One of the most important novels in Latin American history, María, is set in a traditional plantation house in the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia. The house is called Hacienda El Paraíso and was owned by the father of the author, Jorge Isaacs. It’s now a Colombian National Monument and museum because of its significance to the novel.
Aviation and model enthusiasts will love the Fénix Air Museum (Museo Aéreo Fénix), an impressive museum appropriately located near the airport that serves Cali, Colombia.
While visiting Marisol’s sister in Cali, we had an opportunity to attend a football game between Deportivo Cali and Envigado in what would be my very first game in Colombia.
As to be expected in a city geared towards business, there are a lot of great restaurants in Cali. The restaurants covered in this post were chosen by friends and family we visited. Two of my favorite restaurants in Cali, The Market and Litany, are both covered in their own posts.
Cali has a great choice of hotels for both business and pleasure, ranging from basic hostels to top five star name brands. I’ve stayed at two different hotels in Cali on my many trips through the city.
Dinner at The Market, located inside the Marriott Hotel in Cali, is a good experience. They have a huge selection of international cuisine in a casual dining room with a nice ambience.
One of the best meals I’ve eaten in Colombia came at Hotel Camino Real in the historic city center of Popayán. This award-winning restaurant offers excellent French and Colombian food in an elegant setting.
As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, one can’t visit Popayán without trying its unique local cuisine. The locals sent us to Mora Castilla, a small and simple restaurant in the historic city center that many regard as the best place to sample payanés delicacies.
Popayán has a nice collection of colonial churches scattered throughout the whitewashed historic city center. They were all closed until after 3:30pm on the Friday I visited but I was able to admire most of them from the outside.