Fun Things to Do and Sightseeing for Tourist in Bogota

March 20, 2021 Mustafa Natalwala 4905 Views

Bogota is the national capital city of Colombia. The city is popular as a tourist destination for its art, culture, history, and fashion. It is home to several art galleries ranging exhibited a wide range of artworks from different periods of time and by various different artists from across the world. Even the streets are great places to visit in Bogota to explore art. La Candelaria neighborhood is one of the best examples of street art in Bogota. People also enjoy Graffiti tours on foot or on bicycles for Bogota sightseeing.

If you wish to embark on a journey of the best things to do in Bogota, you should begin with Monserrate Hill. You can hike up the hill, which is an adventure and nature sightseeing tour by itself, or you can take a train or a cable car to get to the top. This hill is one of the most historically and culturally significant things to see in Bogota. Other popular spot to begin exploring Bogota tourist attractions is the National Museum and the City Museum. Both of these museums will help you understand the city, its history, and its people. It will put the rest of Bogota’s attractions in perspective and you will be able to understand them better.

The city also has several historical landmarks to explore including churches, palaces, city squares, and archeological museums. The most popular museum to visit during Bogota travel is the Museum of Gold or Museo de Oro. Details about the museum are mentioned in the section below along with a 2-day itinerary of top things to do in Bogota.

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Table of Contents

Explore The Best Tourist Places in Bogota in 2 Days

This itinerary will help you make the most of your Bogota trips. It covers the majority of popular Bogota attractions you can explore in a span of 2 days.

Day 1

1. Monserrate Hill

This ten thousand feet high hill is one of the most popular places to visit in Bogota. Atop the mountain is a church dedicated to Señor Caido. Even in the pre-Colombian age, this mountain was considered sacred by the indigenous Muisca community. You will need 2 to 3 hours to explore many top things to do in Bogota, Colombia at Monserrate Hills.

I suggest you should book a Full Day City Tour of Bogota that also covers a visit to Monserrate Hill.

2. Gold Museum (Museu del Oro)

The Museum of Gold is perhaps the most fascinating among Bogota tourist attractions. The museum exhibits several interesting things to see in Bogota from the pre-Colombian time period made from gold and other metal alloys. You will need about an hour to explore this museum.

I suggest you should go for a Guided Tour of Gold Museum in Bogota.

3. Bolivar Square (Plaza de Bolívar de Bogotá)

Also known as Plaza Bolivar de Bogota, This square is one of the most significant historical spots of the city. It is surrounded by historical and cultural landmarks, which makes it ideal for Bogota sightseeing. You would need 30 to 45 minutes at this square.

4. Bogota Museum of Modern Art (MAMBO)

This modern art museum is housed in a building designed by Rogelio Salmona. The museum houses several incredible works of modern art by renowned artists. It will take you at least an hour to explore this museum.

5. Quinta de Bolivar

This colonial house was home to Simon Bolivar. This house museum tells about the life and work of Simon Bolivar. You will need 30 to 45 minutes here.

Day 2

1. House of Nariño (Casa de Nariño)

This Palace serves as the home for the President of Colombia. Only a few parts of this grand palace are accessible to tourists. You will still need an hour to explore it.

2. Botero Museum

This museum is home to several works of art collected from several countries across the world. It is also home to one of the largest collections of Latin American art. It will take you 2 hours to explore this museum when you visit Bogota.

I suggest you should go for a Guided Tour of Botero Museum.

3. Pasaje Rivas Craft Market

This market is one of the best places for shopping during Bogota travel. There are numerous shops selling handicrafts and locally made items in the market. If you are looking to buy some souvenirs from Bogota trips, this is the place to go. You would need about an hour to explore the market.

4. National Museum of Colombia (Museo Nacional de Colombia)

This museum tells the story of the region, not just Colombia. It is a wide collection of artifacts that depict the culture, customs, traditions, lifestyle, and history of various people who lived in the region. You will need an hour and a half to explore this museum.

I suggest you should go for a Guided Tour of the National Museum of Colombia.

5. Museum of Contemporary Art

This museum houses various works of art created in Colombia or by Colombian artists from the 1960s. There are several well-known pieces of art in paintings, sculptures, displays, and so on exhibited in this museum. You will need an hour to explore it.

If you plan to visit Bogota for more than 2 days, do check out the section below. It contains an exhaustive list of all the places to visit and the best things to do in Bogota divided by categories.

Things to do in Bogota

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Bogota

Plaza de Bolivar de Bogota
Museu Botero
National Museum of Colombia
Quinta de Bolivar Museum
Primada de Colombia Cathedral
Coin & Bill Production
Maloka Museum
Bogota Museum of Modern Art
Museum of National Independence
Gold Museum
Museo Santa Clara
Basilica Santuario del Señor de Monserrate
Casa de Narino
National Capitol
Luis Angel Arango Library
Palacio Lievano
Palacio de San Carlos
Museum of Colonial Art
Church Place of His Presence
Iglesia de San Francisco
Santuario de Monserrate
Iglessia Nuestra Señora del Carmen
Museum of Contemporary Art
Collection de Arte del Banco de la Republican
Santamaria Bullring
Bogota Museum – Casa Samano
Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
International Emerald Museum
Archdiocese of Bogota
Parroquia del Señor de los Milagros
Galeria la Cometa
Palace Historical Museum of the National Police
Archeological Museum Casa del Marques de Sa Jorge
Military Museum of Colombia
Journalists Park Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Parque de Lordes

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Bogota

Monserrate
Cascada la Chorrera
Guadalupe Hill
Enrique Olaya Herrera National Park
Quebrada La Vieja
Aventura la Chorrera Park
National Natural Parks of Colombia
Laguna el Verjon
Matarredonda Ecological Park
Van der Hammen Natural Reserve
Santa Maria del Lago
La Florida Park
Quebrada las Delicias
National Geological Museum
Claustro de San Agustin
Montana del Oso
Patios
La Conejera
Bioparque La Reserva
Sendero Ecological San Francisco
San Rafael Reservoir
Tibanica
Paramo de las Moyas
Tibabuyes
Lago Timiza
Chiflon Waterfall

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Bogota

Simon Bolivar Metropolitan Park
Jose Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden
Salitre Magico Amusement Park
Parque Mundo Aventura
Parque de los Novios
Parque Mirador des los Nevados
Multiparque Amusement Park
Parque del Chico
Planetario de Bogota
Parque el Virrey
Gabriel Garcia Marquez Cultural Center
Diversity
Parque de la Independencia
Secretaria Cultural Recreación y Deporte
Plaza de los Artesanos
Edificio Nuevo del Congresso
Centro Commercial Santafe
Torca River
Parque el Salitre
Fontanar del Rio Public Park
El Chico Park

Shopping in Bogota

Hacienda Santa Barbara
Usaquen Flea Market
El Retiro
Mercado de las Pulgas de San Alejo
Adino Mall
Unilago
Atlantis Plaza
Santa

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventure in Bogota

Cable Car Ride
Hiking

Sightseeing in Bogota

Plazoleta Chorro de Quevedo
Paloquemao Market
Compensar
Metropolitan Park El Tunal
Carrera 7
Santander Park
Asocajas
Guadua Bridge
Usaquen Park
Market Square District
Parque Distrital Ciudad Montes
Plaza de San Victorino

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Bogota

Andres Carne de Res
El Cielo
Tabula
Criterion
Mercado
Leo El Sabor
Casa Santa Clara
La Puerta Falsa
El Chato
Gordo
Matiz
Abasto
Harry Sasson
El Ciervo y El Oso
Misia
Arcobaleno
Villanos en Bermudas
Mini Mal

Where to Stay in Bogota?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Bogota. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Bogota.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Bogota

How to Reach Bogota?

By Air

The best option for Bogota travel is El Dorado International Airport. You can get direct flights to visit Bogota from Mexico City, Toronto, Miami, Orlando, Sao Paolo, Barcelona, London, Lima, San Jose, Munich, Buenos Aires, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and many more cities. The airport is connected with the city by buses and cabs. You can choose between rapid buses to specific places to visit in Bogota or regular public transport buses.

By Road

You can get a bus to visit Bogota from several major cities and towns in Colombia. On the other hand, if you are planning for Bogota trips by car, you should pick between routes 40, 21 or 50 to reach there.

By Water

Being a landlocked city, there are no direct water routes for Bogota travel.

Image Reference

Monserrate Hill – Reg Natarajan / Flickr
Gold Museum (Museu del Oro) – Alexander Schimmeck / Flickr
Bolivar Square (Plaza de Bolívar de Bogotá) – Makalu / PixaBay
Bogota Museum of Modern Art (MAMBO) – Felipe Restrepo Acosta / Wikimedia Commons
Quinta de Bolivar – Elias Rovielo / Flickr
House of Nariño (Casa de Nariño) – Elias Rovielo / Flickr
Botero Museum – Reg Natarajan / Flickr
Pasaje Rivas Craft Market – Felipe Restrepo Acosta / Wikimedia Commons
National Museum of Colombia (Museo Nacional de Colombia) – Reg Natarajan / Flickr
Museum of Contemporary Art –