Things to do in Armenia or nearby municipalities

There is very little to do there but it is a nice and relaxing area. There are coffee tours, if you like coffee then they are nice. There is a little town Saliento, I think is it's name, that is not far and it's a small historic looking area that makes for a nice afternoon. There are also hot springs that can be visited but they aren't very close, maybe an 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours each way if I recall and can be confusing so it's better if you know someone local to go with you. I speak almost no Spanish and I've visited there twice, once for a month and another time for a week. I can tell you that very few people speak English even though there is a University there that teaches it. Much fewer than Medellin, Bogota, Cartagena etc. I know one of the I think 3 gringo residents that live there if you want to message me your number or something I can hook you up with him and he can at the very least tell you better what there is to see and do. I did enjoy the area a lot but I mainly was just relaxing, it's weather is similar to Medellin but maybe with more rain.

Visit the towns of Quindio: Salento, Filandia, Circasia, Pijao (beautiful) are a few.

Visit the "Parque Del Cafe" (it's a one day tourist trap...really)

There is a Gold Museum (Museo Quimbaya) in Armenia.

My wife has a cousin in Armenia that works for the Armenia tourist department. Will try to find info on horse back riding, dancing or other venues to get out.  PM me if you don't hear from me here....

Top Things Noticed at Parque de la Vida in north Armenia during Christmas season 2016....

10.  The park’s admission fee has doubled from 49 cents (1,500 pesos) to 98 cents U.S. this year.

9.  A couple of the jungle paths are becoming difficult to navigate due to overgrown foliage and branches.

8.  Nobody was seen roller skating during a visit to the patinodromo (rink) on a Saturday afternoon in December.

7.  There were more police patrols around the park than previously seen.  Three groups of four to six policía were noted, typically talking casually within their group on foot bridges.

6.  Canned music was played from the central bandstand starting at 4:30 p.m.  Did not sound like North American Christmas music.

5.  Tall plastic animal and Christmas characters are posted at the manicured end of Parque de la Vida -- mostly red and green for a seasonal touch.

4.  The six-foot-tall characters include an elephant, half a dozen monkeys and the Three Wise Men.

3.  A large vehicle tire was incongruously left in a clearing near the primary jungle-area bridge.

2.  On a really wet day at Parque de la Vida, the food and beverage vendors did not seem to be doing any discernible business from their carts near the main entrance to the park.

And the number-one thing noticed this Christmas season at Parque de la Vida...

1.  The income from the higher entrance fees apparently is being dedicated to keeping the park clean and tidy.  From the point of view of litter control, the place is spotless.  Other than the incongruous tire, of course.

cccmedia at a hotel near Parque de la Vida