Origins
The barrio San Antonio was not always the bohemian viewpoint we know today. Before the stairways filled with tourists holding cameras and caleños with marquesa in hand, this hill was a strategic point for watching over the Cali River and the colonial center. Its irregular layout, with alleys that go up and down without warning, is a direct inheritance from a time when the city grew with its back to the mountain.
The architecture of the area preserves tapia pisada houses and wooden balconies dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There are no secret tunnels or underground vaults: that is mere urban myth. What does exist is a topography that forced construction on terraces, and that same geography turns the walls of the barrio into a fragmented canvas, full of corners, blank side walls, and walls that look out over the valley.
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Urban art arrived in San Antonio not as an imported trend, but as a natural extension of its cultural vocation. Since the 1990s, the barrio has housed independent theaters, screen-printing workshops, and artist collectives that found in its streets a space of low cost and high visibility. Asociación Casa Cultural El Chontaduro, active since 1986, is an example of that community tradition that blends art, popular education, and struggles for racial and gender justice. The murals of the barrio speak of memory, territory, and resistance, and that is their essence.
Timeline or historical milestones
1980s: San Antonio consolidates itself as the alternative cultural epicenter of Cali. Theater and music collectives settle in old mansions. Casa Cultural El Chontaduro had already been operating since 1986 as a space for community organizing.
1990s: The first large-format murals appear on perimeter walls and blank side walls. Urban art in Cali begins to dialogue with salsa, rap, and local hip hop. The city experiences a creative effervescence that is reflected on the walls of the center and of barrios such as San Antonio and El Obrero.
2000s: The urban art festival and the interventions in the historic center gain visibility. San Antonio becomes a must-stop for photographers and travelers. The murals begin to portray icons of caleño popular culture: salseros, instruments, scenes from the Feria de Cali, and references to the film industry that gave the city the nickname "Caliwood".
2010s: The barrio partially gentrifies. Specialty coffee shops, boutique hostels, and galleries arrive. Urban art becomes professionalized: some murals are commissioned by businesses, others remain spontaneous expressions of local collectives.
2020 onward: The pandemic hits tourism, but artists continue painting. The walls become a testimony of crisis and resilience. Today, in September 2026, San Antonio maintains that fragile balance between traditional barrio and cultural destination.
Key figures or events
There is no single "father of muralism" in San Antonio. The urban art of the barrio is collective, often anonymous, and that is part of its charm. However, some names and spaces are essential references.
Asociación Casa Cultural El Chontaduro
This cultural house has spent decades weaving community in Cali. Its work is not only artistic: it is political and social. They organize workshops, talks, and events that link art with struggles for racial, territorial, and gender justice. To understand why the murals of San Antonio are not just decoration, start here. Programming varies, so it is advisable to check schedules and events before visiting.
Plazoleta de San Antonio
It is the heart of the barrio and the natural starting point for any tour. From here you can see the tile roofs, the Iglesia de San Antonio, and the Cali valley stretching north. On weekends, the plazoleta fills with vendors of marquesa, cholado, and chontaduro. It is a free place, open all day, ideal for starting to walk without a fixed destination.
Iglesia de San Antonio
The church is the visual anchor of the barrio. Its colonial architecture contrasts with the murals that surround it. There is no need to invent legends: it is enough to sit on the stairways and observe how contemporary art dialogues with the stone and the white of the facade. The church is open during worship hours; it is recommended to respect the ceremonies and check schedules before entering.
Walls of Barrio San Antonio
The murals are not concentrated on a single street. They are scattered: on blank side walls, on house walls, on the stairways that connect carrera 10 with calle 1, in the alleys that go down toward the center. Some portray Joe Arroyo, Jairo Varela, the dancers of the Feria de Cali. Others are abstract, political, or simply color. The best way to see them is to walk without hurry, looking up and to the sides. Don't look for the "Instagrammable" mural: look for the one that makes you stop.
Current state
San Antonio today is a barrio of contrasts. On one hand, it preserves its essence as a traditional barrio: neighbors who know each other, corner stores, ladies selling empanadas on the corner. On the other, it is a consolidated tourist destination, with hostels, cafes, and restaurants that attract travelers from all over the world.
Urban art reflects that tension. There are murals commissioned by hotels and businesses, seeking to beautify facades and attract customers. And there are murals that remain raw expressions of local collectives, without permission, without budget, without filter. Both coexist, sometimes on the same block.
Gentrification is a real issue. Rents have risen, and some artists who used to live in the barrio can no longer afford it. But San Antonio remains a space where art is produced, not only consumed. Local artists' workshops sometimes open their doors on weekends, although there is no official route or fixed calendar. The best strategy is to ask in the barrio's cafes or follow the social media of collectives like El Chontaduro.
If you come to Cali in September 2026, keep in mind that the weather is unpredictable: it can be intensely sunny or rain within minutes. Bring water, sunscreen, and comfortable footwear. The stairways are steep and the pavement can be slippery.
Insider tips
- Walk early or at sunset. Midday is relentless. Also, morning and sunset light is the best for seeing the murals without harsh shadows.
- Don't look for an official route. "The Hidden Urban Art" does not exist as a verifiable entity or route. The barrio is explored on foot, without a map, letting yourself be led by the stairways.
- Respect the houses. Many murals are on the facades of inhabited homes. Don't touch the walls, don't enter patios without permission, don't leave trash.
- Eat in the barrio. There are restaurants and cafes with varied prices. A corrientazo (popular lunch) can cost around $17,500 COP, according to the national average price of January 2026, but in San Antonio prices vary depending on the place. It is recommended to check before sitting down.
- Visit Plaza de Mercado Alameda. Although it is not in San Antonio, it is a must-stop if you are interested in local culture. It is at Calle 8 # 24-40, Barrio Alameda. Admission is free and you can try chontaduro from $2,000 COP. It is a good contrast with the more "curated" scene of San Antonio.
- Talk to the people. The neighbors know which murals are new, who painted them, and why. Ask with respect and without rush.
Walls of Barrio San Antonio
The walls of San Antonio are not a formal gallery. There is no curation, no explanatory labels, no schedules. They are living walls that change over time. A mural that today portrays a salsero can disappear tomorrow under a layer of new paint or a political advertisement.
That is part of its magic and also of its fragility. Urban art is ephemeral by nature. What you see today will not necessarily be there tomorrow. That is why the best way to visit it is calmly, without expectations, letting the barrio show you what it has to tell.
If you want to understand the connection between these walls and local history, pay attention to the recurring symbols: musical instruments, faces of musicians, references to the Feria de Cali, film scenes (Caliwood), and messages about territory and memory. They are not decoration: they are narratives. Some celebrate, others denounce, others simply exist.
San Antonio is not a museum. It is a barrio. And like every barrio, it has good days and bad days, clean streets and streets with trash, friendly neighbors and neighbors tired of tourism. Walk with respect, spend at local businesses, and remember that the most interesting urban art is not always the most photographed.
Walk calmly. Don't look for the "Instagrammable" mural. Look for the one that tells a story you don't know.
