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Best Things to do in Bogotá
At 8,612 feet above sea level, Bogotá, Colombia is the third highest capital in the world. Colombians call it “The Refrigerator.” If you live in sweltering Cartagena or Mompóx that nickname makes sense, but if you’re looking to escape a snowy northern winter, Bogotá’s average daily highs in the upper 60s will be more than welcoming. The city has two rainy seasons (April/May, September—November), but don’t let them deter you. Bogotá’s wealth of cultural, shopping, and dining attractions make it one of the better places on the planet to spend a rainy afternoon. Here are my top 15 things to do in Bogotá, Colombia.
Top 15 things to do in Bogotá
Plaza de Bolívar
Colombia is governed from this lively, pigeon-filled square in the heart of Bogotá’s old town, La Candelaria. It’s home to the National Congress and Supreme Court, as well as City Hall and the Metropolitan Cathedral. The President of Colombia lives just behind the plaza in Casa De Nariño.
There’s always something happening in Plaza Bolívar. I’ve spent hours just sitting on the steps, munching street food, taking it all in: strings of laughing children being towed in plastic cars, tourists posing with llamas, political demonstrations, live music, impromptu soccer games, dance troupes, even a Hare Krishna fest.
Head to the umbrella-covered vendor carts for crispy fried plantains, churros, obleas (wafers with sweet filling), sugarcane juice, or aromática, a fruit-infused hot beverage with an optional shot of booze.
La Candelaria
Candelaria is Bogotá’s old town, and most of the things you’ll want to see and do are here. There are plenty of lodging options, too. For luxury, you can’t top the Hotel De La Opera, located right next to the grand Teatro Colon. Hotel Ambala is a good mid-range choice, and Casa Samor is an excellent hostel for budget travelers. If you don’t want to share a bathroom and shower, Casa Samor offers a room with private facilities, a Roku projector and a view of Monserrate. The owners will treat you like family.
Candelaria is known for its amazing street art. As you walk the narrow roads you’ll see giant jaguars, portraits of indigenous people, even a shark chugging a beer. If that inspires you, stop in one of the many bars around Plazoleta Chorro de Quevedo for a BBC (Bogotá Brewing Company) brew. Chicha, a native drink made from fermented corn, is ubiquitous here. You can drink it straight or flavored with the fruit juice of your choice. I like tamarind.
Cerro de Monserrate
Towering over Candelaria, Monserrate is part of the eastern cordillera of the Andes Mountains. It rises 10,341 feet above sea level, and is crowned by the Santuario de Monserrate, an important pilgrimage site. During Holy Week, devout Catholics climb the hill on their knees, hoping for a miracle from the church’s 17th-century statue of the Fallen Christ.
Walking up takes less than an hour, or you can take the funicular or cable car. The views of Bogotá from the summit are spectacular, and so are the restaurants. My favorite, Casa Santa Clara, hangs off the edge of the mountain and serves up fine food from all of Colombia’s varied regions.
If you’re prone to altitude sickness, don’t go up Monserrate on your first day. Take some time in Bogotá to acclimatize, and drink coca tea to smooth the transition. Watch out for the sun, too. Though the weather is usually cool and overcast, those subtropical rays are still powerful. I noticed a number of hatless, red-faced tourists in the cable car line.
Quinta de Bolívar
Just downhill from Monserrate is a country estate surrounded by lush botanical gardens. It was gifted to Simon Bolívar, father of Colombian independence, in 1820. A ticket is required to enter, but there’s no charge from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the last Sunday of the month.
Don’t miss the humble room next to the pantry where Bolívar’s head servant José Palacios (a freed mulatto slave) slept, or the portrait of Bolívar’s lover, Manuela Sáenz in the living room. Sáenz saved Bolívar’s life twice, earning her the nickname Liberator of the Liberator.
Take some time to wander the gardens. They’re filled with exotic plants and trees, and you’ll probably run into a hummingbird or two.
La Puerta Falsa
This traditional Colombian restaurant has been serving up some of the best tamales in Bogotá since 1816. For one of the few tables, head upstairs. Generally, you’ll have to wait (the place is tiny), but I have gotten lucky and slipped right into a recently vacated spot.
This is a great place to get ajiaco santafereño, Bogotá’s famous chicken and potato soup. Hot chocolate is also popular, and served with cheese, which locals melt in the chocolate.
Museo Botero
You’ve probably seen examples of Colombian artist Fernando Botero’s sculpture before. They can be found in public spaces all over the world. But have you seen his paintings? This museum houses some of his best, including Monalisa and The Dancers. Of course, there’s sculpture, too. Look for his characteristically pudgy cat.
In addition to Botero’s own work, the museum displays a fantastic selection of art from his personal collection. There are pieces by Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso and many other greats.
The Botero Museum is part of the Manzana Cultural block in Candelaria, which includes the Arango Library, Casa de la Moneda (money museum), and the art collection of the Banco de la República. All are free to enter.
Café Pasaje
Bogotá doesn’t possess the wealth of historic cafés that you’ll find in cities like Buenos Aires. Some of the oldest were destroyed during the 1948 Bogotazo Riots. During the dictatorship that followed, cafés were seen as breeding places for anti-government plots, and more were shut down.
Café Pasaje, on Plaza Rosario, is one of the few vintage cafés that remain. Opened in 1936, it has always been more popular with sports bettors than political conspirators. Horse racing fans were the original clientele, but they’ve been replaced by soccer devotees, especially supporters of the local team, Independiente Santa Fe. Sports and beer memorabilia cover the walls and there’s usually futbol on the TVs.
Even if you don’t care about the beautiful game, Café Pasaje is a fun place to come for a cup of coffee and a chat. Male and female undergarments hang above the bathroom doors in case you’re confused about which to enter.
Museo del Oro
This world-class museum is dedicated to gold objects created by Colombia’s indigenous people. These ancient treasures were produced using advanced techniques at the time, and are still impressive for their intricacy today.
In pre-Columbian times, Bogotá was Muisca territory, and the museum’s most famous piece is a golden raft depicting one of their rituals. Before assuming his position of leadership, a new Muisca chief was covered in gold dust and immersed in Laguna Guatavita, 25 miles northeast of Bogotá. When Spanish conquistadors heard about this practice, the legend of El Dorado was born.
Churches
Thanks to the abundance of gold around Bogotá, the churches built by Spanish colonists were lavishly decorated. You’ll see numerous baroque golden altars, including one of the New World’s finest at Iglesia San Francisco (1557). Another baroque gem is Santa Barbara (1565), where you might catch a free concert. I saw the Youth Chamber Orchestra perform a very fitting Baroque Masters program here.
With so much gold on display, the church that really stands out is La Tercera, only a block from San Francisco on Carrera 7. Here the altarpieces are carved from walnut and cedar, and there’s no gold dust in sight. Like other churches in Bogotá, the ceiling is decorated with geometric designs reminiscent of Moorish architecture.
Islamic style is most evident at the red-striped Santuario Nuestra Señora del Carmen, on the other side of Candelaria. Upon entering, I thought I’d taken a wrong turn and somehow wandered into the Great Mosque of Cordoba.
Pasaje Rivas
This labyrinthine bazaar in Candelaria had me a bit mixed up, too. As I worked my way through its cramped alleys, tripping over baskets, dodging garrulous shopkeepers, I thought I was in Istanbul.
Unfortunately, as in that city’s Grand Bazaar, stands selling tourist trinkets are rapidly multiplying in Pasaje Rivas.
You can, however, still find authentic handmade items. Wooden game boards, hammocks, pottery and palm-fiber hats are just a few of the interesting goods for sale. There are no price tags, so be prepared to haggle.
Small Museums
There are enough museums in Bogotá to keep you busy for weeks. Some of my favorites are small, specific, carefully curated collections, like the Museo Arqueologico and Museo Colonial. In the first, you’ll see artifacts from Colombia’s native tribes; the second examines the colonial culture that conquered them.
Museo de Bogotá documents the city’s history and constant evolution, while the neighboring Museo Militar tells the story of the country’s armed forces. Colombia was the only Latin American nation to join the United States and its allies in the Korean War, and the museum dedicates a whole room to that tragic conflict.
Santa Clara, one of Bogotá’s finest colonial churches, is now a museum. That means you’ll have to pay to get in, but the cost is well worth it. The glittering Mudejar ceiling will dazzle you.
Centro Internacional
North of Candelaria is the business and banking district of Bogotá, Centro Internacional. There are two major museums here: MAMBO (Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá) and the immense Museo Nacional, housed in a former prison. There’s also a planetarium, a bull ring, the Central Cemetery and some large, green parks.
For a great view of it all, take a speedy elevator up to the Torre Colpatria’s observation deck. The 360-degree vistas from the top of this skyscraper are rivaled only by Monserrate.
North Bogotá
The northern part of Bogotá is affluent, with high-end restaurants, hotels, and dance clubs. Nightlife is particularly trendy around the Zona G neighborhood. If you’re at all nostalgic for the 1980s heyday of shopping malls, you’ll love north Bogotá, where they’re still, like, totally popular. Gallerias galore!
I enjoy the area around Parque de la 93. There’s a Juan Valdez café for good coffee and a Bogotá Brewing Company pub for beer. They show soccer matches on a big screen in the park, and set up a Christmas market during the holidays.
Farther north is Usaquen, an old village that was absorbed by sprawling Bogotá. There’s a flea market every Sunday, and some excellent restaurants.
Salt Cathedral
Located in the town of Zipaquirá, this incredible underground cathedral is less than an hour’s drive from Bogotá. Public buses are available, and run about 3 times per hour. On weekends, you can take the Turistren, a 3-hour rail journey on a vintage train.
The cathedral was carved into a salt mine, and almost everything you’ll see is made of salt, including the 53-foot-high cross in the main nave. Thousands of people show up to worship on Sundays, but I prefer the eerie atmosphere of a weekday evening. As you walk down the tunnel, past the monumental Stations of the Cross, ever deeper into the bowels of the earth, recorded hymns play softly and morphing colored lights illuminate the darkness.
Guatavita
Technically, this town (about 2 hours from Bogotá) is New Guatavita. You would need scuba gear to visit the original Guatavita, which lies at the bottom of a reservoir. When the town was flooded during the reservoir’s construction in the 1960s, citizens decided to rebuild it in the same colonial style. The result is Guatavita la Nueva, a tranquil, whitewashed pueblo with stone streets, arched arcades, tile roofs and a bull ring.
You can hike a fairly steep trail through the woods down to the reservoir, shop for handicrafts (lots of nice knitwear) or visit the small Indigenous Museum. There are a handful of restaurants and cafés as well.
Just outside of town is Casa Loca, an upside-down house designed to provide funny photos of you and your friends apparently walking on the ceiling. The area’s main attraction is the sacred lake, Laguna Guatavita, where the Muisca people covered their chiefs in gold dust and dipped them in the water. There’s an admission fee and a 2-kilometer uphill hike. Guided tours take a couple hours and are given in Spanish only.
Further Adventures
Your time in Bogotá will undoubtedly inspire you to see more of this fascinating country and meet more of its famously friendly people. For an off-the-beaten-path itinerary, check out these Five Beautiful Colonial Towns in Colombia.
