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Tuluá is one of the largest cities in the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia. It’s about 90 minutes from Cali.
Introduction to Tuluá
San Bartolomé de Tuluá was founded on August 24, 1639, by Juan de Lemos y Aguirre. The name means “easy to cultivate” in the indigenous Pijao language.
Tuluá had a terrible problem with violence in 2010 and 2011. This was due to rival drug gangs fighting for territory. The city is still considered unsafe.
Based on our experience, Tuluá had a bad vibe all around. We made a quick lunch stop there on our way to spending a few days in Cali and couldn’t wait to leave. It wasn’t the friendliest place we’ve been and didn’t seem too safe in parts. I don’t recommend going out of your way to stop there.
Getting to Tuluá
The bus terminal is located not too far west of Plaza de Boyacá. You can get there on buses traveling between Cali and the cities of Medellín, Bogotá, and Pereira.
Plaza de Boyacá
The heart of the city is Plaza de Boyacá. It was laid out by Enrique Uribe White and opened in 1919 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Boyacá. The plaza is a nice open space with some trees and with a statue of Simón Bolívar (1783-1830). It’s a popular meeting place for locals.
Church of San Bartolomé
The Church of San Bartolomé (Iglesia de San Bartolomé) is on the south side of the plaza. It was originally a small wooden chapel with a thatched roof. In 1845, Fr. José María Ledesma demolished the chapel to start construction on the current church. Construction was halted in 1849 due to political unrest and lack of funds. The façade was completed by 1875, and a Moorish-style tower was added around 1905.
Parque Céspedes
A block east is Parque Céspedes. The park was designed by Enrique Uribe White and opened on August 7, 1919. It’s named for Juan María Céspedes (1776-1848), a local here of Colombian independence.
The park is a pleasant space with a café on the south side. In the center is the Municipal Public Library (Biblioteca Pública Municipal). Across the street from the east side are some juice stands and a small overlook to the Río Tuluá, which runs through the city center.
Palace of Justice
The Palace of Justice (Palacio de Justicia) is on the north side of the park. It was built in the Neoclassical style between 1918 and 1928. On May 21, 2021, the building was set on fire during protests, causing heavy damage. It was restored starting in late 2022 and reopened on February 27, 2023.
Parque de los Franciscanos
A few more blocks east across the river is the Parque de los Franciscanos. It’s named for the beautiful Franciscan church across the street. The park is a bit neglected and not in the safest neighborhood.
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen) is across the street on the south side of the park. It’s part of a Franciscan convent founded in 1930. The first friars arrived on February 12, 1931. The land for the complex was donated on April 4, 1931, by Victoria Rojas de Victoria, and the first stone for the convent was laid on June 21, 1931. Work on the church began on July 23, 1923, and it opened on September 1, 1946. The 3-meter statue of St. Francis was added on October 4, 1947. The church was elevated to a parish on December 8, 1951.
Parks in Tuluá
Outside the city center are a couple of parks that we drove past but didn’t visit. Lago Chillicote is a small artificial lake with an island in the middle. On the island is a huge tree. Apparently it’s one of the recommended places to visit. Another one is Parque de la Guadua, which is at the southern entrance to the city. We plan to stop next time we drive through the area.
Where to Eat in Tuluá
We had a quick lunch before leaving town.
Los Arcos
Our lunch was at Los Arcos, a traditional Colombian restaurant a block east of Plaza de Boyacá. We had the lunch special which was sancocho, frijoles, and beef.
