72 Hours in Bogotá
Bogotá is cool. The sprawling urban center deserves at least 72 hours. We'd recommend starting in the old-town tourist center, La Candelaria, and then fanning out to its many unique neighborhoods. It's a proper city: gritty and full of life. Many backpackers will tell you to pick either Bogotá or Medellín; we think they're both worth a whirl to get the full flavor of Colombia.
Quick and Dirty
In a sentence?
a sprawling capital that can be overwhelming at first.
Worth it?
We loved it. Give it a chance, even if you're not a city person.
How long?
If you don't like cities, a day or two when you fly in or out will suffice. If you do, you'll have plenty to do for a week.
Our favorite?
The street art. and the cool temps.
Our least favorite?
The neeed for ubers.
Recommended Daily Budget?
200,000 pesos per pair.
Location?
The heart of Colombia.
What to Do
Day One
8:00 pM Taxi to Usaquén (4,000 - 25,000 pesos per pair)
Somehow, in the center of the country, Bogotá still manages to be far, far away from most other destinations (though there are purportedly some excellent towns close by that we didn't have time to visit). So, you'll probably be stopping through the airport. If you book in advance, there are tons of cheap in country flights - we got ours for about 85,000 pesos a ticket from Santa Marta. With fares that cheap, it just makes sense. The airport itself is big and relatively far from the city. We arrived with grand plans to buy a cliente frequente card and take the Transmilenio public trans into the city. We were lazy though, and ended up splitting a taxi with friends. If you have more grit than us, you can take a feeder bus to Portal el Dorado, from which you can get the Transmilenio into Bogotá. You'll probably have to get a transfer once you get to the city as well, but at about 2,000 pesos a ticket, it will save you a bit of money. If you take a taxi, don't spend more than 25,000 for the whole car. If you're worried about getting ripped off, take an Uber. The drive should take under an hour, depending on traffic.
We decided to stay at an Airbnb (sign up if you haven't !!) in Usaquén, a lovely neighborhood in the north of the city. Here's the thing: the city is gargantuan, so unless you want to spend the entire trip in La Candelaria, you'll have to suck it up and take Ubers or taxis or busses no matter where you stay. We were stoked with our choice - Usaquén is homey with plenty of nightlife and yummy restaurants.
10:00 PM Rally for a movie (32,000 - 40,000 pesos per pair)
Since it'll be a bit late when you get in, take the night easy and check out one of the many independent cinema is Bogotá. If you can find a good local theater, movies can be the perfect break while traveling. You can sit for awhile and chill and also catch up on international blockbusters or get a little more suave with a local flick. We enjoyed testing our Spanish skills. Sometimes you can find English movies too. Cinema Paraíso is a hip little Usaquén haunt. Ticket prices vary (14,000 - 20,000 pesos) so check their website if you're worried about it and also for showtimes.
Day Two
9:00 AM Uber Down to la candelaria (3,000 - 10,000 pesos per pair)
We told you this would be a necessary step. Ubers are plentiful in Bogotá so they're easy to catch, but the drive can be brutal if you hit rush hour. Factor in 30 minutes to an hour to get from one end of the city to another.
10:00 AM Start off strong with the Bogotá Free graffiti tour (0 - 20,000 pesos per pair)
This was our favorite experience in the city and we're not usually into the whole walk around with a bunch of other gringos thing. There's just no way you'd be able to find or understand the street art in the same way. The organization is dedicated to getting the word out about their artists and the trials and tribulations they face in the underbelly of Bogotá. Tips aren't required, but they help artists create more of what makes Bogotá so special. Thours generally run two tours a day, leaving from Parque de las Periodistas.
1:00 pm Mix hip and local at quinoa and amaranto (40,000 - 45,000 pesos per pair)
All that walking will work up an apatite. We can't gush enough about this lunch spot. Quinoa and Amaranth sounds like a name of a proper hipster establishment, but it attracts a mix of excited tourists and lil old papis sipping their chicken soup over the morning paper. Fresh and refreshing.
3:00 PM soak up the culture in the Free banco museums (0 pesos per pair)
We love free things. Especially museums, which can be hit or miss; it's nice to know you can check them out without any collaterel damage if you end up falling asleep looking at your 300th oil painting. The Museo Botero, Museo de Arte del Banco de la República, and Casa de Moneda are all next to each other and all won't cost you a cent. Museo de Botero is particularly special, so prioritize that. You'll definitely get more of him in Medellín.
7:00 PM catch simon bolivar plaza at dusk (0 pesos per pair)
A lovely place to stroll, sip a coffee, and people watch.
8:00 pm try your luck with chicha (2,000 - 10,000 pesos per pair)
Chicha is a ceremonial corn drink. Traditionally, it's chewed by women whose saliva aids its fermentation. You won't find that type in Bogotá, but you can find a bunch of wonky flavors from the vendors near Chorro de Quevedo fountain. Don't try the lime - we did, and it was sickly sweet. Maybe go for au natural and split a cup with a friend. The locals say its hard on our weak foreign stomachs. We didn't have any trouble, although Stef spent a day puking his guts out after being offered some of the traditional stuff in rural Peru. Sip, but sip cautiously.
10:00 pm Splurge for some french fusion at salvo patria (60,000 - 120,000 pesos per pair)
Don't unsettle your stomach too much, cause Salvo Patria is definitely worth a big appetite. It's one of those restaurants that you could sit in and chat for hours: not frumpy, but super delicious. We'd call it a French Colombian combo, but whatever it is, its damn good and a nice change from the street food that becomes so routine on a backpacking itinerary. Split a few small dishes to share if you're on a budget.
OH! Also also we found it on the Eater map of essential restaurants, one of the first places we look to when visiting a new city. We'd highly recommend checking it out.
12:00 AM check out one of the many craft beer bars (15,000 - 60,000 pesos per pair)
Craft beer is banging off in Bogotá (though we had the absolute best in Medellín). Bogotá Beer Company is a good place to start. It can feel a bit corporate, but there are tons of choices and you're guaranteed to have lots of people around to chat. Plus there quite a few locations within the city so you'll never be far from craft beer bliss.
day three
9:00 AM Come hungry for the best brunch in colombia (30,000 - 60,000 pesos per pair)
Oh my god, we were not prepared for Abasto. It's just... really good. In all fairness, it ticks some homesickness boxes. While they utilize proper Colombian flavors, there's also European-style pastries and a brunch to rival anything you'd find in San Francisco, unofficial home of the bottomless mimosa. Whatever you do, get the bread basket (starting at 20,000 pesos). We went back thrice.
10:00 AM Browse Usaquén's sunday flea market (0 - 30,000 pesos per pair)
This is the reason that tourists are told to come up to Usaquén, and for good reason. It's a cross between a flea market, a craft fair, and a farmers market. Highly recommended for a Sunday morning browse, whether or not you want to grab some souvenirs.
12:00 PM Make your way to museo moderno (25,000 - 40,000 pesos per pair)
You'll need another Uber to get you down south for the day. Museo Moderno (7,500 pesos for a student ticket !!) is a great way to start. It's small, but well curated, and the interesting building has nice views of the city. We arrived right at opening and it took the security guard 15 minutes to show up and unlock the doors. Beware, early birds.
1:00 PM munch on lechona while browsing antiques (0 - 20,000 pesos per pair)
Turns out Usaquén doesn't host the only flea market on Sunday! Right next to the Museo Moderno is another place to get your pulgas fill. This one is more traditional, with tons of little tents filled to the brim with dusty trinkets. If you wonder past all the grandfather clocks and army jackets, though, you will see the most glorious sight: whole roasted pigs, curly tails and all (warning: Colombia is not for the faint of heart). We shared a plate plenty big for two (10,000 per pair).
2:00 PM catch the end of ciclovia (0 pesos per pair)
This may be the most famous event in Bogotá, and it happens every week. Someone had the brilliant idea to shut down some of the main thoroughfares in the city so that they could become a free for all for bikes and walkers. It comes off a bit like a fair, with tons of happy people, street performers and lots and lots of families. The extravaganza actually starts winding down around two, so get there earlier if you want to spend awhile. It would be sick to rent a bicycle to experience the whole shebang.
3:00 PM Oggle at a gaggle of gold (0 - 8,000 pesos per pair)
This sort of museum is not our usually up our alley. BUT it's free on Sundays (4,000 pesos normally) and super popular with locals (which is fun, but also dismal if you hate waiting in line). Museo del Oro is exactly as it sounds - a whole lotta gold. We couldn't stick around for too long, but its hard not to be at least a little impressed by endless floors of very shiny things.
4:00 PM go on a coffee tour (6,000 - 30,000 pesos per pair)
No, no definitely no coffee farms in Bogotá, only some dank cafes. Unfortunately, although Colombia is one of the biggest and highest quality coffee producers in the world, most of it is exported. The city is one of the only places where you can get quality beans. We took our time and loped around the city drinking tons of frothy goodness. It's a great way to take a breather from the city air and a good way to get to know new parts of the city. We used this article to get us started on our self guided tour. Azahar was by far our favorite stop. It's open air, and the baristas will sit there and nerd out over coffee with you. Cups start at about 5,000 pesos but if you're anything like us, you can't stop at one.
8:00 PM stumble on a surprising treat (ramen !!) (60,000 - 80,000 pesos per pair)
One of the gems we found during our coffee indulgence was this - super surprising - ramen joint. Ramen Bar Tomodachi just has a sheer white curtain printed in Japanese over its door. With only a couple tables, it feels like its own little world, complete with an automated toilet. We wouldn't expect anything less. Oh yea, and the Ramen is pretty dank too (about 30,000 pesos a bowl).
10:00 PM another indie movie (30,000 pesos per pair)
We couldn't resist - there is another great movie spot right across the street from cafe Azahar and Parque 93. And this one plays lots of English movies. 15,000 pesos a piece.
12:00 AM explore parque 93 nightlife (0 - 30,000 pesos per pair)
Parque 93 is popping on weekend nights. Full disclosure, we can't tell you what club to go to, cause we cheaped out and drank yummy beer in the actual park itself. Definitely lots of pretty people going into exclusive looking places, though. Also, just to be clear, we never felt unsafe at night. We did take taxis long distance, but had absolutely no trouble wondering (well lit) streets. There are also an inordinate amount of police men, possibly just to give the idea that Bogotá is indeed very safe. They won't mess with tourists, for better or worse, but the locals do say they occasionally use too much force with them.
Day four
9:00 AM travel to a proper market (14,000 - 30,000 pesos per pair)
Please, please go to Paloquemao market. We fucked up and missed it - you HAVE to go in the morning. Markets are the heart and soul of South America and we heard great things about this one. It's located not too far from La Candelaria, but we'd take a taxi if possible to this particular destination. Whether you want some fresh fruit or some cheap local dishes, this is your jam.
12:00 pM Climb monserrate for a view (0 - 34,000 pesos per pair)
After some power food, Monserrate is perfect. It's quintessential Bogotá, a church on top of a hill (a big hill) with spectacular views over the city. Some people will tell you that the walk is dangerous. If you're worried, go during the mid morning on Sunday or festivals and you'll be joined by thousands of other pilgrims. Even if you're not worried, go before the afternoon, cause the guards will only let you up until a certain time. If you chicken out on the endless steps, there's also the option of a funicular, but we think that's a little more lame, probably just cause we didn't want to fork over 17,000 pesos.
3:00 PM reward yourself with a lunch at Sant Just (40,000 - 80,000 pesos per pair)
Your time in Bogotá is coming to an end. Sant Just is the perfect place to bookend your stay with another fabulous French fusion (as recommended by the lovely people at the Bogotá Free Graffiti Tour). Its casual, if not cheap, and you can choose from a variety of daily specials. I know, I know you think we've gone a little overboard on expensive food. Here's the thing though. If you're going to go big, go big in cities. Don't wast your money at tourist restaurants in little towns. Eating cheaply, and locally, when you're not in the foodie capitals is a good way to balance out spendy cities. So, anyways, go to Sant Just :).
5:00 PM Leave enough time to get to the airport! (4,000 - 25,000 pesos per pair)
One final note - on the way out, don't underestimate the cruelty of Bogotá's traffic. Leave early
Daily Spending: 122,000 pesos - 276,000
More questions about Bogotá? Comment below!
