In our second trip to South America, we visited Colombia's stunning cosmopolitan capital city of Bogotá. The city is home to many artistic treasures, diverse landscapes, a rich political history, colorful neighborhoods. In addition, it is a great time to visit Colombia as they were recently listed as "Country of the Year" by the Economist in 2016 for their historic peace agreement, and named the world's happiest country. After our trip to Bogota, it's easy to see why.
Bogota is home to over 8 million people with an altitude of 8,500+ feet (higher than Denver!). It is surrounded by beautiful mountain typography and offers an enjoyable temperate climate (a perfect 70 degrees during our stay in late May). Many of the city's sights are easy to visit by foot. We explore the city via the Beyond Colombia Free Walking Tour which meets at 10am outside the Museo del Oro. The tour gives an excellent overview of the city's highlights and history. Behind the scenes travel vlog of Bogota: Here are the top 5 things to see in Bogota:
1. Museo del Oro -
One of the most popular museums in Bogota, the Gold Museum attracts over 500,000 visitors per year. The museum is filled with pre-Colombian gold treasures, ranging from jewelry, masks, to intricate artifacts. Much of the art was destroyed and turned into riches during the Spanish colonial expeditions, so it is amazing to see that these pieces survived.
2. Street Art -
Bogota is one of the top cities in the world for street art, some of which span entire building blocks. Walk through La Candelaria District to view some on your own or take the street art tour, which will show some of the best art in town.
3. Botero Museum -
The Botero Museum is a free museum in Bogota that features the works of iconic Colombian artist Fernando Botero. His works are easily identifiable because of the large figures that he depicted in painting and sculpture, which Botero explained were a play on proportions. Throughout Latin America, you will find many Botero works on display in city plazas which are considered a status symbol.
Grounds of the Botero Museum:
4. La Candelaria District -
This area is considered the historic old town and is filled with beautifully preserved architecture, colorful buildings, churches, and unique bars and restaurants. The district is a delightful place to walk around, photograph, and enjoy the local cuisine.
Pops of color in the streets - local merchants sell everything from tropical fruits, hats, desserts, to jewelry.
5. Monserrate -
Walk or take the aerial tram to the top of Monserrate for the most stunning view of Bogota. We took the tram, which offered a scenic view up the mountain. The hilltop rises about 10,341 ft above sea level and is considered a pilgrimage destination as well as a tourist attraction. At the top, you will find the Monserrate Monastery, a restaurant, and sidewalks filled with shops. It is the perfect place to capture the sunset over Bogota.
Monastery at the top of Monserrate:
View from the top of Monserrate - perfect place to capture the city from above:
We hope that you get a chance to visit Bogota, it truly is one of the most breathtaking cities in South America.
What are your favorite places in Bogota? Comment below! Comments are closed.
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Published Travel ArticlesWelcome to Run The Atlas!
We are two adventurous young professionals who turned our passion for travel into a blog to help others travel more.
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