Cali is the Salsa Capital of the World and so much more. I was surprised at how much there was to do here and the value is incredible. Most travelers overlook Cali for Medellin and Bogota as the tourist infrastructure is not as built up and people still think I mean California when I mention Cali. So while Cali takes a little more effort, if you do try you will be rewarded. From the waterfalls of San Cipriano to the historic city center to the famous nightlife, Cali offers a multitude of great experiences for the traveler.
Of course we must start with Salsa. So my recommendations for getting the full experience of Cali are 1- Salsa 2- Historic City Center Tour 3 & 4- Cat Park and Museum Tertulia 5-Cristo Rey 6- San Cipriano 7-Rio Pance 8- Cali Zoo 9- Alameda Food Market and 10- The Fair of Cali.
Salsa
Cali is Salsa. Cali claims to be the birthplace of Salsa and the music flows through the city. When there, make sure to try one or all of these experiences.
Take a lesson– Try some Salsa, its fun, great learning experience and inexpensive. I recommend Salsa Pura in the cute San Antonio neighborhood. Very nice people and accommodating, they offer classes for all levels. Salsa Pura Cl. 4 ##661 (602) 4842769
Watch
Mulato Caberet is a great show house. Amazing energy and performances and you can dance on the dance floor between shows. Full dinner and drinks menu. (entrance 90,000 COP)( #7, Carrera 32 ##43 Tel-320 5263764)
Dance
The top Salsa Club in the city is still La Topa Tolondra Nightclub. Whether you are ready to get on the dance floor or just want to check out the cities best dancers, you should definitely come here for the experience.
Historic City Center Tour- river promenade, murals, plazas and churches
For the starting point go to the Boulevard of the River (Boulevar de Rio), this is a nice promenade along the Cali river and next to a park with small restaurants and bars to sit outside and eat or people watch. At the end of the boulevard is the beautiful La Ermita Church. From here walk over to Plaza Cayzedo, a busy plaza with the statute of the liberator Joaquin de Cayzedo y Cuero. You can stop here for some traditional lemonde and snacks. For Narcos fans you can see the drug store across the street which was one of the fronts for the Cali Cartel and was bombed during the Narco Wars. About 6 blocks from here is the Plaza of San Francisco where you can also try some traditional snacks, buy feed for all the pigeons and see the Church of San Francisco. From here you can walk over to La Merced a religious complex and the oldest church in Cali which has five rooms of pre-Columbian ceramics and a courtyard in an old colonial style house. Along the walk to La Merced look for some of the beautiful street murals which are painted around this part of the city. For a more detailed guide of the city center and things to see check here: Cali City Center Info.
Cat Park & Museum Tertulia
Cat Park (“Parque de Gato) is lovely slim park which runs along the Cali River in the middle of the city. It is known as Cat Park for the beautiful cat sculptures throughout the park. The first and most famous (often used as a symbol for Cali) is El Gato del Río (“The River Cat”) a sculpture by Colombian artist, Hermando Tejada unveiled in 1996. In the following years a number of cat scupltures by different artists were added.
I put Tertulia Museum in this section as its right across from Cat Park so it easy to see both in a few hours.
La Tertulia Museum, is a modern art museum. The museum consists of three buildings: a main gallery with three hundred works by national and international artists, an art workshop for children and a movie theater.
Cristo Rey- Christ the King
Cristo Rey is an eighty-five foot statue of Jesus located in the Hill of the Crystals “Cerro de los Cristales ” It takes about a 25 minute drive from the city center. Its called the Hill of Crystals as they mine a lot of quartz in the area.
As you come up the hill to the statute you can see the work of artist Carlos Andrés Gómez, who for two years sculpted his work on 34 ravines.
The entrance to the monument of Christ the King is free. It is open from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm. There is a chapel, restaurant and parking and a number of souvenir stalls, among other features.
Besides the statute it has nice views of the hills and its pleasant to walk around in the fresh air.
San Cipriano- Hiking, Tubing and Waterfalls
San Cipriano is a small town in a rain forest reserve. It claims some of the worlds cleanest crystalline rivers. The tour offers hiking to some beautiful waterfalls for swimming, a ride on the “brujita” and tubing back down a calm river.
The Brujita is a combination motorcycle and sled. The locals figured a good way to use these abandoned rail tracks by hooking this sled which glides on the tracks to a motorcycle next to it which pulls the sled to transport people and goods.
It is a full day tour, about 12 hours and costs about ($65) offered by a few tour companies.
Rio Pance
Rio Pance is a beautiful river about a one hour drive outside Cali. There is a small town with many restaurants along the river, here so you can go in and eat and then bath in the river. If you have more time and want to get into the nature there are tours to take you on a little hike to a waterfall or more extensive hikes in the National Park if you like.
Cali Zoo
The Cali Zoo is about 25 acres with about 1,200 animals, representing some 180 species.
Cali Zoo is now a modern zoo. The old cages were replaced with new comfortable and spacious exhibits. Animals are now relocated according to their species. The Cali Zoo Foundation started focusing on each species requirements for diet and started a complete medical collection of each animal’s records so it could provide better care. (Cra 2a Oe, )
Galeria Alameda Food Market
The Alameda Food Market (“Galería Alameda”) is one of the most famous markets in the country. Experience the food of Cali that only the locals know about. There is a huge selection of exotic fruits and vegetables along with meat, spices and coffee to sample and a few restaurants and coffee bars to relax and eat.
You can go directly there if you just want to check it out and grab a little food or take a tour which explains the history of the food and neighborhood. I took a tour which I found interesting.
The Cali Fair -La Feria De Cali
The Cali Fair or La Feria de Cali is the most important cultural event in Cali, Colombia and one of the most important in the region. It is a celebration of the region’s identity, culture and music and one of biggest parties which last for five days. The Fair has been celebrated since 1957. The Feria de Cali runs from December 25th to December 30th.
For a fun description see here: The Cali Fair
Conclusion
Cali is a city not to be missed. I like to try different cities but it keeps bringing me back. It is a welcoming city which has a lot to offer for tourists. While there aren’t as many tour companies here, most places can be be easily reached by a cheap taxi ride. Enjoy this great city which is still relatively unknown for tourists and good luck with your Salsa. Always let me know your experience and any comments or tips. Salud! For important information on covid restrictions, visa’s, electricity, etc see: Essential Cali Information.
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