If you are arriving into Colombia from a further international destination, it is likely you will travel to Bogotá first. However, you can also fly to Cartagena, Medellín, and a few other airports. Bogotá is the vibrant capital of Colombia, located at an elevation of 2,640 meters (8,660 feet) above sea level. At this altitude, some people will feel the lower levels of oxygen and other effects of the altitude. I didn’t feel it much except when I went running.
Some of the highlights not to miss are Monserrate, La Candelaria, and the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum). I also really loved eating lunch at the local La Perseverancia Distrital Marketplace. Additionally, a short drive outside of the city is the incredible Salt cathedral of Zipaquirá.
Driving seems organised but parking is limited in the city. I found it helpful to have a guide/driver take me around between sites in the city centre. Many places have a security guard at the entrance. Although I mostly felt safe walking around during the day, I felt less safe outside of the tourist areas. Overall, I was so happy to finally be able to travel to Bogotá and experience the culture, food and sights of the city.
Highlights
- Monserrate – take the funicular or cable car up for a spectacular view
- La Candelaria neighbourhood including Chorro de Quevedo
- Plaza de Bolívar
- Paloquemao Plaza local market
- Parque de la 93 area for restaurants and cafes and the Park
- Usaquen for artsy shops, breweries, flea markets (go on Sunday)
- La Perseverancia Distrital Marketplace for food stalls
- Museo del Oro (gold museum)
- Independence Museum – Casa del Florero Museo de la Independencia
- Museum Casa de la Moneda
- Museum Botero with art by Fernando Botero and other famous artists
- National Museum, which used to be a prison and has a lot of history exhibits
- Museo Quinta de Bolívar
- Museo de Arte Miguel Urrutia (MAMU)
- Salt cathedral of Zipaquirá
- Street art of Bogotá
Before you go
- Bogotá is located around 2600 meters above sea level. Some people may struggle with the altitude and less oxygen
- Weather can be variable and change quickly, so it’s a good idea to always carry a light jacket and umbrella
- Taxis use meters but aren’t always trustworthy, so it’s best to have hotels and restaurants call a cab. Alternatively, use Cabify or Uber
- Traffic can be terrible at any time so allow more time than you need to get around
- Tipping in Bogotá is more common than in other regions. Check receipts to see if gratuity (propina o servicio) is already included
- Always bring cash with you, some places might not accept credit cards
- Don’t exchange money on the streets, as they could have fake money
- Although most of the city is relatively safe, be aware of pickpockets
Transport
- El Dorado International Airport is the largest airport, located to the west of Bogotá. It’s not very far but the traffic can be heavy so allow an hour for a taxi to get there
- There is a bus system called transmilenio, but I didn’t use it
- For getting around the city, I either used a driver/guide or Uber
- Walking around certain areas was fine during the day
Accommodation
- I stayed at the Best Western Parque 93, which was in a nice area with many restaurants and cafes. It was safe to walk around and peaceful
- The breakfast buffet was excellent and had a lot of local foods to try including cheese bread and hot chocolate
- As usual I recommend checking reviews on Google Reviews or using AirBnB
Food
Snacks, Desserts and Coffee
Braun cookies was a great place for American-style doughy cookies. Lots of nice flavours and very fresh!
Brot is a local bakery chain with pastries and breads. Their almond croissant was excellent!
Les Amis Pastry Shop was a fun experience. You need to ring the doorbell to go in and there is a security guard. It is a classy and bustling cafe, and they have a lot of tasty savoury and sweet pastries.
Mama bakery was a friendly local place that had arepa de huevos and other pastries. It was a great snack when I was hungry walking around the city centre.
I have to admit that I tried McDonald’s while I was there! My family asked me to see what was on the menu in Colombia. They had a toasted ham and cheese sandwich that I had not seen before. It was okay and a good snack, but local food was better!
Finally, I was looking for special Colombian coffee as gifts. I found a gourmet shop called La Libertario. They sell coffee beans, bags of ground coffee, and also individually wrapped filter coffee packets.
Restaurants
Restaurant La Puerta Falsa is the oldest restaurant in the city and serves traditional Colombian food. They don’t seem to have a website and are popular enough without one. I had to queue in the rain for about a half an hour, but it was worth it!
Their specialty is the Ajiaco soup with chicken, potatoes and corn and a side of rice, avocado, capers and cream. It is filling enough for a whole meal. However, I also ordered the hot chocolate with cheese and cheese breads, so I could try them. After that lunch, I didn’t really need dinner!
Restaurante Juan Chorizo was located near to my hotel, and it was a local place. They didn’t speak any English and I used GoogleTranslate to figure out the menu. As the name suggests, they serve chorizo and also chicharron and arepas. The food was really tasty and reasonably priced.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a tour guide?
A: Yes, in some places it is good to have a tour guide, even just for the transport, such as to Zipaquirá. In Bogotá you can get around with Uber, but I found it nice and safer to have a guide/driver
Q: Do people speak English?
A: No, many people do not speak English so be sure to have a translation app for Spanish if you don’t speak any. Even my English-speaking guide didn’t really speak English
Q: Is it a walkable city?
A: No, the city is very spread out and there are some areas that are less safe. It is fine to walk around in Candelaria and by Parque 93, but you may want to take a taxi or Uber for further distances
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