When it comes to Colombia, colorful architecture, art, and some of the finest coffee in the world come to mind.
When visiting for the first time, it can be hard to choose which city to start your travels in. It can be tempting to jump right to Cartagena but don’t overlook other incredible areas of the country like Bogotá. After adjusting to the high altitude, visitors can explore the gorgeous cobblestone streets and colorful buildings, and sip on fresh coffee while mingling with the locals.
For a good location and modern amenities, check out the W Bogotá. It brings a little bit of luxury to the guests with comfortable rooms, scenic views, excellent service, great food on site, and even incorporating a little of the culture with beautiful murals covering the walls of the restaurant entrance.
Guestroom at the W Bogota. (Photo Credit: Jessica Kelly)
In the Usaquén neighborhood, there’s plenty to do and see, with great places to eat authentic, quality Colombian food nearby. Enjoy a cocktail at the hotel bar after a day of exploring, or sign up for a treatment at the AWAY Spa. Leave time to try out the hydrotherapy pool after a workout at the gym. The W Lounge often has live music for guests to enjoy while sipping their cocktails.
Restaurants
Osaka Bogota is a great place to stop for Asian fusion food, with a bit of a Peruvian twist. There are a lot of Japanese items on the menu, in addition to classic ceviche with fresh fish, cilantro, lime juice, sweet potato, and crisp red onion. Dine on anything from Smoked Tuna Tataki to fresh Charred Seafood Ramen with curry squid ink cream and spicy mayo.
The chef at Jairo works directly with local Colombian farmers and ties in traditional dishes in an approachable way. Try the perfectly cooked, sizzling Grilled Steak with an herbaceous chimichurri, the Tuna and Corn Tartare with radish mayo and avocado, or Colombian Yam and Cheese Soup with fried cheese, tomato, and coriander sofrito.
A dish at Jairo. (Photo Credit: Jessica Kelly)
For a local hotspot that came highly recommended, check out Andrés Carne de Res. They have delicious traditional dishes on the menu, cooked beautifully, like crispy Chicharrones (pork rinds) with guacamole and arepa, and Plantains and Ceviche. It’s a great spot to get a bunch of dishes to share and try a few different things.
Activities
When it comes to exploring the city with a local guide and harboring knowledge about the areas, art, coffee, and culture, Hansa Tours is the perfect company to go with in Bogotá. Not only do they have a range of predetermined tours, but they can work with you directly to create a tour for you based on your interests, and the time that you have available to explore the city.
Street art in Bogota, Colombia. (Photo Credit: Jessica Kelly)
Predetermined Tours
The city is known for having some of the best coffee in the world, so Hansa Tours created an opportunity to discover the coffee culture.
On this Coffee Tour, you can visit well-known coffee plantations in Cundinamarca where they grow a wide variety of specialty coffees. If you’re looking for adventure, try the Paragliding Tour in Bogotá.
Guests can see the city from above during a Paragliding Tour that leaves from Sopó, about 40 minutes outside of Bogotá. Explore the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral. This tour leaves Bogotá to visit the town of Zipaquira, known for its incredible salt cathedral. The cathedral is part of an underground salt mine, making this experience quite unique.
Custom Tours
Custom tours are a great option when it comes to working with Hansa Tours. For example, if you’re interested in blending a tour of La Candelaria with views of the Andes Mountains, a Bogotá Graffiti and Murals Tour, and the Paloquemao Express Tour, Hansa can come up with an itinerary that gives the guest a little taste of each, working with their time frame and budget.
This tour included visiting a local market (Paloquemao Fruit Market), browsing through the flowers and tasting baked goods like pan de yuca, pandebono, yellow corn arepa, Masato de Arroz (a Colombian rice drink) and produce like granadilla, feijoa, curuba (passion fruit), lulo, maracuja, mangosteen, sugar mango, fruit punch salpicon, and aguacate (avocado).
Paloquemao Market in Bogota. (Photo Credit: Jessica Kelly)
Bogotá is covered in incredible murals all across the city, but especially in the La Candelaria neighborhood. This is a great place to shop for some local souvenirs and artisan crafts while checking out the colorful architecture and murals along the buildings. You can even try some high-end coffee at one of the many local coffee shops that are incredibly knowledgeable about the products, tasting notes, and how to properly serve the coffee to get the most flavor out of the beans.
Making Bogotá a Stop Along the Way
In addition to Bogotá being an incredible destination on its own, it’s also a convenient stepping stone on the way to or from other destinations like Santiago and Easter Island in Chile or Ecuador to head out on a Galápagos Adventure. It breaks up the journey with plenty of fun activities to do.
Galápagos Islands
If you’re heading to the Galapagos Islands, working with INCA (International Nature & Cultural Adventures) to create an itinerary full of adventure eases the stress of planning the trip. They’re wonderful to work with, and Bogotá is a great stopover on the way to Ecuador.
The Galapagos can be quite a journey, so a brief Colombian visit in South America is a welcomed reprieve on your way to or from the islands.
Marine iguana on the beach in the Galapagos Islands. (Photo Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus / SteveWeisberg)
Work with INCA to work in a Bogotá stop into your Galapagos itinerary before (or after) boarding the luxury yacht, the INTEGRITY, sailing along the Eastern Islands like Santa Cruz, Española, San Cristóbal, Santa Fé, South Plaza, Genovesa, Santiago, Bartolomé, Rábida, and Sombrero Chino for incredible wildlife sightings, snorkeling excursions, and hikes.
Easter Island and Santiago, Chile
On your way to/from Santiago, Bogotá is a great stopover. You can enjoy the city for a day or two before heading to Santiago, Chile. Enjoy an overnight stay at the Sheraton Santiago Hotel & Convention Center, right in the heart of the city while being in Providencia close to the airport, or the Santiago Marriott Hotel, walking distance from Turistik offering incredible tours of the city.
Turistik offers a wide variety of tours in Santiago to give you a taste of the city. The Hop On Hop Off bus tour is the perfect way to cover a lot of ground and have a variety of experiences in a short amount of time with a private guide to enhance your tour. During the tour, enjoy a ride on the cable car up Cerro San Cristóbal for a spectacular view. Experience a ride on the famous heritage elevator, Santiago Funicular. Explore the architecture, art, local vendors, and cathedral.
If you have time for another excursion, the Tour por Viña Cousiño Macul & Templo Bahai brings guests to the Baha'i House of Worship and a wine tour through Viña Cousiño Macul in the Maipo Valley.
You can catch a flight from Santiago to Easter Island to learn about the rich history and Polynesian society in Rapa Nui. Working with SA Expeditions is a great way to incorporate everything you’re looking to do. They are phenomenal to work with and make an effort to incorporate plenty of special experiences in Easter Island and make the whole process easy for travelers.
Santiago, the capital of Chile, has the coolest neighborhoods in Latin America. (Photo via sorincolac/iStock/Getty Images Plus).
On the island, book a stay with Hotel Altiplanico Rapa Nui, Easter Island. The boutique hotel has the friendliest staff, delicious food, spectacular ocean views, colorful flower-filled gardens, a rainfall shower, and stunning canopy beds in your own private bungalow.
Explore the powerful moai statues along the island at Ahu Akivi, Anakena Beach, and Rano Raraku, a quarry with nearly 20 statues. Stop at Rano Kau Crater to take in the views and see where the Tangata Manu (The Birdman Competition) was held and be sure to plan to see the sunrise over Tongariki, where 15 moai figures are in a line with the ocean in the background.
Whether you’re visiting Bogotá, Colombia, on its own, or on your way to another destination, it’s definitely a city that should be on your radar if you love art, coffee, excellent food, and architecture.
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