COLOMBIAN COFFEE
No trip to Colombia is complete without coffee, lots and lots of coffee. Luckily for javaphiles, a strong coffeehouse culture is brewing in Bogotá. Scene setter Varietale sources beans from across the country, transforming them into beloved light roasts at their Chapinero shop, a renovated home with plenty of cozy corners and a lush garden( There are eight other locations scattered throughout the city, including at El Dorado International Airport). Perk up at El Pergolero, a charming shop near the city center, decorated with pastels and lush greenery, that offers classic beverages and specialty drinks, such as a trio of filtered coffees, iced lavender lattes, and espresso tonics.
Bogotá
Credit: Sara Pons
Don’ t miss out on OGs Amor Perfecto, pioneers in the country’ s specialty coffee scene who have led the way since the mid-1990s. Their flagship in Chapinero features a coffee lab where you can watch small-lot Colombian beans go through the roasting process. Last but not least, there are three locations of Azahar, a third-wave coffee house that sources beans directly from farmers and is fully transparent by sharing the market price they paid.
CITY PARKS
Bogotá is adorned with lush green spaces, offering countless opportunities to connect with nature without leaving the city. The crown jewel is Parque Simón Bólivar, a 990-acre area in the city center featuring cycling and running trails, a lake, Virgilio Barco library, and an open-air concert venue where Radiohead, The Cure, and Pearl Jam have performed. Another prominent spot is Parque Nacional Enrique Olaya Herrera, commonly known as Parque Nacional, located between La Candelaria and Chapinero. It includes the steep slopes of Cerros Orientales, popular among hikers and serious runners. Don’ t miss El Virrey, a lush corridor running eastwest through the city, where more than 60 bird species have been observed among the nearly 100 tree species thriving in the park.
MONSERRATE
Towering 10,000 feet above Bogotá, Monserrate offers an unparalleled panoramic view of the city, the perfect vantage to watch the sunset over the Andes. Though it is inaccessible to cyclists, it can be reached on foot, by cable car, or by riding the funicular, a tiny train that moves nearly vertically up the mountainside.
GETTING THERE
Avianca provides nonstop flights from Washington Dulles International Airport( IAD) to Bogotá, Colombia’ s El Dorado International Airport( BOG), 11 times a week.
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