What you should do in Bogota, Colombia

Bogota was the first stop on our trip to Colombia. It was an easy choice for two reasons: 1) It is the capital of Bogota. and 2) It is really easy to get a flight from the US to Bogota.

The first thing to know about Bogota is that it is at a really high elevation. The city of Bogota is at 8661 feet above sea level and if you venture to the top of Monserrate you’ll get up to 10,341 feet. Bogota is the highest city in South America. If you are not used to this elevation, be prepared!

COMING SOON – How to Deal with the High Elevation in Bogota

THINGS TO DO IN BOGOTA

1 – Candelaria

This historic area of Bogota is beautiful and a must visit. The architecture is Spanish and there are museums, libraries, and wonderful places to eat.

CLICK HERE – Fantastic Walking Tour of Candelaria with the kids

2- Museum of Gold

This museum holds the largest display of gold in the world. That alone is worth the visit! Learn about how gold has been an integral part of Colombia since the pre-Hispanic time. Most of the 55,000 pieces on display were actually discovered here in Colombia.

The Educational Tourist helped create the Family Gold Museum Tour with Impulse Travel. You and your family will really enjoy this museum through this tour. Created just for families with children, sit back and relax, while the expert guide teaches the kids and keeps them on track – learning and exploring, while you explore the museum. Learn how the gold was formed into beautiful items you see. Later, the kids will create a special, one of a kind, souvenir!

3- Botero Museum

Frederick Botero is one of South America’s most famous artists and his style will bring out the giggles in the kids. Everything he does is exaggerated and light-hearted. Be sure to see Botero’s version of the Mona Lisa, which is the most parodied art in the world.

4- Monserrate Mountain (Cerro Monserrate)

This is THE spot for a view of Bogota. It can be enjoyed day or evening so you might want to even see it twice! We took the cable car which gives some great views, too. There are other ways to get to the top if that one sounds scary – the train and by foot. It is at high elevation – 10,000 feet so plan to take it slowly.

COMING SOON – Trip to the tippy top of Monserrate Mountain

5- Zona T

This is a hip, happening, and lively spot in Bogota. This trendy area is full of boutiques and nightclubs. We really enjoyed our evening here where I had a delicious mojito with lychee! Have a drink and dinner and be sure to hit the mall. I’m not necessarily much of a shopping gal, but we enjoy seeing what is of interest to the locals. We chose to purchase souvenir futbol jerseys after having so much fun watching the locals passionately enjoy their world cup futbol games.

6- Boliver Plaza

This is the main square in the historic neighborhood of Candelaria. You’ll see this on a walking tour of the city. Be sure to buy some corn for the pigeons. Seeing them swarm around is great fun for the kids while you admire the statue and architecture of all the buildings around.

7- Usaquen Market

The Sunday market in the Usaquen neighborhood is a fun way to see how the locals spend a Sunday. We found fantastic handicrafts made from indigenous tribes all over Colombia and some of the best food we had during our 2 weeks in Colombia. This market is only open on Sundays. Our stroll through this market on our first full day in Bogota was a highlight of the trip as we could observe locals enjoying watching their futbol/soccer team in the World Cup. AND – where else can you see the Big A%$ ant?

8- Street Art

Street art is really popular in Colombia and fun to see. It is a colorful way for locals to express their thoughts and ideas through art. Take a tour to get the most out of seeing this art.

Day Trips from Bogota

Not only are there wonderful things to do in Bogota, but Bogota is a great place to use as a home base while you have some fun day trips.

1- Underground Salt Cathedral in Zipaquria

We travel with our own personal geologist, hubby, so we love exploring rocks and geology of an area. The underground salt cathedral was high on our list of things to see while we were visiting Bogota.

The cathedral is part of a salt mine almost 600 feet underground. It is nice and cool and a really unusual place. This is the only underground Catholic cathedral.

2- Villa de Leyva

This small town is like a visit to the past. Walk down cobblestone streets and admire the old, original buildings. Don’t miss the largest plaza in Colombia which gives you a great place to admire the crisp white buildings with the mountains in the background.

Don’t get caught in the rain – or the cold – or the heat in Bogota. You can experience ALL of those on the same day! I have never experienced such crazy weather. Learn from our experiences before you pack!

CLICK HERE – How to Pack for the weather in Bogota

We loved our trip to Colombia – what a gorgeous place! You will enjoy it, too!

Thanks for stopping by!

Natalie, The Educational Tourist