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Chinchiná is a large town located about halfway between the cities of Manizales and Pereira. It’s part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia.
Some of the best coffee exported from Colombia is known to come from Chinchiná. It’s home to a large coffee research facility, Cenicafé, and the Buendía coffee factory. And lots of shoe stores. If you need shoes, come to Chinchiná. There seemed to be at least three shoe stores on every block.
Plaza
There’s not much to see in the town itself. The main plaza is pleasant and big, but there aren’t any traditional buildings located on it. An artisan’s workshop is located on the plaza selling traditional handmade goods.
The church is the only highlight on the plaza.
Historic Railway Station
The historic railway station is located near the bus terminal. It’s unfortunately in terrible condition.
Las Delicias del Caribe
For food, just off the plaza is Las Delicias del Caribe. This restaurant serves food from Colombia’s Caribbean region. All of the servers wear traditional hats from the region. I had the garlic shrimp with a side of coconut rice and patacón. It was excellent.
Getting There
To get to Chinchiná, most buses running between Pereira and Manizales stop in the town.
