Quindío district, Colombia

Places to visit near Calarcá

Calarcá is a town in Quindío district, Colombia, home to about 62,170 people. Within 50 km by road there are 148 places to visit — 66 hill stations & viewpoints, 36 waterfalls, 17 forts & heritage and 12 museums. The must-see places are Quimbaya Gold Museum (6 km), Parque del Café (18 km) and Cascada de Cocora (24 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Calarcá on the map

Calarcá, Colombia
Calarcá, Quindío district, Colombia. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Calarcá at a glance

Location
Quindío district, Colombia
Population
about 62,170
Coordinates
4.5295° N, 75.6409° W
Places within 50 km
148 (10 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; July to January, best August to November right after rains for waterfalls; year-round for museums

Top places to visit near Calarcá

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Calarcá: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near Calarcá, by type

Hill stations & viewpoints near Calarcá

137 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Calarcá. The closest is Alto del Río (2 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

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Waterfalls near Calarcá

51 waterfalls within 100 km of Calarcá. The closest is Chorros de San Rafael (5 km); the best-known is Cascada de Cocora (24 km). Best time: july to january, best august to november right after rains.

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Forts & heritage near Calarcá

39 forts & heritage within 100 km of Calarcá. The closest is Cacique Calarcá (2 km). Best time: october to february.

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Museums near Calarcá

18 museums within 100 km of Calarcá. The closest is Casa Museo Musical del Quindío (5 km); the best-known is Quimbaya Gold Museum (6 km). Best time: year-round.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Calarcá

11 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Calarcá. The closest is Jardín Botánico del Quindío (3 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Churches near Calarcá

6 churches within 100 km of Calarcá. The closest is Our Lady of Poverty (40 km). Best time: year-round.

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A one-day trip from Calarcá

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 43 km on the road.

  1. Start in Calarcá
  2. 2 km Cacique Calarcá · heritage site, Quindío
  3. 1 km Jardín Botánico del Quindío · nature spot, Quindío
  4. 17 km Parque del Café · park, Quindío
  5. 17 km Quimbaya Gold Museum · museum, Quindío
  6. 4 km Alto del Río · viewpoint, Quindío
  7. 2 km Back to Calarcá

Plan a longer trip from Calarcá — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Calarcá

No traveller has reported from around Calarcá yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Calarcá

    All places near Calarcá by distance

    Within 15 km of Calarcá

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Calarcá by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Hill stations & viewpoints66137Alto del Río (2 km)
    Waterfalls3651Chorros de San Rafael (5 km)
    Forts & heritage1739Cacique Calarcá (2 km)
    Museums1218Casa Museo Musical del Quindío (5 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens611Jardín Botánico del Quindío (3 km)
    Churches26Our Lady of Poverty (40 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs24Laguna Encanto (44 km)
    Caves24Cueva de Refugio (41 km)
    Other attractions23Wooden Entrance Gate (26 km)
    Parks22Parque de Los Fundadores (4 km)
    Beaches & coast11Arenal (34 km)

    Calarcá: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Calarcá?

    Quimbaya Gold Museum (museum, about 6 km), Parque del Café (park, about 18 km), Cacique Calarcá (heritage site, about 2 km), Alto del Río (viewpoint, about 2 km), Jardín Botánico del Quindío (nature spot, about 3 km), Alto de La Moneda (viewpoint, about 3 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Calarcá?

    148 places on Spotwander: 66 hill stations & viewpoints, 36 waterfalls, 17 forts & heritage, 12 museums, 6 wildlife, forests & gardens.

    Which is the nearest viewpoint to Calarcá?

    Alto del Río, about 2 km by road; Alto de La Moneda (3 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest waterfall to Calarcá?

    Chorros de San Rafael, about 5 km by road; Salto del Hippie (8 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest fort to Calarcá?

    Cacique Calarcá, about 2 km by road; Carmelina Soto Valencia (4 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Calarcá?

    Start in Calarcá, visit Cacique Calarcá, then Jardín Botánico del Quindío, then Parque del Café, then Quimbaya Gold Museum, then Alto del Río, and drive back — about 43 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Calarcá?

    October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; July to January, best August to November right after rains for waterfalls; year-round for museums.

    Towns near Calarcá

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Calarcá’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Calarcá on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.