Popayán is an easy city stop when traveling overland through southern Colombia. Located in the Cauca department between San Agustín and Cali, it is known as La Ciudad Blanca, or the White City, because of the white façades throughout its colonial center. Compared with Colombia’s bigger cities, Popayán feels compact and easy to explore on foot. I stayed for one night on my way from San Agustín to Cali. That gave me enough time to walk around the historic center, try some local food and enjoy the atmosphere around Parque Caldas without turning the stop into another full sightseeing program. It is also a practical place to break up the long overland journey through southern Colombia.
How to travel from San Agustín to Popayán
The journey from San Agustín to Popayán takes roughly half a day. Buses and minibuses operate between the two cities, and you can book the journey locally in San Agustín or check available departures before you travel. I traveled with Cootranshuila and managed to get a seat in the front of the small bus. Parts of the journey were very bumpy, but the mountain scenery along the way made up for it.
Somewhere halfway we stopped for a break, where I tried Colombian hot chocolate before continuing towards Popayán with reggaeton coming through the speakers. Allow some flexibility with your arrival time when traveling through this mountainous part of Colombia.
Before traveling from San Agustín to Popayán, check the latest road conditions and travel advice for Cauca, as conditions along the route can change.
Where to stay in Popayán
For a short visit, staying in the historic center makes the most sense. You can walk almost everywhere and don’t lose time traveling back and forth from your hotel. I stayed at Hotel La Plazuela, a characterful colonial hotel just a few steps from Parque Caldas. The location worked especially well for one night. After dropping off my bag, I could simply walk out of the hotel and start exploring the historic center.
Want to compare other places to stay? Check accommodation in Popayán on Booking.com and choose a hotel in or around the historic center.
Explore Popayán’s White City
Popayán’s historic center is known for its white colonial buildings, churches and traditional streets. You don’t really need a complicated itinerary here. Start around Parque Caldas and wander through the surrounding streets, where much of the pleasure is simply in walking around and seeing what you come across. During my afternoon I also found a street filled with small beauty salons and ended up getting a manicure and pedicure. Not exactly an official Popayán attraction, but these little unplanned stops are often part of the fun when exploring a city on foot.
Try empanadas de pipián
Don’t leave Popayán without trying empanadas de pipián. These small local empanadas are filled with pipián, a traditional mixture based on potatoes and peanuts. I bought mine at a small place called La Fresa while walking through the center. Food has an important place in Popayán. The city has been part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Gastronomy since 2005, making its local dishes more than just something to grab between sightseeing stops. For me, trying the small empanadas was exactly the kind of local experience I enjoy finding while traveling.
Parque Caldas and the atmosphere of Popayán
Parque Caldas sits right at the heart of the historic center and is a good place to slow down for a while. During my visit it was busy both during the day and in the evening, with plenty of students meeting and hanging out around the square. Popayán is a university city, which gives the beautiful old center a younger and livelier atmosphere than you might expect from all those historic white façades. Walk through the surrounding streets, have a look inside some of the churches and enjoy the architecture. You don’t need a long checklist of sights to get a good feel for Popayán.
How long do you need in Popayán?
For my Colombia route, half a day and one night worked well. The historic center is compact, so you can see quite a lot without rushing. If you are particularly interested in colonial architecture, churches or food, you could easily stay another night. Otherwise, Popayán works very well as a comfortable stop between San Agustín and Cali, breaking up what would otherwise be a long overland journey through southern Colombia. You get an interesting city visit at the same time instead of spending an entire day moving from one place to another.
When arriving in a new city by bus, I usually check the departure times and bus companies for my next destination straight away. If the timing suits my plans, I sometimes buy the next ticket immediately. It saves coming back to the bus station later and makes the next travel day much easier.
Is Popayán worth visiting?
Yes, particularly if you are traveling overland through southern Colombia. Popayán gives you a completely different atmosphere after the green countryside and archaeological sites around San Agustín. You can spend an afternoon walking through the White City, try the local empanadas, stay in a characterful colonial hotel and continue towards Cali the following day.
For me, one night was exactly the right amount of time. From Popayán, continue north to Cali or head back towards San Agustín if you are traveling in the opposite direction.
