Bogota, the capital of Colombia, isn’t always on every tourist’s travel list. Often, it’s bypassed for other major cities like Medellin and Cartagena. Don’t skip Bogota! There are so many fun things to do in Bogota, and combined with the great international airport, it’s the perfect place to begin your adventures in Colombia. Keep reading for the top 10 things to do in Bogota as well as all the tips and information you’ll need for your trip to this awesome city!
A Few Practical Tips: Top Things to do in Bogota
- How long should I spend in Bogota?
- 2 days is the perfect amount of time in Bogota. This will allow you to see the city’s major sites and try some of the delicious restaurants.
- If you’re adding a day trip into your itinerary, like visiting the Salt Cathedral or going to a coffee farm, you may want 3 days.
- How much do I tip in Colombia?
- 10% is standard in restaurants, or up to 15% in more upscale restaurants. I also tip around 10-15% on guided tours.
- Be sure to check your bill at a restaurant as, sometimes, a service charge is included. If it is, you do not need to tip on top of that.
- Is Bogotá English friendly?
- Yes and no. In the tourist sector, you’ll often find people who speak English. This means that many tour guides, hotel personnel and some waiters in restaurants will speak English, but not everyone will.
- Book English speaking tours to ensure you get an English speaking guide!
- Many restaurants, even if the waiters don’t speak English, will provide English language menus.
- Yes and no. In the tourist sector, you’ll often find people who speak English. This means that many tour guides, hotel personnel and some waiters in restaurants will speak English, but not everyone will.
- Is Bogotá a walkable city?
- Honestly, no. Bogota has many neighborhoods that are walkable. For example, you can walk around Usquen, La Candelaria, Parque 93, etc. However, most neighborhoods are not walkable to each other and you’ll need to rely on Uber.
- Bogota also lacks a reliable public transportation system. They are currently building the first metro line in the city, but for now, it’s just the public bus system. Instead of taking buses, I recommend Uber. They’re readily available and inexpensive.
- Which neighborhood should I stay in?
- I recommend staying in the Parque 93 neighborhood. It’s safe, nice, walkable and has great restaurants and shops. You can also easily Uber anywhere in the city.
- Some people like to stay in La Candelaria (the city’s historic center), but I don’t recommend this. After sundown, this area of the city isn’t super populated and it’s much more of a daytime destination for the museums, shops, etc. Of course, you can stay in this area and there are nice hotels, it’s just not my recommendation.
Excellent Hotels in Bogota
- Hotel El Dorado – Parque de la 93
- NH Bogotá Pavillon Royal Hotel – Parque de la 93
- Residence Inn by Marriott Bogota – Parque de la 93
- Hotel Casa De La Vega – La Candelaria
- Socialtel – La Candelaria
If you need a hotel right near the airport, Courtyard by Marriott Bogota Airport is awesome and has a free airport shuttle!
Top Things to do in Bogota
1: Soak in Panoramic Views of Bogotá from Monserrate
Visiting Monserrate is definitely one of the most popular things to do in Bogota – and it absolutely should be. Monserrate is a 3,172 meter (10,407 feet) mountain that provides incredible views of Bogota. The gardens are also stunning to wander through and it’s overall a beautiful place to be.
At the top of the mountain you’ll find a church dating back to the early 1600s. This is a very popular religious pilgrimage and many devotees make the walk up the mountain (3+ kilometers) to reach the church at the peak. If you choose to walk to the top, it’s free.
Visiting Monserrate is also very common with those who are less (or non) religious. Many people visit for the breathtaking views, the beautiful gardens and/or to eat at one of the restaurants.
To get to the top, without hiking, you can take the funicular or the cable car. I recommend taking one up and the other down so you can experience both.
Once at the top, spend some time enjoying the views, checking out the gardens and having lunch at one of the restaurants: Casa San Isidro or Casa Santa Clara. If you don’t want to sit down for lunch, there’s also several places to grab snacks.
Visiting Montserrate is affordable, fun and definitely one of the best things to do in Bogota. A few quick things to remember:
- Visit on a clear day, if you can. If it’s cloudy or rainy you won’t get views of the city.
- You will be at over 10,000 feet of elevation. You may get out of breath easily when walking. Go slowly and drink water.
- If you visit on a weekday it will be a lot less busy than on the weekend.
- You can Uber to the base of Monserrate and take the cable car/funicular from there.
If you’re interested in a guided tour of Monserrate, there are great options:
- Monserrate Tour in Bogotá Including Tickets
- Monserrate Private Tour + Lunch
- La Candelaria, Monserrate and Museums Bogotá Private City Tour
- Fantastic combo tour!! Pick the longer tour in order to include the museum stops.
2: Admire Ancient Gold Treasures at the Museo del Oro
The Museo del Oro, or the Gold Museum, is certainly one of the most impressive places to visit in Bogota. Located in La Candelaria neighborhood, this museum is one of Colombia’s most famous and houses the largest collection of prehispanic goldwork in the entire world.
It’s very affordable to visit and you can easily spend hours and hours visiting the exhibits.
The vast majority of gold artifacts in this museum belonged to indigenous groups, like the Muisca and Tayrona, and some are over 1,000 years old.
In total, there are over 34,000 gold pieces in this museum and endless history to learn.
It rains in Bogota quite often and this is the perfect rainy day activity! Afterwards, you’re a close walk to the Botero Museum.
3: Take a Walk Through the Historic Candelaría Neighborhood
La Candelaría is the oldest part of Bogota and is known as the city’s historic center. Here, you’ll find great museums (like the Gold Museum and Botero Museum) as well as delicious food (both street food and restaurants!) There’s also beautiful painted buildings and it’s known for its murals and street art painted by locals.
Usually, I like to stay in the Historic Center when traveling, but in the case of La Candelaría, it’s much better as a stop on your itinerary than a place to base yourself in the city. While it’s safe during the day (just be aware of pickpockets), at night the crowds disperse and there are much nicer, and more lively, areas to stay.
During the day, however, it should definitely be a stop on your itinerary to see everything mentioned above, plus Plaza Bolivar. Plaza Bolivar is the main square in Bogota and here you’ll find many impressive government buildings, like the Palace of Justice and City Hall. In addition, it’s home to the impressive Metropolitan Basilica Cathedral (Primatial Cathedral of Colombia).
You can easily walk around La Candelaría on your own and explore the sites and restaurants, or you can go on a guided tour! Many of these tours also include museum and food stops.
Guided tours of La Candelaría:
- Walking Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá
- Graffiti Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá
- Food Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá
- Bike Tour in La Candelaria Bogotá
4: Have Lunch at La Puerta Falsa – Bogota’s Oldest Restaurant
La Puerta Falsa (The False Door/The Trap Door), in La Candelaría neighborhood, is the oldest restaurant in Bogota! This restaurant is visited by locals and tourists and they serve a very traditional Colombian menu.
They’re best known for their tamales and chocolate completo (hot chocolate with cheese, served with bread), but you’ll find a variety of other dishes on the modest sized menu. The restaurant only seats around 20 people and definitely feels more local than touristy.
For a little piece of history and some Colombian food, this should definitely be on your list of things to do in Bogota.
5: Visit the FREE Botero Museum for Unique Modern Art
For an amazing free thing to do in Bogota, the Botero museum definitely needs to be on your list! Not only is it housed in a beautiful building, but the collection of Botero’s artwork is truly impressive.
Fernando Botero, a Colombian painter and sculptor, donated a variety of his artwork (as well as other artwork from his private collection) to create the museum. You’ll find works from Dalí and Picasso, as well as other artists, and it’s amazing that this museum is free and open to anyone.
This museum is located in La Candelaría neighborhood, so you can easily combine a visit here with a visit to the Gold Museum and La Puerta Falsa.
6: Go Dancing at the Famous Andres Carne de Res Restaurant
Andres Carne de Res is, probably, the most famous restaurant in Bogota! The original, dating back to the 80s, is located in Chia – about 40-60 minutes from Bogota. While the original is certainly fun to visit, it’s a little more involved to get to.
If you want to Uber or drive to the original Andres Carne de Res, that’s definitely an option. However, the easier option is to go to the location right in Bogota in Zona T. This is a fun area filled with tons of restaurants and shops and it’s very walkable.
Go for dinner and stay for dancing and drinks!
7: Shop for Handmade Items and Souvenirs at the Usaquén Mercado de las Pulgas
Usaquén is a very cute neighborhood with cobblestone streets and Colonial architecture! It’s fun to visit any time of the week, but Sundays are the best time to visit Usaquén to explore Mercado de las Pulgas market and craft fair. For this market, tons of vendors set up and sell a variety of different items. You’ll find everything from leather goods, to artwork, to jewelry and more.
There’s also food vendors and there is so much delicious food to try.
My recommendation is to head over in the morning and explore the area, do some shopping and have lunch.
This is one of my absolute favorite things to do in Bogota! Remember to bring cash, as not all vendors will take card.
8: Enjoy the Car-Free Streets for a Walk on Sundays During Ciclovia
Sundays in Bogota are great for pedestrians, as many major roads across the city are closed to cars, opening them up for biking, running, skating and walking. Ciclovía is a much loved Sunday tradition for those living in Bogotá and it’s really so nice to be able to get out and exercise without worrying about cars and traffic.
For Ciclovía, there are 76 miles of closed streets from 7am-2pm. I recommend grabbing a coffee and getting outside for a nice long walk or bike ride.
9: Take a Trip to the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá
Zipaquirá is a city about 25 miles from Bogotá that’s known for its incredible subterranean salt cathedral. Despite the fact that it can take an hour or more (expect 2 hours during rush hour) to get to Zipaquirá, visiting the Salt Cathedral is still, and absolutely should be, one of the best things to do in the Bogotá area.
Built within the tunnels of a salt mine, the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is a Roman Catholic church, with 14 stations representing the birth, life and death of Jesus, located 200 meters (600+ feet) underground.
It’s hard to explain just how impressive the cathedral is architecturally. The hand carving in the salt walls, the huge crosses, the worship areas and even the path you follow are breathtaking.
Once you purchase your tickets, you’ll be taken on a guided tour through the cathedral, and this is the best way to learn about each station, the history of the cathedral and all that went into building it.
Once the tour is over, at the bottom of the cathedral, there are places to buy souvenirs, food and drinks, and there are also tons of kiosks outside on the property that sell food as well.
To get to the Salt Cathedral from Bogota, you’ll definitely want to go on a tour that includes transportation. Some include stops at other locations (like Andres Carne de Res!!) and it’s so worth it to spend a day, or half a day, visiting the Salt Cathedral.
Tours to the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá:
- Bogota Zipaquira Salt Cathedral Private Tour + Lunch
- Small Group Tour Zipaquira Salt Cathedral with Pickup
- Cathedral of Salt and Lunch in Andres Carne de Res
10: Explore the Parque de la 93 Neighborhood
If you’re considering where to stay while visiting Bogota, the Parque de la 93 neighborhood, in my opinion, is the best option. Parque de la 93 gets its name for the large park (parque) on 93rd street. The park itself is really nice and it’s surrounded by shops and restaurants.
This area is very safe, great to walk around and is home to awesome shopping, restaurants and hotels.
A few of my favorite restaurants in the area include:
- Ko Asian Kitchen
- Cuzco Resturante
- Crepes & Waffles
- Azahar Coffee Parque 93
- Helados Clemente Calle 94
- Amazing ice cream
- Capital Bagels
- A few blocks from the park, but so good
A few of my favorite hotels include:
- Hotel El Dorado
- One of my top faves!
- NH Bogotá Pavillon Royal Hotel
- Residence Inn by Marriott Bogota
I highly recommend staying in this area and then Ubering (very inexpensive) to the other parts of the city you want to visit. Bogota is huge, and it doesn’t have a metro system, just buses, so you’ll be relying on Uber a lot.
Some areas, like Parque 93, are walkable – but to get between neighborhoods, Uber is your best bet.
BONUS: Go on a Unique Tour
Bogota is a huge city and there are so many options for unique tours to go on, depending on your interests. I’ve mentioned a few above, like a walking tour of La Candelaria, a food tour and a tour of Monserrate – however, there are so many more great ones.
Below are a few of my top recommendations:
- Create Your Own Colombian Emerald Ring
- El Paraíso Favela Tour with Cable Car
- Coffee Farm Tour from Bogotá
- Fruit Tour at the World’s Sweetest Market
Whether you go on a coffee tour, make your own emerald jewelry or visit El Paraiso – you can’t go wrong with a unique tour in Bogota.
I hope you’ve found these 10 things to do in Bogota to be helpful as you plan your trip! If you have any questions, or anything to add to this post, let me know in the comments or DM us on Instagram, @twosistersabroad.
If you’re planning to visit Cartagena on your trip to Colombia (which you totally should!) check out my Cartagena guides here:
- Your Go-To Ultimate Cartagena Itinerary for First-Time Visitors
- 10 Amazing Things to Do in Cartagena: Explore Cartagena’s Best Attractions
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♡Kate
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