Bogotá dazzles with creative neighborhoods, powerful street art, world-class coffee, sprawling parks, and a cutting-edge culinary scene. From Teusaquillo’ s historic charm to Chapinero’ s boho energy and Zona Rosa’ s nightlife, the city blends culture and flavor at every turn, offering travelers endless ways to explore, taste, and connect. Flying to Bogotá is easy, avianca offers nonstop flights to El Dorado International Airport from Dulles International 11 times a week.
EXPLORE CULINARY OFFERINGS
Bogotá is home to one of Latin America’ s most vibrant restaurant scenes— from casual cafés and cozy holes-in-the-wall to innovative boundary-pushers and upscale haute cuisine establishments.
Start your day with arepas at Abasto— with locations in Usaquén and Quinta Camacho— where the round corn cakes are stuffed with ingredients from local farmers’ markets. Their extensive morning menu includes everything from chilaquiles and tostadas to pancakes and acai bowls. Another great choice is La Puerta Falsa, owned by the same family since 1816. Their famous tamales, almojábanas( cheese bread), and ajiaco soup made with chicken and potatoes should all be part of your visit to this simple, tradition-rich favorite.
When lunchtime arrives, consider Los Troncos, a classic Bogotá chain offering empanadas from across the country— including their popular pipian, filled with potatoes and beef seasoned with spicy peanuts— as well as tamales and other regional specialties. For a modern twist on a piqueteadero— a roadside spot specializing in grilled meats— visit Chichería Demente, set in a beautiful, converted 1920s house. The open kitchen buzzes with grills cooking organic chickens, dry-aged beef, and impressive pork tomahawks.
No trip is complete without a visit to Doña Elvira, a 90-year-old cafeteria-style restaurant serving traditional Colombian dishes like braised flank steak, beef tail stew, pig trotters, and chopped pork ribs.
At dinnertime, choices are numerous. For an in-depth look at Colombian culture through contemporary cuisine, visit Leo by Chef Leonor Espinosa. Her exquisite tasting menu features unique ingredients from across the country— from crocodile and culona ants to bijao( a banana-like plant) and mañoco( cassava flour)— and can be paired with local fermented beverages. For more drinks, check out La Sala de Laura upstairs, a cocktail bar run by Espinosa’ s daughter, Laura Hernández, which uses house-made spirits inspired by the country’ s diverse biomes. Another great dinner spot is from Colombian celebrity chef Harry Sasson, whose namesake restaurant offers large cuts of meat along with memorable sides, such as fried plantains with avocado cream and spicy corn coated in smoked butter.
THE NEIGHBORHOODS
Nestled near the city’ s center, the artsy Teusaquillo neighborhood features tree-lined streets with historic two-story Tudor-style homes, museums, trendy shops, and independent theaters. The area is dotted with green spaces, including Simón Bolívar Park, prominent sports venues like El Campín— the country’ s top football stadium— and major locations for basketball, volleyball, and tennis.
Just to the east is Chapinero, a lively boho-inspired neighborhood with an artsy, alternative vibe. Trendy yet casually cool, it features numerous dive bars, fashion boutiques, artisan bakeries, concert venues, and bistros serving organic and vegan dishes. In the heart of the district, there are many LGBTQ + friendly bars, including Theatron, Latin America’ s largest gay club. Food lovers are attracted to Chapinero because it’ s home to Zona G, an eight-block“ gourmet zone” filled with upscale fine dining restaurants showcasing the latest in Colombian cuisine.
Further north lies Zona Rosa, the city’ s vibrant nightlife hub and the perfect spot for an evening out. The city’ s“ pink zone” is filled with trendy nightclubs, lively bars, and venues with DJs playing all night. During the day, the neighborhood remains attractive for its glamorous shopping malls, numerous designer stores, local shops, and stylish international brands.
STREET ART
Bogotá has a lively street art scene. The artwork isn’ t just visually appealing; it also makes political statements and sparks conversations, covering topics like climate change, government corruption, women’ s rights, and the challenges faced by Indigenous communities.
Street art is visible throughout Bogotá, but two areas visitors should consider exploring are Calle 26 and Candelaria. Nicknamed the Open- Air Museum of Bogotá, Calle 26 features a vibrant mix of graffiti and government-commissioned murals. Sunday is the ideal day to visit because the street is closed to automobile traffic. Candelaria is the other must-see neighborhood, offering a stunning outdoor collection of eye-catching, mesmerizing art.
Wherever you go, look out for some of the country’ s most notable street artists, including Stinkfish, who makes large stencils of faces from photographs and re-invents them with colorful shapes, swoops, and swirls. Colombian street artist Guache, meaning“ warrior” in the language of the Indigenous Muisca people, is influenced by Colombia’ s precolonial cultures and prefers oversaturated colors, native animals, and natural elements. And DJ Lu acts as Colombia’ s answer to Banksy, creating powerful pieces that address the day’ s social and political issues.
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