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The town of Santuario, nestled in the mountains of the Risaralda department, is one of the most beautiful towns in the Coffee Region of Colombia.
Introduction to Santuario
Santuario is a great place to go off the beaten path when visiting the Coffee Region. It’s an authentic town that sees very few tourists, so you’re likely to be the only non-local. Santuario also makes a great base for visiting Tatamá National Park. The entrance to the park is just a few kilometers from town.
Santuario is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia and was founded on July 20, 1886 by settlers from southwest Antioquia. It officially became a municipality in 1907.
Getting to Santuario
Getting to Santuario is possible from the bus terminal in Pereira. Transportes Tatamá has regular service about once every hour and Flota Occidental has limited service. The ride is just under two hours one way.
From Santuario, it’s easy to visit a couple other towns – Apía and Pueblo Rico. Both are accessible by waiting for a bus along the main road at La Marina (at the turn to Santuario). To get to Apía, flag down a bus headed north. It’s about a 20 minute ride. For Pueblo Rico, you need to make sure the bus is going past Apía. It will take just over an hour.
Where to Stay in Santuario
There are a few basic places to stay in town. Glamping is popular in the countryside.
Hotel Santuario Plaza
Probably the best place to stay the night is Hotel Santuario Plaza. It’s located right on the plaza, just next to Plaza de Mercado. They have simple yet comfortable rooms at decent rates as well as a friendly staff.
Hotel Montes
Just off the plaza you’ll find Hotel Montes, which is a decent place to stay. Rooms are simple and clean, and the staff is very attentive. Both single and double rooms are very affordable.
Rooms on the second floor are more susceptible to outside noise while rooms on the first floor are much quieter. Just don’t be too surprised when the church blasts Ave Maria through the entire town at 6am.
Where to Eat in Santuario
There are limited choices for good food, but we always find prices to be reasonable.
Restaurante Los Balcones
Probably the best place to grab a meal in Santuario is Restaurante Los Balcones. It’s located on the second floor of a building at the corner of Calle Real and the plaza and has excellent views of both.
Restaurante Los Balcones serves traditional Colombian dishes and fixed specials for lunch. When we visited, the lunch special was a cream of corn soup followed by a meat roll served with salad, fries, and rice. I wasn’t exactly happy with the meat roll so I’ll probably order off the menu next time.
Como Le Vaaa (Permanently Closed)
If you’re looking for a relaxed place to have a coffee, look for Como Le Vaaa. It’s located a block uphill from the plaza. The owner, Archie, is a great guy and loves chatting with foreigners. (Update: Como Le Vaaa is now solely a computer repair shop.)
Santuario Town Gate
When visiting Santuario, you’ll notice the road to the town passes through an arch with a statue of the Virgin on top. It’s one of the most important symbols of Santuario.
Plaza
The town plaza is the center of life in Santuario. It owes its origins to Julián Ortiz, who donated the land for the plaza in December 1885. The original plan was created by Jesús María Lenis, Tomás Medina and Faustino Osorio in 1886. Finally, in 1895 the plaza was laid out and named La Pola Park. In 1927 it was rededicated to Rafael Uribe Uribe (1859-1914), and in 1950 it was rededicated once again to Simón Bolívar (1783-1830).
The lively plaza contains lots of nice tall trees and plenty of places to sit. It’s been remodeled since my very first visit in February 2015 and has a much more appealing look today.
The center of the plaza features a bust of Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), the liberator of Colombia. Scattered throughout are small monuments and decorations. One of them is a monument to the founders of Santuario, dedicated on November 14, 1973.
Since the renovation, the streets around the plaza have been narrowed down to a single lane and the sidewalks amplified, allowing businesses to put more tables outside and providing more space for people to walk. It’s a wonderful change that has been positive for the town.
Mary Immaculate Church
Mary Immaculate Church (Iglesia María Inmaculada) is the most important building on the plaza. The parish was founded in March 1916.
While the church doesn’t look like much from the outside, it has a gorgeous interior. In fact, it’s one of the most beautiful churches out of all the towns in the Coffee Region. Everything inside is carved out of wood, including the confessionary and the altar. There are also some nice stained glass windows.
Plaza de Mercado
On the east side of the plaza in Santuario is the Plaza de Mercado, which serves as the town’s market building. It’s a great place to walk through if you want to observe local life.
The lower level is where all the action takes place. There you’ll find stalls selling fruits and vegetables, meats, and other goods.
On the upper level there are a few different restaurants serving inexpensive traditional Colombian dishes and fast food. The stalls upstairs mostly sell clothing and household goods.
At the front of the upper level is a nice balcony where you can see all the action on the plaza down below. At the rear you can get a view of the green mountainous landscape surrounding the town.
Throughout the building there are murals representing life in Santuario and the beautiful natural surroundings of the town.
Tile Building
One of my favorite buildings on the plaza is decorated with tiles from top to bottom. It’s a residential building with a supermarket on the ground floor.
Calle Real
Calle Real, which was originally called Calle Buenos Aires until 1920, is easily the highlight of Santuario. This street approaching the town plaza is only a block long but lined with a collection of colorful colonial buildings. They contain residences and small local shops, including clothing stores, a barber shop, convenience stores, and more. The view into the plaza and the church towering over it as you approach the town is stunning.
What makes the street so special are the beautifully colored balconies and doors on every single building. Some of them contain elaborate woodwork, and all are painted in different colors. No matter how many times you visit, walking down Calle Real never gets old, especially when the colors change.
The most important building on Calle Real is the Echeverri Correa Family Home (Casa Familia Echeverri Correa). It takes up 1/5 of the block and is the best example of colonial architecture in town.
Wandering Around Santuario
If you venture outside of the plaza and Calle Real, you might spot some of the interesting murals scattered around town.
There are plenty of attractive balconies and colorful buildings as well. Most of them are located on Calle Real, but it’s worth checking out the other streets around town.
At the end of Calle Real opposite the plaza, the street has a steep drop where you can look across at the green mountains surrounding the town. The street leading to the town’s entrance is also full of colorful buildings.
