My dear travellers,
Today I would like to invite you to discover with me Cali, the third biggest city in Colombia. I wrote already about this city in its security aspect, as it is super important to travel safe and be both responsible and respectful, especially when you are a solo backpacker. And if you are a female solo backpacker the topic becomes crucial!
But let’s not panic, once we are travelling we should be able to profit and enjoy every bit of it! 😁 😍
Cali, or should I use its proper name “Santiago de Cali”, is a very big town with more than 2 million 3 hundreds thousands inhabitants.
Personally, I wouldn’t say it’s the most beautiful city in Colombia, but it definitely has its charm. 🙂
I like and agree with Lonely Planet’s description. Check it out:
(…) It is not an easy place to get to know – tourism doesn't seem to be high on anyone's agenda here – but if you make the effort you will find great nightlife, good restaurants and plenty to do, especially in the evening, when a cool mountain breeze dissipates the heat of the day.
Cali is rich in Afro-Colombian heritage; nowhere is the nation's racial diversity and harmony more apparent. From the impoverished barrios to the slick big clubs, everyone is moving to one beat, and that beat is salsa. Music here is more than entertainment: it is a unifying factor that ties the city together.
source
“Cristo Rey”
I think most of us know the emblematic sculpture of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil called “Christ the Redeemer”. It’s a statue of Jesus Christ located on the Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park. Guess what, Cali also has a zone with a sculpture of “Cristo Rey“ (Christ the King) that overlook the city from above. It is situated at the hill called “Cerro de los Cristales” (Hill of the Crystals, it acquired this beautiful name because of the quartz occurring in the area 🙂) and obviously offers an interesting view from 1,440 meters above the sea level.
The statue can be visited daily, from 8 am, but be mentally prepared as this is a very touristic spot. It can be reached by cars/buses or on foot, as there is a possibility of a nice trek. If you choose the latter, I would recommend climbing with a local.
How about downtown (El Centro)?
Santiago de Cali has a busy historical city centre.
La Plaza de Cayzedo is Cali’s main square, where we will find buildings that are listed as “National Monuments of Colombia”, such as:
- modernist “el Palacio Nacional” and “el Edificio Otero”; and
- Neo-classicist Catedral de San Pedro (“The St. Peter the Apostle Cathedral”), the main Catholic church in the city.
If you take a moment to observe people you will notice a variety of types – from white-collars (like bankers as there are major banks in “el centro”) to shoeshiners and fruit sellers, and everyone in between.
From the square we can continue our walk and head to Simón Bolívar Park. Firstly we will pass “Iglesia de la Ermita”, an intriguing neo-Gothic church. When at the Simón Bolívar Park, we can rest and chill on benches under the shade of many trees. This park attracts both locals and tourists. This is where I saw, for the first time during my travels, a transaction between a drug dealer and a customer, they didn’t really make much effort to do that less visible. I don’t use drugs so I have no personal experiences to share, but I heard from some Israeli backpackers that it is super convenient and easy to buy them across Colombia.
Barrio San Antonio
My hostel that I stayed in for 2 first nights was located in San Antonio district, which is said to be the most traditional barrios of the town. It was definitely a good choice because it was a pleasure to stroll around its narrow streets, with charming low colonial buildings. This zone is also known for art galleries and theatres, but I didn’t have time to check them myself.
Apart from views and atmosphere, San Antonio has a lot to offer. I was invited by my Couchsurfing host to dine here one afternoon in a traditional and well-known restaurant. “El Zaguan de San Antonio" provided exquisite views over the city and a great cuisine! Mniam mniam! 😁
Thank you for being here with me. I hope until next time!
Pura Vida and enjoy your journey! 💛
More about me here: You can travel without being wealthy aka a girl from a "struggling" family chasing her dreams!
Some of my recent stories from South America:
Boldspirit and the death road - la ruta de la muerte - Bolivia # 1 and # 2
[BoldspiritTravels on a budget: “CICLOVÍA” - when bikes take over the city! Weekly! 😍 💪🏻 Bogota (Colombia) Solo backpacking on a budget in Latin America