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San José is a tiny town that sits at the top of a mountain ridge on the southwestern edge of the Caldas department of Colombia.
It’s not very interesting or worth a detour, but it provides some incredible views. San José is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia and was founded on January 17, 1902.
Plaza
The town has one main road running through it which passes by the main plaza, Plaza Simón Bolívar. The plaza is surrounded by a few bars and restaurants and has a church on one end.
In the center of the plaza is a statue of Simón Bolívar as well as a small statue of a duende. A duende is a mischievous mythical creature that lures small children into the forest causing them to lose their way home.
There are also some beautiful views from the plaza and the streets running down from it.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
The church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Nuestra Señora del Carmen), may look ugly on the outside but the interior woodwork is impressive.
Getting There
If traveling by bus, there are frequent buses passing through San José from Manizales, about two hours away.
