Pereira is the largest city in Colombia’s Coffee Region. It makes a great base for exploring the region.
My Posts on Pereira
General Info:
Areas:
- Cerritos (Suburb)
- Dosquebradas (Suburb)
- Pereira city center
Attractions:
Events:
- 2020 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament
- Deportivo Pereira vs Boca Juniors (2023 Copa Libertadores group stage)
- Marc Anthony concert
- My new life in Colombia
- Orthodox Easter in Colombia
- Romeo Santos concert
- Today’s the Day: Our Wedding
Brief History of Pereira
Pereira sits on the original settlement of Cartago, which was founded in 1540 and moved to its present location in 1691. The city we know today was officially founded as Cartagoviejo on August 30, 1863, by Father Remigio Antonio Cañarte (1790-1878).
In 1869, Cartagoviejo was renamed in honor of Cañarte’s friend, lawyer and politician Francisco Pereira Martínez (1783-1863), who had died six days before the city’s foundation. Pereira’s son, Guillermo Pereira Gamba, had donated the land for the new settlement, which in its initial stages consisted of about 6 city blocks and 100 homes.
The city experienced a tremendous period of growth during the first few decades of the 20th century, boosted further by the arrival of the railroad in 1917.
Getting to Pereira
There are two ways to get to Pereira – by air and by bus.
Matecaña International Airport
Matecaña International Airport is located a convenient 10-15 minute taxi ride from the city center. It was originally built between 1944 and 1947, and replaced with a new terminal in the early 1970s. Thankfully, a much nicer and more modern terminal building opened in 2020.
The airport contains a decent food court, underground parking, and some shops. In the arrival area, there are a few places to rent a car.
There are frequent domestic flights to cities like Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena. International flights arrive from Miami, New York City, and Panama City (as of January 2024).
Bus Terminal
The bus terminal is located near the city center. Several bus companies run routes to major cities and smaller, regional towns and villages. There’s frequent service to major cities like Bogotá, Medellín, Armenia, Manizales, and Cali.
Getting Around Pereira
Getting around town is easy on foot and via taxi. It’s generally safe to walk around during the day, but you need to be careful in certain parts. You’ll recognize a seedy area if you see it. At night, take a taxi if you’re outside the Circunvalar area.
Estadio Hernán Ramírez Villegas
Estadio Hernán Ramírez Villegas is the home of the local football club, Deportivo Pereira. It can accommodate over 30,000 people. It also holds concerts.
Shopping in Pereira
For shopping, the nicest place is Parque Arboleda on Circunvalar, which has upscale shops, a movie theatre, and good restaurants.
Victoria Mall, just south of the city center, has a few decent stores as well. It also has a movie theatre and some decent places to eat.
There’s also Unicentro (near the airport) and Pereira Plaza (next to the Movich Hotel) which are both filled with good shops and restaurants as well.
Nightlife in Pereira
The city has some decent nightlife. Avenida Circunvalar has several clubs and bars. We tried La Cantaleta but ended up leaving because they required us to buy a bottle if we wanted to enter. There are several other places up and down the strip to visit, including BARcelona (which also serves decent food).
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