Bogota is the vibrant capital of Colombia and for many travelers a first introduction to the country. The city is located at an altitude of 2600 meters, in a valley of the Andes mountains. Like many South American capitals, Bogotá is a busy city with more than 8 million inhabitants. Bogota has different faces: a historic center, rich and trendy neighborhoods in the north, slums in the south, a business center, many universities and a vibrant art and culture scene. Bogota is a city that I visit almost every year and really started to appreciate throughout the years. There are so many things to do in Bogota and it is definitely worth spending a few days here. In this travel guide you will find my tips for what to do and see in Bogota in Colombia including tours, activities, restaurants and boutique hotels.
Bogotá was founded in 1538 by the Spanish as the capital of the empire. This was due to its favourable location at the foot of the mountains Monserrate and Guadeloupe, which protected the city from the fierce Andean winds. The city has always been the centre of political and cultural life and was at the forefront of modernisation. Halfway through the 20th century, the city began to grow explosively and Bogota turned into a bustling metropolis.
But Bogotá knows many tragic times due to the murder of politician Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, the days of protests, the chaos during the Bogotázo, But also the massacre in 1985, during the hostage-taking action of the Guerilla fighters M19 in the Supreme Court has left its mark on the city. During a visit you will certainly become acquainted with these events. But above all, Bogota is a lively capital where you can have a great time. Whether you are interested in history, sightseeing, art, culture, shopping or good food, Bogota has it all.
There is so much to see and do in Bogota but where to start? I hope these tips for the best things to do in Bogota Colombia will help you prepare your trip and get the maximum out of your stay. You will find the highlights of Bogota and many recommendations for landmarks, viewpoints, activities, restaurants and hotels.
Bogota is a big city and can feel a bit overwhelming during a first visit. And when you hear its stories about safety you might even get a bit nervous. Although you can visit Bogota easily by yourself, even in the city center when you take some safety precautions (you can read more about this in my guide below), it can be nice to visit the city with a local guide, providing some background and showing you its sights and many things to do. Afterwards you know exactly where to go and you can make your own plans. These are my tips for tours in Bogota.
One of the top things to do in Bogota Colombia is to visit the viewpoint of the Monserrate mountain. A funicular will take you to the top of the mountain, at an altitude of 3152 meters, within 10 minutes. Here you will find a park with fountains, statues, a restaurant and a small church. But the real reason to visit Monserrate is of course the amazing view of Bogota. This is also the moment that you realize how gigantic this city is. So many people who live here, each with their own life and story.
Do you want to visit Monserratte? It is best to book your ticket in advance, so you do not have to wait to buy a ticket on site. You can book a ticket here . Do you want to learn more about this place in Bogota? You can book a tour, including tickets here.
Extra Bogota travel tips: It is also possible to hike your way up the Monserrate mountain. However, I would not recommend doing this during your first days of visiting, as your body needs to get used to Bogota’s altitude.
One of the best places to visit in Bogota is the colonial center, called La Candelaria, also on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Start your walk at the Plaza de Bolívar with the cathedral and the Supreme Court. From here, narrow streets lead up the mountain where you will encounter beautiful houses, small squares, shops, coffee shops and restaurants along the way. Also be sure to take a look at Chorro de Quevedo and the surrounding streets, the place where the city was founded in 1538. This is now a populair square, with musicians, cool street art and artists selling their work.
La Candelaria is a neighborhood that you can easily visit on your own. But do you want to learn more about La Candelaria, Bogota’s history and its things to do? Then you can book a guided walking tour here.
When you are in Colombia, you can’t miss a coffee tasting. And you don’t have to travel far for this. In the center of Bogotá you can go to Divino Café Especial, founded by coffee lover and barista Leandro Galindo Giraldo. Here you will learn about different types of coffee in a nice and educational way, but especially how the the preparation method affects the taste. And that is quite something. I am not a real coffee drinker myself, but because the coffee was presented in such a special way, I even enjoyed drinking coffee here. Especially the coffee served from a glass of wine.
From dripping methods, the use of an AeroPress to preparations using the Japanese Siphon method and V60: Leandro uses different extraction methods (all manual), and honestly most of them were completely new to me. Visiting Leandro will make you see, buy and drink coffee in a whole new way. Whether you like coffee or not, this place is highly recommended and is therefore part of my ljst with best things to do in Bogota Colombia.
Leandro is a third generation coffee producer and has been growing coffee with his family for 20 years in Pitalito, a town in the department of Huila, in the south of the country. Huila, along with the coffee triangle, is considered the most important coffee producing region in Colombia. For the coffee connoisseurs: During my visit we tasted Caturra, Castillo Tambo and Rosé Bourbon, all from this region. Are you planning to travel to the province of Huila? Huila is also home to the San Agustín archaeological site, a place not to be missed.
Bogotá is known for its fantastic street-art and you will find many works around Chorro de Quevedo and Parque de los Periodistas. Are you interested in street art and do you want to learn more about the stories behind the art? Then I recommend you to book one of the street ar tours, where artists take you along different walls. Not only will you learn more about the stories behind the art, it is also a great and creative way to understand more about Colombia, as many pieces highlight economical challenges or moments from history.
Bogota travel tips: Make sure to look out for the works of Carlos Trilleras, one of my favorite artists, known for his expressive portraits of indigenous people from the Amazon.
Are you on the road in the center of Bogota? Then be sure to visit Plaza de la Concordia, located a few blocks from the Chorro de Quevedo. This market hall from 1933 was completely restored and is today a cozy place with local entrepreneurs selling their products here. Nice is it that the market is small and uncluttered, giving you a quick impression of the many offerings. Think of local herbs, organic food stalls, special plants, traditional Colombian coffee, handmade weaving products, fruits and vegetables and artisan beers. And everywhere there are friendl entrepreneurs happy to have a chat with you.
Personally, I liked the kombuchas made from tropical fruits, but a beer with a hint of coca leaves is also interesting. And as a chocolate lover, I can’t help but name my favorite place: Late Choco, with delicious sustainable cacao from the Pacific. Here you can do a little cocoa tasting and be amazed at the different available flavors. How about chocolate with pineapple, or tropical fruits like carombolo, guayaba or borojó? One thing is for sure: If I lived in Bogotá, I would come here regularly to do my shopping.
Ever heard of Tejo? The national sport of Colombia? I found out about this traditional throwing sport during one of my first visits to Colombia, but never played it myself. Until I was invited to Tejo la Embajada. Believe me, one of the very best places to visit and master tejo in Bogota. Basically, you just go for a night out: You invite your friends or travel companions, order an artisan beer with some snacks and start the tejo game. And that’s a lot of fun, because every time a mecha is hit, it’s accompanied by a loud bang and lots of cheering.
The tejo game consists of throwing a kind of steel disc (a tejo), to an angled board, covered with clay, on the other side of the room. Inside this frame is a metal pipe that is strong enough to withstand the constant bumping of the tejo. The goal of the game is to hit one of the mechas, exploding paper triangles, located in a ring (bocin), that contain gunpowder. As soon as the tejo collides with these, a small explosion occurs, accompanied by a loud bang. And this, of course, makes for points. You also get points if your tejo lands in the ring and even double points if it hits the ring and mecha at the same time. Still following me?
Tejo was practiced as early as 500 years ago by the Muisca, a pre-Columbian culture that lived on the high plains in and around Bogota. The game was played to celebrate life and honor the gods.
Meanwhile, tejo has become a national sport and cultural heritage, but it is still a super fun way to get together. Moreover at Tejo la Embajada you will always find some people willing to teach you the tejo skills. That’s why it is one of the places to visit that can’t be missed in this travel guide with things to do in Bogota.
As long as I’ve been traveling, I love visiting botanical gardens. Especially in big cities where you sometimes want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Bogota you will find the largest botanical garden of the country, consisting of almost 20 hectares full of trees, plants and flowers from Colombia, grouped by region and ecosystem. By walking around beautifully landscaped gardens, forests, along ponds and greenhouses, you realize how diverse nature is in Colombia.
One of my favorite places in the botanical garden is the tropicario, with flowers and plants from the tropical rainforest and the Amazon. Walking paths over three floors show yo different sides of this beautiful region. But also the vegetation from the Páramo area and the Andes is worth seeing. In addition, you should definitely take a picture at the national tree of Colombia, the Quindío wax palm, as a preview of your visit to the Valle de Cocora. These tallest wax palms in the world are just impressive.
Be sure to visit the botanical garden at the beginning of your trip through Colombia. That way you get to know the different ecosystems making you even more excited to start traveling through the country.
Are you planning to visit the Cocora Valley in Colombia? In the next travel guide you can read all my tips for visiting the Cocora valley.
Do you want to discover Bogota and its things to do in a different way? Then definitely take a bike tour in Bogota. The nice thing about this activity is that you will not only get to know the center of Bogota and its highlights, but also other parts of the city, including the Teusaquillo district, known for its historical houses and the north with parks and universities. Along the way you will regularly stop for a short explanation and to take pictures. The guides are very passionate about their bike tours and can tell you everything about cycling through Colombia. Curious about bike tours in Bogota Colombia? You can book a tour with Baja Bikes or this interesting tour.
Did you know that Bogota in Colombia has more than 540 kilometers of bike paths? In addition, every Sunday the center is closed to car traffic so that cyclists can take over the city completely
Bogota is a city with so many different sides and faces. Do you have more time and do you want to see a different side of the Bogota? Then head to the north of the city. Here you will find neighborhoods such as Zona G, where the G stands for gourmet / fine dining & Quinta Camacho, Zona Rosa and Chapinero. These neighborhoods do no offer highlights but are famous for their art galleries, boutique stores, bars and fantastic restaurants. New hotspots open regularly. Try to book a table at Versión Original, El Chato, La Despensa, Criterion or Bistronomy by Rausch.
Want to discover hip Bogotá? Then visit the “Zona Rosa la 82”, also called the Zona T. Also located in the north of the city. In this area you only want to go shopping in boutique stores, have dinner in high end restaurants and enjoy drinks in cool bars. Here are some tips for Zona T in Bogota:
Most people, visit the famous neighborhood Comuna 13 in Medellin. Formerly one of the most notorious neighborhoods of the city, because of the war on drug. Nowadays a much visited district because of the fantastic street art and social projects you will find there. But from Bogota you can visit Ciudad Bolivar, a disadvantaged neighborhood, accessible by cable car, with spectacular views of the city. And where you share the Comuna 13 with hundreds of other visitors, in Ciudad Bolivar you are probably going to be alone.
For years, Ciudad Bolivar had a negative image. But a few years ago, several artists, including Michael Rojas of Bogota Colors were able to change that by starting to create cool murals in collaboration with the community. Initially important leaders from the neighborhood were portrayed but this later expanded to multiple works of art, in which residents also had a say.
Nowadays you can visit the community through a street art tour by Bogota Colors. Michael takes you through the neighborhood and tells you more about the history through street art. You also meet many locals who will chat with you about life in their neighborhood. One of the highlights is the spectacular view of Bogota. Ciudad Bolivar is not yet discovered by mass tourism making it one of the best things to do when you are in Bogota Colombia.
Route: Take the uber or cab to transmissible tunnel station. Here Michael is already waiting for you and you go by cable car up the mountain, for a 20 minute ride. Along the way you observe all the local life and the colorful houses of La Ciudad Bolivar from above. Interested in taking a tour of Ciudad Bolivar? Send Michael a message on instagram.
Looking for unique and handmade products from Colombia? Have a look at Artesanías de Colombia, a shop and organization dedicated to local people and their crafts. Artesanías de Colombia provides guidance, a fair income and an important sales channel for local communities from all over the country. As a result, the stores are a treat to stroll through. You will find clothing, jewelry, interior design and many other beautiful works. The products are a little more expensive than average but at least you know that your investment is well spent. Artesanías de Colombia has several branches, in Bogota and in Cartagena.
On Calle 11 in Bogota, just around the corner of the Cathedral, you will find a few traditional restaurants in a row. The oldest restaurant, dating back to 1816 is called La Puerta Falsa, known for its ajiaco soup, a hearty chicken and potato soup and tamales. And you will find here also the famous hot chocolate con queso. Yes, you are reading this correct, cheese and hot chocolate. You drop the cheese into your hot chocolate, and you will be surprised about the taste.
Do you want to try more traditional dishes? Then I recommend you to go on a food tour, where you visit restaurants and shops to taste local snacks and dishes.
Interested in art? Colombia has a lot of great artists, including painters and writers. I love to get inspired by art around the world, as I find it a great way to understand more about a country and its culture. These are my tips for the best things to do and places to visit in Bogota Colombia, if you are interested in art.
One of the best places to visit in Bogota to see modern art, is called Mambo, Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá. During one of my visits, Mambo had an interesting exhibition about the Venezuelan refugee crisis, portrayed by photographer Teresa Margolles. A true eye-opener because we only get half of this situation in Europe. I also visited an exhibition highlighting cartoonist Vladdo, famous for its controversial work and portraits of Colombian presidents. The museum is always presenting new exhibitions, so it’s best to check out the website and see whats going on in Mambo Bogota.
Ever heard of Fernando Botero, one of Colombia’s most famous artists? He was born in Medellin but also has his own museum in Bogota, one of the places you absolutely have to visit when in Bogota. Even if you’ve never heard of him. His work is known for the voluptuous and bizarre shapes of the people he portrays and can be seen all over the world. His paintings always put a big smile on my face.
Interested to learn more about art in Colombia? Check out my article about the most famous artists from Colombia, where I’m listing some of the most remarkable artists, including the best places to visit their work in Bogota and the rest of the country.
The Museo de Oro is for sure one of the most beautiful Pre-Columbian art museums in Latin America, including the largest collection of gold. Different exhibition rooms, take you on a journey through the cultures of Colombia and Latin America, such as the Cauca, Zenú, the Muisca and Tayrona. One of the highlights is the golden “Balsa de El Dorado”, explaining the story of the Muisca indigeous people, organising ceremonies with the golden man, on the Laguna de Guatavita (Lake of Guatavita). During these ceremonies, a lot of gold ended up in the water and that’s how the legend of El Dorado was born. People and companies have been looking for this gold for years. Are you interested in visiting the lake? Keep on reading. Below you will find more information.
In Bogota you can spend days and but the surroundings are also worth discovering. These are my tips for what to do around Bogota.
Maybe you’ve heard of it? El Catedral de Sal is an underground cathedral, located in a former salt mine, near the town of Zipaquirá, and one of the places that you can visit from Bogota. The salt mines around Zipaquirá already played an important role in the time of the Muisca indigenous people. But it was only during the Spanish rule that the place began to play an important role. The Spanish knew how to extract salt on a large scale and miners started to create places of worship during their hard work. Gradually, the mine grew into a place of pilgrimage and underground cathedrals were built.
Nowadays the cathedral is open to the public, where you walk through a way of the cross, a long tunnel, past caves and corridors with angels that are beautifully illuminated. You visit the cathedral, the statues, chapels and learn all about the important role that this place played. The way the salt mine is illuminated together with the different colors and music used, make your visit a nice experience.
Do you want to visit the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá from Bogota? You can book a tour here.
The lake of Guatavita is a special lake, due to its historical significance. This is the place where the Muisca Indians held their ceremonies in honor of the golden man, their future leader. The golden man, was covered with resin and golden powder. As soon as he jumped in the lake and washed himself, he became officially the new leader. These rituals took place for years, meaning that the lake should have contained kilos of gold. Many people and companies have been trying to find the gold over the years. The lake was even emptied several times. However, nothing was ever found.
The lake is peaceful and the surroundings are beautiful. You can go for a nice walk, passing different viewpoints along the trail. Take it easy, since Lake Guatavita is located at an altitude of 3000 m. Do you want to visit Guatavita from Bogota? Then you can book this tour where you also make a stop at the town of Guatavita. Do you also want to visit the underground salt cathedral of Zipaquirá? Then you can also book a combination tour from Bogota where you visit both sights. You can book this tour here.
Do you have more time in Bogota Colombia, then it is worth visiting the beautiful mountain town of Villa de Leyva. It is a popular weekend destination for many Bogotanos because of the beautiful surroundings, nice atmosphere and nice restaurants. Villa de Leyva is located a few hours drive from Bogota, in the province of Boyacá in Colombia. Curious? In the next travel guide I will tell you more about what to do in Villa de Leyva and surroundings.
I did my best to map out the most important things to do, tours and activities in Bogota. I hope that this guide has answered most of your questions about what to do and see in Bogota and that you will have a great time in the city.
Looking for more tips for things to do and tours in Bogota Colombia? Have a look in my viator store with a selection of my favorite tours.
In Bogota you will find a great amount of restaurants. Whether you’re looking for an authentic local dish, gastronomic experience or fancy cafe, the city has it all. But what are the best places to eat and drink in Bogota? Discover my tips for some of my favorite and best restaurants and cafes in the next Bogota Colombia restaurant guide.
There are many different hotels in different areas and price ranges in Bogota. It is recommended to think in advance about what kind of things you want to do when you are in Bogota because the city is large. I myself stayed at different places in the city, in la Candelaria (the center), Teusaquillo and Chapinero. Thsese are a few of my tips for nice hotels.
Are you looking for a central location that allows you to easily explore the numerous Bogota attractions and things to do? Then book a room at Tequendama Suites. This grand and classic hotel has always played an important role in the city and has been around for many years. You will experience here the ultimate city feeling. Tequendama Suites is located opposite the National Museum and you can walk within half an hour on Carrera 7 to the central plaza Bolivar, or cable car Monserrate. Moreover, you’re close to major roads, which means you’ll be moving to neighborhoods like Chapinero and the Zona Rosa in no time. Make sure you book a room on one of the highest floors. I myself slept on the 19th floor and the view was phenomenal.
Secret travel tips for Bogota: on the 30th floor of Tequendama Suites is a helicopter platform. You can book a picnic lunch or wine session here. You then have 360 degree view of Bogota and its sights.
Check out the latest prices and availability for Tequendama Suites here. Looking for more hotels in Bogota? Here you can find a comprehensive overview.
Bogota is a large South American city with many social and economical challenges. It is important to be careful in Bogota and keep a close eye on your belongings. If you take the necessary precautions, Bogota is a fantastic and safe city to visit. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you are exploring Bogota in Colombia.
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Did you enjoy reading this article with tips for things to do in Bogota Colombia? And do you want to read more about Colombia? Check out the next articles with lots of inspiration and tips.
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As a travel reporter, producer and tour guide, I have been traveling around the world for the last 20 years, looking for the most scenic places and stories that are worth sharing. In Passport the World, I am guiding you along scenic and cultural places, cities, art, viewpoints, hiking trails and unique experiences. To help you get the most out of your travels or to just get to know a country and culture better!
