An Afternoon at Hacienda el Caturral in Medellín

TLDR: El Caturral is a farm that produces organic coffee located 30 minutes from Medellin!  

When planning a trip, we want to pack in as many experiences as we can, right?

If you’re traveling to Medellín, you’ll find many ways to explore the city, but one of the best ways to see all the City of Eternal Spring has to offer is by taking some tours. 

If you’re a coffee lover and want to take a coffee tour close to Medellín, you’re in luck! 

Read ahead to learn about the Hacienda El Caturrl, a gorgeous place no more than an hour away from the city, where you can learn all about the coffee bean in the afternoon. 

What Is El Caturral and Where Is It Located? 

El Caturral is a coffee farm located in a town in the North called Copacabana, just 12 miles away or 30 minutes away from Medellín. 

On the farm, you can tour the coffee production facilities as well as the crops. 

The large facility is family-owned, and the tours feel much more personal than that of a commercial farm, where the processes are industrial and automated. 

In El Caturral, you’ll be able to see firsthand how the peasants work the land and how delicious ground coffee is made step by step in an artisanal way. 

How to Get to Hacienda El Caturral 

Getting to Hacienda El Caturral through the Metro System is fast and easy. First, you’ll want to get to the Niquia station, the last stop north of Line A. Once you’re there, you can take one of the integrated buses going to Copacabana. 

To get to the hamlet the farm is located on, you can take a 20 to 30-minute walk, or grab a taxi in the town’s main park if you want to get there faster. 

The most comfortable way to get to the farm is by private car. I recommend renting a car if you’re the type of tourist who likes to be in complete control of their travels. This way you can get to El Caturral on your own time. Take the highway leaving Medellín after Bello: the next town is Copacabana. 

There are also some tourist companies that provide transportation within their tour packages. They’ll be able to pick you up at your hotel, Airbnb, or another meeting point. This way you’ll avoid getting lost and can travel in peace and security. 

What to Expect at Hacienda El Caturral

A Coffee Farm Very Close to the City 

In Colombia, there are dozens of coffee tours in different cities. Another area known for its coffee production is the Eje Cafetero, a group of small cities about five hours away from Medellín, whose main economic activity is the production of Colombian coffee. 

Other Colombian cities have fertile land for growing, and In Antioquia, it’s very common to hear about coffee grown in the southwest of the area. 

But many people are unaware that there are farms very close to Medellín also dedicated to the production of the coffee bean. 

El Caturral provides an experience with a unique touch. The farm is located close to the city, and the tour is short but full of interesting information, supplying tourists with a firsthand look into the farming of the most consumed caffeinated beverage in the world

Organic Coffee Production 

The farm is the first one in Colombia to grow coffee through sustainable farming techniques. Their crop is organic and grown without any industrialized processes. It’s worth seeing how the process works, from seed to an aromatic cup of Antioquian coffee.

A Rural and Natural Landscape

Once on the mountainous farm, you’ll see dense plantations of coffee grains at different maturations, set against a panoramic view of Medellín. 

You’ll also be able to see fields of local tropical fruits as well as cattle and other farm animals. 

The Tour 

Although the tour goes by fast, it offers visitors enriching information on crops, plantations, and the production of organic coffee. 

You’ll be able to witness in real time the transformation of crops to beverages as you’re taken through the process step by step. 

A visit to El Caturral is perfect when you’re short on time but still looking for a memorable experience. 

Enjoying a hot coffee at the end of the tour after learning its origins is the cherry on top of the cake! 

Visit El Caturral

If you’re in Medellín and want to visit a coffee farm, don’t worry about traveling for hours! Many times the tours were looking for are right under our noses, in nearby towns and neighborhoods. 

El Caturral is the ideal place for coffee lovers looking to learn more about their favorite drink, just a half hour away from Medellín! 

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