Just You's Top Seven Coffee Destinations

To celebrate International Coffee Day, we're shining the spotlight on our favourite places for a proper cup of coffee. Whether you're an espresso aficionado or love a latte, one of these top seven are sure to tantalise your taste buds.

Costa Rica

Ranking as the 15th biggest producer of coffee beans, this South American gem knows a thing or two about it all! As part of the Real Costa Rica tour, we visit a coffee plantation to learn how its grown.

A tour of the Fairtrade farm, Mi Cafecito allows you to learn more about the production process and history of coffee, you'll discover more about the farm's positive impact on the local community, and its efforts to diversify with new tourist experiences.

With beans offering a low acidity, with flavours of citrus, and caramel and floral aromas, you won't be disappointed by the brew here. And you couldn't pick a more scenic place to taste their varieties of coffee - the farm rests at the foot of the majestic Poas Volcano and the Sarapiqui River.

Uganda

According to a report by Nescafe, Uganda is the 10th largest coffee producer in the world, well known for its indigenous Robusta blend which boasts a wine like acidity with rich chocolate notes.

Robusta grows abundantly in the Kampala Forest, so keep your eyes peeled on tour to see the country's most critical exports in its early stages of fruition. And to support the local economy on your travels, be sure to order a cup of joe and savour it even more knowing that you're helping one of 1.8 million Ugandan households that grow and sell coffee.

Peru

Peruvian coffee is known for its medium body, with nutty floral and fruit flavours, and has quite the reputation for its high-quality organic offerings.

With its main varieties being Arabica and Typica, it can be cultivated just about anywhere here, but seems that they grow best at higher altitudes. It's thought that there are over 150,000 farmers here, who work on terraced hillsides and so getting the crop to market undoubtedly poses quite the challenge.

Other blends include Bourbon, Catua and Pache which you'll find in the Cuzco area. With a mission of placing quality before quantity, you're in for a real treat wherever you find yourself on the Highlights of Peru tour. So make the most of every opportunity to sample different varieties.

India 

Did you know that India produces over 234,000 metric tons of coffee every year? A country full of rich culture and history (and coffee beans!), many farms were actually replaced with tea plantations in the past as a result of a plant disease which affected production, so you would be forgiven for not ranking India high on the list.

However coffee has actually been around since the 1600s in India, during the reign of the Mughal empire. Arabica and Robusta beans are the main varieties produced here, and it's mostly grown in Kerala and other southern states.

With most coffee exported to European markets, chances are that you have tried an Indian blend of coffee. But nothing can quite compare to starting your day waking up on the Keralan backwaters, enjoying a coffee in hand from the comfort of a houseboat. It doesn't get much fresher or more impressive than that!

Italy

At the mere mention 'coffee culture', Italy immediately springs to mind, and the daydream of sitting in a piazza watching the world go by, as you sip an Espresso.

While it might not fall into top lists of coffee producers, drinking coffee here is a pastime which comes with its own rules and customs.

According to 'The Cappuccino Law' you should not order one after 11am, and the same applies to lattes - but be careful with ordering the latter one, as you may be presented with a glass of milk, so be sure to ask for a caffé latte for your morning pick me up.

There are plenty of other quirks where they came from, so do your research before you travel and you'll be downing Espressos like the locals in no time!

Vietnam

If you like a well-rounded coffee, look no further than Vietnam - the world's second largest producer, accounting for a mighty 40% of Robusta bean production. 

Considered more bitter, sharp and stronger than its counterparts around the world, drinking coffee is considered an essential part of daily routine here. And due to the lengthy way it's brewed using a French drip filter, it's not something to be rushed either and more a tradition for escaping the chaos of everyday life.

And you may be surprised to find that Vietnamese coffee is thick, served both hot and cold, and usually uses sweetened condensed milk to fill out the coffee. Sometimes, even yogurt or egg is added and it's a popular choice with tourists curious to try this unique blend.

Brazil 

As the world's number one (reportedly for more than 150 years now), it would be remiss not to include Brazil in our lineup.

Legend suggests that the Portuguese Lt. Col Francisco de Melo Palheta romanced and persuaded the Guianese governor’s wife to smuggle coffee seeds across the border in a bouquet of flowers.

Whether Brazil's Java story has romantic connotations or not, coffee growing in Brazil was to enjoy a real boom some years later.

To put things in perspective, today, Brazil accounts for 40% of the industry's produce with Costa Rican production totting up 1% of the world's coffee beans. As well as green coffee beans, Brazil is unrivalled in its output of arabica beans and instant coffees. What's more, farmers now have more freedom and flexibility in how and what they grow, resulting in the emergence of more hybrids and flavours.

And it's good news if you're planning on enjoying the Rio Carnival, with so many varieties to keep your energy up for all the festivities, so you'll never miss a moment!

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