Cali

Santiago de Cali ( also known as Cali ) is a city in the western of Colombia and is the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department (The western side of the country). It was founded on July 25th 1536 by Sebastian de Belalcazar and is the third most populated city in the country with a population of 2.5 million. The city has a great topography, which is mainly flat and the climate is mostly tropical savanna. Cali has a lot of modern landscapes and also some great ancient buildings, where some of the best places to visit are : Plaza de Caicedo, Parque del perro, Sebastian de Belalcazar’s monument, Cali River, Cristo Rey, San Antonio, Juanchito, Cali Zoo, La Ceiba etc. Because of the geographic position it has , the city is a national and international point of exchange for the economy, that is highly dependent on textiles and cultivation of sugar. The crime rate is a serious problem for the local police. Because of the ongoing mafia war between the two groups ( Los Rastrojos and Los Urabenos ) and the high number of assassins ( believed to be more than 1,700 ), Cali is one of the highest rated crime areas in Colombia. As for the cultural sector, the main event is “La Feria de Cali” where you can enjoy parades, bullfights, cultural exhibitions etc. and is ongoing since 1957. Also another name that Cali has is “Capital de la Salsa” ( the Capital of Salsa ), because of it’s type of music and dancing skills the people have there.