Last updated on .
Mistrató is a very small town in the Coffee Region of Colombia. It’s situated in a river valley and surrounded by green mountains.
Introduction to Mistrató
Mistrató is located in the department of Risaralda near a large population of indigenous people. It was founded on March 18, 1925. There’s not much to do in town, but it’s well known for its beauty. It’s also known throughout the Coffee Region for its colorful Christmas lights during December.
Getting to Mistrató
Getting to Mistrató can be done from Pereira or Belén de Umbría. Buses with Cootransbel and Flota Occidental make trips to and from the town. From Pereira’s bus terminal, the journey lasts over two hours. From Belén, it’s about a half hour.
Where to Eat in Mistrató
Mistrató isn’t exactly known for its restaurants so we haven’t eaten a meal there. They do, however, have a decent coffee shop.
Tierra Fría
The best coffee in town is at Tierra Fría, which is on the small plaza along the canal. They serve a few sweets and fast food dishes as well.
Main Plaza
The very colorful main plaza is decorated with trees, flowers, and benches. It features colors that are meaningful to the indigenous population. There are a few restaurants, cafés, and bars on the plaza, as well as a coffee kiosk and juice bar in the middle. A small canal also runs next to the plaza.
In 2023, a mural on one corner of the plaza paid homage to indigenous women as well as local football player Ana María Guzmán, who plays for the Colombian women’s national team.
Church of San José
The Church of San José (Iglesia de San José) is the focal point of the plaza. The parish was founded on March 12, 1930. The interior of the church is one of the most beautiful in the Coffee Region, featuring wooden arched columns and pews.
Along the Canal
Following the canal downstream is a small plaza with a hotel, café, and a couple restaurants. Some murals decorate the walls of some of the buildings along it. If you plan to wander around the rest of the town, it’s relatively flat from the plaza down to the river.
Parque del Amor
Parque del Amor is a park that runs along the Río Risaralda. It’s a pleasant space with a playground, gazebo, and benches.
There’s also a section of the park with murals. Some of them highlight the community working together, the importance of family, the town’s agricultural roots, and resistance to armed conflict.
Christmas in Mistrató
As previously mentioned, Mistrató is well-known throughout the Coffee Region for its colorful Christmas lights that adorn the plaza during December. We decided to pay a visit to see how the town is decorated, and were very impressed when we arrived. In the center of the plaza is a tree made of white lights extending to every corner.
Beautiful decorations depicting trains, ships, and flowers are set up around the plaza. The canal is covered in lights representing flowers, and there’s even a tunnel of lights visitors can pass through.
A nativity scene usually sits in front of the church, while inside, the altar is decorated with a scene from the Holy Land. The only thing I didn’t like in the church were the constantly flashing white lights on the scene inside the church.
Mistrató usually keeps the lights up from the beginning of December through January 6 or 7. This is also true for other cities and towns in Colombia that decorate. Some of the most famous decorations in the country are in Medellín, Cali, and Quimbaya.
The most important day is called the Day of the Little Candles (Día de las Velitas), and it’s celebrated every December 7 on the eve of the Immaculate Conception. On this day, people place candles and paper lanterns in front of their houses, on the street, in parks and plazas, and on balconies. It’s quite a beautiful scene.
Map of Mistrató
Mampay
Mampay is a touristic finca about a half hour from the center of Mistrató. It offers a multitude of activities in a gorgeous mountain setting. A group of Marisol’s coworkers planned an afternoon at Mampay and we decided to check it out. It’s a rough road getting there and our final obstacle was crossing a river at the entrance.
Once at Mampay, we had lunch in the restaurant. I had pork while Marisol had fried mojarra. They also offer trout directly from their trout farm. My food came out cold while Marisol’s fish was fried too much. All meals are served with rice, salad, soup, and a patacón. Meals are reasonably priced.
After lunch, we wandered the grounds. Visitors have the opportunity to go horseback riding, fishing, climb into a treehouse, check out the trout farm, or take a short trail up a hill. We decided to take the trail. From the top, there are fantastic views of the valley.
Overall, we weren’t too impressed with Mampay. The climate is much cooler than in Mistrató and the views are nice, but it’s not enough to go out of the way to visit.
