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Anserma is a town in the Coffee Region of Colombia and part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia.
Introduction to Anserma
Anserma was one of the first European settlements in the country, founded on August 15, 1539, by Spanish conquistador Jorge Robledo (1500-1546). Robledo went on to found Cartago a year later in 1540, and Santa Fe de Antioquia in 1541. Nothing is left from the town’s early years. The major economy of the town is coffee production.
Anserma is built on top of a hill and has some very steep streets running down the sides. The main streets run along the top of the hill and are filled with all kinds of shops, restaurants, and cafés. Homes are on the slopes of the hill down both sides from the main streets, Carrera 4 and Carrera 5. Most of the highlights run along Carrera 5, which I’ve written about from north to south.
Personally, I spent a lot of time in Anserma because Marisol’s parents use to live there. There’s not really anything to see as far as tourism, but if you want to visit an authentic coffee town where you’ll be the only foreigner, it’s a decent option.
Getting to Anserma
There are direct buses to Anserma from Pereira, Manizales, Cali, and Medellín. From Pereira’s bus terminal and Medellín, Flota Occidental runs several routes daily. Shared taxis can take you to Guática, a nearby town. They leave when full.
Getting Around Anserma
Anserma has very steep hills making it difficult to walk in certain places. The town has a good taxi service that can get you anywhere you need for the minimum fare.
Where to Stay in Anserma
If you need to stay the night, there are a few reasonably priced hotels in Anserma.
Hotel Imperial
On the lower plaza is Hotel Imperial. It’s a simple traditional style hotel in a colonial building.
Hotel Mirador Santana
A few blocks from the lower plaza is Hotel Mirador Santana, which is considered a nicer hotel.
Where to Eat in Anserma
There are some good choices for food in Anserma. Most restaurants are located along La Avenida, a nice entertainment zone just outside of the main part of town. There are also several bars, nightclubs, cafés, and along the strip. It’s very lively and many people are out on a Friday or Saturday night.
Fast Food Stands on La Avenida
La Avenida starts at Parque Simón Bolívar where there are several fast food stands popular at night. You can find wings, arepa con queso, empanadas, arepas de chócolo and other specialties.
El Cafetal
For traditional Colombian, there’s El Cafetal. They have huge servings at reasonable prices. It’s probably best to share.
Villa Valú
At the far end of La Avenida is Villa Valú, which serves some of the most delicious carne a la llanera cooked in the style from Los Llanos. It’s tender and tasty.
Boka
Boka has a great atmosphere. They serve sandwiches and salads along with a few meat dishes. The food is usually decent but we’ve had one or two below par experiences.
Locos Pizza
Locos Pizza is nearby. Unfortunately, their pizza menu is very limited.
Restaurante Imperial
Restaurante Imperial on Plaza Mariscal Jorge Robledo serves traditional Colombian food. Four of us visited for lunch one afternoon. We all had a bandeja paisa.
Café Solé
Underneath Restaurante Imperial is Café Solé, run by the same people who owned the now-defunct Solé. They have good coffee and desserts. They also offer the same Mexican specialties as Solé, but I didn’t see anyone eating them (thankfully).
El Mirador
El Mirador is a popular place located along a narrow gravel road outside of town. It opened in late 2017 and features traditional Colombian food with a great view of the mountains and Anserma. There’s also a playground for kids.
We went with family and enjoyed our meals. Service was friendly and the food came out quickly. Getting there may be difficult, but I’m sure you can hire a taxi to take you there and organize a pickup time.
Places Now Permanently Closed
Several places I’ve been to over the years have now closed. Here’s a list:
Parador Santana
At the entrance to Anserma is Parador Santana. They serve traditional Colombian food but make an especially good breakfast. A room at the back has nice views of the countryside.
Café del Carmen
Directly across the street from Our Lady of Carmen on Parque Simón Bolívar is Café del Carmen. They have decent coffee and good cakes.
Papricas
I like Papricas for their suizas. They have a small menu with other fast food common in Colombia.
Solé
Solé offers a couple Mexican specialties as well as Colombian and fast food. We popped in for lunch one afternoon and split a plate of tacos as well as a burrito. The flavor was decent, but it wasn’t quite what we were expecting. The tacos came in a hard shell and had some strange sauces poured on the outside, and the burritos were just two huge soft shelled tacos.
Other than the main dishes, they have decent desserts. We had a very good carrot cake to finish off our meal. Stay away from the coffee – it’s terrible.
Santomate
If you’re looking for something fresh and healthy, head to Santomate. They have great salads, sandwiches, and smoothies. I especially enjoyed the mushroom dip with plantain chips as a starter.
El Lugarcito
El Lugarcito is a favorite café of mine to visit. It’s a chill place on La Avenida run by a man from Argentina. He serves good coffee drinks and has a small menu with sandwiches.
La Nota
La Nota on the corner of Plaza Mariscal Jorge Robledo, is a decent place to relax. They have very good coffee, dessert, and sometimes live music.
Safety in Anserma
Parts of Anserma can be unsafe late at night. The entertainment zone of La Avenida is usually full of people after dark and very safe, but the center of town is quiet and empty. It’s wise to take a taxi rather than walk.
Recreational Areas in Anserma
To the north of the bus terminal is a nice recreational area. There’s a football stadium, basketball courts, and playground. We often went there to play basketball.
A good swimming pool and recreational area is located on the southern outskirts of town at Disminuya. They have a small concession stand for snacks and drinks. It’s not the cleanest pool when there are lots of people but it’s a nice escape on a hot day. It also has cabañas for rent.
Parque Simón Bolívar
Parque Simón Bolívar is the plaza at the top of the hill. It was established in 1962. Jorge Robledo founded Anserma on this spot in 1539.
Chuch of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
On one side of Parque Simón Bolívar is the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Nuestra Señora del Carmen). It was completed in 1963 and the interior contains no beams. Pay attention to the large wooden doors at the entrance.
Obelisk
The obelisk across the street from the park honors the former Society of Public Works (Sociedad de Obras Públicas). The entertainment zone of La Avenida also begins there.
Restrepo Public Library
A few blocks downhill is the Arturo y Roberto Restrepo Public Library (Biblioteca Pública Arturo y Roberto Restrepo). It stands on the site once occupied by Ricaurte Park (Parque Ricaurte), which was once the town’s most beautiful park. The building has had several functions, including a branch office for the Red Cross and a night school for young women. It opened as a library in 2005.
Galería
Another block downhill is Galería. It’s a big market building in the center of a square lined with jeeps. Locals go there to shop for all kinds of goods. The jeeps make trips to other nearby towns filled with passengers, bags of coffee, and other goods.
Carlos Gardel Historical Marker
On the block past the Galería is a small traditional building with a historical marker placed next to the door. It states that the remains of legendary French-Argentine tango singer Carlos Gardel (1890-1935) spent one night in the building in December 1935 while being transported from Medellín to Buenaventura. Gardel died in a plane crash at the Olaya Herrera Airport (formerly Medellín International Airport) in Medellín.
Plaza Mariscal Jorge Robledo
Plaza Mariscal Jorge Robledo is another plaza sitting a bit further down the hill. It contains the city hall (Alcaldía) and is surrounded by a few colonial buildings. This plaza was once where the market was located, and where locals would come to gather water. Trustee meetings also took place there.
The current square was built in 1850 as Plaza La Pola. It has been remodeled several times since then and is considered the main plaza in Anserma. Farmers markets and craft markets are often held there.
Church of Santa Barbara
The most beautiful church in town, the Church of Santa Bárbara (Iglesia de Santa Bárbara), sits on Plaza Mariscal Jorge Robledo. It has stood since 1750.
Indigenous Relief Mural
On the outskirts of town to the north, near the recreational areas, is a relief mural dedicated to the indigenous people of the area, the Ancermas.
Bamboo House
Finally, there’s a huge multi-level bamboo house on the outskirts of town that not many people know about. It has been the life work of one man, Don Gonzalo, and he’s opened it up for visitors to enjoy.
You wouldn’t notice it from the road – it looks like a simple home – but once inside, it’s easy to get lost. There are plenty of sections built solely for entertainment, including a pool, kid’s play room, meeting space, an A/V room with a gigantic TV, and an area with a hanging mattress and hammocks.
The views from the house are fantastic and it’s peaceful just being there. It’s an incredible place to get away from it all and forget about life for a day.
The house features a large kitchen and spartan bedrooms and bathrooms for overnight visitors. It’s not exactly comfortable and the occasional mosquito or moth might buzz around your head at night.
On the grounds are a football field and exotic fruit trees. You can also see the classic VW that he’s fixing up and the jeep he modified to carry the bamboo.
The house will forever be an unfinished project. Don Gonzalo has plans to add an elevator and more rooms as time and funds allow. We can’t wait to visit him again to see what his creative genius has come up with.
You can stay at the house overnight for a reasonable per person fee with the filling of the swimming pool extra. Visitors must bring their own food or order delivery from a restaurant in nearby Anserma. If you’re interested in spending a night there, ask me and I’ll check availability and current pricing.
