Popayán, Colombia’s White City
Popayán is known by two names: the white city (la ciudad blanca) and the fertile city (la ciudad fecund). It’s known as the white city because the old town is whitewashed and the fertile city because no other town has contributed as many Colombian presidents.
This traditional city is shaken up by a large student population and makes for an interesting stop for anyone travelling from Cali to Quito. When we visited in December 2019, Popayán had been very active and vocal in the Colombian protests for indigenous rights, the protection of the Colombian people and against austerity measures of Duque’s government.
The city’s usually pristine white walls had been covered in graffiti calling on the government to take action, and during our stay the local army had been tasked with re-painting the city.
Things To Do in Popayán
Take a Free Walking Tour of Popayán
Get Up and Go Colombia is a non-profit organisation that arranges free walking tours in Popayán. It’s a great way to see the city and support a local person (with a generous tip!) Most of the spots mentioned in our Popayán travel guide are best seen with a local guide who’ll tell you a little bit more about the place’s history. On the tour, you can also access a couple of colonial houses and university buildings that would be difficult for solo tourists to visit.
Visit a Colonial Church
Popayán has five churches on “Calle de las Iglesia” alone, but the Igelsia de Belen might be our favourite. It’s a twenty-minute uphill walk from the city centre, but it’s worth it to see this 17th-century church is set upon a scenic hilltop. The churches are built in close proximity because each one was built on an indigenous holy place.
Sit and Enjoy Local Life in Parque Caldas
Parque Caldas is the main hub of local life in Popayán. Children feed pigeons, grandfathers stand outside the cathedral for a gossip and vendors tout carts of freshly fried potato crisps and sliced mango. At Christmas time, the square is lit up with gaudy festive and floral decorations.
Climb the Pirámide El Morro
This spot overlooking Popayán looks like a simple hill topped with a typical statue but, as the name suggests, the pyramid was built by indigenous people as a burial place for high society. It was discovered by the Spanish in 1535 and was abandoned when they found it. It’s a short-but-steep hike and you’re rewarded with decent views of the white city.
Take a Free Salsa Class in Popayán
Salsa is everywhere in Colombia, so you shouldn’t leave the country without trying a few steps for yourself. Be warned though “class” is used in the loosest sense of the word! We had a group of about 10 people dancing in a small hostel space with a teacher showing off ludicrously complicated moves. It’s all good fun though and arranged by Get Up & Go Colombia. Contact them on Facebook to find out when and where the next class will be.
We’re also told that the locals dance salsa at La Iguana from about 10PM on a Friday, should you want to see some salsa in the wild.
Cross the Old Bridge (Puente del Humilladero)
This picturesque bridge is an easy walk from the main square. The bridge crosses a stream and a small but peaceful grassy area. On weekends, hopeful locals set up stall to try and sell knickknacks to passersby.
Hike to the Three Crosses Hill
If you’d like to stretch your legs and you’ve already climbed El Morro, you could consider climbing the Three Crosses Hill. I say you might rather than should because it’s a muddy path and the views aren’t fantastic from the top. Muggings sometimes happen here as well, so don’t travel alone at night and don’t bring anything you can’t live without. It might take you an hour and a half to go up the hill and back down.
See the Pueblito
This might go down as something not to do in Popayán… It’s a cute collection of kiosks, but not much more than that. It is right next to the Pirámide El Morro though, so it won’t take up too much of your time and it’s worth a look in.
Places to Eat in Popayán
Mora Castilla — A traditional eatery where you can try the local speciality: deep-fried empanadas (of course) filled with potatoes and served with a peanut sauce. These Empanadas de Pipián are well worth trying and are inexpensive. So worth trying, in fact, that they’ve been mentioned by UNESCO as a contribution to gastronomy! You can also try tamales as well as locally-grown coffee.
Restaurante Carmina — This vegetarian-friendly restaurant serves set lunches at very reasonable prices. We had a starter, a main, a juice, a tea and a desert for $14,000 COP. We had the vegetarian main, which was a plate of rice with salad, courgettes and white beans. We didn’t try to chicken soup, but it did smell really good. (Note the opening hours on Google aren’t correct).
Restaurante Italiano Y Pizzeria — This Italian restaurant is a decent place to eat spaghetti, garlic bread and other Italian options. It’s fairly old-school, but it’s worth knowing about as it’s one of the few places that stays open on a Sunday evening in Popayán. Prices here are a little more expensive than other restaurants, but nothing excessive.
Best Cafes in Popayán
Café la Colombiana — Trendy java joint just off the main square with excellent brews and friendly staff. Their ceramic mugs are also gorgeous. Snack-sized vegetarian pastries filled with cheese, tomato and oregano are available. This was our favourite cafe in Popayán.
La Quinquina Café — This little, unassuming cafe is decorated in colourful murals and is a good place to try traditional snacks in Popayán. The staff at La Quinquina Café make each batch of empanadas de pipián to order, which means they’re freshly fried and extra crispy. Don’t forget to ask for some hot sauce (salsa picante) as they also make this up fresh!
Casa del Té — This tea house has over twenty different types of tea on the menu. We had the green tea with jasmine, which was brewed for exactly three minutes at 85 degrees. They also do light snacks such as sandwiches (vegan options available) and fruit bowls, but we wouldn’t recommend the food here.
Cafe Caracol — This cute cafe, which doubles as a hostel, is a delicious place to relax with a strong espresso and a slice of quiche. The owners are friendly and run mountain bike tours off of the premises.
Coworking in Popayán
La Franja Violeta Coworking — La Franja Violeta is a roomy coworking space with reasonable prices and welcoming staff. An hour costs COP $6,000 and includes a coffee, a half-day pass for 4 hours is COP $12,000 and includes a coffee and a snack, and a full day is COP $24,000 and includes unlimited coffee and two snacks.
Where To Stay in Popayán
Coffee Break Hostel — The cheapest hostel in Popayán. We paid COP $44,000 (£10) for a double room. We stayed here for one night when we first arrived. The hostel is outdated but the rooms are spacious and the staff are friendly. It’s a quiet hostel so you can be sure of a good night’s sleep.
Surf Apartment Airbnb — Popayán isn’t anywhere near the ocean, but this surf-themed apartment is the best place to stay in Popayán. The self-contained apartment has a comfortable bed, high-quality sheets (they are so nice), reliable wifi and a kitchen with an oven (a rarity in Colombia!) It’s centrally located in a small and quiet neighbourhood just 3-minutes walk to the white-painted old town. If it’s your first booking on Airbnb, you can get $47 off here.
How to Get To and From Popayan
Getting to Popayán from Cali — Direct bus from Cali cost $26,000 COP per person. Direct buses leave when full and run all day. In theory, it’s a three-hour drive, but as always in Colombia it could take longer. From Cali, you can connect to Bogota or Medellin.
Getting to Pasto from Popayán — The “direct” bus from Popayán to Pasto costs $35,000 per ticket and is advertised as taking five and a half hours (it took seven on our trip). Buses leave all day from the transport terminal. If you are travelling from Colombia to Ecuador overland, the only safe place to cross is at Rumichaca, which is close to Ipiales. Pasto, which is en route, isn’t a super interesting town, but it’s supposed to be a nicer place to break up the journey than Ipiales.
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