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The small town of Apía sits high in the mountains of Colombia’s coffee growing region. It’s part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia and a pleasant off the beaten path place to visit.
Getting to Apía
Getting to Apía is possible from the bus terminal in Pereira. Flota Occidental, Transportes Apía, and Empresa Arauca have regular service. The ride is about two hours one way.
One time, Marisol and I took the unconventional route to Apía. We left from Belén de Umbría on a jeep at 7am. About a half hour later, the jeep dropped us off at a point where the road between the two towns was being repaired. We walked about 20 minutes uphill down a gravel road through the jungle then had to wait until 8:15am for the next jeep to pass by. At 9am, we finally arrived in Apía. It wasn’t the easiest way to do it, but the scenery was worth the trouble. (Update: The road is now fixed and most of it is paved, although it’s still a rough ride.)
History of Apía
Apía was founded in 1883 by husband and wife José María Marín and María Encarnación Marín. They were the first settlers from Antioquia to arrive in the area. The town has a mainly agricultural economy, with coffee, avocado, blackberry, lulo, and beans as the main crops. There’s also livestock, fish farming, and beekeeping.
Plaza
Life in Apía revolves around the beautiful town plaza. It’s surrounded by several colorful colonial buildings.
In the center of the plaza is a gazebo, some small monuments, and lots of trees giving it shade. There’s also a monument dedicated to the Colombian coffee farmers as well as a few sculptures made by a local artist.
Our Lady of the Rosary
The church, Our Lady of the Rosary (Nuestra Señora del Rosario), sits at the high end of the plaza. It’s large but nothing spectacular.
Town Hall
To the right of the church is the colorful town hall (alcaldía). In my opinion, it’s one of the most attractive town halls in the entire Coffee Region. The building is decorated with balconies and huge wooden doors.
Stairway
At the lower corner of the plaza facing the mountains is a stairway with wonderful views of the surrounding landscape. There are a few murals along the way.
Holy Family School
At the bottom of the stairway is the Holy Family School (Institución Educativa Sagrada Familia). It was founded in 1913 and is housed in a historic colonial building.
Side Streets
Many of the buildings on the plaza and on some of the side streets are in the colonial style. They’re filled with shops frequented by locals.
Where to Eat in Apía
There aren’t too many choices for food in Apía, but we’ve stumbled upon some decent places worth trying.
Flor de Apía
The best place to stop in Apía is Flor de Apía. This specialty coffee bar has some of the best coffee we’ve tried in Colombia. It’s located on the northwest corner of the plaza. Marisol and I shared a Chemex for two and then tried an americano and a cold brew latte. Everything was excellent. They even have a good selection of cakes as well as several other drink options.
El Arca del Sabor
El Arca del Sabor took over the spot where La Terraza (see below) was once located. It has the same prime location on a corner of the plaza. We visited for lunch in August 2023 and immediately noticed the upgrade in food quality. Marisol and I each had a bandeja paisa, which was excellent and reasonably priced.
La Terraza (Permanently Closed)
While visiting with Marisol in February 2015, we ate a big breakfast at La Terraza. It wasn’t that great, but for the price, we weren’t complaining.
We went back for lunch in February 2021 hoping for better results. We each had the reasonably priced lunch special, which came with soup, rice, plantain, salad, and a choice of beans or fries. I had the chicken while Marisol had the carne asada. Nothing has changed, and the meals weren’t that great.
Brisas del Río
A short drive outside of town and down a narrow gravel road is Brisas del Río. We tried to visit on a Saturday for lunch but it was closed, which is mind boggling. Apparently, they’re only open on Sundays and holiday Mondays. The manager let us walk around and take some pictures.
Anyway, it looks like a nice place set along a river and nestled in the hills. There’s a nice cool breeze blowing through, a snack bar, a big yard with tables under canopies, and a not so appealing swimming pool. We’ve heard great things about the food. We’ll check it out one day and report back here or on a separate entry.
In the Area
From Apía, it’s easy to visit a couple other towns – Santuario and Pueblo Rico. At a gas station on the main road on the outskirts of Apía, buses pass by to both towns. Pueblo Rico is about 45 minutes to the north and can be reached via private car (when 3 people show up) or bus.
To get to Santuario, it’s possible to take a bus headed to Pereira for about 20 minutes and get off at La Marina. From there, stand on the road and flag down a jeep or bus going to Santuario. It’s a 10 minute ride into town.
