Armenia

Clinging to the verdant valley sides of Columbia’s inland Coffee Zone, the chilled-out town of Armenia forms a natural crossroads between the booming cityscapes of Cali, Bogota and Medellin. A relative latecomer in the region, the city was founded in 1889 by the legendary jaguar stalker, Jesus Maria Ocampo, only to have its historical facade completely destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1999.

Armenia sits in a natural enclave, where the Penas Blancas rises to the west and the verdant coffee plantations of Circasia dominate the north, shrouded by the peaks of the mighty Los Nevados National Park. Amidst this topography that ensconces it, is a recently put together mass of surprisingly clean avenues, giving way to the ubiquitous Plaza de Bolivar and a “not to be missed” gold museum. And while many visitors typically pass through the city, those who do stay back should head to the Zona Rosa, where senoritas twirl to the tango, and Armenia tour guides introduce travellers to the potency of Columbian liquor late into the night.