How To Spend Hours In Bogot Colombia

Bogotá is a rapidly growing and developing city with more than 8m residents. There is a thriving culture, and it is filled with vibrant and unique places to be. Colombia and its capital have enjoyed a steady increase in tourism over the past years. If you only have 24 hours to spend in Bogotá, make sure you check out these places and restaurants.

Interested in visiting? Let our local insider show you the best of Bogotá on Culture Trip’s exclusive eight-day Colombian Andes trip.

Monserrate

No trip to Bogotá is complete without a trip 3,152m (10,341ft) up into the mountains to the Monserrate cathedral and its spectacular viewing point. The view from the top of the mountain gives you a real sense of the size and seemingly endless boundaries of the city. To reach the top of the mountain and the cathedral, you can take a cable car, train or, alternatively, trek up to the top.

Sample local cuisine

Ajiaco is a typical soup dish from the Bogotá region, made with chicken, a variety of potatoes and herbs. The dish is often served with rice, corn and avocado. There is a traditional and somewhat unique restaurant hidden in an underground area within La Candelaria, called Bolera San Francisco. This restaurant also serves traditional Colombian dishes, prime cuts of beef and other local cuisine containing rice, beans and potatoes.

Traditional Colombian ajiaco is served with patacon, avocado and capers

La Candelaria

La Candelaria is the historic center of Bogotá, where the city was first founded over 300 years ago. Much of the neighborhood is made up of colorful colonial buildings, with much of the period architecture being preserved alongside the modern office buildings occupying the area. Plaza Bolívar is a huge square plaza in the middle of the city surrounded by a cathedral and ministry buildings. You can enjoy a fascinating guided walking tour of La Candelaria and admire its eclectic array of street art as part of Culture Trip’s exclusive eight-day Colombian Andes trip, led by our local insider.

The Gold Museum is another must-see attraction in downtown Bogotá and contains over 55,000 hand-crafted pieces of gold, found in various regions of the country.

The Poporo Quimbaya is a Columbian gold artifact

If you are in the city on a Friday or Saturday night, be sure to visit the uniquely decorated restaurant Andrés, which has branches close to the Andino Shopping Mall and another one in Chía, around one hour north of the city. Alternatively, you can watch the sun set over the city from Apache, a rooftop bar with panoramic views and an extensive cocktail list.

Sample Colombian cuisine at Andrés Carne de Res restaurant in Chía

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.