Popayan is known as the White City, because the colonial buildings in its centre are whitewashed, with tiled roofs, arched cloisters, balconies and quiet courtyards, and it feels like a different century. About 258,000 people live here, at around 1,700 metres in the Cauca valley, and the city is one of the best-preserved colonial towns in Colombia. Cajibio is a small town nearby, and the road to the south climbs toward the high mountains of the south.
The ride from Cali is a long, steady run on the Pan-American Highway, with heavy traffic of trucks and buses, long climbs, mist and sudden stretches of fast, open road. Surface and congestion vary, and rain can turn the highway slick, so allow extra time. The road onward toward San Agustin, by contrast, enters wilder country, with high moorland, cloud forest and stretches of rougher surface, where local advice on conditions is very useful. Early starts are best, because afternoon rain and fog are common.
Popayan was founded in 1537 by the Spanish conquistador Sebastian de Belalcazar, and for centuries it was a centre of wealth and learning, home to presidents, poets and priests, with a university that still shapes the town. Its Holy Week processions, held since the colonial era, are famous, with statues carried through candlelit streets on several nights, and are recognised by UNESCO as part of humanity's cultural heritage. A powerful earthquake in 1983 destroyed much of the old town on the morning of Maundy Thursday, and careful restoration brought it back, which is why the white buildings you see look so fresh.
The city is also a place of good food. Popayan is known for empanadas de pipian, small fried pastries filled with potato and a peanut sauce, and for a thriving culture of cafes and bakeries. The nearby mountains hold Purace volcano, which steams and rumbles, and a national park with hot springs, condors and high-altitude lakes. The air smells of wood smoke and fresh bread, and the town is quiet in the evening.
Fuel and services are plentiful in the city, and it is a good place to rest after a long day. Bring a rain jacket, since showers are common, and a warm layer if you plan to climb into the mountains. Be careful with valuables, and ask locals about the security situation on remote roads before you head out.