Editor’s Notice — CNN Journey sequence typically carry sponsorship originating from the nations and areas we profile. Nevertheless, CNN retains full editorial management over all of its studies.
Read the policy.
(CNN) — One of many world’s highest capital cities, Bogotá is touted as “2,600 meters nearer to the celebs.”
Whereas that elevation (8,530 ft) means you’re extra more likely to be shrouded in clouds than gazing at a starry night time sky, on the subject of espresso and tradition, the metropolitan metropolis doesn’t disappoint.
Listed below are a few of the finest methods to expertise town:
Botero and past
Bogotá isn’t identified for its artwork scene, nevertheless it needs to be. Town packs a punch with its quite a few artwork galleries, of which there are greater than 100, a lot of that are both free or cheap to enter. Each October, town hosts the International Art Fair of Bogotá, a four-day extravaganza of artists showcasing their modern works, in quite a lot of codecs and mediums.
The Museo de Arte de la Universidad Nacional is among the most established galleries, bringing collectively a few of the most experimental and impressive tasks within the metropolis. El Parqueadero, situated on the primary flooring of the Museo de Arte del Banco de la República, gives a clean canvas for inventive productions in an area that began off because the museum’s parking zone.
Galería MÜ is among the first galleries within the nation devoted solely to advantageous artwork pictures and focuses on showcasing Colombian artists in addition to internet hosting workshops on the historical past of pictures.
Museo Botero is devoted to Fernando Botero, Colombia’s most well-known artist.
Sebastian Barros Salamanca/VWPCS/AP
Museo Botero pays homage to Colombia’s most well-known artist, Fernando Botero, together with his signature plump ladies and full-figured fruits. Situated in a ravishing colonial mansion whose rooms wrap round a courtyard, the gallery is free to enter. It homes 208 items from Botero’s artwork assortment, 123 of those are works he created and 85 are from his non-public assortment of famend worldwide artists, which embrace Picasso, Cash and Chagall.
A take a look at the partitions
Bogotá has a singular avenue artwork tradition, which is as a lot part of town because the partitions themselves. Native artists are allowed to take over sections of town’s buildings, and the result’s a colourful, participating and conversation-sparking assortment of murals.
The Bogota Graffiti Tour is an intriguing solution to uncover the Colombian capital metropolis.
Andia/Common Pictures Group Editorial/Getty Pictures
Aptly-named Bogotá Graffiti Tour provide two free excursions a day. The graffiti artwork gives an insightful lens into a posh metropolis, and taking a tour is a unbelievable manner of understanding the social and political commentaries this artform seeks to convey.
Cultural deep-dives
Latin American historical past shines at a few of Bogotá’s finest museums. Apart from the well-known Museo del Oro — Museum of Gold — which homes greater than 55,000 items of gold, a lot of that are sacred Amazonian ornaments, town gives quite a few different establishments to lose your self in for the day.
Santa Clara is a former church turned museum, and a surprising colonial-era constructing constructed between 1629 and 1647. It prices lower than a greenback to go to and see work by a few of Colombia’s most revered baroque artists, alongside intricate gold floral motifs and spiritual statues.
Museo del Oro homes greater than 55,000 items of gold.
Lucas Vallecillos/VWPics/AP
Museo Nacional de Colombia is situated in a former jail, designed by English architect Thomas Reed in 1874. Ethnology, artwork and archaeology are all on show right here relationship from 10,000 BCE throughout 17 exhibition rooms.
Museo Colonial is one other must-see museum, situated in a constructing that’s historic itself — constructed again in 1610 as a former Jesuit college, it oozes historical past. The museum is dwelling to all kinds of work, sculptures, vintage furnishings and ornamental arts.
The Nationwide Museum of Colombia reopened to the general public after 4 months in summer time 2020, amid new pandemic security measures.
Nathalia Angarita/Bloomberg/Getty Pictures
A cup of café
No Bogotá information can be full with out mentioning espresso. Though town isn’t situated inside the espresso triangle, the area well-known for its espresso manufacturing, quite a few espresso retailers have sprung up lately now that the nation isn’t exporting all of its finest beans.
Traditionally, Colombians drank pasilla, the dregs of the espresso trade, which was brewed up right into a wincingly sturdy tinto. Fortunately issues have since modified, and though you’ll see locals having fun with a cup of tinto from a avenue vendor, the good things is to not be missed.
Quite a few espresso retailers have sprung up lately now that the nation isn’t exporting all of its finest beans.
Mario Tama/Getty Pictures
Lucia Londoño Tostadores and Varietale each provide nice espresso tasting excursions with out leaving town. Guests study how espresso is grown, harvested, roasted and brewed and get a step nearer to changing into espresso connoisseurs.
And people who would moderately skip straight to the espresso are spoiled for alternative.
Arte y Pasión Café in Plaza Bolívar is a captivating, previous espresso home with classic décor. Amor Perfecto in Chapinero is among the nation’s first specialty espresso retailers and value a go to for his or her award-winning espresso and weird strategies, such because the honey course of — espresso that’s left to dry in its personal pulp, making a sweeter brew.
Azahar in Parque de la 93 is a classy spot that makes use of espresso sourced instantly from farmers, and so they’re absolutely clear about their costs too.
A marketplace for distinctive souvenirs
Well worth the schlep north, Usaquén is a neighborhood that’s one way or the other each charmingly quaint and stylish, with a buzzing meals scene.
However the most effective exercise is the Sunday flea market, which is open from round 10 a.m. to six p.m. (give or take, in spite of everything that is Colombia). Usaquén market has limitless native crafts, together with pottery, cleaning soap, jewellery, footwear, deli gadgets, and different handmade gadgets.
Climbing for a view and trying to find species
A visit as much as Monserrate on a transparent day takes guests a little bit bit greater nonetheless for a panoramic hen’s eye view of the sprawling metropolis. The funicular gives a stomach-churning wobbly trip, or there are copious stairs. There’s a church on the high, and a few overpriced eating places, however the actual attraction right here is town skyline.
One other fantastic outside exercise is visiting the Bogotá Botanical Backyard, an oasis of calm amid the chaotic metropolis. Colombia is among the most biodiverse nations on the planet, and the gardens have a formidable number of flora from the numerous ecosystems, with a selected emphasis on Andean and páramo species.
Bogotá Botanical Backyard showcases the biodiversity that units Colombia aside.
Vannessa Jimenez G/NurPhoto/AP
Flavors of Colombia
Among the best issues about Bogotá is the burgeoning meals scene, and the truth that guests spending {dollars} get pleasure from an incredible trade fee, that means you’ll be able to eat Michelin-star commonplace meals that gained’t break the financial institution.
Leonor Espinosa is among the nation’s most beloved cooks, and with good motive. She sources contemporary meals from native farmers and is captivated with weaving cultural traditions into her menus. LEO, her namesake restaurant, gives a 13-course tasting menu.
Chef Leonor Espinosa stirs a rice dish within the kitchen of her namesake restauranta LEO.
Fernando Vergara/AP
At Matiz, in the meantime, each dish is like edible artwork, with the menu casting far and large throughout land and sea for its elements.
A extra conventional, homespun expertise will be discovered at La Puerta Falsa (False Door) restaurant in La Candelaria, the place diners can slurp a bowl of warming ajiaco soup — made with three varieties of potatoes and hen and served with avocado and rice — and end up with a sizzling chocolate, after all dipping almojabana bread into it.
Andrés Carne de Res is among the metropolis’s most distincitive spots. The restaurant seats 2,000 individuals.
Genaro Palacios/VWPCS/AP
The must-not-miss vacation spot, nonetheless, is Andrés Carne de Res, situated in Chía, about an hour’s trip from Bogotá relying on the place you’re staying. However most individuals who flock to this notorious establishment don’t go for the meals — they go for the get together.
A lot better suited to non-pandemic instances, the gargantuan restaurant seats 2,000 individuals — and so they nonetheless have to show individuals away at their doorways. The menus are 40 pages lengthy, diners depart their tables midway by means of the principle course to salsa (there are 5 dance flooring) and there’s additionally, for some motive, a 25-foot climbing wall.
Alongside the DJ there are a number of stay bands readily available, in addition to a couple of hammocks within the parking zone for anybody too drained to make the drive again to town.
Lucy Sherriff is a contract multimedia journalist primarily based in Bogotá and covers surroundings, journey and gender points.
