Valle del Cauca, the department that immerses its visitors with joy and vitality

Credit: ProColombia

Valle del Cauca is a colorful and lively land that is reflected in its gastronomy, music, dance and art. This is the territory that from its multi-ethnic roots emanates a unique culture, accompanied by impressive natural scenery.

Valle del Cauca  belongs to the Colombian Pacific. The region that has the best kept secrets of the country, where ancient jungles embrace the ocean and exotic animals come exclusively to these  lands in their spawning process. Likewise, it is the place that pulsates  Afro-Colombian, a fascinating ethnicity, of culture and tradition.

Geography

The department covers a large territory ranging from the Pacific coast to the Cordillera Occidental. It borders the departments of  Risaralda, Chocó, Cauca, Quindío and Tolima.

In turn it is divided into four sub regions: North, Central, South and Pacific. In the northern part it is known for being the territory of the Coffee Cultural Landscape, in which archaeological vestiges still lie, it is also a fruit growing area; in the  Center  and  South, they are known for being sugar-producing territories, they are also where the largest cities are located and the Pacific is the area of  greatest biodiversity   and where there is an important community of Afro-Colombians.

Destinations and activities

In the department there are incredible tourist destinations such as Cali,  where you can appreciate music, gastronomy and festivals; Buenaventura,  known for its  cuisine, music and biodiversity; the Bahía Málaga National Natural Park, where you can enjoy an important marine ecosystem; Lake Calima,  where you can practice water sports; Buga,  religious and gastronomic city; El Cerrito,  a municipality where you can appreciate culture and nature; Geneva, ideal town to enjoy its gastronomy.

In addition, you can do different activities; in the Hacienda and Museum of the Cane you can do cultural tourism; Parque de la Uva, ideal foragrotourism  and the markets of Galerías, known for the diversity of food production.

Photo caption: Lake Calima is the third in the world with great favorable conditions  for  kiteboarding and windsurfing.

Gastronomy

The gastronomy of Valle del Cauca is born mainly from the multicultural culture settled in the territory:  indigenous, Spanish and Afro-descendants. With the passage of time this was evolving thanks to the foods grown in the territory such as  banana, potato, brevas, corn, blackberry and raised as seafood and chicken.

From the above, traditional dishes such as atollao rice, chicken sancocho, valluna arepa, cus-cus, cola soup, panela rice, valluna chop; drinks such as  lulada, valluno shampoos, borojó juice, chontaduro juice; sweets such as  encocado, cane ice cream, dulce de leche, dulce de ñame, white delicacy, cholado, slices in melao, pots  areborn.

Destacado: Conozca más de la oferta gastronómica del departamento del Chocó. Véalo en su revista.

Literatura y arte

El arte del departamento también se divide en regiones naturales la Pacífica y la Andina. La primera está influenciada mayormente por la cultura afrocolombiana, mientras que la segunda por la cultura antioqueña.

En el territorio cabe resaltar la labor de personajes tanto oriundos como acogidos por sus nativos como los escritores Jorge Isaacs, Eustaquio Palacios, Isaías Gamboa, Jotamario Arbeláez y los pintores Lucy Tejada, Ómar Rayo, Andrés Caicedo, Enrique Buenaventura.

Highlight: Learn more about the gastronomic offer of the department of Chocó. See it in your magazine.

Literature Andart

The art of the department is also divided into natural regions of the Pacific and the Andean. The former is mostly influenced by  Afro-Colombian culture,  while the latter by Antioquia culture.

In the territory it is worth highlighting the work of characters both native and welcomed by their natives such as the writers Jorge Isaacs, Eustaquio Palacios, Isaías Gamboa, Jotamario Arbeláez and the painters Lucy Tejada, Ómar Rayo, Andrés Caicedo, Enrique Buenaventura.

Featured quote: The novel «María» by Jorge Isaacs is set in Valle del Cauca, specifically in the hacienda El Paraíso. While the novel  "El alférez real"  by Eustaquio Palacios, focuses on Santiago de Cali, specifically on the Cañasgordas hacienda.

3 symbolic keys

The department has three symbolic keys: the colorful, the passion and the pampering. The colorful refers to the joy of the region, which is reflected in its people, places and food. Passion speaks to the  vitality and energy that is reflected in their dances, music and sport. The consenting makes an allegory to a  culture with a big heart.

Music and festivals

Through these lands runs the salsa DNA, but also other musical expressions such as bambuco, mazurka, polka, waltz, corridor, curralao,  all from the  enriching fusion of African and indigenous cultures.  

Also this musical department celebrates festivities such as the Cali Fair, Petronio Álvarez Pacific Music Festival, Bandola Festival in Seville, Mono Núñez Festival in Geneva, Gastronomic Festival 'Los sabores de María' in Buga, Buenaventura Pacific Gastronomic Festival  and  Tuluá Agroindustrial Fair.

In addition, it is worth mentioning the work of the musicians Petronio Álvarez, Tito Gómez, Luis Alfonso Peña, Jairo Valera, César Villegas and Edmundo Arias.

Highlighted quote: The Salsa Caleña is considered cultural heritage of Cali, it is also an element of identity of the city. Over time it has evolved and has become one of the representative genres of the country.

Credit: ProColombia

Photo caption: Cuban rhythms passed their borders until they reached Cali in the twentieth century and became part of its identity. 

Finally, Valle del Cauca  represents the history of a cheerful and colorful department that is reflected in its gastronomy, music and art, thus forming the Valle Cauca culture. A unique culture that invites everyone to live to the fullest, bringing out the passion they carry inside.