Hidden San Antonio: Galleries Inside Family Homes
In Cali, the San Antonio neighborhood is famous for its white church, its sunsets, and its bars with a view. But if you only stick with that, you are missing the best part. For about five years now, a handful of Cali families have opened the doors of their homes —literally, the living room and dining room— to turn their walls into emerging art galleries. There are no flashy signs, no QR codes on the facade. Just a doorbell that rings at 10 in the morning on a Saturday and the chance to buy a piece by a local artist for less than what you pay for dinner in the Zona Rosa. This is not a tourist tour: it is a secret circuit that the neighbors themselves keep alive with coffee in earthenware cups and chats among the paintings.
Why Do These Homes Open Their Doors?
It all started with the Rengifo family, who in 2021 decided that their living room, with its wattle and daub walls and wooden floor, was the perfect space to hang the watercolors of their eldest son, a fine arts student. What began as an exhibition for friends spread by word of mouth. Today, four homes in San Antonio open their doors one weekend a month, usually the first Saturday and Sunday. The reason is simple: commercial galleries in Cali charge commissions of up to 50% and demand contracts. Here, the artist receives 100% of the sale, and the family only asks that visitors respect the space. It is a cultural barter: art for trust.
📌 Transparency
This article contains sponsored/affiliate links. We may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
As of June 2026, this circuit continues to operate without paid advertising. Everything moves through WhatsApp and word of mouth. There is no website or corporate Instagram. That is why, if you have come across this article, you are already one step ahead.
What to Do: The Tour of the Four House-Galleries
Each house has its own personality. Some are colonial mansions with internal patios; others are modern houses from the 70s. What they share is the spirit: local art, fair prices, and a family treatment. Here I detail the four, with exact addresses so you can find them without getting lost.
Rengifo Family Home – 2nd West Street # 3-12
This is the pioneer. The Rengifo family has lived there since 1985. The living room, about 40 square meters, has an exposed brick wall that they use as a canvas for rotating exhibitions. Here, young artists from the Universidad del Valle and the Instituto Departamental de Bellas Artes exhibit. Prices range from $80,000 COP for a small watercolor to $1,200,000 COP for a medium-sized oil painting. The best sellers are watercolors of Cali landscapes: the Cerro de las Tres Cruces, the Cali River, the San Antonio neighborhood from above. Do not expect heavy conceptual art; here it is more figurative and colorful.
Hours: First Saturday and Sunday of each month, from 10am to 5pm. Key tip: Ring the bell and ask for the "open studio." If no one is there, wait five minutes; sometimes the owners are in the backyard.
López Family Home – 4th West Avenue # 2-34
Three blocks from the Rengifo house, in a two-story house with a yellow facade. The López family is more reserved: they open only on Saturday. Their specialty is small installations and analog photography. The eldest son, Andrés López, is a photographer and has exhibited in Bogotá. Here you can find prints on cotton paper from $150,000 COP. The interesting thing is that the backyard has a lemon tree and a hammock; sometimes they play music and the visit turns into an after-meal chat. It is not uncommon for them to offer you a black coffee while you talk with the artist.
Exact Address: 4th West Avenue # 2-34. Hours: First Saturday of each month, from 10am to 4pm. Recommendation: If you arrive after 2pm, there probably won't be any coffee left, but you can buy a homemade lemonade for $2,000 COP.
Martínez Family Home – 3rd West Street # 4-56
This is the largest of the four: a 150-square-meter house with two living rooms. The Martínez family is a lover of abstract and textile art. Here, artists who work with natural fibers, wool, and contemporary embroidery exhibit. Prices are higher: from $300,000 COP for a small tapestry to $2,500,000 COP for a large piece. The owner, Doña Lucía, is a seamstress by profession and makes the frames herself with recycled wood. The experience is more intimate: they only receive groups of up to six people at a time, so if you arrive with many people, you might have to wait outside.
Exact Address: 3rd West Street # 4-56. Hours: First Sunday of each month, from 11am to 5pm. Fun fact: Doña Lucía serves pandebono with the coffee, courtesy of the house.
García Family Home – 5th West Avenue # 1-78
The most recent, opened in March 2025. The García family is young (the owners are under 40) and their focus is digital art and illustration. In their living room, they have a large screen where they project short animations and a wall with prints by Cali illustrators. Prices are the most affordable: prints from $40,000 COP and originals from $200,000 COP. They also sell stickers and postcards. It is a more relaxed atmosphere, with electronic music in the background and craft beer (not included, but you can buy one for $5,000 COP).
Exact Address: 5th West Avenue # 1-78. Hours: First Saturday and Sunday, from 11am to 6pm. Tip: Follow them on Instagram as @casa_garcia_arte (it is the only one with an active social media account).
Where to Eat or Drink Nearby
After the tour, hunger strikes. San Antonio has options for all budgets, but here are three places recommended by the gallery owners themselves.
Café San Antonio – 3rd West Street # 3-45
A neighborhood café with good empanadas and single-origin coffee. The owner, Don Carlos, is a friend of the Rengifo family and always has the gallery schedule posted in the display case. An American coffee costs $3,500 COP and a chicken empanada, $2,500 COP. Open Monday to Saturday, 7am to 8pm.
La Casa de los Quesados – 4th West Avenue # 2-10
An artisan bakery that sells pandebono, almojábanas, and buñuelos. Perfect for a late breakfast after the tour. A pandebono with cheese costs $4,000 COP. Open every day from 6am to 9pm.
El Rincón de San Antonio – 2nd West Street # 4-20
A restaurant serving typical Cali cuisine: sancocho, bandeja paisa, and arroz atollado. Prices are moderate: an executive lunch is $18,000 COP. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm to 8pm. If you want to try something local, order the chicken sancocho.
How to Get There and Transportation
San Antonio is on the western hillside of Cali, about 15 minutes by car from downtown. If you are coming from the north (Santa Mónica or Normandía), the easiest way is to take 2nd West Avenue to 2nd Street. The neighborhood is steep, so prepare your legs.
By taxi or Uber: from downtown, it costs between $8,000 and $12,000 COP. From the south (Ciudad Jardín), about $20,000 COP. Tell the driver to drop you off at "2nd West Street with 3rd Avenue," which is the heart of the circuit.
By bus: take any bus that says "San Antonio" or "Ladera" from the MIO station on 15th Street. The P21 route drops you off two blocks from the Rengifo House. The fare is $2,700 COP.
On foot: if you are downtown, you can walk about 20 minutes uphill. It is safe during the day, but avoid doing it alone after 7pm.
By private car: the streets are narrow and parking is complicated. There is a public parking lot on 4th West Avenue with 3rd Street, which costs $5,000 COP per hour. Better to leave the car downtown and walk up.
Local Tips: The Unwritten Code
Here are the rules that no local will tell you, but that are key to making the experience authentic and not ending up uncomfortable.
- Don't call before 10am. The families are having breakfast or preparing the house. If you arrive early, walk around the neighborhood and wait. The doorbell is rung after 10am without exception.
- Ask for the "open studio." That is the magic phrase. If you say "Is there an exhibition?", they might think you are from a commercial gallery. "Open studio" is the key that indicates you know about the circuit.
- Bring cash. None of the four houses accept cards. Prices are in Colombian pesos. If you want to buy something big, bring bills of $50,000 or $100,000. Do not expect change for $200,000 for an $80,000 piece; sometimes they don't have small bills.
- Coffee is served in earthenware cups. Do not expect disposable cups or Starbucks. If they offer you black coffee, accept. It is part of the experience. If you don't drink coffee, ask for water; they always have a pitcher in the kitchen.
- Don't take photos of the pieces without asking. Some artists are protective of their image rights. Always ask before taking out your phone.
- Don't haggle. The prices are already low for what they are. If you want to support, buy. If not, enjoy the visit and leave a positive comment in the guestbook they have at the entrance.
Local Artists Who Exhibit
The circuit does not have a fixed lineup, but there are names that repeat. Here are four artists you might find in the house-galleries.
- Sofía Rengifo (22 years old): watercolorist, daughter of the Rengifo family. Her urban landscapes of Cali are the best sellers. Prices: $80,000 – $500,000 COP.
- Andrés López (29 years old): analog photographer, son of the López family. He portrays the architecture of San Antonio in black and white. Prices: $150,000 – $800,000 COP.
- Lucía Martínez (55 years old): textile artist, owner of the Martínez house. Her abstract tapestries use sheep wool dyed with natural dyes. Prices: $300,000 – $2,500,000 COP.
- Carlos García (34 years old): digital illustrator, brother of the García family. His comic-style prints show daily life in Cali. Prices: $40,000 – $200,000 COP.
Additionally, guest artists may appear each month. For example, in May 2026, the Martínez house hosted an embroiderer from Siloé who made pieces with colored threads. The best way to find out is to follow the circuit's WhatsApp (at the end of the article I tell you how).
Fun Fact: The Story of the Earthenware Cup
The coffee in an earthenware cup is no coincidence. Doña Lucía Martínez explains that her grandmother, who lived in San Antonio in the 40s, served coffee in earthenware cups because "glass takes away the flavor." That tradition is maintained in the four houses. Each family has its own set of cups: the Rengifo family uses white ones with a blue rim, the López family uses green ones, the Martínez family uses yellow ones, and the García family uses black ones. If you visit all four, you can make a mental collection of the designs. And if you get attached to one, ask if they sell it; sometimes the owners have spares and sell them for $10,000 COP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Go Any Day or Only on Opening Weekends?
Only on scheduled weekends. The houses are family homes, not commercial galleries. If you arrive on a Tuesday, you will find the family watching Transversal or cooking. Don't ring the bell. The monthly calendar is published on the circuit's WhatsApp group. In June 2026, the dates are: Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8th, and Saturday the 21st and Sunday the 22nd (sometimes they open two weekends a month, but not always).
Can Children Enter?
Yes, but with caution. The houses have fragile objects and the pieces are at children's height. The Rengifo family has a space with toys for the little ones to entertain themselves, but in the other three there is no such facility. If you bring children, supervise them at all times. There are no public restrooms; only the family bathroom, which you can use if you ask permission.
Can I Buy a Piece and Pay in Installments?
Everything is cash and in cash. The artists need the money immediately for materials. If you don't have the full cash, you can leave a 50% deposit and pick up the piece the following month, but that is at the artist's discretion. In my experience, most accept if you are trustworthy. Bring the cash from home; the nearest ATMs are downtown, a 20-minute walk away.