Cali - Culture

Cali, city in western Colombia, capital of Valle del Cauca Department, on the Cali River. Cali is a major transportation, commercial, and industrial center for the Cauca River valley, where sugarcane, coffee, tobacco, cotton, cacao, bananas, rice, and corn are grown and cattle and hogs are raised. Coal mines are also in the region. In the city, textiles, clothing, shoes, pharmaceuticals, tobacco products, soap, cement, processed food, and furniture are manufactured.

Cali is the site of the University of Valle (1945) and Santiago University of Cali (1958). Points of interest also located in the city are San Pedro Cathedral and the Church and Monastery of San Francisco. Cali was founded in 1536 by the Spanish conquistador Sebastian de Belalcazar. Population (1997 estimate) 1,985,906.

Cali has many different Night Clubs according to your taste. There's Martyn's Bar whose tender and owner is Welsh and London Bar. Both bars are located in the in the north of the city and cater to foreigners and locals keen on UK Pop & Rock music. (You won't hear anything from Britney Spears there, that's for sure!).

If you want to get acquainted with the city, the best way to it is at night on a Chiva. A Chiva is an old bus with no glass windows or none at all. Stroll the city and listen to a live Papayera Band aboard.

There are countless restaurants for most tastes. Whilst you can mingle with upper-class Caleños at Palos de Moguer, Casablanca or Paparazti, you might want to hang out at a popular area of the city and have some cold Costeña beer with the folks at La Parisien.

There are dozens of Discos such as Chango, Baiao, Village Game, Don José and more. It all depends on the company. Some discos won't let you in unless you have one.