When we landed in Bogota we didn’t know what to expect. We were told it was dangerous and to leave early, but we wanted to try it and we are so glad we did. This blog walks you through what we did in Bogota and if it should fit into your Colombia itinerary.
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- Why visit Bogota?
- Where to stay?
- Where to drink beer?
- Best things to do
- Monserrate
- How to get around?
- How long should you stay for?
- Should you be careful?
- Where to go after?
Why visit Bogota?
Bogota, Colombia’s capital, is a captivating destination celebrated for its rich culture, historical landmarks, and vibrant neighborhoods. With some great museums, colourful markets and street walls. We think Bogota promises a memorable and culturally immersive experience for every traveler.
Where to stay?
We stayed in R10 Hostal during our visit in Bogota and we cannot recommend it enough. With cheap dorms and friendly staff it’s a great way to start off your Colombia trip. The rooftop bar is also a massive bonus and pops off with live DJ’s. Book your stay now on Hostelworld.
Find its location here
Another great budget stay in Bogota is Granada Hostel, with a central location and newly referbished, its a bargain! Book here
If you’re looking for a slightly higher end hostel The Cranky Croc hostel is for you. The Cranky Croc backpackers hostel lies in the historic centre of Bogota and is the ideal place to relax and meet other travellers. Book on Hostelworld here!
Hostels are usually a very safe place to store luggage but it’s always worth having padlocks. Check out our Best Travel Accessories which includes luggage safety!
Where to drink beer?
So if you do end up staying in R10 Hostal the staff there will take you to their local club, elcandelario, which is just across the road from the hostel itself. A real lively club with a true Colombian feel.
Just incase you get lost from the hostel or you’re not staying at R10, its location is here
For some casual drinks on the other hand the District Sports Bar 93 was a great bar and pub. Students use this bar as their ‘go to’ and you can see how friendly they are as they insisted on a group photo. Club Colombia flies around with an endless supply and it also helps the sports on the tv as well.
Find its location here
Best THINGS TO DO
Admittedly Bogota will not be the most full on part of your Colombian trip but there is still plenty to do to keep you busy.
- Visit the centre, Plaza de Bolivar and try weird meats. (Pig meat straight from the head). Ride a llama for a picture and avoid the pigeons.
- Explore the local graffiti. Some of the best grafiti in Colombia paint the streets of Bogota. Sometimes even 3D.
- The Gold Museum
- Look at the local markets, they are everywhere.
- Try the coffee, the rumours are true, coffee in South America is simply the best.
- Lastly, climb up to the top of Monserrate for a view of the entire city.
Monsserrate
So as you may or may not know the city of Bogota sits 2,625m above sea level. So altitude is something to take into account when arriving into the city, especially when you are not used to high altitudes. Which was exactly our situation. So obviously the first thing we do, after a jet lagged sleep waking up at 5am, is climb up 500m to the top of Monsserrate.
The hike up is very popular with the local people as well as tourists, as they use it for fitness training. The pathway is laid out just like the photo here and is very safe with it being relatively busy all day.
Definitely buy a water before you head up as we did or instead make sure you fill up your LARQ water bottle. Don’t waste plastic like we did back in the day. We use this great water bottle now and its a game changer.
Check out our Best Travel Accessories
The view from the picture above gives you an idea how good the view is from the top. Even though we were breathing as if we just did a marathon, the view was definitely worth it.
The tower at the top offers a good photo opportunity and the naturist view on the far side shows off the white statue of Christ in the distance overlooking the city.
Also don’t worry there is a tram service that goes both up and down if the altitude affected walk isn’t your cup of tea.
How to get around?
So everything you need to see and do in Bogota is walking distance, the streets in the centre are cobbled and narrow so cars are not the quickest and the public transport system isn’t the best.
Weather in Bogota was quite tempramentle and can get cold so make sure to take layers with you. To see our favourite pieces check out our Best Travel Clothing page.
However if you want to venture a little further out of the centre there are plenty of taxis that are very cheap.
How long to stay for?
So we stayed in Bogota for 3 days and it was good amount of time. We think 2 full days should be able to cover the city well enough, granted one of those days you’re not bed bound hungover after a R10 rooftop party.
Should you be careful?
The short answer is yes. However the city has never been safer. Makesure to always travel in a group of 2 or more, especially at night. If travelling as a solo girl we’d recommend joining a group from your hostel when exploring.
Where to go after?
So our plan took us up north with a flight to Barranquilla and then a shuttle bus to Santa Marta, which is easy to pick up from the airport. From there you can explore the Caribbean coast with ease. Public buses run every 30 minutes across the coast and cost about £1 for every 30 minutes you’re on the bus.
Check out our 6 week Colombia itinerary for more information about how we took on this incredible country.
If you are backpacking for a while and travelling north and south of Colombia then that will alter where you go of course. If you are travelling north into central you MUST go to Medellin first before making your way up to the coast. A city you cannot miss out on!
We hope this was post was helpful to you and do feel free to contact us either by leaving a comment or with the information down below!
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