Experience in Cali, Colombia by Fernando

What is it like to live in Santiago de Cali? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

It's a perfect city to visit or for short stays but can be really unwelcoming for long stays.

What is the student lifestyle like in Santiago de Cali?

Depends on the budget, as always. If you have a good budget it can be lots of fun, if not it can be very dull.

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How much does it cost to live in Santiago de Cali?

Again depends on your budget, if you come from Europe surely it will be cheaper as of what you are used to, for instance a good meal will be around 12 EUR while a good night party will be 45 EUR.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Santiago de Cali? Is there any advice you can give?

Not at all, but again, language can be an issue, but with English you can bypass most difficulties.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Food is very tasty and I bet many foreign students will love it. There is food for all budgets and all food has its pros and cons. The most traditional dishes that people love are bandeja paisa, sancocho, ajiaco and bofe.

What places would you recommend visiting in Santiago de Cali?

Belalcazar statue that is the founder of the city, great place to spend an afternoon and eat some corn. La loma de la Cruz is a place where the artist gather, very bohemian. La Tertulia museum is a very hot spot and finally the three crosses mountain, a great hiking adventure.

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Is it good to eat out in Santiago de Cali? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Yeah for sure, it is not that expensive and the food is great. There are several hot spots in neighborhoods like Granada, El Peñon and San Fernando. A very good place I recommend is a restaurant called El Escudo del Quijote.

Is the nightlife good in Santiago de Cali? Where is good to go?

It is the dance city, there are a lot of places to dance Salsa and also for other taste in music like electronic. Zaperoco is a very known place to dance good Salsa.

What advice would you give future students heading to Santiago de Cali?

The city is not a bad place, you can have a lot of fun, but remember although Cali is not dangerous per say, it is not as safe as cities in Europe where you can walk at 2 am without the fear of getting mugged. Just ask where is safe to be and where not and as rule of thumb, think safe, if its dark and alone, don't go that way.