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Roldanillo is a hot town in the Valle del Cauca department of Southwest Colombia. It’s a popular spot for paragliding.
Introduction to Roldanillo
Roldanillo was founded as Villa de Cáceres on January 20, 1576, by Francisco Redondo Ponce de León. Due to fierce resistance by the indigenous population, the town moved in 1602 to its present site, which was a farm known as Estancia de Roldanillo. It’s a mostly flat town with very hot weather and there’s not a whole lot to see. The mountains outside Roldanillo are popular for paragliding.
Getting to Roldanillo
There’s no real bus terminal in Roldanillo. Buses leave from each company office. We arrived from Pereira using De Occidente. There are also frequent buses between the town and Cali, Armenia, Cartago, and nearby La Unión.
Where to Stay in Roldanillo
We’ve visited Roldanillo a few times, mostly to see Marisol’s cousins. They’ve all been short trips except for one overnight.
Campos Verdes
On our one overnight stay, we spent the night at the lovely Campos Verdes. It’s a short drive (or long walk) from the center of town and contains a few private cabins as well as a larger building with a handful of rooms.
We stayed in a spacious cabin that could sleep up to eight, but it seems like it would be just comfortable enough for four. The cabin was comfortable and very clean with a loft and plenty of fans. We slept very well that night.
Facilities include a pool, jacuzzi, and a restaurant. Unfortunately, the restaurant only opens on weekends and holidays, so we had to go into town for dinner. Breakfast was extra and worth the cost.
Where to Eat in Roldanillo
While we usually eat a home-cooked meal prepared by Marisol’s cousins, we have been out to eat once in Roldanillo.
L’Roma
We found a nice outdoor spot near the main plaza, L’Roma. They specialize in pizzas and burgers as well as a few other fast food type dishes. I had a delicious brick oven pizza. Service was a little slow but the pizza was worth the wait.
Heladería Frutalia
I grabbed an ice cream at Heladería Frutalia, right on the main plaza on pedestrianized Calle 8. Other than cups and cones of ice cream, they have a good selection of creations like banana splits, sundaes, and more.
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Parque Elias Guerrero
The main plaza of Roldanillo, Parque Elias Guerrero, is typical of the region with many trees and a fountain in the center. It’s also surrounded by a few historic buildings.
Church of San Sebastian
On the plaza is the Church of San Sebastian (Iglesia de San Sebastián), which is very modern in design. It contains some gorgeous stained glass windows, but we didn’t have a chance to enter.
Calle 8
Calle 8 runs off the plaza. It’s a pedestrianized street containing a few cafés, restaurants, and shops.
Rayo Museum
If you’re passing through the area, the Rayo Museum (Museo Rayo) may be worth the detour. This small art museum was opened in 1981 by Omar Rayo (1928-2010), a Colombian abstract artist who worked mainly with geometric shapes. He was born in Roldanillo and also died there. The museum sits a block off the main plaza along Calle 8. Adult admission is COP$15,000 (as of June 2024) and it’s open daily.
The museum is housed in a unique building topped with domes and short hallways linking them to the lobby. In the permanent galleries, Rayo’s work features geometric shapes in both color and black and white.
In another gallery, temporary exhibitions of works by other artists are on display. The artists featured during my visit were Feliza Bursztyn (1933-1982), who made sculptures out of scrap metal, and textile artist Olga de Amaral. Both artists are Colombian.
After walking through an outdoor space which includes a small auditorium, a final gallery featured Rayo’s works on paper and a short video about his life.
Omar Rayo’s grave is also on the museum grounds, flanked by two tall palm trees. Even the headstone was designed with a beautiful geometric optical illusion.
The Hermitage
A few blocks away, Hermitage Park (Parque de La Ermita) is another large plaza with many trees and benches. On one end is the Chapel of the Hermitage (Capilla de La Ermita), a national historic landmark. It dates back to the 17th century.
