Bogotá
Bogotá is the capital and largest city of Colombia.
The city is administered as the Capital District, as well as the capital of, though not politically part of, the surrounding department of Cundinamarca. Bogotá is a territorial entity of the first order, with the same administrative status as the departments of Colombia. It is the main political, economic, administrative, industrial, cultural, aeronautical, technological, scientific, medical, educational and airport center of the country and northern South America.
Getting to Bogotá
The city is served by
- 01El Dorado International Airport
- 02La Terminal
- 03Terminal Satelite del Norte
Worth seeing
Many landmark events in the history of Colombian and South American independence took place in La Candelaria, the historic mid-16th-century colonial neighborhood that hosts the national government, including the near killing and escape of Simon Bolivar, the execution of revolutionary heroine Policarpa Salavarrieta, known as 'La Pola,' and the Grito de Libertad, known as the beginning of the region's revolution.
Things to do
On some Friday nights, parts of Avenida Septima are closed in the Centro and you can see all sorts of street performers, live music, magic shows, buy crafts and street food. If you don't mind crowds it's worth a visit. Check out the Iberoamerican Theater Festival, the biggest theater festival in the world (occurs every two years during Easter Week). Catch a football (soccer) game at El Campin Stadium.
Where to eat
Bogotá's varied gastronomy includes Michelin-starred restaurants serving traditional and innovative Colombian dishes and other cuisines from all corners of the globe. Arepas: Corn flour based pancakes, sometimes made with cheese or slightly salted. Empanadas: The closest comparison would be pastries. These are popular all over South America, so generally each country/region has their own recipe.
Getting around Bogotá the local way
- Get aroundThe TransMiCable inaugurated in 2018 is a gondola lift that takes passengers from the TransMilenio stop to in the Ciudad Bolivar district.
- Get aroundColectivos cover practically every major route of the city, and can generally be flagged down at any point on a main road.
- Go nextYou'll need a 4x4 vehicle or go by a tour.
From Wikivoyage: Bogotá, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.