High up in the Andes Mountains, you’ll find Bogotá. The sprawling capital city of Colombia is home to over 8 million people, making it the 5th largest city in the Americas.
For many years, travellers avoided Bogotá (and Colombia at large) like the plague. While a certain TV show has glorified this dark time in Colombia’s past, the country has spent the last two decades trying to shed its negative reputation as a hotbed of drugs and violence.
These days, more and more curious travellers are heading to Colombia. While you may be tempted to simply breeze through the big city, there are lots of awesome things to do in Bogotá to warrant spending a few days there.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the top activities in Bogotá, from hiking in the mountains and taking in the incredible street art, to drinking beer and blowing stuff up!
Table of Contents
1. join a free walking Tour
2. explore La Candelaria
3. take in The views From Cerro Monserrate
4. eat like a Rolo
5. visit the Gold Museum
6. Hang Out in Chorro de Quevedo Plaza
7. sample local Booze
8. Day trip to the Salt Cathedral
9. join the Ciclovia Event
10. See a Football Match
11. wine and Dine in Zona G
12. Take a street Art Tour
13. Play Tejo
14. visit the Botanical Gardens
15. shop in local Markets
16. ride a Chiva Bus
17. learn Salsa Dancing
18. Take a Bike Tour
19. Hang Out in Simon Bolivar Park
20. Nightlife in Zona Rosa
21. party hard at Theatron
Enjoy Bogotá!
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1. join a free walking Tour
When you’re new in a city, the best way to get your bearings is by joining a free walking tour. These seem to be everywhere these days, and Bogotá is no different.
The best walking tour of the city is run by the folks at Beyond Colombia. They actually run a few different free tours, but you’ll want to start out with their free walking tour of downtown Bogotá to get an introduction to the city.
Tours run every day at both 10:00am and 2:00pm and go for about three hours. It’s a really fun and informative tour, where you’ll learn about the city’s history, architecture, gastronomy, and more. They have excellent guides who really strive to show you the city from a local’s perspective. If you enjoy the tour (which I’m sure you will), be sure to tip your guide accordingly.
One thing I love about the free walking tours is getting recommendations from your guide on the best places to eat and drink in the city. It’s also a great way to make friends with fellow travellers. That’s why taking a free walking tour sits atop our list of the best things to do in Bogotá.
2. explore La Candelaria
While the free walking tour covers some solid ground, you’ll still want to take some time to explore the city centre on your own. known as La Candelaria, this area is home to an array of historical and cultural sights. If you’re not sure what to do in Bogotá, just head to La Candelaria and explore all that it has to offer.
This is where Bogotá was founded back in 1538 by the Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada y Rivera. much has changed in Bogotá since then, but this area has been very well-preserved.
Walking along the cobblestone streets past the many colonial buildings, you might think you stepped back in time. That is until you turn a corner and see the massive Colpatria Tower stretching up to the sky. Bogotá is a city that manages to hold on to its past while still moving full speed ahead into the future.
Some of the highlights of La Candeleria include the central Bolivar Square, which is surrounded by important landmarks like City Hall and the gorgeous Cathedral of Colombia. The area is also home to several museums, so there’s plenty to see and do here to keep you busy for a short stay.
3. take in The views From Cerro Monserrate
One of the most popular things to do in Bogotá is definitely heading to the top of Cerro Monserrate. From here, you’ll get some incredible panoramic views of the city. There’s also a church up here and a few restaurants, so you can take your time and really savor the fantastic view.
You have a few different options for getting to the top of Cerro Monserrate. If you’re feeling up for it, you can hike all the way there along a well-marked trail. While the hike isn’t too strenuous, the high altitude can definitely get to you. The church atop the hill sits at a whopping 3,150 meters!
If you want to hike up the hill, you’ll have to get to the trailhead before 1:00 pm, as that’s when they stop allowing people in. For coming down, they keep the trail open until 4:00 pm. The trail is closed on Tuesdays, so make sure you don’t come then if you’re really hoping to hike.
For those who would rather take the easy way out, you have two options. There’s both a funicular and a cable car running here now. A popular choice is taking one up and the other down.
Round-trip tickets to be used on either one cost 20,000 pesos (about $6.50). The price is cut to 11,000 ($3.50) on Sundays, which makes that a very popular and thus crowded day to visit. The cable car runs every day except for holidays that fall on Monday, and the funicular is always closed on Mondays. You can find the ticket office on the map here.
Another option is to join a half-day tour which takes in many sights in Bogotá, including Cerro Montserrate. Click here to learn more.
If you love being out in nature, be sure to read this guide on hiking the Valle de Cocora. It’s one of the best places to go hiking in all of Colombia, and this guide has all you need to plan a trip there.
4. eat like a Rolo
People from Bogotá are known as Rolos in Spanish. They’re different from those who live on the coast (Costeños) or those from Medellin (Paisas). Each region has its own unique culture and customs, especially when it comes to food. trying different dishes and drinks is certainly one of the most delicious things to do in Bogotá.
Starting your day out like a Rolo means arepas and a tinto. Arepas are a staple dish all across Colombia. They’re made of ground maize dough or cooked flour, and can be found on just about every street corner in Bogotá. the best arepas in my humble opinion are the ones stuffed with gooey, melted cheese!
A tinto is the Colombian equivalent of a long black coffee. forget spending $5 on a cup of coffee from a certain American chain, and instead grab one from a local street vendor for less than a buck.
When it’s time for lunch, order up a bowl of ajiaco. This Bogotá classic is a chicken soup with potatoes, corn, and herbs. It’s usually served with cream and avocado as well, making for a hearty and filling meal. try it at La Puerta Falsa.
For when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth, be sure to try a cup of chocolate caliente, Colombian style. It’s made by melting chocolate in a jar with milk. once it’s ready, you then dunk some chunks of cheese into the hot chocolate. It sounds a bit weird, but it sure is tasty!
5. visit the Gold Museum
There are plenty of museums in Bogotá, but the cream of the crop is definitely the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum). It’s home to an astounding 55,000 pieces of gold and other pre-Columbian artifacts.
The Gold museum has exhibits spread out over three floors. In addition to its massive collection of gold objects, there’s also plenty of pottery, stone, wood, and textile objects. one of the most famous items on display is the Muisca raft, which represents the ceremony of the legend of El Dorado.
The Gold museum is open from Tuesday-Saturday from 9 am – 6 pm and Sunday from 10 am – 4 pm. Tickets cost 4,000 pesos ($1.25), and the museum is free on Sundays. You can also take a free one-hour tour of the museum from Tuesday to Saturday at either 11:00 am or 4:00 pm. You can find directions to the Gold museum here.
For an interesting and fun walking tour of the La Candelaria neighbourhood and the Gold Museum, click here.
6. Hang Out in Chorro de Quevedo Plaza
If you go on the free walking tour, you’ll stroll up a colourful pedestrian street to reach toe Chorro de Quevedo Plaza. since you don’t get to linger too much on the tour, it’s worth returning to this funky part of Bogotá on your own.
Carrera 2 is a cool street that’s full of shops, cafes, and bars. It’s also covered in some pretty awesome street art and a popular place for craft vendors to set up. walking along this trendy street is definitely one of the most fun things to do in Bogotá.
At the end of the street, you run into the plaza. There’s a fountain in the middle and some colonial buildings that surround it. The plaza is a popular gathering place for young locals, especially at night and on the weekends. Be sure to come back here to hang out on at least one of your nights in Bogotá. You can find the plaza on the map here.
7. sample local Booze
When in Bogotá, you must sample the local hooch. That means trying both the traditional and modern-day favourites — chicha and aguardiente.
Chicha is a fermented corn drink with a unique and interesting flavour. There are many different recipes for chicha depending on the region, but in Bogotá it’s simple — cooked maize with sugar, fermented for six to eight days. It’s more popular in rural areas, but there are plenty of places in Bogotá that serve it.
The drink of choice for most Colombians these days, though, is definitely aguardiente. This Colombian firewater is made from sugarcane and flavoured with anise, giving it sort of a licorice taste. It’s usually 25-30% alcohol and is drank neat.
Due to its sugary content, this stuff can cause some brutal hangovers. best to just have a shot and move on to something else…such as craft beer. That’s right, Bogotá is home to BBC (Bogotá Beer Company) and if you like artisanal brews, you won’t want to miss sampling a brew from BBC, or two.
8. Day trip to the Salt Cathedral
One of the top things to do in Bogotá is taking a day trip out to the famous salt cathedral. It’s located in the town of Zipaquira, about an hour outside of the capital.
This Roman Catholic church was built in a salt mine, 200 meters underground. The miners had long had a sanctuary here, but the cathedral was officially inaugurated in 1954. It’s dedicated to Our lady of Rosary, the patron saint of miners.
Due to safety concerns, the original cathedral was closed in 1992. A contest was held to choose a design for a new one, and it was opened a few years later in 1995.
A highlight of visiting the salt cathedral is seeing the three sections representing the birth, life, and death of Jesus. It’s a functioning church and a very popular place for pilgrims, drawing in thousands of people every Sunday. since it doesn’t have a bishop, it actually does not have official status as a cathedral from the Vatican.
Entrance to the salt cathedral costs 50,000 pesos (about $16). While you can get here via a public bus, most travellers opt to join a tour instead. Some tours also include a stop at the scenic Lake Guatavita, meaning you can cross off two of the best things to do in Bogotá in one day. Click here to learn more about the popular, highly rated tours.
Visiting this cathedral is one of the top things to do in all of Colombia. Don’t miss it!
SEE ALSO: 15 things to do in San Gil – Colombia’s adventure Capital
9. join the Ciclovia Event
If you happen to be in Bogotá on a Sunday, you’ll definitely want to check out the Ciclovia event. many of the city’s major roads are closed to motorized vehicles on Sunday mornings. instead of the usual traffic jams, you’ll find joggers, cyclists, roller-bladers, and dog walkers.
Ciclovia started back in 1976 thanks to a peaceful protest from local students. They demanded more public spaces in the city to do things like ride bikes, and it paid off. The event brings one to four million people out every week to take back the city streets and enjoy some time outdoors.
There are plenty of places in Bogotá that rent bikes out. You can expect to pay about 40,000 pesos ($15) for half a day, or 80,000 ($30) for a full day. One reliable shop is Bogotravel Tours. You can find them on the map here.
10. See a Football Match
Football is basically a religion in Latin America. Seeing a game live is an incredible experience and is certainly one of the best things to do in Bogotá.
El Champin stadium is the place to go for football in Bogotá. The stadium is home to the national team of Colombia as well as two different club teams – Milionarios FC and Independiente Santa Fe.
Ticket prices for the games range from 16,000 pesos ($5) for seats behind the goal up to 90,000 ($30) for some of the best seats in the main stands. It’s possible to buy tickets online or from a few different vendors, but you can usually just rock up on match day and easily find one from the box office.
While you can just head to the stadium and grab tickets on your own, you may want to
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