Plantation House
Salento, Quindio, Colombia
Salento is a sleepy little town of 4000 or so inhabitants, perched on a hill in "La Zona Cafetera", 24 km from Armenia and 60 km from Pereira (pronounced Pay Ray Da), beside the valley of the river Quindío, after which the department (state) of Quindío is named.
There is only one road in and out of Salento, which connects to the Armenia/Pereira highway, after crossing the beautiful Quindío valley in a series of hairpin bends, with fantastic views of the surrounding hills, many of them planted with coffee bushes.
The centre of the town is the main square, around which are grouped all the principal buildings, the major shops and restaurants, the bus terminus, and the only church.
Also to be found in the square is the only bank, which has no ATM (cash machine), and does not handle Foreign exchange or Travellers checks. However, it will do cash advances on VISA credit cards, although this can be an expensive way of getting spending money, so it's best to stock up with funds before leaving Armenia or Pereira.
The local delicacy is trout from the river Quindío, which is served in most (if not all) of the restaurants, sometimes in as many as seven different guises. For those not fond of fish, chicken is also usually available.
At weekends the town comes alive as visitors pour in from the surrounding countryside to enjoy live music in the square, rides for the children, and tasty snacks for everyone (empanadas, chorizo, etc., etc.).
Just off the square is a street lined both sides with tourist shops selling all sorts of locally produced goods, from hats to hand-made leather "flip-flop" sandals, and everything in between.