Cali isn't the best place to visit in Colombia in my opinion, but there are still a few interesting attractions to see here.

Attractions In Cali Colombia (The Best Things To See & Do Here)

ByHaley Posted on Updated on
Affiliate disclosure, privacy policy

Thinking About Visiting Cali, Colombia, But Wondering What Kind Of Attractions This City Has To Offer?

When I was living in the Coffee Region of Colombia, I explored the city of Cali a little, and while I don’t think it’s the absolute best place to visit in the country, there are a few interesting attractions to see here if you’re already going to be close by or you have plenty of time to really explore this country.

💃 Best Attractions In Cali, Colombia

Cali isn’t the most touristy place in Colombia (compared to Medellin, Bogota, or Cartagena) and I don’t recommend it as one of the best places to visit in the country (it’s not known to be as safe, although I didn’t have any issues here myself), but there are still a few interesting attractions here that might be worth checking out depending on your interests and how much time you have to explore Colombia:

Salsa

This city claims the title as the Salsa Capital of The World.

By far Salsa music and dancing is what Cali, Colombia is most known for, so much so that they even claim the title as the “Salsa Capital of the World”. If you love to listen or dance to this kind of music, or you’re just really interested in this part of Colombian culture, then Cali is the perfect place for you to go.

A Few Ways You Can Enjoy Salsa Music & Dancing In Cali, Colombia:

Parque de los Gatos

The Parque de Los Gatos is one of the main attractions in Cali, Colombia.

One of the most unique and unusual attractions in Cali, Colombia is the Parque de los Gatos (pictured above). It’s pretty random and nothing more than a bunch of cat statues/sculptures along the Cali River, but it’s one of those iconic things this city is known for.

Opposite to a cat park, Cali also has a Parque del Perro with a few dog statues, but this park is not located quite as conveniently.

Museums In Cali

Although Cali is a relatively small city, there are a number of museums you can check out here depending on your interests. A few of them are related to Salsa, but there are also some art and history museums:

Iglesia Ermita

Although Cali is known for a few other things besides salsa, I don't think its the best place worth visiting in Colombia especially if you have limited time.

One of the most beautiful attractions in Cali, Colombia when it comes to architecture is the Iglesia Ermita (pictured above). It’s a gothic style church that was built in the 1930s and 40s, and also has a marble altar that was brought over from Italy (which dates back to the 18th century).

This church sits conveniently in the center of Cali (also along the Cali River) so it’s super easy to walk to if you plan to stay over in Cali, but it’s also one of the main things to see here so most tours take you by this church as well.

Natural Attractions In Cali, Colombia

Cali isn’t the most beautiful place in Colombia (in my opinion the nearby Coffee Region is one of the most beautiful areas), but there are still a few natural attractions in or around this city that you can visit:

Monumento Cristo Rey

Although it's not quite as big as the Brazil one, the Cristo Rey monument is one of the main attractions here in Cali, Colombia.

Although it’s not quite as big as the Brazilian equivalent, Cali has it’s very own Christ Redeemer statue (pictured above) that sits on top of one of the few hills of this valley city (the view from up here is pictured below).

It’s also one of the main attractions here in Cali, Colombia so most city tours include this as a stop as well.

Still trying to decide where to visit in Colombia? Here’s a comparison between Cali and Medellin to help you choose between these two

📆 When To Go To Cali, Colombia

Cali isn't the best place to visit in Colombia in my opinion, but there are still a few interesting attractions to see here.

When it comes to events and Salsa music/dancing, the best month to visit Cali, Colombia is during the Cali Fair which takes place towards the end of December when the weather is also typically nicer, but the winter and spring seasons are also the busier seasons.

The off season with fewer crowds is usually late summer/early fall (this is also when the whales arrive in the bay near Cali), but since Cali is a valley, it can get fairly hot during these seasons (I went in May and wore shorts and a short sleeve t-shirt but it was still hot).

Rain can happen in most of Colombia pretty often, but since Cali is a drier valley it doesn’t get quite as much rain as some other nearby areas (October is usually the month with the most rain in Cali and the average number of days with rain is only 10).

🔁 Sum Up: Attractions In Cali, Colombia

Although I don’t think Cali is the absolute best destination to visit in Colombia (there are just so many other wonderful and beautiful places around this country), there are still a few interesting attractions to check out here (especially the Iglesia Ermita, Cristo Rey, Salsa music and dancing, or the Parque de los Gatos) if you’re already going to be in the area or if you have lots of time to really explore this country.

Haley

Haley is the owner and author of Adventure Evermore, a travel blog that encourages users to explore, adventure, & bucket list around the world, no matter what anxieties or other difficulties they may have. When she's not writing blog posts about her favorite destinations, she's reading, playing soccer, or watching sports, movies, or TV (especially The X Files).