Cali
Cali, also known as the salsa capital of the world, is Columbia’s third largest city, after Bogotá and Medellín. The city was, like Medellín, home of drugs and cartel wars in the late 1980’s. The Cali Cartel broke away from Pablo Escobar which brought the city into a dangerous situation. Now the city is safe and a good place to visit for a day or two. The city is located 10 hours from Bogotá and 9 hours from Medellín.
In my opinion, there is not too much to do in Cali, not worth a visit when you have a tight travel schedule.
What to do
Cristo Rey is a 26 meters tall statue located in the Cerro de los Cristales, Hill of the Crystals, west of the city. From here you have an amazing view over the city!
It is a long and dangerous road to hike your way up, so I would recommend taking a taxi until you see a local market. Ask your taxi driver to wait for you, it can be hard to find a ride back!
Cristo Rey almost looks exactly like the one in Rio de Janeiro, but the Brazilian one is 38 meters tall! Also, the Cristo Rey has a 5 meter pedestal.
San Antonio is a colonial neighbourhood and the historical heart of Cali. This area is where most tourists stay because of its amazing restaurants and nice hotels. One of my favourite places is Tierradentro Café & Co!
The nearby San Antonio Park has a great view over the city, a perfect spot to chill.
Cali’s city center is worth visiting for a couple of hours to enjoy beautiful churches, parks, and theaters.
One of the highlights is La Ermita Church, Cali’s most recognized building. Make sure to visit Jorge Isaacs Park, La Merced Church, and Caicedo Square.
Plaza de Caicedo is the center of the city. It was one of the many film locations used in the Netflix series Narcos. The plaza is surrounded by shopping streets, markets and casinos.
Are you looking for an amazing day trip from Cali? Read everything here about San Cipriano!
Salsa class
Most hotels or hostels offer (free) salsa classes! Make sure to do at least one, you are in the salsa capital of the world!
In the city there are a lot of salsa clubs too. Live music, locals who are dancing and cold beers, what do you want more? Close to San Antonio there is a super cool salsa club, called Punto Baré. The small entrance fee is totally worth it.
Where to stay?
Obviously in San Antonio. There are many good places in the area.