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Salamina is one of the most beautiful towns in the Coffee Region of Colombia. It’s also one of Colombia’s Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio).
Introduction to Salamina
Tourists from all over Colombia and the world flock to traditional coffee towns like Salento and Filandia due to their proximity to the major cities of Pereira and Armenia. Those towns are great to visit, but both have been overrun by tourists and have lost their authenticity.
Enter Salamina. Unknown and seemingly in the middle of nowhere, it takes a little more time to get to but it’s well worth the effort. This small peaceful town, part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia, is devoid of tourists and is one of the most colorful and beautiful towns I have encountered in the entire Coffee Region. It’s known in Colombia as the “city of light” due to its history of artists and poets, and as a prestigious Heritage Town (Pueblo Patrimonio), it’s very important to the culture of the country. In Salamina, you’ll find a very authentic coffee town with friendly people and colorful colonial architecture.
Getting to Salamina
To get to Salamina, shared taxis from the bus terminal in Manizales leave whenever there are four passengers. The ride takes about two hours. There are buses just about hourly but they take nearly three hours to do the trip. From Medellín, buses pass through La Merced via La Felisa. The trip to the nearby town of Aguadas takes about two hours, and the village of San Félix, with the Samaria Valley, is an hour away.
Parque Bolívar
A good place to start exploring Salamina is the main square, Parque Bolívar. It’s full of benches underneath the shade of tall trees and is surrounded by several historic buildings.
A gorgeous cast iron fountain sits in the center of the square. It was made in Germany and transported to Colombia by ship via France. The fountain was installed in 1889, and is a reminder of the glorious past of Salamina.
Also in the center of the square is a statue of Father José Joaquín Barco (1852-1912). He was instrumental in overseeing the completion of the town’s church, which was lagging behind in construction.
Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Basílica Menor de la Inmaculada Concepción) sits on the north side of the plaza. It was designed by English architect William Martin in 1862 and construction started on October 26, 1865, under Father Francisco Antonio Isaza. It was completed at the end of the 19th century.
The locals are very proud of the church, which incorporates English Renaissance, Baroque, and Byzantine styles. The nave is divided into three aisles separated without columns. The woodwork, especially the intricately detailed ceiling, is stunning. The church also features important works of art, such as the statue of the Immaculate Conception and hand carved wooden altarpieces made by Custodio Saraza and Anatolio Peláez.
Pius XII College
The building attached to the left of the church is the former Pius XII College. Classes began there on February 2, 1940. A plaque on the building commemorates the school.
Home of Rubén Sierra Mejía
On the corner to the left of the former Pius XII College is the boyhood home of Rubén Sierra Mejía (1937-2020). He was a philosopher and professor at the National University of Colombia (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) as well as the director of the National Library of Colombia (Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia) from 1988 to 1991.
House of Dr. Rodrigo Jiménez Mejía
Continuing counterclockwise around the square is the house of Dr. Rodrigo Jiménez Mejía (Casa del Dr. Rodrigo Jiménez Mejía). It sits on the northwest corner of Parque Bolívar and is one of the best examples of traditional Antioquian-style construction in Salamina.
The house was built by Juan Jiménez Gómez and Cándida Rosa Mejía Mejía, the parents of Rodrigo, after their former home burned down on July 12, 1914. It’s made of bahareque and wood with a clay tile roof. The house has two floors with an interior patio, and included space for animals and milking cows.
Today, the house is used as a restaurant, Tres Cuartos. Rodrigo Jiménez Mejía (1904-1978) was a professor and the dean of the Faculty of Law of the National University of Colombia.
Casa del Degüello
Finally, on the east side of the park is the Casa del Degüello. It was built in the middle of the 19th century in the Spanish colonial style and played an important role in the Revolution of 1879. Liberal rebels had captured the town of Aguadas and marched south towards Salamina, taking it without resistance on the evening of March 21. The following morning, as government forces entered the town, the rebels began shooting at the soldiers from houses around the square. A battle ensued leaving Parque Bolívar clouded in gun smoke, and the last rebels fell at Casa del Degüello. The house is said to be haunted by some of the dozens who died there during the battle.
Calle Real
The main street through town, Calle Real, is full of shops, restaurants, and other businesses. It’s just as colorful as the rest of the streets but with more people. It’s also where you’ll find Café El Polo, if you’re interested in trying some unique local delicacies.
Rodrigo Jiménez Mejía Cultural Center
A block south of Parque Bolívar is the Rodrigo Jiménez Mejía Cultural Center (Casa de la Cultura Rodrigo Jiménez Mejía). It was originally a house belonging to the Alzate López family and was built between 1892 and 1900. The municipality purchased the house and converted it to a cultural center, which opened on February 14, 1972. Admission is free (as of March 2024).
The ground floor of the cultural center features an open patio surrounded by a variety of temporary and permanent exhibits on the history of Salamina.
Upstairs are permanent galleries containing indigenous and prehistoric artifacts, old photographs of the town, and art workshops.
Even if you aren’t interested in the exhibits, it’s worth popping into the building see the architecture and fine woodwork.
Market
At the southern end of Calle Real is the town’s market. It’s a bit more hectic, louder, dirtier, and more crowded than the rest of town, but it’s interesting to see the locals buying meats, fruits and vegetables, and other goods. This is also where buses and taxis to Manizales and Aguadas can be found.
Cemetery of Salamina
A few blocks uphill from the square is the cemetery. This peaceful and beautiful burial ground has a nice entrance with a skull and crossbones and the words “Lux Perpetualuceateis” (Perpetual Light) inscribed over the door. There are also great views of the surrounding mountains from the cemetery.
Attached to the entrance is the Valvanera Chapel, which was designed in the Baroque style by Eliseo Tangarife and commissioned by Father José Joaquín Barco. It’s on a Maltese cross floor plan and features 52 doors along the façade. The chapel was inaugurated on July 20, 1910.
Architecture and Doors in Salamina
The best thing to do in Salamina is wander the streets, admire the architecture, and pay attention to the gorgeous details and colors. Most of the scenic streets are within a few blocks of Parque Bolívar. Notice the flowered balconies, finely detailed doors, and interesting door knockers as you walk through the streets.
Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy
On the south side of town on Carrera 8 is the Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy (Capilla Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes). It was originally built in 1883 by Father Felipe Suárez Zuluaga. The neo-Gothic façade was completed in 1936, the side towers were added in 1949, and the central tower was added in 1966.
Where to Stay in Salamina
There’s a decent selection of small boutique hotels in Salamina as well as private homes for rent.
Hotel Colonial
Our hotel for our first trip to Salamina was Hotel Colonial, located on the south side of Parque Bolívar. It’s a traditional home with big beautiful rooms. The staff was very helpful and friendly and gave us plenty of tips while visiting.
Our large room for the night had a great view of the mountains and fast WiFi. The only problem was the noise. It was very loud until nearly 2am. The music from the bars and noise from the people was so loud it felt like it was all happening in our room.
Casa Típica Salamineña
On another trip with a large group of 12, we rented an entire house a block from Parque Bolívar. The Casa Típica Salamineña features five rooms with a different combination of beds, a full kitchen, a large living room, laundry facilities, a dining room, two bathrooms, and a patio on the ground floor.
Overall, the house is clean and comfortable, it’s relatively quiet at night, and everyone enjoyed having their own large space. The location is fantastic, only a few steps from restaurants and the square. Furthermore, the caretaker is very friendly and helpful, with advice on what to see in town and where to eat.
Where to Eat in Salamina
The only drawback to Salamina is that there are very few options for food. The options that are available aren’t very good, either.
Café El Polo
Café El Polo, on Calle Real, is a must when visiting Salamina. This hole-in-the-wall has a couple unique local delicacies you won’t find anywhere else. They’re called huevos al vapor and la macana. Although they can be found in other places around town, Café El Polo is the original place where they were invented back in 1955.
Huevos al Vapor
Huevos al vapor are eggs, sausage, and butter cooked in steam. The manager at El Polo brought us up to the counter to show us how they’re made with a steam machine. It’s a fairly simple set of ingredients but it’s very interesting to watch and tastes delicious.
La Macana
La macana is an unusual dessert made of soda crackers, a generous helping of butter, some sugar, and milk. The four ingredients are combined in a mug and cooked with steam, then topped off with cinnamon. It sounds like a strange combination but when put together it tastes great.
Try Them at Home!
If you want to try making these unique delicacies at home, the recipes are posted on the wall of the café.
Don Fermín
Don Fermín is located on the northwest corner of Parque Bolívar and is considered one of the best restaurants in Salamina. It’s got a gaudy yet elegant atmosphere and a menu full of traditional Colombian dishes. The entrance is around the corner on Calle 4.
To be honest, we weren’t completely satisfied with our meals and didn’t find service to be the friendliest. Marisol had a churrasco that was rubbery and bland. I had the respingacho, which is a local dish of chorizo wrapped in pork and topped with a creamy wine and panela sauce. It was interesting to try. Overall, Don Fermín tries too hard to be a fine dining spot with gourmet food but falls short of the mark.
Tres Cuartos
Across the street in the house of Dr. Rodrigo Jiménez Mejía is Tres Cuartos. It’s another “top” restaurant in Salamina but it also disappointed us.
We visited for lunch and tried the daily special, which was soup and a choice of meat served with chickpeas, rice, and salad. We both had the fried chicken, which wasn’t very good. Marisol’s came out uncooked while mine tasted like fish. The only positives were the good service and reasonable prices.
Calicanto
On the east side of Parque Bolívar is Calicanto. It’s a café and restaurant with a decent menu. They offer fast food and traditional Colombian dishes.
We visited for coffee in the afternoon and ordered take away for dinner one night. The coffee isn’t that great but the dinner was the best meal we’ve had in Salamina. I had a big hearty burger with a side of fries while Marisol had an arepa topped with chicken.
Inside, pay attention to the huge metal cityscape of nightlife in Salamina in 1948. It shows a street scene depicting bars along the main street in town. The barista is happy to explain the different stories depicted in the scene.
Casa Ambar
Along Calle Real is Casa Ambar, which we feel has the best cup of coffee in Salamina. It’s located on the upper floor of a historic home. On the way up the stairs, pay attention to the cutaway on the wall exposing the clay and earth materials used to build the house.
Once upstairs, there are a couple rooms to enjoy your coffee as well as fantastic views of the town. In addition to coffee, Casa Ambar has some cakes and things to snack on.
La Exclusiva
La Exclusiva, located on Parque Bolívar, serves a good cup of coffee. They also have a few options for breakfast.
Las Ricuras de Salamina
If you’re up early and can’t find a place for breakfast, visit Las Ricuras de Salamina. It’s on the northwest corner of Parque Bolívar. It’s not the best breakfast you’ll ever have but it does the trick.
Tierra Paisa (Permanently Closed)
For a good breakfast or traditional Colombian meal, Tierra Paisa, located under Hotel Colonial, is a good bet.
La Choza (Permanently Closed)
The staff at our hotel recommended a spot called La Choza, which is a restaurant outside town with phenomenal views and good food. We ordered a trout lunch and enjoyed it. The waitress told us many years ago there use to be wax palms there, but to find them today we would have to go all the way to San Félix.
