Jan
10
Bogota Travel & Sightseeing Guide
Filed Under Columbia
A trip to Bogota
Bogota, Columbia’s capital, is the country’s largest city. Nestled among the soaring Andean Highlands, the cosmopolitan and friendly city welcomes visitors from around the world. Having ditched its reputation as a city of crime, Bogota has cleaned up its act and now draws hip students to its numerous universities and tourists to its previously unvisited attractions.
Flights to Bogota
El Dorado International Airport receives all air traffic to Bogota. The airport receives flights from across North America as well as a number of services from mainland Europe. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Bogota try Thomas Cook. Taxis are widely available from the Arrivals Terminal for the journey into the city, with the trip taking approximately 20 minutes. Bus services are also available, but taxis are often the easiest option for those with luggage.
Bus services within the city are extensive and very affordable. Bus routes reach all the main tourist spots as well as many others not-so-well-known places that are also worthy of a visit. Taxis are an affordable option for travel inside the city and can be found all over. Bicycle hire is an excellent option, allowing you to explore the city at a leisurely pace.
Bogota
Sightseeing in Bogota
Museums and art galleries are among the main attractions in Bogota. The National Museum is the oldest museum in Columbia and offers fascinating insight into the history of the country. The building itself is a stunning example of fortress architecture dating back to the early 1800s. The Museum of Colonial Art, housed in one of Columbia’s oldest and most beautiful buildings, is home to thousands of pieces of artwork from throughout the history of Columbian art.
Fun by night – eating, drinking and partying
Bogota’s nightlife is alive and kicking with endless options to suit a wide range of tastes. High class nightclubs offering the best in both local and international DJ music stay open until the early hours of the morning. Eateries with a talent for local specialities and free flowing beer are other excellent options at which to sample the buzzing hospitality of Columbia’s capital. If you are travelling on a shoestring, you won’t be disappointed. Across the city you will find branches of the Bogota beer company, offering the best in local brews at rock bottom prices.
The city abounds in restaurants, cafés and bistros, with an increasing number of upmarket choices cropping up. Food from around the world can be found in the central areas, while local specialities are on offer on every street corner.
Fun by day – shopping and activities
Columbia is the coffee capital of the world and you will want to purchase yourself a few bags to take back home. Street vendors found across the city sell charming handicrafts and jewellery, the perfect trinkets to take back home. Leather goods here are handcrafted to perfection and can be had at a fraction of the cost you would pay back home. Emerald shopping is another popular activity for foreigners in Bogota, with both cut and uncut stones available from one of the world’s best emerald mines. Shopping malls are a new addition to the Bogota shopping scene and house all the usual names in designer goods.
The Gold Museum houses a jaw-dropping, envious collection of gold artefacts, while the La Macerena is an infamous bohemian hideout lined with art galleries and charming restaurants that are definitely worthy of a visit.
Daytrips
There are some worthwhile daytrip destinations within convenient reach of Bogota. The Laguna del Cachique Guatavita is the birthplace of the El Dorado City of Gold legend. The king of the Muisca Indians once performed religious rites over the lake, coating his body with a paste of gold dust and casting sacrifices of precious metals into the depths of the water. Travel time to the lake is roughly 4 hours.
The Catedral de Sal de Zipaquira is an unparalleled attraction. This cathedral was literally carved out of a salt mine, and the structure that tourists see today represents the second of two building campaigns. Visitors are obligated to join guided tours offered in a variety of languages including English.
Located 153 miles away, the city of Medellin is one of the most popular travel destinations in Columbia. Best known for the modern art museum dedicated to the artist Botero, this city also hosts a lively culture bolstered by 12 local universities, vibrant street markets and a lively night life.
Must-see attractions
Bogota’s foremost historical attraction is La Candelaria neighbourhood, a storeyed spread of museums and churches that date to colonial times. Most of the major thoroughfares here are closed to vehicles, making this an excellent place to plan a walking tour of the local museums and churches. Be sure to stop by the Plaza de Bolivar and the Cathedral square.
One of the crowning pieces of architecture in Le Candelaria is the Iglesia del Carmen. This impressive church opened its doors in 1938 and boasts an outstanding collection of stained glass windows. The elaborate mosaic over the altarpiece pays tribute to the Virgen del Carmen.
The Congressional Seat (Capitolio Nacional) is situated on the southern perimeter of the Plaza de Bolivar. It owes its impressive north-facing façade to Englishman and architect, Thomas Reed. Construction on this neoclassical monument began in 1847, though it wasn’t completed for several decades.
The Hacienda Santa Barbara is another worthwhile 19th-century site. In its day, this lavish piece of architecture was home to one of Columbia’s wealthiest patrons. Today it is more of a mall known for its numerous cafés.
Best time to go
Situated on a high plateau in the Andes Mountains, Bogota sees mild weather year-round. Average temperatures hover around 15°C during most of the year, though extremes in either direction are common. Rain falls from April to May and again from September to November, making June, July and August the best months to visit. During the dry months of the cool season, it is not uncommon for frost to form overnight. Overnight temperatures can be extremely low compared to the mild, daytime highs, so it is wise to bring a change of warmer clothes to wear after sunset if visiting during the winter.
Rainy day suggestions
Bogota is a best known for its cultural heritage, and there are dozens of excellent museums ready to receive guests during the rainy spring and autumn days. The Gold Museum houses an exhaustive collection of ancient gold, much of which worked to bolster the hopes of El Dorado hunters during early Spanish Colonial days. The Banco de la Republica Art Collection displays work by modern Latin American masters.
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