Santiago di Cali or simply Cali is located in western Colombia and is the third largest city in the country and also the capital of Valle del Cauca Department. Cali was founded by Sebastián de Belalcázar, a Spanish conquistador in 1536. The original inhabitants were those of indigenous tribes, before the Spaniards arrived into city to settle here. Belalcázar was part of Columbus’ third voyage and he joined Francisco Pizzaro in 1532 in a conquest of Perú, but he separated from Pizzaro in 1534 and set out on his own search of El Dorado. It was in this quest that he discovered Cali and decided to make it his territory and established the city.
The city is located in the Cauca Valley with the Cauca River to the west and the Western Mountain Range Farallones di Cali to its east. To its north and south lie extended plains. The city experiences a tropical savanna climate with two rainy seasons and since it is close to the equator, there is no major variation in the climate. While Cali has a modern infrastructure, it also has a number of important historical sites that tourists can visit. One of the most important tourist centers is the Plaza de Cayzedo, which is in the heart of the city. It was made the town square in 1813 and named after Joaquin de Cayzedo y Cuero, a fighter for the republic.
Some of the prominent buildings in this plaza are the El Edificio Otero, El Palacio de Justicia and La Catedral to name a few. The La Merced and the La Ermita churches are also significant historical buildings. A well-known monument in the city, also a city landmark, is the Sebastian de Belalcazar Monument. The Parque del perro is an area in the city that has some great restaurants and bars. A religious monument, Cristo Rey, located high up on a hill, gives you a spectacular view of the city below. If you wish to get a glimpse of the colonial period, the San Antonio neighborhood with the San Antonio Park would be a great place to visit.
The Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport, which is the second largest airport in Colombia, serves the city of Cali. You can also get to the city via coaches with highways connecting Cali to Bogotá, Medellín and Quito.
Photo by azappadu provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by azappadu provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by John Jimenez provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by John Jimenez provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by John Jimenez provided courtesy of Panoramio.com