Hacienda El Paraíso

Cali


Escape the city for a day and head to the old sugarcane plantations to see how the Colombian elite lived in the 19th century. Hacienda El Paraíso, a lovingly restored manor house, has been converted into a museum. It provides an insight into Valluna life, complete with literary connections – it's the setting of Jorge Isaacs' romantic-era novel María.

To reach the hacienda by public transport, take any bus headed to El Cerrito via Palmira and get off in Amaime at the 'El Placer' intersection where cars are available for the short journey to the farm.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Cali attractions

1. Iglesia de la Ermita

22.43 MILES

Overlooking the Río Cali, this striking neo-Gothic church houses the 18th-century painting of El señor de la caña (Lord of the Sugarcane) that survived…

2. Cerro de las Tres Cruces

22.65 MILES

The views are spectacular at these three crosses high in the mountains overlooking the city, and the hike up here is a popular outdoor activity among…

3. Iglesia de San Francisco

22.65 MILES

This neoclassical church dating from the 18th century is most renowned for the adjacent Torre Mudéjar, an unusual brick bell tower that is one of the best…

4. Torre Mudéjar

22.69 MILES

This unusual brick bell tower is one of the best examples of Mudejar architecture in Colombia.

5. Museo del Oro Calima

22.79 MILES

One block east from Iglesia de la Merced, this excellent museum displays more than 600 pieces of intricate gold jewelry, as well as ceramics used in…

6. Iglesia de la Merced

22.8 MILES

Founded in 1545, this is Cali's oldest church. It's a lovely whitewashed building in the Spanish-colonial style, with a long, narrow nave, and humble wood…

7. Museo de Arte Religoso La Merced

22.81 MILES

Housed in La Merced convent, Cali's oldest building, this museum has an extensive collection of colonial religious paintings and relics. It's worth a…

8. Museo Arqueológico la Merced

22.82 MILES

Housed in an 18th-century annex to La Merced, this interesting museum contains a collection of pre-Columbian pottery left behind by the major cultures…