10 Best Sights in Southwest Colombia, Colombia
Sorry! We don't have any recommendations for Southwest Colombia right now.
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Southwest Colombia - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Catedral Metropolitana
Although ground was broken in 1772, construction on the Metropolitan Cathedral was halted during the war for independence. The grand structure wasn't completed until 1841 and the current facade dates from 1930. The pale interior of this massive temple is complemented by its marble columns and brilliantly gilded altar.
Cerro de los Cristales and the Cristo Rey
The Hill of the Crystals affords a spectacular view of the city. The monumental statue of Christ at the top is visible for miles. A taxi from downtown should cost about 50,000 pesos round-trip. Be sure to ask the driver to wait for you.
Recommended Fodor's Video
Iglesia de la Ermita
A neo-Gothic church built between 1930 and 1948, the white-and-blue Hermitage Church has become such an enduring symbol of Cali that it is one of the most common images on postcards.
Iglesia de San Francisco
This large brick church and the adjacent Franciscan monastery date from the early 19th century. The church's brick Torre Mudéjar (Moorish Tower) is considered one of the finest examples of Spanish-Moorish architecture in South America. The church's impressive frescoes, painted by Mauricio Ramelli, depict the life of St. Francis.
Iglesia y Museo Arqueólogico de la Merced
The Church of Grace, Cali's oldest house of worship, was completed in 1680. It stands on the site where the city's founders celebrated their first religious service in 1536. The museum, which shares the space, has a collection of pre-Columbian ceramics from the region's major cultures, including the Quimbaya, Teirradentro, San Agustín, and Nariño. The garden houses a replica of a funerary mound found in Tierradentro.
Museo de la Caña de Azucar
Palacio Nacional
Intricately carved doors under equally ornate arches adorn the 1933 National Palace, on the east side of Plaza de Caicedo. This neoclassical government building houses a small museum that commemorates 300 years of growing and processing sugarcane, for which Cali and the surrounding Valle del Cauca are famous.
Paseo de Bolívar
Tropical trees shade this large park on the Río Cali's north bank. The modern buildings to the west house municipal offices and are collectively known as the CAM, a term also used by locals to identify the park.
Plaza de Caicedo
In the middle of this shady square is a statue of Joaquín Caicedo y Cuero, the 18th-century patriot who liberated Cali from the Spanish.