4°32′N 75°41′W
EXPLORE THIS COMPREHENSIVE TRAVEL GUIDE TO THE BEAUTIFUL COFFEE TOWN OF BUENAVISTA, QUINDIO, COLOMBIA - AND LEARN WHY IT NEEDS TO BE ON EVERY COFFEE REGION TRAVEL ITINERARY.
Coffee, culture, colors and absolutely stunning views. You can find all of that and more in the cute, somewhat off the beaten path town of Buenavista, Colombia - located about an hour south of the capital of the Quindio department, Armenia.
Buenavista - which actually translates to "good view" - is a great place to enjoy the full coffee experience, including making a stop at one of the most awarded coffee estates in the country - while also taking in one of the nicest views of the central Colombian region.
Below is everything a traveler needs to know about visiting Buenavista, including the top 6 things to do, how to get there and where to stay.
BUENAVISTA, COLOMBIA TRAVEL GUIDE
\\ A Quick History of Buenavista
José Jesús Jiménez Yépez was one of the first people in the Buenavista area. He arrived in 1928 and soon opened up a store to buy coffee from the surrounding fincas and to sell simple, basic supplies. Eventually, the farmers who lived close to the area bought lots of land in the region around the store and soon constructed their homes. This would form the small settlement that would eventually become Buenavista.
The official foundation date of Buenavista is considered to be in 1933 (in that year a police inspector was assigned to the settlement). Jiménez Yépez donated land for further development of the town, including the site on which the church presently sits.
Three years late (1936) the settlement was elevated to the level of town in the municipality of Pijao (as part of Pijao). But in 1966 - shortly after the formation of the department of Quindío - Buenavista was separated from Pijao and has since been its own town.
NICKNAME: the town is named for the spectacular view over the Quindio department (buena = good and vista = view)
\\ Where is Buenavista, Colombia
Buenavista sits on the western slope of the central Cordillera mountain range - one of the three ranges that cross Colombia. Buenavista is characterized by its very steep terrain - something that is quite obvious just by driving up to it. The town is closely surrounded by other popular Quindio towns (pueblos); including, Calarcá to the north and west, Córdoba to the east and Pijao to the south.
FROM ARMENIA: 45 minutes, 30 kilometers / 18.6 miles
FROM MEDELLIN: 6.5 hours, 309 kilometers / 192 miles
FROM BOGOTA: 7 hours, 305 kilometers / 190 miles
GOOD TO KNOW: the town has an area of 41 square kilometers - which actually makes it the smallest municipality/town in the whole Quindio department.
ELEVATION: 1,483 meters
POPULATION: 5,800, of which 2,100 live in the urban center
Weather in Buenavista, Colombia
Like many other places in Colombia's Coffee Region the weather does not fluctuate very much during the year. Besides the few seasonal changes that come with the rainy and dry seasons, the weather in Buenavista is almost always sunny and warm. If thunderstorms do appear it will likely be later in the day (around 2 PM).
When visiting Buenavista, we suggest bringing ample sun protection (a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen), bug spray - especially if visiting coffee fincas where bugs (like no-see-ums) are more prevalent, light clothing and a rain jacket.