To really respect Bogota, it’s important to dive a bit beneath its floor. While its colder local weather and gritty aesthetic haven’t made it a tourism honeypot like Cartagena, if you happen to search to know Colombia’s tradition and historical past, you may be extremely rewarded when exploring its capital.
In this information to the very best issues to do in Bogota, we’ll allow you to higher perceive this fascinating metropolis. From absorbing the creative ambiance of its historic Candelaria neighborhood to tapping into the world-class museums paying homage to the affect of gold and sacred artwork and Bogota’s numerous structure that mixes Colonial and Gothic with Postmodern, get able to discover this multifaceted metropolis.
Let’s dive in!
The first model of this information was written by Meg Pier, editor at People Are Culture. It’s been up to date and tailored for Indie Travelers in 2024.
Lay of the Land
Before we get to the highest points of interest in Bogota, it’s worth gaining a little bit of context first.
Bogota is located in the midst of Colombia and is the nation’s largest metropolis and capital, with a population of just about 11 million.
It has 20 districts, reflecting some pretty distinct financial demographics. The north and northeast are prosperous suburbs, the central and west are largely middle-class, and the southern areas are home to the town’s working-class and marginalized.
For many individuals, point out Colombia and pictures of Pablo Escobar and physique baggage come to mind. The scale of violence fueled by the drug cartels is now, fortuitously, a factor of the previous. As mentioned, robberies are a commonplace actuality in Bogota, and customary sense is warranted.
Is Bogota protected? Yes, it’s completely protected for vacationer actions. However, it’s really helpful to keep your digital camera and mobile phone beneath wraps and to keep away from strolling the streets after dark.
Neighborhoods in Bogota
Many of the very best issues to do in Bogota are largely in and around Candelaria, the outdated city with slender streets and lots of small, single-story colonial-era homes.
Other neighborhoods worth exploring if you happen to plan to spend more than 5 days in Bogota are Zona T and Parque de la 93—eexpensive, leafy enclaves within the north, residence to jet-setters and diplomats; the bohemian La Macarena, a favourite with expats, has nice eating places specializing in a variety of worldwide cuisines and a bunch of impartial modern artwork galleries.
Bogota has more than 100 training establishments, explaining its decidedly youthful inhabitants. The metropolis’s natives are often known as bogotanos, and their descendants are referred to as cachacos. Those who are usually not natives are position fashions.
The altitude of 8,530 feet above sea level makes Bogota one of the highest cities in South America. Its location on the Cundiboyacense plateau, surrounded by Andean giants, is beautiful visually; however, the oxygen ranges may have an effect on your different senses. It’s usually not an enormous deal; however, take precautions in opposition to altitude illness by consuming lots of water, going at a gradual tempo, and saving your journeys up Monserrate and Guadalupe to your final day when you find yourself totally acclimated.
Weather in Bogota
Bogota’s heights imply that the climate is just not what some may count on from a South American nation not removed from the equator. Even in summer, the air is fresh and funky, and it’s possible you’ll want a jacket during the night. Expect some cloudy and wet days throughout your stay, no matter where you go.
As mentioned, late May to late September is nice, and from early December to late February is taken into account as the driest and warmest season for touring Bogota.
Bogota’s Backstory
Before colonization, Bogotá (initially often known as Bacatá) was the residence of the individuals of Muisca, who belong to the Chibcha indigenous tribe. During the Muisca, Bacatá was a center for commerce within the historic world.
It was conquered by the Spanish in 1538, who modified the name to Santa Fé de Bacatá, which was finally corrupted to Bogotá. This area didn’t win independence from Spain until 1819, and since then it has developed into a melting pot of Latin and Spanish influences.
Where to Stay in Bogota
Here are some highly-rated lodges that cater to all budgets.
Best Things to Do in Bogota
1. La Candelaria
Without a doubt, lots of the greatest issues to do in Bogota are within the La Candelaria neighborhood, home to historic websites, colonial monuments, and fashionable artwork. This place really embodies the historical past of Bogotá and Colombia as a whole.
An important place to attach to La Candelaria’s vibe is Chorro de Quevedo Plaza, a square . that’s simultaneously quaint and hip. It’s a preferred gathering place for college students and efficiency artists and the start line of many strolling excursions, akin to this one on Get Your Guide or this tour on Viator.
Reached by an outdated, slender cobblestone avenue referred to as Calle del Embudo (Funnel Street), this spot is believed to be the place where, in 1538, Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada based the Spanish settlement that was Bogota’s predecessor.
The square . takes its name from an Augustinian priest, Friar Quevedo, who, in 1832, bought the location and arranged a public water fountain within the middle. The authentic fountain is long gone; however, the square . includes a substitute in its middle.
La Candelaria is a spot of contradiction. It is each wealthy and poor, loud and quiet, lovely and… not so lovely. The neighborhood’s contradictions are the key to its intriguing enchantment.
2. La Candelaria Street Art Tour
Street artwork as a cultural medium has long been a source of dispute. The advantageous line between vandalism and artwork is what makes Avenue artwork so fascinating.
Bogota wasn’t always graffiti-friendly; in 2011, police shot a graffiti artist within the city, and public outrage finally led to the decriminalization of avenue artwork.
The mayor then went even further and invited artists to create murals on public buildings all through the town. Graffiti artists had been commissioned to create creative tributes to cultural figures like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, with some artists receiving funds of as much as $10,000 for their work.
La Candelaria is the right place in Bogotá to identify a few of these magnificent works. Prolific artists from each nook of the globe have come to Bogotá to share their skills. Though you won’t bother discovering some avenue artwork in La Candelaria, listed here are some artists to look out for.
Bastardilla is a nameless avenue artist whose colourful murals pop up throughout La Candelaria; they even have one in a youngsters’s playground. If you discover an attractive portrait displaying an indigenous person, that’s Guache, who’s well-known for his highlighting of Bogotá’s indigenous roots.
Another artist is Crisp, who is known for his stencil works, which are sometimes sociopolitical in nature. If you’re on the lookout for some extra steering on the place to look, Crisp truly began a graffiti tour in La Candelaria, which is paid for by donation.
You can be part of this avenue artwork tour to see a few of the greatest works in La Candelaria and find out about Bogota’s historical past by way of the tales of the artists and their work.
3. La Casa de Poesía Silva
The first Spanish-language poetry home, La Casa de Poesía Silva, is the historic residence of the well-known poet and author José Asunción Silva. Born in Bogotá in 1865, Silva is likely one of the most well-known Colombian writers of his time. He had a tragic life full of strife and misfortune, which he processed by way of his private poetry. This work drastically influenced South American poetry by introducing a form of melancholic lyricism unknown on the time. His most well-known work consists of Crepúsculos (Twilights) and Nocturnos (Nocturnes).
Though the constructing is the house of José Asunción Silva, it has since developed into a public assortment of literature and poetry, each Colombian and in any other case. It has been an inspiration to many different Spanish-speaking literature homes round South and Central America. It opened in 1986 and was later was established as a National Monument in 1995.
- Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday (10 a.m.–5 p.m.)
- Address: Calle 12c #3-41 Bogota, Colombia
- Website: casadepoesiasilva.com
4. Museo del Oro (Gold Museum)
Museo del Oro is most well-known for its huge assortment of gold works discovered throughout South America. The Banco de la República has purchased and invested in the cultural heritage of Colombia as a whole, resulting in the construction of museums such as the Museo del Oro. Their mission is to coach and protect the historic significance of those historic items for future generations.
The Museum’s whopping 34,000 items of pre-Colombian gold gadgets, starting from jewellery to ornate crowns, are certain to have you ever agog in awe at the artistry and the luxury.
You can be part of this tour, which permits you to go to the Gold Museum, or you may also book this personal tour, which incorporates it into every one of its stops.
Muisca Raft
Without a doubt, the museum’s pièce de résistance is a tiny, intricately common piece of ceremonial artwork. Made of 80% pure gold by the Muisca individuals someday between 600 and 1600 A.D., this finely wrought sculpture has particular ceremonial significance. Known because the Muisca raft, the murals depicts a chief within the middle of a platform, surrounded by 12 others in varied regalia.
According to legend, this votive offering is expounded at a ritual celebration of a brand new king assuming energy. The investiture rites had been mentioned to contain the incoming chief being coated in gold mud and setting sail on a raft in Lake Guatavita together with his noblemen, together with piles of gold and emeralds. The inheritor to the throne was known as “the “golden one,” and when the Spanish arrived within the sixteenth century, the proverbial “El Dorado” was first envisioned, initially referring to an individual and, over time, assuming the epic proportions of a magical kingdom of gold. While the Spanish sought wealth, to the Muisca, gold was valued for its religious powers.
While the attraction of gold might draw you to the museum, the huge assortment of different anthropological gadgets tells the story of Colombia’s individuals and their methods of life. Aside from gold, the museum also offers a variety of different craftwork mediums on display, from woodwork to ceramics.
Museo del Oro’s mission encompasses the archaeology and anthropology of the area’s pre-Colombian societies. There are reveals providing an introduction to lots of the cultures that pre-date the arrival of Europeans, together with the Calima, Quimbaya, Zenu, Tierradentro, San Augustín, Tayrona, and Uraba.
- Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday (9 a.m.–7 p.m.); Sunday (10 a.m.–5 p.m.)
- Admission charges: COP 5,000 ($1.28 USD) for adults; Free entry on Sundays
- Address: Carrera 6 #15-88, Bogota, Colombia
- Website: banrepcultural.org/bogota/museo-del-oro
5. Be Dazzled By the World’s Emerald Capital
While the conquistadors got here to Colombia on the lookout for gold, they quickly realized that the area was wealthy in emeralds. In reality, at the moment, Colombia is the source of 70–90% of the world’s supply of this gem.
For an outline of Colombia’s emerald empire, go to the International Emerald Museum. Bogota has a devoted Emerald District close to La Candelaria neighborhood, between twelfth Street and sixth Avenue, and that is undoubtedly the very best place to purchase emerald jewellery within the metropolis.
There is the Emerald Trade Center of Bogotá on Avenida Jiménez. At Plazoleta del Rosario, close to the Gold Museum, you’ll be able to see scores of males hawking emeralds; be cautious of this open-air black market.
If you’re contemplating buying an emerald, in Bogota, there are excursions that supply training on what to search for, with insights on mining, commerce, and slicing strategies. You may even be part of a tour that lets you create your individual Colombian emerald ring. You may take a deep dive into the historical past of Colombia’s emeralds with a day’s tour to the mines of Chivor. It’s a protracted journey with an in-depth journey on bumpy roads, but the foray into the scenic countryside and alternative to extracting your individual emerald make for a novel expertise!
The indigenous Muzo Indians mined emeralds in Colombia as early as 500 AD. These individuals lived northwest of what’s now Bogota, on the slopes of the Japanese Andes. The range’s Fura and Tena peaks rise roughly 2,755 and 1,640 toes above the Minero River valley, and they’re thought to be the guardians of Colombia’s largest emerald mines.
These two peaks had been thought of as sacred by the Muzo and revered by the dad and mom of humanity. The pair of mountain gods taught the Muzo agricultural strategies, craftwork, and battle ways. A Muzo legend attributes the creation of emeralds to the tears of their goddess Fura. After she dedicated adultery with the blue-eyed, blonde-haired explorer Zarbi, who got here to the realm on the lookout for the fountain of youth, Tena killed Fura and Zarbi.
The Spanish got here on the lookout for the emeralds within the mid-1500s. It took them almost 50 years to subdue the fiercely warlike Muzo. Nonetheless, the Spanish finally conquered the Muzo, forcing them to work within the mines that had been their very own.
The Spanish offered the Colombian emeralds to Europe, India, and elsewhere. The gems had been cherished not just for their magnificence but also for their therapeutic properties, believed to remedy varied illnesses like fever, epilepsy, and dysentery.
6. Botero Museum
Founded in 2000, the Botero Museum is a collection of artwork by artists from all around the world. The building itself is an outdated colonial building, a former archbishopric that was a museum in 1955. This assortment went public in 2000 when Fernando Botero donated over 300 works. Work from Botero himself, in addition to a wide range of worldwide artists, makes up the gathering.
Fernando Botero is one of Colombia’s most well-known artists. Botero’s artwork is one of a sort, displaying individuals, animals, and objects in a bloated trend; the topic’s proportions are notably rotund. Often, his work is interpreted as a form of social critique, together with his artwork exploring matters akin to abuse of energy and social class. He has additionally created work as a mirrored image of Colombian every day life. Botero’s distinctive contribution to the artwork world is credited broadly, with work solely displayed within the Botero Museum, MOMA in New York City, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
You can be part of this Bogota personal metropolis tour that features the Botero Museum as one of its stops.
- Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday (9 a.m.–7 p.m.); Sunday (10 a.m.–5 p.m.)
- Admission charges: Free entry
- Address: Cl. 11 #4-41, Bogotá, Colombia
- Website: banrepcultural.org/bogota/museo-botero
7. Santa Clara Museum
Formerly a church and convent, the Santa Clara Museum shows the baroque artistry of Colombia’s famed artists. Built in the mid-1600s, the church is a treasure in itself. The baroque building’s inside is ornate with ceiling artwork, and murals cowl each inch of the partitions.
If these partitions speak, a fairly historical past of previous lives can be revealed. The doorways of the Santa Clara convent opened in 1630 for twenty-four nuns who had been novice members of the order of “Poor Clares,” so-called due to their vows of poverty. In the colonial period between the sixteenth and 18th centuries, younger ladies were generally handed over to nunneries by their dad and mom.
In that period, the dowry paid to potential husbands was so costly that it was widespread for households with a number of daughters to ship the younger baby to the convent. There, they had been sheltered behind the partitions of the closed neighborhood for the remainder of their lives. Convents had additionally been paid a “dowry” for the life-long care of the latest nuns; however, the associated fee was considerably lower than what was anticipated by a suitor.
In the nineteenth century, there was a motion throughout Latin America to restrict the ability of the church and confiscate its property. In 1863, Colombia’s President Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera confiscated Santa Clara from the nuns, and the construction was finally transformed into the headquarters of the National Printing Office. In the Sixties, the thought of remodeling the church right into a museum emerged. In 1975, a protracted and delicate process started to revive the outdated church and nearly all its work and sculptures. In 1983, the Santa Clara Museum opened.
- Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday (9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.)
- Address: Carrera 8 #8-91, Bogota, Colombia
- Website: museocolonial.gov.co
8. The National Shrine of Our Lady of Carmen
It wouldn’t be exhausting to overlook the Santuario Nuestra Señora del Carmen, or the National Shrine of Our Lady of Carmen. This church’s exterior is boldly striped in vivid sweet cane pink and white, which is fairly the antithesis of Santa Clara’s austere facade. At 187 toes in height, this stunner rises flamboyantly above the streets of La Candelaria, and its inside is each bit as ornate.
Catholicism was the official faith of Colombia from the time of its colonization till 1991. Now, about 70% of the inhabitants consider themselves Catholic, with only 25% saying they’re common communicants.
- Opening hours: Monday – Friday (7 AM – 7:30 AM, 10 AM – 4 PM); Saturday (7 AM – 7:30 AM); Sunday (7 AM – 12:30 PM)
- Address: Carrera 5, #8-36, Bogota, Colombia
- Website: fb.com/SantuarioNSCarmen
9. Plaza Bolívar
Bolívar Square has been in the middle of the nation’s historical past for hundreds of years. It was a public circus and bull market, amongst different issues, and all kinds of cultural and social occasions are nonetheless held right here. Buildings such as the Palacio Liévano, the Capitol, and the Cathedral body this public area, which is adorned with 1000’s of colourful lights yearly for Christmas.
Located within the coronary heart of La Candelaria, Plaza Bolívar is a real architectural marvel. Its historical past dates back far earlier than colonial instances, when it was a sacred place for the Muisca individuals. Now often known as the primary square . of Bogotá, Plaza Bolívar is devoted to Simón Bolívar.
Bolívar is understood colloquially as El Libertador (the liberator) for his efforts in releasing Colombia from Spanish rule. This square . is now home to many traditionally vital buildings, together with the Primary Cathedral of Bogotá, the National Capitol building, Liévano Palace, and the Palace of Justice.
10. Quinta de Bolívar
Simon Bolivar is one of South America’s most influential figures. He led not solely Colombia to independence from Spain but also Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama.
From a rich Venezuelan household, Bolivar went to Spain at 16 years of age to check. While there, he became acquainted with the concepts of the Enlightenment, which impressed the revolution he started in 1808 at age 25.
Bolivar’s roots had been within the Basque area of Spain and the Canary Islands; however, he settled in Venezuela within the sixteenth century. His household owned lots of the area’s copper mines; however, regardless of their wealth, his father died when Bolivar was three and his mom passed away earlier than he was 9. Bolivar was raised largely by a household’s slave named Hipólita and a professor named Don Simón Rodríguez, who planted the seeds of liberty and freedom.
The Quinta de Bolivar is a colonial home in Bogota’s Sante Fe district, not removed from La Candelaria. Bolivar owned the property for ten years. After being home to a school, a well-being residence, a beverage manufacturing facility, and a tannery, it’s now a museum devoted to Bolvar’s life.
- Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday (9 a.m.–5 p.m.); Closed on Mondays and holidays
- Admission charges: COP 6,000/adult ($1.53 USD) Free on Wednesdays (3 PM – 5 PM) and the final Sunday of each month
- Address: Calle 21 #4A-30 Este, Bogotá, Colombia
- Website: quintadebolivar.gov.co
11. Bogota Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico de Bogotá)
With 19,000 crops featured throughout 47 acres, this wonderful oasis provides a calming ambiance and training in Colombian indigenous Andean species. Located within the northeast of Bogota’s Engativa district, a couple of 20-minute drive north of Candelaria, the backyard showcases Colombia’s abundance of biodiversity. The nation’s proximity to the equator, far-ranging topography, and multitude of eco-climates imply that there’s a large spectrum of flora.
This tranquil spot is formally named the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden. It was based by one priest and named for an additional. In 1955, Dr. Enrique Pérez Arbeláez established the backyard with a grant of land by the town of Bogota. Himself a botanist and man of the material, he paid homage to a fellow priest and scientist, Jose Celestino Mutis, who was a major figure within the 18th-century Spanish-American Enlightenment. The historical past of those two pioneering researchers counters the notion that faith and science don’t typically co-exist.
Plan to spend two to a few hours right here to discover the unimaginable orchid assortment, with more than 5,000 specimens, in addition to collections devoted to woodland, aquatic, and medicinal crops. There are greenhouses that characteristic flora from habitats starting from the Amazon to the Andes and greater than 600 palm timber, together with the wax palm tree, a nationwide image of Colombia. There is a restaurant where you’ll be able to have lunch or a snack.
- Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday (8 AM – 5 PM); Wednesdays + holidays (9 AM – 5 PM); Closed on Mondays, but when Monday is a vacation, it’s closed on Tuesday
- Admission charges: COP 5,000 ($1.28 USD) for nationals; COP 7,000 ($1.79 USD) for foreigners
- Address: Av. Calle 63, #68-95, Bogotá, Colombia
- Website: jbb.gov.co
12. Sacred Sites
One of the very best things to do in Bogotá is to learn about its sacred locations. To the Muisca tribe, it was a spot of therapeutic connection to the metaphysical. Towering above the town of Bogotá, two titans stand watch: Monserrate and Guadalupe.
Both heights had been sacred to the indigenous Muisca tribe in pre-colonial days. To the Muisca tribe, these had been locations of therapeutic and connection to the metaphysical.
Monserrate was often known as “grandmother’s foot,” and Guadalupe was “grandfather’s foot.”. The Muisca would bury their lifeless within the hills of Guadalupe. This tribe was additionally recognized for his or her superior knowledge of archaeoastronomy and constructed a number of temples on this space as homage to their Sun God. From the town, winter equinoxes see the solar arching simply over Guadalupe, and summer equinoxes see the solar rising between the 2 guardians of Bogota.
Monserrate
Monserrate has many issues: a spot of pilgrimage, an historic web site, and a wonderful vista. For good purpose too, as Monserrate is an excellent place wealthy in cultural heritage and sweetness. The mountain could be seen from throughout Bogotá, towering over the town like a historic guardian. Over 10,000 feet high, Monserrate is accessible by foot, funicular, and aerial tramway. a heart-stopping cable automobile trip. You can book this Bogota metropolis tour, which features a two-way cable automobile trip to Mount Monserrate.
The Catholic shrine was constructed between 1650 and 1657, with its Spanish Colonial-era founders naming the mountain Monserrate. This was an homage to the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery in Catalonia. The origin of the Catalonia monastery’s name refers back to the “serrated” and barren peaks that the hermitage is perched on. However, on the prime of Bogota’s Monserrat, you’ll discover a plateau with a spacious plaza surrounded by lush greenery. It’s mentioned that the identity truly is a tribute to one of the founder’s uncles, who was an abbot at the Catalonian monastery.
The shrine on Monserrat is devoted to El Señor Caído, the “Fallen Lord,” who has been honored in Bogota for greater than 400 years. A statue resides within the shrine, made by sculptor Pedro de Lugo y Albarracin, who lived in Bogota round 1660.
The icon weighs about 330 kilos and is made of wood and molten metal. The miracles attributed to the statue have made the shrine a serious pilgrimage site. A brand new church was erected between 1917 and 1925 because of an earthquake and to accommodate the large numbers of devotees. In 1956, Pope Pious VII designated the shrine a minor basilica.
If you need to keep away from crowds of households and pilgrims, contemplate going within the early night, when serenity prevails amidst the gardens, fountains, and cobbled walkways. We advocate timing your go-to to have dinner. We had a beautiful meal with heavenly views at Casa San Isidro. Enjoy the sundown and seeing the town lights come ablaze. At 1,700 feet above Bogota, the panorama is kind of humbling.
There are a number of methods to succeed at the top of the mountain. For an aesthetically pleasing journey, cable automobiles go up and down the mountain, Monday by way of Sunday, for COP$20,000 ($6.67 USD). For one thing that’s equally priced but not as adventurous, there’s the Funicular Railway. Lastly, there’s the choice to hike up on foot. It takes about an hour and is open Wednesday by way of Monday, 5:00 am to 1:00 pm to go up and 5:00 am to 4:00 pm to go down.
- Opening hours: Monday – Saturday (6 AM – 10 PM); Sundays (5 AM–7 PM)
- Admission charges: See official web site
- Address: Carrera 2 Este, 21-48 Paseo, Bolivar, Bogota
- Website: monserrate.co/en
Guadalupe Hill
Location
Even taller than Monserrate, Guadalupe Hill towers 11,000 feet over Bogotá. In colonial days, settlers erected many hermitages that had been destroyed by earthquakes through the years. The twentieth century saw the construction of a brand new hermitage in 1945 by Jorge Murcia Riaño. Just a year later, an almost 50-foot-tall statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe was erected and could be seen from far beneath the mountain. Guadalupe Hill can be a wonderful overlook, providing implausible views of Bogotá. It is accessible by automobile, foot, and public transportation. The hermitage provides companies for vacationers on Sundays, from 7 am to 4 pm.
13. San Alejo Flea Market in Usaquén
The San Alejo flea market in Usaquén homes about 500 artists, craftsmen, collectors, artwork restorers, and small producers each Sunday. First held in 1987, the market is legendary for having the best focus of antiques within the nation for ten consecutive years!
The flea market is ready up within the northern metropolis, the place artisans sit behind their stalls in a picturesque and fairly barrio. They promote vintage and distinctive crafts, jewellery, clothes, books, and curiosities. As a Bogotá Cultural Heritage and Touristic Interest web site, this genuine encounter is memorable for each prospects and sellers. While it’s a little bit extra pricey, you’re additionally paying for the expertise of an eventful day surrounded by historic buildings and intangible tradition.
- Opening hours: Sundays and financial institution vacation Mondays (9 a.m.–5 p.m.)
- Address: Carrera 7 #24-70, Bogotá, Colombia
14. Cuisine
One of the very best issues to do in Bogota is to take a deep dive into its unimaginable delicacies. Dishes replicate the town’s cool local weather, indigenous roots, and Spanish affect, revolving round carbs, cheese, and soups. The outlying savannahs and proximity of the equator additionally imply a weight loss plan wealthy in grilled meats and fruit.
Consider taking a meals tour; among the many choices are exploring a market with a chef to get the cultural again story on native substances; chocolate-making and tasting; or avenue meals to pattern grilled corn, papas rellenas, pastel de pollo, and extra!
15. Try Ajiaco Bogotano at Hotel de la Opera
The Hotel de la Opera in La Candelaria is positioned subsequent to the Cristobal Colon Theater, simply three minutes from the Botero Museum. Being only one block from Bolivar Square and a 15-minute stroll to Monserrate, it’s too handy to not cease by and admire!
Its El Mirador restaurant provides implausible views and a tasty rendition of Ajiaco Bogotano, a consolation meals usually made with rooster, three sorts of potatoes, and corn. Must-have substances are guascas, a kind of herb, and a particular sort of potato referred to as papa criolla. Ajiaco is served with heavy cream and capers.
16. Onces at La Puerta Falsa
One can not really expertise Colombian delicacies with out attempting “onces.” Pronounced “ohn-says,” it means “eleven” in Spanish. Many totally different cultures around the globe partake within the elevenses custom of taking a brief break for a candy snack at 11 a.m. In Colombia, this equal of an English “cuppa” tea happens within the late afternoon to fill within the void earlier than dinner, which in Latin America normally is eaten after 8 p.m.
However, there’s one other story about the place where the name “onces” originates. Urban legend says that it began as a code phrase for when males wished to drink with their pals. The hottest alcoholic beverage round Bogota is the anise-flavored Aguardiente, which has eleven letters. Eleven in Spanish is “onces.” Rather than threaten a struggle with their spouse about going to a bar, males began saying, “I’m going to as soon as.” This allowed males to sneak off with their buddies and luxuriate in just a few drinks with out an enormous dialogue.
Onces are universally recognized to Colombians as a day snack and the drink is usually espresso nowadays. One of probably the most well-known locations for onces is Bogota’s oldest restaurant, La Puerta Falsa.
Open since 1816, the restaurant’s name translates to “the pretend door,” “the incorrect door,” or “the inauspicious door.” This is because it was initially unnamed and was only a place for hungry passersby. However, it sat instantly throughout the road from a false door, probably used to forestall assailants and criminals from breaking in. Without a reputation, individuals began calling it “the place close to the false door,” which ended as La Puerta Falsa.
La Puerta Falsa is just half a block from Plaza Simón Bolivar. Stop by the tiny institution for traditional Colombian pastries like a tacky bread made with tapioca flour, referred to as pan de queso, or bread constituted of cornmeal flour and cuajda white cheese, referred to as almojabana. To slot in with the locals, drop some cheese into your scorching beverage and fish it out with a spoon.
Wrapping Up
We hope you take pleasure in exploring Bogota and getting a genuine look at Colombian and Bogotano traditions. If you’re planning a visit to Colombia, don’t miss our Colombia itineraries and our suggestions for different cities akin to Cartagena and Medellin.
