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Buenavista is a small town in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia. It makes for a great day trip and is still relatively off the beaten path.
Introduction to Buenavista
The tiny town of Buenavista is perfectly perched on a mountain ridge. It’s true to its name offering perhaps the best views in the entire Coffee Region. To top things off, it has some of the best coffee in Colombia.
With its incredible views and scenery as well as a few special local attractions, tourism has grown and attracted visitors from all over the world. It’s still considered out of the way, so it remains a hidden gem.
Buenavista was first settled in 1928, although wasn’t considered an actual settlement until 1933 when a police officer was assigned to it. Shortly after, in 1936, it officially became a town. On December 10, 1966, it separated from the municipality of Pijao and became its own municipality.
Getting to Buenavista
If you don’t have your own transportation, there are regular buses from the bus terminal in Armenia that run roughly every hour. The trip takes about an hour each way.
Getting Around Buenavista
The town center is so small you won’t need transportation to get around. If you’re visiting Café San Alberto, you’ll have a steep uphill walk and then a walk down a narrow road.
Where to Eat in Buenavista
Buenavista is a small town that not only produces amazing coffee, it also has some delicious food. You can find the restaurants both in town and just outside.
Heladería La 75
A great stop to make on your visit Buenavista is Heladería La 75. This gourmet ice cream shop was born in this small town. It’s located a block from the plaza.
The ice cream is among the best I’ve had in Colombia. They feature unique flavors such as avocado, chocolate with chili, apple pie, creme brûlée, and classics such as chocolate, pistachio, and oreo.
Río Azul
Río Azul is across the street from Heladería La 75. They serve fresh and healthy traditional Colombian favorites such as trout and chicken. Service is friendly and the chef always comes out to make sure everyone is enjoying their meal. Prices are fair as well.
For starters, try the delicious vegetable soup made of beets and carrots, and the plantain stuffed with cheese and guava. They really hit the spot and aren’t heavy.
As a main course, Marisol had a trout dish and I had chicken. On another visit, I had the chicken and vegetable stir fried rice. It was very good but I still prefer the chicken. Portions are huge but you should still have enough room for ice cream across the street.
La Barra
When Río Azul is closed, we eat at La Barra. They serve simple plates of chicken, beef, or pork, and fast food. Prices are much lower than in other restaurants and the food is decent.
Mirador Café Concorde
Mirador Café Concorde is an excellent restaurant a short drive from town on the road to Pijao. They serve traditional Colombian food and of course has wonderful views of the area. It’s typically open daily except Mondays.
I had a baby beef while Marisol had a filet mignon. Both were cooked perfectly and were juicy and tender. We shared a huge plantain stuffed with cheese. The coffee is supposed to be great but we had had enough caffeine for the day. We’ll give it a try next time.
Plaza in Buenavista
Most visitors just pass through town on their way to Café San Alberto, but it’s worth stopping to walk around for a few minutes or even grab a meal. The plaza is a good place to start. There are a couple of cafés and a small church. On one day we visited, there was a special event for children.
In the center of the plaza is a colorful sign that refers to Buenavista as the “Mirador del Quindío”. It contains a figure of a barranquero bird. To the left of the sign is a small structure with a nice mural on it.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
The church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Nuestra Señora del Carmen) is a little different than others in the Coffee Region. It has a detached bell tower sitting in front. The interior is quite simple.
Mirador
If you walk down one of the side streets for a block you’ll come to a mirador with a café and some decent views, but nothing near as spectacular as at Café San Alberto.
Café San Alberto
Café San Alberto is the primary reason most visitors head to Buenavista. Colombia’s most award-winning coffee producer is located just above town. With the first sip on our first visit, we decided it was one of the best coffees we have tried not only from the Coffee Region but in all of Colombia.
San Alberto Terraza
The café, San Alberto Terraza, is a short walk down from the main gate. It’s open daily from 10am to 6pm. You can try normal coffees such as espresso and cappuccino. You can also get a demonstration using alternative methods such as a Chemex or siphon.
The best part is the view. San Alberto arguably has the most incredible view in the entire Coffee Region, and I can’t think of a more scenic place to sample some of the finest coffee in the world.
Brewing Methods
On most visits, we order our coffee prepared in a Chemex. The barista comes to the table and explains the properties of the coffee before showing how the Chemex is used.
On other visits, we’ve tried the siphon. Again, the barista prepares the coffee tableside, explaining the origin and how the siphon works as well as the properties of the coffee after brewing.
Coffee Experiences
For visitors with more time to kill, Café San Alberto offers two incredible coffee experiences. All experiences are private and require at least four people. Bookings must be made at least 48 hours in advance, and the experiences can be done in English, Spanish, French, and other languages, any day of the week.
The Premium Coffee Tour with Cupping includes a tour of the plantation and production facilities. It lasts about 2 ½ hours and costs COP$170,000 (as of February 2024).
The Premium Coffee Tour with Tasting and Immersion in Alternative Methods combines the Premium Coffee Tour with a tasting involving three different alternative brewing methods. It lasts about 3 hours and starts at COP$195,000 (as of February 2024).
Paragliding Over Buenavista
Buenavista also is a popular place for paragliding. Supposedly, the only appropriately licensed company in the Coffee Region and with clearance from the airport is located there. I don’t think we’ve ever visited the town without seeing a paraglider soaring through the air.
