HISTORY ABOUT CALI COLOMBIA

Cali is Colombia's third largest city. Founded in 1536 by Sebastian de

Belalcazar, it was a sleepy little mountain town until the sugar and coffee

industries brought prosperity to the region.

Cali is located in Colombia's southwestern region, about 995 meters above

sea level. A diverse region of coast, foothills and the Andean cordillera.

Cali is a rich archaeological area, as well as culturally diverse.

Getting to Cali isn't difficult. Domestic and international flights use

Alfonso Bonilla Aragon Airport (CLO) 10 mi (16 km) north of the city. There

are taxis and shuttles into the city.

Colombia's climate varies little throughout the year. You can expect a hot,

humid climate, but there is a drier season called summer, as opposed to the

wet season called winter. The Andean highlands, where Cali is located, has

two dry seasons, from December to March and again in July and August. Cali's

average temperature ia 23° C (73.4°F)

In Cali:

Iglesia de la Merced is a beautiful colonial cathedral on the Plaza Caycedo

in the historic district. It is Cali's oldest church

Museo de Arte Colonial, in the monastery adjoining the cathedral, displays

mainly colonial religious art

Museo Arqueológico displays pre-Colombian pottery and artifacts from the

various indigenous groups of the area

Museo de Oro exhibits gold items from the Calima culture

Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertullia displays modern art, sculpture and

photography

Iglesia de San Antonio, located atop a hill near the city center, offers a

fine view of Cali.

Teatro Experimental de Cali (TEC) began Colombia's national theater

Sugar Cane Museum

Plaza de Toros de Cañaveralejo bullfighting ring

Zoológico de Cali

Federico Carlos Lehmann Valencia Natural Science Museum with exhibits of

fauna, ethnological samples and insects of the region

Salsotecas abound on the northern side of the river, particularly in the

Juanchito suburb. Night tours in chivas last about five hours and will get

you into a number of hot salsa spots

Feria de Cali from December 25 through New Years with parades, bullfights,

salsa events, and a beauty contest.

Outside the city:

Monumento de las Tres Cruces are the three crosses on the mountain top, a

pilgrimage during Semana Santa.

Parque Nacional Farallones de Cali, a mountain park with diverse vegetation

and wildlife offers day excursions or hiking to Reserva Natural Hato Viejo

where you'll find lodging, food and guides to the park

Haciendas, belonging to the sugar barons, and now open as museums to see

sugar cultivation and process. Hacienda Cañas Gordas is on the southern

border of the city. It is considered the most beautiful of colonial homes

and here you'll see period furnishings and objects. Two are about 40 km

northeast of Cali:

Hacienda El Paraiso - History

Hacienda Piedechinche

Two don't miss sights are the archaeological sites of pre-Columbian

civilizations at Parque Arqueológico De Tierradentro and Parque Arqueológico

De San Augustín. Both are considered sacred sites and contain with ancient

monuments, statuary, tombs and burial mounds. Check into the state of the

roads from Cali; they can be in poor shape. Scroll to the middle of 1998

Latin American Pilgrimage for photos and descriptions of some of the stone

statues at San Augustín. More Photos of San Augustín