Sebastian de Belalcázar Statue and Viewpoint

The basics

As well as being an important monument, the Sebastian de Belalcázar Statue is also located at a popular lookout point in Cali. Thanks to the statue’s cultural significance, it features on the majority of Cali sightseeing tours, which take you around the city on foot or by bus. These typically combine the statue with top attractions such as the National Palace (Palacio Nacional), the San Antonio district, the Cristo Rey monument, and Caycedo Square (Plaza de Caicedo), home to the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Things to know before you go

• At the viewpoint, you’ll find street vendors selling drinks and traditional snacks such as grilled corn smothered in butter.

• The steps leading to the viewpoint might make it difficult to access if you’re using a stroller or a wheelchair.

• You can find toilets and more shops at the nearby Pacific Mall, which provides a refreshing blast of air-conditioning.

How to get there

From central Cali, the Sebastian de Belalcázar Statue and Viewpoint is a 30-minute-walk uphill, or you can take the A02, A05, or A06 bus and disembark in San Antonio; from there, the viewpoint is a 10-minute walk. For utmost convenience, visit the statue as part of a sightseeing tour that includes round-trip transfers.

When to get there

The viewpoint is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, but avoid visiting late at night. For the most atmospheric experience, visit in the early evening hours when locals gather to watch the sunset and food vendors and street entertainers work their way through the crowds.

Where to soak up the best views of Cali

The Sebastian de Belalcázar Statue and Viewpoint isn’t the only place to soak up sweeping views of Cali and its mountainous surroundings. From the 18th-century San Antonio Church (Iglesia de San Antonio), you’ll get panoramic vistas of the bohemian district of the same name, while at Cristo Rey—a giant Jesus statue similar to Rio’s Christ the Redeemer—you can see for miles.