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Villamaría is a town just outside the city of Manizales in the Coffee Region of Colombia. Some rural parts of the town are included in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia.
Introduction to Villamaría
Villamaría was originally inhabited by the indigenous Quimbaya and Carrapa people. The first European settlers arrived in 1834, led by Fermín López. The settlement was quickly abandoned and served only as a passage between the departments of Cauca and Antioquia.
After Manizales was founded in 1849, some residents crossed the ravine to the south and settled in what is now the town. They named it Aldea de Maná (Village of Maná) and depended on Manizales until the town was officially founded on October 19, 1852. The name, however, was listed on official records as Aldea de María (Village of María). The town played a significant role in civil conflicts in 1860 and 1877, which delayed the its development. Villamaría became a municipality on July 26, 1878.
Population increased with the construction of the Manizales-Mariquita Cableway between 1914 and 1922, and with the arrival of the railroad in September 1927. The first road between Manizales and Villamaría was built in 1931. Growth was stifled when operations for both stopped in 1967. The town was also deeply affected by the eruption of Nevado del Ruiz on November 13, 1985.
Today, the town center is easily accessible from Manizales and is a nice escape from the city. The rural areas of Villamará provide plenty of opportunities for ecotourism and relaxation, with nature trails and hot springs.
Getting to Villamaría
If you’re in Manizales, you can take Line 2 of the Manizales Cable Car from Los Cámbulos Station at the bus terminal. It stops right on the town’s plaza. The line opened on January 4, 2014. It’s 720 meters long and takes about 4 minutes. Tickets cost COP$2,900 per person, and kids under 100 centimeters ride free (as of April 2025). To get to the hot springs or rural areas, if you don’t have your own transportation you can take a local bus.
Parque de Bolívar
Parque de Bolívar is the main plaza in Villamaría. It’s a pleasant space with tall trees in the center and lots of places to sit. During our visit, the entire plaza was filled with locals enjoying the afternoon.
The plaza is surrounded by a handful of colonial style buildings filled with shops, cafés, and restaurants. The most attractive building belongs to the town hall (alcaldía). You can also get great views of Manizales.
Arrieros Monument
On the north corner is a monument dedicated to the arrieros (muleteers) who forged the town’s history and identity. It depicts three mules carrying firewood, coffee and jugs of milk; a dog; an arriero; and a woman collecting coffee. It was sculpted by William Alberto Cortés Alemán and unveiled in September 2022.
Church of Our Lady of the Rosary
The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary (Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario) is on the south side of the plaza. It was founded in 1853 as Our Lady of Poverty (Nuestra Señora de la Pobreza) and changed its name on January 24, 1958. The clock on the bell tower was built in 1851 and is still operational. The bells were cast in 1929.
The church was designed in the Neoclassical style. The nave is separated by 12 Ionic columns and the balcony, aisles, and ceilings are made entirely of wood. The high altar is supported by six wooden Corinthian columns and contains an oil painting of Our Lady of Poverty in the center. Wood carvings date to the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Where to Eat in Villamaría
While we didn’t have a meal, we did stop for coffee.
Mocca
Mocca is a coffee kiosk on Parque de Bolívar across the street from the church. They have very good coffee and it seems to be popular with the locals.
Termales El Otoño
Termales El Otoño is a popular hot springs in the village of Gallinazo, about 25 to 30 minutes from the center of Villamaría and Manizales. There’s a luxury hotel for overnight guests as well as an area for day passes. So far, we’ve only had the chance to visit the day area.
Day passes on weekends and holidays cost COP$60,000 for adults and COP$25,000 for kids age 2-12, and from Tuesday through Friday they’re COP$50,000 for adults and COP$25,000 for kids age 2-12 (as of April 2025). There’s also a two for the price of one deal on non-holiday Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Termales El Otoño features three pools of varying temperatures, all surrounded by lush vegetation. Lots of tours to Nevado del Ruiz stop there in the afternoon so expect it to get crowded. Thankfully, there are also a few VIP areas available for an extra fee.
Facilities
The changing rooms are clean and there are plenty of lockers. You can rent a lock from the reception area. There are no sun chairs but you’ll find plenty of normal chairs and tables in shaded areas around the pools.
The restaurant serves very good food at reasonable prices. Our group shared a delicious picada of assorted meats as well as a few orders of frijoles. Waiters can also serve you drinks while you soak in the hot springs, and we found the service to be excellent.
Before Remodeling
I do have to mention that the hot springs have been remodeled since our first visit and the difference is spectacular. They’ve transformed from a basic pool to a much more beautiful space.
