Salento to Filandia: How to get there + What to do
Taking a day trip from Salento to Filandia is a must-do if you visit Salento. Filandia is nowhere near as famous as Salento but in my opinion, it is quite underrated. It is full of colorful colonial buildings and is one of the prettiest towns in Colombia!
Filandia is so conveniently located that you could even choose to stay here instead of Salento. Filandia could be a great alternative for those looking for a bit less touristy town.
So let’s find out how to get from Salento to Filandia and what to do once you arrive 🤠
How far is Filandia from Salento?
Filanida is only 35 km (20 miles) from Salento. The drive from Filandia to Salento only takes about 40 minutes.
How to get from Salento to Filandia
There are 3 different options for how to get from Salento to Filandia. We recommend the first or second option.
1. By Willy/Jeep
The easiest way to get from Salento to Filandia is to take a Willy from the main square in Salento. Willy’s are colorful jeeps used as transport in the coffee region of Colombia.
The Willy from Salento to Filandia leaves every hour on the hour and costs 7500 COP (2 USD) each way per person. To buy a ticket head to Salento’s main square and look for the lineup of colorful jeeps on one side of the square.
In between the jeeps is a ticket booth where you can buy tickets for many tours around Salento. Turn up here before you want to go to Filandia and buy your ticket. The Willys leave every hour on the hour so keep that in mind so you do not have to wait too long.
To book your return journey you will need to buy your ticket from the main square in Filandia. When you arrive there will be a guy hanging around the Jeeps to buy a ticket from. You will have to specify a time that you want to return so you may want to walk around town first to decide how long you want to stay for.
Read here: How to get to the Cocora Valley 🌴
2. By Taxi or Uber
The most comfortable way to get from Salento to Filandia is by taxi or Uber. Fortunately, Ubers in Colombia are very affordable compared to other parts of the world.
You can get an Uber from Salento to Filandia from 60,000 COP (15 USD). So if you travel in a group it is a really good option. The colorful jeeps are fun to ride in but are not that comfortable. Taking a ride in an Uber will be more comfortable, especially with luggage.
Read here: 10 Things in Salento Not to Miss! ✨
3. By Bus
It is possible to get to Filandia by bus from Salento. But it is so much more inconvenient compared to taking a Willy or Uber that it is not worth the trouble.
Read here: How to get to Salento Fast & Cheap 🚌
What to do in Filandia
There are plenty of cool things to do in Filandia that will make your day trip or stay special. We have listed here the top 5 for you!
1. Walk up the Mirador
One of the main attractions for tourists in Filandia is the Mirador. It is kind of a strange attraction because it’s a large wooden tower on a hill just outside town.
But there is a beautiful view from the top and you get a 360-degree view of the green rolling hills surrounding Filanida. One cool feature of the Mirador is the pool in the center of the tower with a butterfly on the bottom.
Entrance to the mirador is only 8000 COP (2 USD) and it is just a 20-minute walk from the center of town.
Read here: You like Filandia? Visit Jardin! ✨
2. Check out the Sunday Market
On Sundays, there is a nice market at Filandia’s main square to check out where you can sample lots of local products such as honey, coffee, and local sausages.
The market attracts a lot of people so it will be much busier than during the week. We enjoyed the weekend crowds and chose to visit Filandia on Sunday for that reason.
A lot was going on and many colorful jeeps and cars were parked around the square. It added to the atmosphere and we felt like it could be a bit dead during the week.
But if you do not like crowds I recommend visiting Filanida during the week. Colombians love to come here on the weekend so it is much busier.
Read here: Where to Stay in Salento 🛌
3. Go Souvenir Shopping
We are usually not fans of souvenir shopping. We like to travel light and cheap so there is no space for souvenirs.
But the souvenir shops in Filanida had high-quality souvenirs for sale. Usually, souvenir shops are filled with junk that looks like it was mass-produced in a factory somewhere.
But all the shops that we checked out in Filandia had unique products that looked like they were locally made. Even though we did not buy anything the shops were still great fun for looking around.
Read here: Salento or Jardin – Which Town is Better? 🤔
4. See Howler Monkeys
Around Filandia you see a few paintings of howler monkeys if you keep your eyes open. It seems like you are a long way from monkeys and the jungle in Filandia. But there is a nature reserve nearby where you have the chance to see howler monkeys in the wild.
The Barbas Bremen Nature Preserve is about an hour’s drive from Filandia. There you have a good chance to see howler monkeys and you will feel like being deep in the jungle.
If you have a car, the entrance to the park is free, so you can explore the park by yourself. But for most people, the best way to see the park will be to take a tour.
There is no guarantee that you will see howler monkeys as they are wild animals. But you are almost guaranteed to at least hear them making their distinctive noises.
Book a highly-rated Howler Monkey Tour here or here 👇
5. Visit a Coffee Farm
Filandia does not have as many coffee farms nearby as Salento. This is one reason it is not as popular with foreign tourists. But there are still some farms for coffee lovers to check out. Or if you stay in Filandia you could day trip to Salento to check out their farms.
One of the best farms to check out in Filandia is Coffee Tour La Palma. On this tour, you will visit a small family-run coffee farm that grows all of its beans organically and in a sustainable way. The owner Julian is passionate about coffee and also speaks English. Book the tour here.
Check out also:
🧑🌾 Best Coffee Tours Salento
🫘 Best Coffee Tours Jardin
☕️ Best Coffee Tour Medellin
Do you like our Filandia tips? Say thanks with a coffee here! 💛
Where to Eat in Filandia
Since Filandia is a touristy town and very popular with foreigners and locals there are plenty of restaurants and cuisines to choose from.
🍽️ Restaurante Cocina de la Loca – is a great choice if you would like a healthy affordable meal. The chef is passionate about using local ingredients and offers many vegan and vegetarian options. The Menu del Dia is 26,000 COP (7 USD) which is expensive by Colombian standards but it was super good and we found that the food was generally more expensive in Filandia.
🍽️ Restaurante Jose Fernando – is the most well-known restaurant in Filandia. It is a beautiful restaurant located within a traditional colonial building. They make traditional Colombian food with a modern touch. Mains cost around 12 USD which is expensive by Colombian standards but is good value for money considering how nice the restaurant is.
🍽️ Helena Adentro La Casa Rosada – is another of Filandia’s most popular restaurants. It has fantastic Colombian food with mains costing around 10 USD. Go here if you would like to eat a meal with a great view.
Book: Flexible cheap travel insurance with SafetyWing. Read about our experience plus other options here ✈️
Where to Stay in Filandia
Below are two great options for travelers looking for an affordable option.
🛌 Three House Hostel Boutique – is a great choice if you are looking for a hostel in Filandia. It has excellent reviews and dorm beds for as low as 10 USD per night. Book it here or look for more options here 👇
😴 Vivienda Turistica Yerbabuena – is another great affordable option. It is a very casual guesthouse with private rooms for 25 USD per night. Book it here or look for more options here 👇
Looking for a FREE place to stay in Colombia? Sign up to Trusted House Sitters for free + use code HAPPYHEALTHYNOMADS for a 25% discount on your yearly membership! 🏠 Read about our experiences here.
Now you know how to get from Filandia to Salento + What to do there!
A day trip from Salento to Filandia is a must-do while you are in Salento. The town itself is even prettier than Salento in my opinion and it is so easy to visit by jumping in a Willy at Salento’s main square.
We were surprised how pretty and nice Filandia was when Salento gets so much more attention. So you could even consider staying in Filandia and day trip from there to Salento!
Leave a comment if you have any questions or say thanks with a coffee if this article has helped you out 💛 Also, make sure to check out our other articles on Colombia’s Coffee Region which we have linked below for you!
READ ALSO
- Top Things to do in Salento
- Like Filandia? Visit Jardin!
- How to get to Salento cheap
- How to hike Cocora Valley
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Hi, I am Allan, a travel, health and fitness fanatic from New Zealand. I'm a former lawyer who turned into a full-time nomad in 2020. For the last 4+ years I've been traveling the world. I'm always on a hunt for good food, activities on a budget and workouts on the go. I hope you find my tips helpful and get inspired to travel more!
