Fincas silleteras or “Silleteras Farms” are a fundamental part of the culture and traditions of Medellín. Thanks to the silletas and all the hard work invested in the floriculture in Antioquia, peasants were able to provide great quality products to the Colombian and international markets, of their products, and the marketing of flowers and vegetables.
Since 1957, when the first official Silleteros Parade was held, in which a group of farmers from the village of Santa Elena paraded with their silletas loaded with flowers and vegetables, and after the declaration by the Congress of the Republic in 2003 of Law 838 declaring the Silleteros and the Flower Fair of Medellin as cultural heritage of the Nation, Santa Elena has become the epicenter of the Silletero culture, safeguarding in its Silletero farms, through the cultivation of flowers. This heritage has transcended time and is eternal in the hearts of locals and foreigners.
The History of Silleteros and its Silleteras farms
The tradition of the silleteros in Medellín and in other geographies of the Colombian Andean region dates back to many years ago, when peasants and Indigenous people carried wooden “chairs” or “silletas” on their backs as a rudimentary means of transportation, considering the conditions of the Andean landscape: rocks, cliffs, swampy roads between mountains, forests, and scrubland.
Initially, there were two types of silleteros: the Carguero, who carried on his back various objects from other parts of the country and the world (crockery, pianos, furniture, porcelain, religious images, suitcases, etc.). The second one was the Sillero, who used to carry sick passengers and was known for their strength, helpfulness, and talkativeness during the journey. Particularly among the farmers of Santa Elena, the silletas were also beginning to be used as a way to carry the flowers to Medellín and sell them after hours of walking.
This is how the silleta, which continued to be associated with the transport of sick or helpless people, was used by the farmers of Santa Elena to market their products in Medellín, especially between 1918 and 1976, with the special characteristic of the fertility that the land possessed to grow beautiful and colorful flowers. The silletero, a flower and vegetable vendor, became a colorful character in the urban landscape of the city center and some neighborhoods, where they brought supplies by order. In 1925, Braulio Ochoa was the first flower grower to take the road to Medellín with a flowery silleta on his back. He was followed by other characters with surnames such as Grajales, Soto, and Jurado, who still designate silleteras families today.
Most Popular Silletera Farms in Santa Elena
This story was woven from Santa Elena for at least 50 years of the twentieth century, thanks to the people who had the cultivation of flowers and vegetables as a trade. From then on, the custom of assembling and carrying silletas full of flowers was perpetuated with the institution of the silleteros parade, which continued carrying the precious floral arrangements on their backs, but with a commemorative sense once a year.
This colorful and beautiful route, which is the central axis of the Flower Festival, continues to be guarded and exposed to the whole world from the so-called “Silletero Farms,” most of which are still a family inheritance managed by generations who have bequeathed the love for the land, flowers and the profession of being a floriculturist. From these places, it is possible to immerse yourself in a journey full of history, traditions, colors, and much pride for locals and strangers for its identity and historical value for the city of Medellin.
Below, we present some of them so that you can get to know the family network and the tradition that each of these farms guards:
Abuela Sarito Silletera Farm
It is located in the center of the village of Mazo, specializing in collecting objects with great historical value in our territory and ancestral customs. It has a typical cottage as an auditorium is anfitrion, Guillermo provides interactive workshops that bring visitors closer to the peasant knowledge, while you walk by a traditional and ornamental flower garden.
Chagualo Silletera farm
It is located in the village of Pantanillo, surrounded by a natural forest inhabited by multiple species of butterflies and birds that live among native tree species of Santa Elena. You can go to the tour calmly and attentively because its host, Aristides Rios, has a great reputation as a storyteller and knowledgeable of the silletera cultural tradition. You’ll aso find additional services such as trout, blackberry, strawberry, cape gooseberry, and potato crops.
Los Sarros Silletera Farm
It is located in the village of Piedra Gorda. It has a nature trail that allows you to discover great biodiversity of fauna and flora, native species of trees and flowers that are bird habitats, and the nursery “Salpicón,” where multicolored gardens are preserved and propagated. Here, the tradition is passed down from generation to generation to guarantee the conservation of the silletera manifestation in the family by the hand of the host, Carlos Alberto Grisales Ramírez.
El Pensamiento Silletera Farm
It is located in the village of Barro Blanco, in the El Rosario sector with multicolored gardens that transport visitors to an unparalleled experience. The extensive knowledge in agriculture and floriculture of its host, José Ángel Zapata Amariles, translates into fresh food, smells, and colors that permanently adorn the farm surrounded by high mountain Andean forests that provide visitors with natural tours through incredible biodiversity of flora and fauna.
El Porvenir Silletera Farm
It is located in the village of El Plan with a wonderful viewpoint overlooking the Aburrá Valley that dazzles visitors and tourists. There is also a path through colorful gardens that bloom all year round, along with fruit and vegetable crops grown by its host, Raúl Grajales, who gladly shares his knowledge and all the stories obtained in numerous national representations.
Silletera Heritage Silletera Farm
It is located in the village of El Placer. Thanks to its hosts, Dorigo de Jesús Zapata Alzate and Edelmira Grisales de Zapata, it has one of the township’s most representative traditional and ornamental gardens. It also has a large conference room with interactive workshops on the evolution of the silletera culture and a museum with objects of historical value for the township’s cultural manifestation.
La Casa del Silletero Londoño Family - Silletera Farm
It is located on the Barro Blanco road. Visiting the Londoño family on their farm allows you to discover the silletera tradition immersed in modernity, with the unique contribution of five generations delegating this profession. In the front garden, there is a handicraft fair organized by the community for the benefit of the artisans. In addition, there is a natural forest in which we can find different species of Orchids, Bromeliads, Mosses, and Anthuriums in situ (in their place of origin).
Los Girasoles Silletera Farm
It is located in the village of Barro Blanco, in the El Rosario sector with several orchards and gardens filled all year round with flowers and vegetables that favor the sighting of native birds and birds of passage, as well as floral and arboreal species; it also has a silletero corner with historical objects characteristic of the silletera manifestation, preserved by its host Joaquín Emilio Zapata Amariles.
Los Grajales Silletera Farm
It is located on the Piedra Gorda trail. It has a large garden with traditional flowers and ornamental, aromatic, and medicinal plants. Its hostess, Leopoldina Alzate de Grajales, leads a family of silleteros who also keep a silletero corner with historical objects of our culture and many awards obtained over time through significant national and international representations.
El Cerezo Silletera Farm
A beautiful Finca Silletera that conforms a large family led by its hostess, Gloria Álzate Vásquez. It has a large garden of traditional and ornamental flowers, medicinal plants, vegetables, and greens, offering a tour through trails that adorn the spaces for flower cultivation.
FERIA DE LAS FLORES Guide
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In Medellin Guru, we love Colombia, and we usually write many blogs about Colombian culture, places to visit, and other tips for all expats to have a reliable guide and valuable and relevant information about Colombia. Read our blogs about Colombian Culture here:
- Top Tourist Attractions in Colombia: Top Things to Do
- Top Things to Do in Medellín and Nearby: Top Tourist Attractions
- How to be an Expat in Colombia: 12 Tips to be a Successful Expat
- Top Things to Do in Cali and Nearby: Top Tourist Attractions
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- Things in Colombia That May Be Strange for Foreigners
- Things Colombians Do That Foreigners May Find Weird
- Popayán: A Well-Preserved Colonial Gem in Colombia Worth Visiting
- Tejo: A Colombian Game That Rewards You for Explosions
Other things to see and do in Colombia
- Caño Cristales – the most beautiful river in Colombia, which has also been called the most beautiful river in the world by some people.
- Carnival in Barranquilla – the second largest carnival in the world.
- Cartagena – Oozing history, romance and sun-drenched beaches, the allure of historical Cartagena is hard to resist.
- Ciudad Perdida – the site of an ancient city in Colombia that is older than Machu Picchu in Peru.
- Colombia’s Pacific coast – often overlooked by tourists visiting Colombia but offering untamed nature and undiscovered beauty that is off the beaten path for most foreign tourists.
- Desierto de la Tatacoa – the second largest arid zone in Colombia is Tatacoa Desert, which has surreal desert landscapes and some of the best stargazing in Colombia.
- Guatapé – a picturesque pueblo near Medellín known for its huge rock and lake. And it’s likely the most visited pueblo in Colombia by foreigners.
- La Guajira Peninsula – one of the most visually stunning places in South America, which is located on the northern tip of Colombia where the desert meets the sea.
- Las Lajas Sanctuary – the most beautiful church in Colombia, which has also been called the most beautiful church in the world.
- Medellín’s Christmas lights – Medellín’s annual world-class Christmas lights known as Alumbrados Navideños.
- Feria de Las Flores Medellin – Medellín’s world-famous flower festival each year.
- Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados – a popular national park in Colombia located in the heart of the Colombian coffee region.
- Parque Tayrona – known for its beautiful beaches and the world’s highest coastal mountain range.
- Popayán – a colonial gem in Colombia best known for its white buildings and churches, it’s a city off the beaten path for foreign tourists but is definitely worth visiting.
- Rio Claro Nature Reserve – located about three hours from Medellín, Rio Claro is the perfect place to unplug from hectic daily life and enjoy a picturesque crystal-clear river, canyon and tropical rainforest.
- Salento and the Cocora Valley – Salento is a picturesque pueblo in Colombia’s coffee region and the nearby Cocora Valley is one of the most striking landscapes found in Colombia.
- San Agustín Archaeological Park – the largest group of pre-Columbian monuments and megalithic statues in South America and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- San Andrés – Colombia’s Caribbean island which is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve featuring many beaches, islets and coral reefs that are filled with flora and fauna.
- San Gil – Colombia’s adventure capital that is full of things to do including white water rafting, paragliding, caving, rappelling, hiking and much more.
- San Jose del Guaviare – a hidden gem and eco-tourism location off the beaten path and offering wildlife watching, jungle trekking and delving into Colombia’s prehistoric past.
Medellin Flower Festival Blogs in Medellin Guru
The Bottom Line: Silletera Farms in Santa Elena, Medellin
During the Flower Festival in Medellin, silletera farms play a crucial role in preserving and showcasing Colombia’s rich floral heritage. These farms serve as the primary source of the gorgeous flowers used to create the elaborate and stunning silleteros’ floral arrangements. The festival not only celebrates the vibrant beauty of the flowers but also honors the hard work and tradition of the silleteros who proudly carry on this cultural legacy.
Without these farms, the spectacular floral displays and parades that define the festival would not be possible. The silleteros’ dedication to their farms and the art of flower arranging is a testament to the enduring significance of these farms during the Flower Festival in Medellin.
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