While I was researching what to do with my time in Bogota, Colombia every blog, vlog, and person I talked to said the same thing. “Oh, you only need a day in Bogota with a max of two.” Or “oh Bogota is dodgy and there’s really no reason to visit for long.” Can I just say, Bogota ended up being my favorite city we visited in Colombia! This city holds such a rich history, culture, and vibrancy to it. I could have easily stayed longer and am already planning my return trip. If you are an adventure seeker and want more than just the typical touristy experience this city is for you! My hopes are to create a list of the must-see, can’t-miss things in Bogota. I wanted to try and help give the city a different reputation and help people see the beauty in this hidden gem!
1.) Let’s start with location
While in Bogota it is important to know where is safe to wander and what neighborhoods to avoid. If you are looking for more information on Colombia itself then definitely check out Things to Know Before Visiting Colombia.
Luckily for you, the touristy areas are filled with colorful houses and historical buildings all waiting to be explored! Your safest bet would be to stay in the Northern part of town. Don’t cross the southern border unless you are with a native (and that advice comes from a native of Bogota.) If you want a safer part of town and beautiful views your best bet is to stay in the district of La Candelaria. The district is a destination to visit in itself. There are plenty of adorable shops, restaurants, and coffee spots. Multiple streets are for pedestrians only, some of them even lined with artists selling their crafts. If you are into photography then you will have a hay day here. There are so many photographic spots that even the newest photographers can make their shots look professional!
2.) Monserrate Mountain
This is a must-do while you visit Bogota! The top of Monserrate Mountain offers a view of the entire city! You never realize how big the city is until you are up above looking down. There are multiple ways to get up the mountain. If you are feeling adventurous you can hike up the side. Give yourself anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours to hike. Take into account the elevation gain which can make you climb a bit slower than normal. Or for about $5 USD you could take a cable car. That is the option we choose as we were on a time crunch. If you choose this method you will want to buy your tickets in advance to save you some time waiting in line. When we arrived the line was supposedly over an hour long, but it honestly moved quite fast and we didn’t have to wait long.
Once you reach the top you will be greeted with cute cafes, a walking path, and plenty of spots to take in the view. If you are taking your time you could probably spend about 2 hours here. That would be with walking every path, getting a cup of coffee, and taking all the pictures. We spent about 30/40 minutes at the top and that felt like plenty.
3.) Bogota Bike tour
This was one of my favorite things we did while in Bogota! If you are new to the city with little to go off, a walking tour or bike tour is the way to go. This allows you to make some friends and get your bearings around the city. I learned almost everything I know about Bogota from this tour and the friends I made while biking. There are plenty of tours to pick from. We went with Bogota Bike Tours for $20USD. There are a couple of cheaper options but this tour had us doing everything from coffee and fruit tasting to learning about the graffiti and history. Our guide was so knowledgeable and fun to joke around with. After he even taught us all how to play Colombia’s national sport, Tejo!
There are a lot of free walking tours (usually people will just tip the tour guide) around the city as well. This is great for those wanting something at a little slower pace. This tour company offered walking tours as well, we saw a handful of people doing them and it looked fantastic! Again, it’s just a solid way to learn where to go and where to avoid. I would highly recommend it to anyone new to the city!
4.) Food Tour
Now I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge foodie. All I really care about is that I have food to eat, doesn’t matter what it is. However. I am forever grateful that one of my friends I was traveling with suggested this food tour! It was a couple of hours long and we would walk from restaurant to restaurant. They made sure to give us dishes from all over Colombia for the full picture of Colombian food. This was such a fun and unique experience! It was the perfect way to get a glimpse into the local culture. Just like the bike tour, this was also a great way to make friends and get your bearings of the city.
We ended up going with The Bogota Food Experience. It was $28 USD for about 4 hours and all the food we ate. I would say it was worth the value as you do get quite a bit of food. It was a relaxing and fun time to unwind! You even end up at a fancier restaurant where you can hang with all your new friends with no rush to leave.
5.) District market
We discovered this market on the previously mentioned food tour. This is such a cute hangout spot! There are all sorts of vendors selling everything from gourmet coffee, to fresh fruit juices, and little artist trinkets. They have seating all around so you could easily grab lunch and enjoy the views of colorful Bogota. The fruit stands sell some of the best juices you will ever taste! To go and explore is completely free, then the cost is just based on what you buy. The surrounding streets are also full of life and color! There are murals spray-painted everywhere to showcase Colombia’s rich culture and history. If you are staying for a longer period of time this is a great place to get your fresh produce or fish from. Their prices aren’t bad and you could easily turn it into an entire afternoon event!
6.) all the restaurants
There are so many delicious places to eat in Bogota it’s hard to know where to start! Street empanadas, arepas, and shaved ice are just the beginning of what Colombia has to offer in the realm of food. They don’t only offer Colombian food but the city has a host of restaurants ranging from Italian to Mexican. A couple of our favorite spots included…
San Felipe – This place has the best breakfast for the best price! For $2.95 USD you can get eggs, fresh juice, an Arepa, and coffee. We went here multiple days for breakfast since it was so hard to beat that price. Plus the staff is incredibly friendly and the aesthetic is unbeatable!
Origenes Cafe – We went here our last morning in the city and I wish we would’ve found this place sooner! They serve a long list of different hot drinks (my personal favorite being their espresso chi mix) and a very well-rounded food menu. I got a hearty veggie omelet and dirty chi for about $3.64USD.
Enchiladas La Candelaria – If you like Mexican food this restaurant is for you! I know we are in Colombia, but when we passed this place it was hard to turn away. They have a long menu with just about anything you could want and a lively atmosphere adding to its charm. We spent about $7.98USD but the meal we choose came with over 5 different food items. Hard to say no to a deal like that!
7.) Graffiti tour
Fun fact about Colombia, graffiti is legal here! There are so many tours free and paid all worth it! Walking down the streets is like walking through a free museum. You will find everything from portraits of important figures in Colombia’s history, to images reflecting Colombia’s current political situation. Walking with someone like a guide who really knows the meaning behind each image makes the city come to life! The graffiti allows people to speak out for important issues like justice and freedom. Taking the time to pause and learn will allow you to see Colombia as more than just a tourist destination. There is a deep history here that reflects on the everyday things you see. I promise you your trip will be 10x better if you take the time to listen and learn in a respectful way. All this can be as easy as taking a graffiti tour!
We met some of the guides from the Graffiti Tour in La Candelaria Bogota and they were all amazing! A lot of the guides are cross-trained and will also run some of the walking or food tours. This means they are incredibly knowledgeable about the area and that it’s easy to jump from one thing to the next. I would highly recommend this!
8.) Coffee Tour
Can you come to Colombia and not drink a hundred cups of coffee? Even if you are not a huge coffee drinker it’s hard not to acknowledge the important role coffee plays in this country. Coffee is Colombia’s third biggest export, now that’s impressive! Bogota sits in Colombia’s coffee region meaning there is plenty of coffee here. You will find many coffee tours ranging in all different prices. The most expensive I saw was over $100USD. That was a little more than I was willing to pay, yet as an avid coffee drinker, I knew I couldn’t come to Colombia without seeing the coffee roasting process. As mentioned above, I settled for the bike tour that also offered a small coffee tour. This was enough to satisfy my coffee needs as we got to learn about the roasting process, eat coffee beans, and drink all the coffee to my heart’s content!
If you really want more out of your coffee tour I did find this Coffee Tour in Hacienda Coloma. I strongly considered doing this one and if I had more time in the city I would’ve tried it. It was the cheapest one I could find that offered a bit more than the bike tour. There are also cafes everywhere in Bogota. So at the very least you can pop into a cafe and get a good cup of joe!
9.) Plaza de Bolivar
Now, this is on a lot of people’s visit lists for Bogota, and for good reason, there is a lot to take in here. This is Bogota’s main square located right in the heart of the historical district. While in the plaza you can learn more about Colombia’s history, feed the hundreds of pigeons, or take a picture with the llamas people bring in. There are numerous street vendors with anything you could want. It would be easy to grab a quick lunch and stroll around down here. I will say the plaza is beautiful and has a lot to offer but be careful. With there being a lot of people it’s easier to get pickpocketed here. Keep an eye on your belongings and keep aware of your surroundings. If you keep your wits about you shouldn’t run into any problems.
Again, we visited the square while on our bike tour (can you tell I really enjoyed that tour:)) This made me a little more at ease as we were in a group. You will be fine even if it’s just two of you but there is always power in numbers.
10.) La chorreru and chiflon
There are numerous day trips you can take from Bogota. That’s one of the reasons I love this city so much, there’s always something to do! One of these trips includes hiking Colombia’s highest waterfall located only an hour outside of the city. If you want an adrenalin pump while being surrounded by the stunning scenery this trip might just be for you! There are a handful of people you can go with, the one I am most familiar with is this Hike to the Highest Colombian Waterfall. It’s $80USD but that includes transportation, breakfast/lunch, a guide, and more. You are also technically allowed to rock up by yourself and hike from the starting point. This is fine if you are trying to save some money but if you are new to Colombia I wouldn’t necessarily make that my first choice.
The hike itself should only take 3-4 hours depending on how fast you’re going. Don’t forget the elevation factor though so take your time and make sure to bring lots of water. The other thing to consider is the timing of your visit. If your coming during the rainy season the roads might be closed leading to the waterfall. Just something to take into consideration.
wrapping up
At the end of the day, Bogota is an amazing city with so much to offer! I found this city to be perfect for those seeking an adventure. There are so many lakes, colonial villages, and other experiences located right by Bogota we haven’t even touched yet! Just make sure to pack your rain jacket, a camera, grab a buddy, and then you’ll be set for any adventure thrown your way! Go ready to listen and have your eyes opened to such an extraordinary country. Have you been to Bogota? What are your favorite things to do in the city? Let me know! I wish you all safe travels!
Until Next Time, Olivia Grace:)
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