Is Manizales Worth Visiting In The Caldas Department Of Colombia?

Planning A trip To Colombia, Trying To Figure Out Where To Go, And Wondering If The City Of Manizales Is Worth Visiting?

When I was living in Colombia I was in the Coffee Region, not terribly far from Manizales, and I had to visit one time for work so I got to see the city a little, and although I have my own personal preferences on the best places to visit in Colombia, here are all the details about Manizales so you can decide if it’s worth adding to your itinerary.

🇨🇴 Is Manizales, Colombia Worth Visiting?

This church is definielty the main sight to see here.

Manizales is not one of the most visited cities by foreigners in Colombia because it’s not super close to major destinations like Bogota, Cartagena, or Medellin, but depending on your travel plans you might find it worth visiting on a quick trip.

Why You Should Visit Manizales

Although it’s not a typical foreign tourist destination in Colombia, you might find Manizales worth visiting because:

it is a much less traveled city so there are a lot less tourists compared to other parts of Colombia

Manizales is considered one of the safest areas of Colombia so it’s an easy place for solo travelers to visit

one of the most interesting sites in Manizales that made me want to visit was the Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora del Rosario (pictured below) which has the orange spiral staircase (pictured above) that you can climb up into the church tower; there is also a cable car and a few other interesting sites you can see around the city on your own or on a guided tour

although the Coffee Region is the most beautiful place in Colombia in my opinion, Manizales is close by and has access to some beautiful natural areas like the Nevado glacier hike, the hot springs and Ruiz volcano (where there is actually snow), or some hidden waterfalls

Manizales is located somewhat in between Medellin and the Coffee Region so if you plan to explore these areas by land (I rode the bus between my home in Pereira and Medellin and enjoyed it) you can easily stop in Manizales

Why Manizales Might Not Be Worth Visiting

I don't think Manizales, Colombia is worth visiting if you have to go out of your way.

Although I had a fun time in Manizales and think it can be worth visiting for some, others might not find it worth adding to their Colombia itinerary because:

there aren’t a ton of things to do in Manizales compared to other places around the country so it might seem a little boring

although it’s less touristy, Manizales is not visited as much in part because of it’s location away from other major destinations, so it might take too much time and be too out of the way for some Colombia trips

in the city of Manizales itself, I don’t feel like there’s much to do for more than a day, so it might be too much trouble to get to for such a short trip

📆 How Much Time Do You Need In Manizales, Colombia?

The nature surrounding this area is some of the most beautiful that I've ever seen.

Because there aren’t a ton of things to do in Manizales, if you still want to visit, I don’t think you need much more than a day or two to see the city.

If you want to visit other nearby natural areas like the snowy glacier volcanoes or the Coffee Region (pictured above), I think it’s better to stay somewhere like Pereira to explore them more easily.

🔁 Sum Up: Is Manizales, Colombia Worth Visiting?

Although I enjoyed my time in Manizales and loved climbing up the orange spiral staircase to the top of the cathedral, it’s not the most convenient destination to visit and there aren’t a ton of things to see and do here so it might not be worth the extra effort of getting to for some Colombia trips. If you do still want to visit, I think it’s best as a stopover when traveling by land between Medellin and the Coffee Region.