Bogotá - A vibrant, modern, interesting city

 


Most visitors to Colombia tend to prefer Medellin, but personally, I liked Bogotá way more. Bogotá offers a diverse range of areas with unique characteristics, it has many different faces. The historic centre features grand Spanish architecture and the colourful and charming houses of La Candelaria. The city centre mainly comprises modern architecture and a bustling crowd. The inner-city areas of Chapinero have a blend of old and new, low- and high-rise buildings. The upmarket and sterile Zona Rosa area is a bubble. Each of these areas has a lively atmosphere with its own vibe, with plenty of events taking place in parks, creating a happy environment. I even saw people dancing on a bus. Poverty is apparent though, throughout the city, except for the sheltered Zona Rosa.

Bogotá gives me vibes of New York City, particularly the long, wide avenues with vast pedestrian paths and little cross-streets with obscure businesses, the towering red brick residential buildings juxtaposing small, old villas. The expansive suburbs of Bogotá also reminded me of a US cityscape, with their nondescript modern buildings, car parts shops and affordable supermarkets. On Sundays and public holidays, many of the primary roads are shut down, reserved for joggers and cyclists. The setting of Bogotá, with a line of green hills, is stunning. Monserrate, one of these hills, offers a magnificent view of the city from its peak, reachable by teleférico, that is cable car. There is another teleférico ride in Bogotá worth taking. It is in Ciudad Bolívar, known as the worts part of Bogotá, but the TransMiCable ride to Mirador del Paraíso is safe. It is a not-yet-discovered tourist attraction that showcases beautiful panoramas while providing glimpses into the life of the slums. 

Map of Bogotá


The main tourist areas are La Candelaria, Santa Fé, Chapinero (Zona G), Zona Rosa, and Parque 93. Los Mártires, Usaquén, Teusaquillo and Salitre are less touristy but still charming places. Ciudad Bolívar, in the south, is where the TransMiCable to Mirador del Paraíso is found. (Original map source: mapsland.com)

La Candelaria - Historic heart of Bogotá, filled with colonial architecture, museums (like the Gold Museum and Botero Museum), street art, and government buildings.
Santa Fé - Central Bogotá’s financial and business hub, but also includes the National Museum and Plaza de Toros. Busy during the day, but less appealing for tourists at night.
Los Mártires - Once in decline, it is experiencing a wave of cultural revival with creative industries, galleries, trendy cafés, and restaurants, though it still retains a gritty atmosphere. 
Chapinero - A diverse, youthful neighborhood, known for Bogotá’s LGBTQ+ scene, boutique hotels, craft breweries, and Zona G (a hub for gourmet dining).
Zona Rosa - Trendy nightlife and shopping area, home to upscale bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and malls like Andino.
Parque 93 (Zona 93) - A leafy park area surrounded by upscale restaurants, cafes, and bars.
Usaquén - A charming colonial district in the north with cobblestone streets, artisan markets (especially on Sundays), cafes, and a relaxed atmosphere.
Teusaquillo - A culturally rich, mostly urban district with leafy parks (like Simón Bolívar Park), upscale neighborhoods, universities, and heritage architecture.
Salitre - A modern residential and commercial area with malls (Salitre Plaza, Gran Estación), corporate offices, and proximity to El Dorado Airport. (Located partly in Teusaquillo and Fontibón.)

Tourist map of La Candelaria



Glimpses of Bogotá
 









































































































Popular posts from this blog

Countries

Image
     The world is yours. Where do you want to go next? Featured: Those countries are featured where posts with useful information are available—such as maps, practical details, guides, instructions, etc.—in addition to the many accompanying photos. 
More »

Avatar Mountains, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park - Day 1: Yuanjiajie & Golden Whip Stream

Image
  Located about 30 kilometers from the city of Zhangjiajie, near the town of Wulingyuan, is China’s oldest national park: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. This is the place that inspired the floating mountains in the movie Avatar, earning it the popular nickname "Avatar Mountains". The park covers a large area, with shuttle buses, cable cars, and even lifts operating inside to connect the main scenic spots. (Shuttle buses are free with the ticket; the rest are at an additional cost.) There are popular cliff-edge paths as well as quieter hiking trails. The national park is divided into 4 main areas, and the entrance ticket is valid for four consecutive days, which is useful if you want to explore each earea to some extent. It's not likely that you can hike every trail in four days unless you’re an extreme walker. The four main areas consist of Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, and Huangshi Village (Huangshizhai), and between them are other locations such as the Gol...
More »

Leshan (very basic) tourist information with map

Image
  Many visitors come for just a few hours on a day trip from Chengdu—but that’s a mistake. You need a full day to properly visit the Leshan Giant Buddha , see it from the river, and explore the nearby Oriental Buddha Park and Wuyou Temple hill. At a leisurely pace, it could easily take two days. You can also do a day trip to Emeishan from Leshan by public bus, but in my opinion, it's better to stay overnight there—perhaps in a monastery below the Golden Summit. So, for Leshan alone, you’ll need at least one night, preferably two. The city itself is quite sprawling, modern, and tidy, but it doesn't offer many attractions. The train station is a bit far from the center, but public transport is a good option to reach both the city center and the Leshan Giant Buddha. Below are the tourist basics. 
More »

Leshan Giant Buddha - Walking tour and boat ride

Image
  Located near Chengdu, Leshan is home to the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. Carved out of a cliff face, the 71 meters tall statue overlooks the junction of the Min and Dadu Rivers. You can walk up to the statue’s head and look down, walk down to its feet and look up, and view it from a boat. The area also offers distant but nice city views. You could do the walk and the boat ride easily in a short day, along with a visit to the Mahao Cliff Tombs and Wuyou Temple, both located between the Giant Buddha and the cruise port. In a longer day's program you can also include a visit to the Oriental Buddha Park, a separate and fairly large attraction (separate ticket required) that is well worth seeing — see the post about the Oriental Buddha Park . 
More »