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Colombia is one of the liveliest countries in Latin America and Bogotá, its capital, is a fantastic city to discover. Full of history, Bogotá’s streets are the perfect example of how a colonial town founded by the Spaniards has evolved into the modern metropolis it is today.
Bogotá was founded as the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada by Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada in 1538 once the indigenous people, the Muisca, had been conquered. Its name comes from the Spanish pronunciation of the Muisca word Bacatá, which was the name of a nearby settlement at the time.
Spend a few days in Bogotá and you’ll experience a city that breathes passion everywhere. Admire its colonial past, contemplate its stunning architecture and dive into its wonderful museums.
Here’s a list of 15 things to do in Bogotá.
1.
Plaza Bolívar
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Photo by Charly Dreads on Pixabay[/caption]
Bolivar Square is Bogotá’s main square at the heart of the historical district. Originally named Plaza Mayor and later Plaza de la Constitución, it was renamed in 1846 after a statue of Simón Bolívar was erected.
On the north side lies the Palace of Justice; at the south, the National Capitol. The west side is occupied by Liévano Palace (City Hall), while the east hosts the Cathedral of Bogotá. Built four times on the same site starting in 1556, the cathedral still houses the remains of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, the city’s founder.
Iglesia de San Francisco
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Photo by Racso on Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
Built in the second half of the 16th century, Iglesia de San Francisco is Bogota’s oldest church. An earthquake in 1743 seriously damaged the church and efforts were made to rebuild its tower. For many years, the church was part of a religious complex that included a convent and several cloisters which disappeared when they gave them away to Palacio de San Francisco.
The church has a Mudejar trough and its altarpiece is a great example of Renaissance work in Colombia. San Francisco Church is located in Veracruz district.
3.
Museo del Oro
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Photo by David Berkowitz on Flickr[/caption]
One of the most visited sites in Bogotá, the Museum of Gold displays an astonishing collection of pre-Columbian gold and other metals. The museum contains the world’s largest collection of gold artefacts.
Museo del Oro has four permanent exhibition galleries and two more for temporary exhibitions. Visitors will learn about mining and manufacturing techniques used by ancient metallurgists. The museum shows how they use metals in the context of political and religious groups, including offering ceremonies, and about mythical themes, shamanism, and the symbology of metals.
Check the official website for current opening hours and admission prices.
4.
Museo de Santa Clara
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Photo by Marinati55 on Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
Housed in the former temple of the Real Convento de Santa Clara, built in 1647, the museum gathers an impressive collection of paintings and sculptures from the 17th to the 20th centuries. Many consider this building to be one of the best examples of baroque architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries in Bogotá.
Check the official website for current opening hours. For further information, visit the official website.
5.
Cerro Monserrate
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Photo by 680451 on Pixabay[/caption]
Monserrate is a hill that dominates Bogota’s city centre. It reaches about 3,152 m (10,340 ft) above sea level and offers stunning views of the Colombian capital. On its top, a church dedicated to El Señor Caído (The Fallen Lord) was built during the 17th century. Monserrate Hill was already considered sacred by pre-Columbian cultures such as the Muisca. Its name comes from the Monasterio de Montserrat near Barcelona in Spain.
There are three ways to get to the top: on foot, by funicular and by cable car. Check the official website for current footpath hours. Due to its steep ascend, we recommend climbing only to those who are reasonably fit.
The funicular opened in 1929. Check the official website for current funicular hours and ticket prices.
Monserrate Cable Car opened in 1955 and takes visitors to the top in just 4 minutes. It operates on Mondays from 6.30 am to 12 am, Tuesdays to Saturdays from 12 pm to 12 am and Sundays from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm. Ticket Prices are COP 10,000 for a one-way trip and it costs COP 6,000 on Sundays.
For further information, visit the official website.
6.
Museo Botero
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Photo by Jorge Láscar on Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
Fernando Botero is a painter and sculptor renowned for his large and exaggerated figures. He's without a doubt Colombia's most famous artist. In 2000, the artist donated 208 art pieces, 123 of his own and 85 of other artists, to Banco de la República, which now runs this wonderful museum.
Botero Museum’s collection includes paintings, drawings, and sculptures done by Botero during the last 20 years. His version of the Mona Lisa is one of the highlights as well as his first series about violence in Colombia. Exhibits include works of other artists such as Picasso, Renoir, Monet, Dalí, Freud, and Bacon.
Check the official website for current opening hours. Admission to Museo Botero is free for everyone. For more information, click here.
Santuario Nuestra Señora del Carmen
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Photo by 680451 on Pixabay[/caption]
One of the most impressive churches in Bogotá, Santuario Nuestra Señora del Carmen was consecrated in 1938. Located in La Candelaria district, the church was built in the Florentine Gothic Style with Byzantine and Moorish touches. It's famous for its distinctive facade of red-and-white stripes, a pattern that continues within its interior.
Check the official website for current opening hours.
8.
Laguna de Guatavita
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Photo by Hjcubillos on Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
Lake Guatavita was one of the sacred lakes of the Muisca, the indigenous people of Colombia’s Altiplano Cundiboyacense. Legend says the Muisca celebrated a ritual where the Zipa, the local ruler, covered in gold dust, dove into the water to wash it off. Spanish conquistadores called the Zipa El Dorado, starting the famous legend that makes Lake Guatavita a popular tourist destination.
The lake, with a circular surface area of 19.8 hectares, is 57 km (35 miles) northeast of Bogotá. Today, visitors enjoy nature here as it has become a popular ecotourism destination. For more information, click here.
La Candelaria
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Photo by Diego Cue on Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
La Candelaria is the name of Bogota’s historic centre, famous for its Spanish Colonial, Baroque, and Art Deco architecture. Plaza del Chorro de Quevedo is the square where conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada founded the city in 1538. Calle del Embudo (Funnel Street) is a narrow cobblestone street shaped like a funnel, lined with colourful street art and graffiti.
The Botero Museum and Gold Museum are here, along with old churches, universities, Cerro Monserrate, and Plaza Bolívar. Check the official website for current opening hours and admission prices for the Museo del Oro. Check the official website for current opening hours for the Museo Botero and Museo de Santa Clara. For Monserrate, check the official website for current footpath hours and funicular hours and ticket prices.
10.
Chapinero & Parque 93
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Photo by Felipe Restrepo on Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
The district of Chapinero is home to some of the most exclusive neighbourhoods of Bogotá. Chapinero is a meeting point for musicians and artists and has played an important part in the city’s music scene.
Chapinero’s most important site is Parque 93, a park where you can find many bars, cafés, restaurants and clubs. Because of this, Parque 93 is one of Bogota’s main nightlife spots. It is also a shopping area popular with locals and visitors, and many art galleries are located around the park.
11. Wander through the vibrant streets of Chapinero, then head to Parque 93 for an evening out. For those planning a longer trip, consider consulting a month-by-month guide to the weather in Italy to time your visit perfectly.
Jardín Botánico
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Bogotá’s Botanical Garden features plants from every Colombian altitude, climate, and region. It is the only botanical garden in Colombia that specializes in preserving and collecting Andean species of flowers. It spreads over 19.5 acres of land with collections of plants grouped by their original ecosystem.
The symbol of the garden is the Mutisia Clematis flower. It was named after José Celestino Mutis, the garden’s founder. Colombia’s national plant and flower, the wax tree and the orchid respectively, are very present throughout the garden. There are about over 5,000 species of orchids in total that you can enjoy them during your visit.
Check the official website for current opening hours and admission prices. For further information, visit the official website.
12.
Usaquén
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Photo by Rosalba Tarazona on Flickr[/caption]
Sitting in the north of Bogotá is Usaquén, a district mostly inhabited by upper-middle-class residents. Its colonial quarter includes many interesting buildings built with Spanish colonial-style architecture.
Every Sunday morning, Mercado de las Pulgas or the Flea Market is set up on and around Plaza Usaquén. Very popular amongst locals and tourists, you can find anything here from handicrafts to gourmet food stands. You can also find street entertainment such as music bands, dancers, jugglers, and mime artists.
Usaquén is a trendy hotspot in Bogotá, full of chic bars, cafés and upscale restaurants.
13.
Parque Metropolitano Simón Bolívar
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Photo by Felipe Restrepo on Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
Considered the New York City’s Central Park of Bogotá, Simón Bolívar Park is a green space and sports complex in the middle of Colombia’s capital. The park's total extension is 113 hectares. It features over 10 miles (16 km) of pedestrian pathways, a lake of 11 hectares where people can rent paddle boats and a large concert space with a capacity for some 140,000 people.
There are 6 cafeterias, three playground areas, a 4km-circuit around the park for cyclists and a 3km-piste for runners. Simón Bolívar Park opens every day from 6 am to 6 pm.
14.
Andrés Carne de Res
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Photo by Ratha Grimes on Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
In Bogotá, the legendary steakhouse Andrés Carne de Res is a main attraction. Opened by Andrés Jaramillo in 1982 in the Chía district of Northern Bogotá, it’s much more than a restaurant—it’s an experience of food, music, and dance. Rumba is often performed, with waiters joining in during their shifts.
The menu is huge, with 11 dining areas seating 2,000 customers, two dance floors, and kitchens cooking everything from arepas to ceviches and grilled meats. From Thursdays to Sundays, they serve over 10,000 meals, mostly in the evenings, with parties lasting into the night. For further information, visit the official website.
Zipaquira Salt Cathedral
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Photo by 680451 on Pixabay[/caption]
Around 49 km (30 miles) from Bogotá you can find one of the most striking sites in Colombia. The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira is an underground church that lies within the tunnels of a salt mine.
The halite mines of Zipaquira were already exploited by the Muisca people since the 5th century BCE. Well before the first underground church was built in 1932, miners had carved a sanctuary in the mine as a place for their daily prayers. In 1950, the construction of a bigger project began and the Salt Cathedral was inaugurated in 1954.
The cathedral today is within a larger complex, the Parque de la Sal (Salt Park), which also includes a museum of mining, geology, and natural resources.
Opening hours are from 8 am to 12.30 pm and from 2 pm to 4 pm on Mondays to Fridays and from 9 am to 5.40 pm on Sundays. Admission Prices are COP 57,000 for adults and COP 47,000 for children ages 4 to 12. For further information, visit the official website.
Final Thoughts
Bogotá is one of the most attractive capitals in South America to visit. Colombians are friendly people, vivacious even, with a positive attitude. As a visitor, you’ll experience their passion for life as soon as you arrive.
The city offers endless attractions for all tastes. As one of the oldest cities established by the Spaniards in America, Bogotá is rich in history. Walk around the historic centre to appreciate it fully but don’t just stay there. Venture yourself to other parts of Bogotá and you'll definitely fall in love with the city even more.
