, but it’s the world’s tallest palm tree – often growing as tall as 60 meters (200 feet). To see wax palms, most visitors to Colombia head for the famous Cocora Valley in Salento. But little do they know (nor did we) that there is an impressive forest of wax palms just outside the tiny town of San Felix, about 45 minutes south of Salamina. The palms are located on a large reserve called the Mirador Valle de Samaria, which also offers a restaurant and glamping in addition to a network of walking trails for viewing the trees up close (there’s a small admission fee to enter the palm forest).
San Felix is worth a stop on its own. It’s tiny, but has its own storied history (it’s 165 years old) and colorful architecture. In addition to the wax palms, San Felix is known for its cheese and dairy products.
Accommodations
We enjoyed our stay at La Estancia Hotel Boutique, a cozy inn occupying a 125-year-old mansion. La Estancia is perched at the highest point in Salamina and offers a top-floor terrace with 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains. And the staff was kind and helpful, going out of their way to help us deal with some paperwork (we were in the process of buying an apartment at the time). Our street-facing room was a little noisy; next time, we would request one of the rooms in the back of the property.
Food/Beverage
For such a small town, Salamina has some excellent restaurants. Our favorites were Restaurante Calicanto on the parque, where we had two excellent lunches; Don Fermin, a gastrobar that oozes atmosphere in an old mansion; and La Lar Cocina Oculta. La Lar in particular captured our imaginations; cocina oculta means hidden kitchen, and we did have an interesting time finding it. The restaurant is reservation-only and operated by an award-winning chef out of the kitchen of her home. It was a memorable meal, cooked just for us!
Getting There
Salamina was our second stop on our Colombia road trip; we drove down from Aguadas on a twisty, occasionally unpaved two-lane road that was incredibly scenic. It’s also easy to catch a bus from either Medellin or Manizales, the largest city in the Eje Cafetera.
Coffee Tours
We did not take a coffee tour in Salamina because we’ve done it several times in other places. But there are plenty of opportunities to tour a coffee plantation near the town and learn about how coffee beans are grown, harvested, processed, and roasted. Here’s one that looks interesting: a two-day tour offered by Get Your Guide that leaves out of Medellin and also includes a visit to Jericó – another heritage town that we love.
Next stop on the 2024 Colombia Road Trip:
The Spectacular Hot Springs of Santa Rosa de Cabal!
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21 Comments
Too bad if you are not a coffee drinker…although there seems to be so much more to enjoy there too. Thanks for sharing. Mel
Hi Mel – there’s so much to love about Salamina even if you’re not a coffee drinker. We really enjoyed our little visit there.
Actually from your photo huevos al vapor looks delicious! In a particular region in Sumatra, the locals enjoy their coffee with egg, whisked until it’s frothy. And it was really good. I remember your post on the wax palms, but looking at the images you took from outside San Felix I can’t get over the fact that they can grow to such incredible heights. I like the idea of La Lar Cocina Oculta. It sounds like finding it was part of the experience itself.
Thanks, Bama! Coffee with egg – hmm. I’m game to try it! The wax palms really are spectacular. And yes, we spent a bit of time wandering around on a residential street, asking the locals where the lady who cooks out of her kitchen lives. She lives up to her name!
There are so many of these charming towns in Colombia. Another to add to our list. We’ve likley only seen 4 or 5 of the 18! Glad there were no injuries in th wax palms. And you’re buying an apartment, so I guess you’re there for the long term. Maggie
Ha, no broken ankles this time! Yup, we’ve settled (as much as we ever do). El Retiro and Colombia tick all the boxes for us. Are you still in Portugal? Thanks, Maggie!
Yes, two more weeks, then southern Spain and then on to Morocco.
Salamina looks so lovely! I haven’t heard of it, but it appears to be a worthwhile destination to check out while in Colombia. I’m not a huge coffee drinker, but I’d gladly try the town’s coffee should I visit some day. The huevos al vapor sounds like my jam, though! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks, Rebecca! Salamina is like so many Colombian towns we’ve seen – so similar on the surface, but each has its own unique little quirks. I wasn’t so sure about those huevos (they don’t look very appetizing while he’s making them), but they were delicious!
Thanks for describing and detailing this off-the-beaten track historic town in Colombia. I think I’ve seen it on the map when we traveled through the area, but we never visited. Something to keep in mind!
Hi Liesbet! Does that mean you might be coming back through Colombia? We hope we get to see you again!
Who knew you could make eggs using an espresso machine? That’s very innovative and they look delicious!
Thanks, Diana! They WERE delicious. 🙂
Beautiful town- from the lovely details on the buildings to those incredible views of the mountains. 🙂
Thanks, Meg! Salamina really is special.
It’s so beautiful, I love the greenery and all the wax palms. The views are stunning.
Thanks, Hannah! So many of these little Colombian towns have spectacular views, especially in the coffee zone.
What a charming town. I think I’d be enchanted wandering those streets. I’m glad you had a picture of the eggs being steamed. I couldn’t quite figure it out; and yes, they do look good. Love the wax palms. Also love the shot of the park at night. Lovely post.
Alison
Thanks so much, Alison! Nice to hear from you – hope you both are well.
Salamina loos like a beautiful spot – those mountain views are amazing! As a big coffee drinker, that road trip sounds perfect for me. I’ve never seen eggs cooked in an espresso machine before – so neat! I wonder what made him think of the idea in the first place.
Thanks, Becky! That’s a good question – I think they’ve been making eggs that way since at least the 1950s. And we’ve never seen anything like it, anywhere else.