Every once in a while while I am traveling, I discover a city that I didn’t expect much of but that ended up being a wonderful surprise. Bogota is one of those cities. When I first visited Bogota in 2018, I thought I was going to find a big, crowded, polluted city without much to do. Instead, I found a charming old historic center and a cool funicular that whisks you to the top of a nearby mountain. I, unfortunately, had very little time to explore that city and I knew that I had barely scratched the surface of what there as to do there. I planned on going back as soon as possible.
That opportunity finally came at the end of February 2021. After spending a year in Mexico riding out COVID, I desperately wanted to get back on the road and start seeing more of the world. Colombia was going to be my first port of call.
I arrived late in the evening at Bogota Airport after a flight from New York (a very convoluted route from Mexico I know). I spent my first night at a tiny guest house near the airport and then switched to a hostel right in the center of the city. My original plan was to stay one or two nights and then head north to meet up with a friend.
However, after walking around Bogota for a few hours, I started to realize that I definitely was not going to be leaving straight away. I stayed at the fantastic Hostel Bandido in Teusaquillo. The neighborhood was centrally located, very quiet and the hostel beds were like sleeping in a cloud. There were even curtains on the beds and the wifi was extremely fast and stable. A day or two ended up being a week and even then, I was hesitant to leave Bogota.
So what did I do in Bogota besides work?
A LOT! As it was my first week as a “real” digital nomad, I used my week in Bogota as a way to find my digital nomad feet and figure out what schedule would allow me to see as much as possible while still finishing the work I wanted to get done (and not burn out!). Each day, I would work from 5 am – 9 am and then head out to explore the city. I did a free bike tour, visited many museums, and even hiked up Montserrat. It was a great week!
My List of the Top Things to do in Bogota
I have now been to Bogota twice as a solo female tourist and have had a good time. So here is my list of the top things to do in Bogota.
Explore the historic center
The historic center of Bogota, known as Candelaria, is full of narrow streets, brightly colored buildings and some of Bogota’s best museums. There are a great variety of restaurants, bars, and shops and some amazing street art. The area is also safe to wander around but take the same precautions that you would in any big city. However, I don’t recommend staying the night there. From what other traveler’s have told me, the hostels in that area are all “party” hostels and full of loud, young people.
The National Museum
While many people rush to the Gold Museum (Museo de Oro) when they arrive to Bogota, my first museum pit stop was the National Musem. The museum is in an imposing building (it was a former prison) and has a great collection showcasing Colombia’s past and present. Some of the country’s most turbulent periods were coverd and the displays even gave English translations (most of them anyawys). The security guards were also very friendly and one even told me that I was an “elegant lady”. Anyone who knows me personally knows that elegant is usually not a word that is used to describe me.
Botero Museum
Although Botero was originally from Medellin, the Botero Museum is located in Bogota ( I was told that it is because Medellin next completed the necessary paperwork needed to secure Botero’s donated words. After spending a week in Medellin, I can easily see that happening.) The museum is located in a complex which also has the strangely interesting Case de Moneda, which I highly recommend checking out. The buildings themselves are beautiful and Botero’s robust statues and pleasantly plump figurines give the complex a bright splash of color. Visiting the museum not only gave me a new appreciation for his work, but also it made me really that I need to start dieting ASAP or I am going to look like one of his creations.
The Free Bike Tour
I love doing free walking tours so when a friend mentioned that she had done a free bike tour, I quickly made a reservation. I arrived at 10 am and was the only guest with a charming young tour guide. We pedaled our way through the city stopping at Bolivar Square, some very fancy neighborhoods and even had juice in a local park (I am now obsessed with guanabana/soursop juice after that tour). We finished by going through Bogota’s red light district where there is a ton of amazing street art. This was an area that I probably wouldn’t have ventured into alone so that part alone made it very worthwhile. You can make a booking for the tour here.
Climb Montserrat
Montserrat is a huge hill/mountain overlooking Bogota. Although there is a funicular that whisks you to the top of the mountain, I decided that I wanted to get some exercise and climb it. This turned out to be a very bad idea. Bogota is at a very high altitude and I thought I was going to have a heart attack 90% of the climb. However, the views were beautiful and once my legs stopped throbbing and my heart stopped racing, I was able to enjoy it. For anyone with knee problems, it is important to know that as of March 2021, you could only buy tickets for the funicular at the bottom of the hill. I climbed up thinking that I would take the funicular down and was devastated to find out that my wobbly knees would have to carry me back down the steep slope. This may change after COVID is finally over but make sure to check at the bottom if you need to get a ticket before starting the climb.
Visit Andres Carne de Res
This restaurant is a bit of a trek to get to but the quirky decor and dancing staff make it totally worth the trip. I was lucky enough to be invited by a group of friends of a friend and although I was a bit concerned about going to a place with carne in the name as a vegetarian, I was assured that it wouldn’t be a problem. And it definitely wasn’t. I had a delicious veggie burger and some local craft beer. Make sure to come hungry as the portions are huge and leave plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere. Check out their website for more info.
Explore the different residential neighborhoods
Although most visitors stay in Bogota’s historic center, the residential neighborhoods have a lot to offer. Bogota has an incredibly eclectic mix of architecture and as you wander around, you may feel like you are in a German hamlet or a quaint English village – all within the same block! Santa Teresita (and the adjoining Park Way) and Chapinero are very cool neighborhoods to check out with tons of bars and restaurants. Santa Teresita is also home of the best Indian restaurant that I have found in Colombia!
Go on a day trip
Bogota is surrounded by interesting destinations so why not take a day trip? I went to Guatavita to see the legendary lake where the indigenous population threw gold as a sacrifice to Mother Nature. That gold is now in the Museo de Oro and gives a fascinating look back into the indigenous culture before the Spanish arrived. Although I went with a group of Colombian friends, you can easily arrange tours to Guatavita which include stops in nearby villages and towns. Find out more about Guatavita here.
Another great trip is to go see the salt mines of Zipiquira. There is even an underground church made entirely of salt in one of the mines. You can learn more about the church’s history here.
Nice article!