Cali, Colombia’s “second city”, offers an even more spirited atmosphere than the splendor of Bogotá. Here you will find the epicenter of two of the nation’s most beloved pastimes, soccer and salsa, and its most famous export, coffee.

 

Salsa music and dancing provide the fiery pulse of the city, from neighborhood nightclubs, studios that provide lessons, to spectacular citywide festivals held throughout the year. You will feel that same passion flow through Cali’s soccer stadium that is home to three professional teams that compete with the world’s best from March through November.

 

No less exhilarating is ​Eje Cafetero,​ or the Axis of Coffee, the mountainous growing region that is a beautiful three hour drive from Cali. Here you will see how Colombia has infused its own flavor and identity into this global commodity. You can spend the night at an old, picturesque coffee hacienda, or one of several 19th-century coffee towns, gems of hospitality off the beaten tourist path.

 

Then there is Parque del Café, an actual amusement park dedicated to the history and cultivation of the world’s original energy drink. Here you can dress in traditional costume and learn to pick coffee as Colombians have done for generations. And if caffeine is not enough, get an adrenaline rush on the park’s thrilling rides!