A Travelers Guide to Bogota: Colombia’s Misunderstood Mountain Capital

This post may contain affiliate links. This just means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you for helping them promote their product or service. I don’t endorse any services I don’t personally use or recommend.

Every region in Colombia is unique. Medellin-modern and eco-friendly, Cartagena-Tropical and vibrant, Minca-a hippy haven hidden in the jungle, and then there is Bogota.

Edgy, gritty, artsy, and a little rough around the edges. Bogota, much-like New York City, has an energy of angst and travelers either love or hate it.

Throughout our month hopping around the country, we were told on countless occasions how AWFUL Bogota was. How the city was unwelcoming and not-traveler friendly. How there was little to do and even less to see.

We calibrated our expectations of Colombia’s capital city and planned to stay only for two days.

We even contemplated skipping Bogota entirely. Thank god we didn’t. Because our well-meaning advisors were so wrong.

Bogota was our favorite big city in Colombia.

Sure, maybe it’s not as obviously pretty as Medellin or Cartagena. And yes, the tourist infrastructure isn’t as developed. But the city is authentic. It’s real Colombia. It’s rare as a traveler that you can be so immediately welcomed into local life. Perhaps that has something to do with the few traditional “tourist attractions”.

We spend four days wandering the streets, eating Colombian cuisine at phenomenal restaurants, and admiring work from some of the world’s best graffiti artists.

And we will undoubtedly return one day. To grab a cocktail at Mesa Franca, aimlessly wander the cobblestone streets of La Candelaria, and feast on a massive bowl of Ajiaco at La Puerta Falsa.

My Biggest Recommendation: Take the Best Street Food Tour in Bogota

Bogota has some of the very best food in all of Colombia. As I already mentioned. But uncovering that foodie culture on your own can be quite difficult. That’s why I recommend A Chef’s Tour! A 5-hour long walking tour with an enormous amount of food and information. You’ll leave extraordinarily full and with a better understanding of the edgy Colombian capital.

Be sure to check out my full guide to Bogota on OtherWayRound.Travel.

You may also be interested in my guides to some of Colombia’s other popular cities.

• A week spent along the Caribbean Coastline.
• A budget-friendly guide to the Colombian Amazonas region.
• Why you should spend more than a day in the colorful pueblo of Guatapé.
• Salento: My time exploring Colombia’s misty palm-fringed coffee-region.