Environment

Bogotá, green city

The Lonely Planet magazine of Argentina in its article entitled “10 Easy Trips” highlights the Colombian capital as an example to follow in matters of ecology and environment. The note emphasizes that the city has 107 square meters of green per person, “the highest figure among cities with a medium population, and the greatest biodiversity in the world per square kilometer.”

Main attractives

The city of Bogotá, capital of the Republic of Colombia, is one of the main tourist destinations in the country. Despite not having beaches or a tropical climate, Bogotá is a metropolis that has various cultural activities and is home to important international events; The city also offers a wide variety of international food restaurants and places specializing in nightlife, its parks, museums, shopping centers and its architecture also stand out.

Monserrate Hill

One of the aspects that first draws the attention of those who visit Bogotá are its steep hills like walls and with buildings and antenna towers on their peaks and of course Monserrate cannot go unnoticed.

To reach the top, the most comfortable way is through the cable car or funicular whose station is located at the foot of the hill. You can also go up on foot, but this route is only recommended for those who are in very good physical condition and whose lungs are used to altitude. At the top there are a variety of things to see and enjoy.

Monserrate offers a spectacular panoramic view of the city. The viewpoint next to the sanctuary is the ideal place to take pictures of the city and to appreciate it in all its extension. The sanctuary of the Fallen Lord of Monserrate is a well-known Catholic church, a traditional place of pilgrimage for Bogota citizens and Colombians in general, it is a good resting place for those whose visit is on a pilgrimage. There are popular restaurants as well as elegant ones and for travelers with different budgets. Calle del Candelero, a replica of a 19th century Bogota street. The route on the top can be done on foot or on the raised chairs whose price is moderate, to appreciate the whole from the top.

La Candelaria

The town of La Candelaria de Bogotá is the historical and cultural heart of the city. As in its beginnings the commercial activity of the city moved downhill and towards the north, the colonial architecture could be kept almost intact. The historic center of Bogotá is one of the best preserved in Latin America. It has attracted artists, writers and intellectuals in general, who have filled the sector of theaters, libraries and universities. There you can see, especially the colonial houses with their barred windows, carved gates, red tile roofs and eaves.

The institutional sector of La Candelaria, located in the lower part of the area, is characterized by grouping the buildings that are the headquarters of the different bodies of the national government and the Capital District: the Presidency and the Congress of the Republic, the Supreme Court of Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá.

According to Bridgat, the geographic center of these buildings, with the exception of the Palacio de Nariño or house of the presidents of Colombia, is the Plaza de Bolívar. The sector groups religious buildings of great interest such as the Catedral Primada de Colombia and the Capilla del Sagrario located in the Plaza de Bolívar, the church of La Concepción on Calle 10 with Carrera 9 and the church San Juan de Dios on Calle 12 with Carrera 10. There are important museums such as the July 20 House Museum on the northeast side of the square, also known as the Florero House, and the museums of the 19th century, Popular Arts and Traditions, Francisco José de Caldas House Museum and Church Museum of Santa Clara, all of them located on Carrera 8 between Calles 7 and 9.

Museums

Bogotá has a great variety of museums, among which the Gold Museum stands out, which has 35 thousand pieces of gold and tumbaga and almost 30 thousand objects in ceramics, stone, shell, bone and textiles.

The Botero museum donated by the artist Fernando Botero and which has some of his works and several paintings that belonged to his private collection. Another museum to highlight is the National Museum of Colombia, which is the oldest in the country and has an important art collection and frequently holds temporary international exhibitions. Another of the outstanding museums is Maloka, defined as the largest science and technology theme park in South America.

Cultural epicenter

This is a city of museums, you can find permanent exhibitions of art from all periods, also historical objects, religious museums, natural sciences, technology and even interactive spaces.

You can also visit one of the great libraries of the city, see a play, attend a large mass concert or a small private recital, go to one of the cultural centers or perhaps take a tour of the historic center of La Candelaria.

Here great internationally recognized events take place: the Festivals to the Park bring together thousands of spectators with rock, hip-hop, jazz, salsa, Colombian music and all kinds of rhythms; the Book Fair opens its doors for the public to meet authors, institutions and publishers and the Theater Festival turns the city into a huge stage where imagination and art reign.