With a well-planned itinerary, 3 days in Bogota are enough to explore the main highlights and get a good overview of what Bogota has to offer.
Plan your itinerary here!
Best Tours for your Trip to Bogota:
1. Walking tour in La Candelaria
2. Bogota Food Experience
3. Coffee Farm day tour
4. Salt Cathedral and Zipaquira day tour
Recommended Hotels in Bogota:
82Hostel Bogota (budget hotel)
Hotel B3 Virrey (mid-range hotel)
Four Seasons Hotel Bogota (high-end hotel)
Bogota, the vibrant capital of Colombia, offers a blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. There is so much to enjoy: colonial architecture, world-class museums, a lively street art scene, and a deliciouos cuisine. Bogota never fails to enchant visitors. As mentioned in the Money Heist Travel Bucket List, it is not just a city to visit, but to live in.
Where to Stay in Bogota
Chapinero, located north of Bogota, is the best and safest area to stay during your visit. Whether you are looking for high-end, mid-range, or budget hotels, you can find excellent options in Chapinero. Depending on your budget, any of the following recommendations will provide a comfortable stay for your 3 days in Bogota.
Budget Hotels:
The 82Hostel is located in a calm and safe area, a few blocks away from the best restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops. It offers a free continental breakfast, shared kitchen facilities, dorms, and double rooms. PCs are available for guests to use, and bike rental is also available.
Check prices and book a stay at the 82Hostel here.
The Republica Hostel Cabin Beds is a nice lodging featuring a garden, a terrace, a shared lounge, and a bar. Public transport is available nearby, and there are good restaurants in the area. The WiFi is very good, making it a great option for digital nomads.
Check prices and book a stay at Republica Hostel Cabin Beds here.
Mid-Range Hotels:
The Hotel B3 Virrey is a small and modern hotel, close to popular attractions. It features a 24-hour fitness center, and there are restaurants, bars, supermarkets, and banks in the surrounding area. A breakfast buffet is included.
Check prices and book a stay at Hotel B3 Virrey here.
The Holiday Inn Express Bogota – Parque La 93 offers 4-star accommodations and a full breakfast. Rooms are smoke-free, with ergonomic chairs and laptop safes. The international airport is a 30-minute drive away.
Check prices and book a stay at the Holiday Inn Express Bogota here.
High-End Hotels:
The Four Seasons Hotel Bogota is located in the highly sought-after Zona T, very close to the El Retiro Shopping Center. Each of its rooms boasts great artwork, a marble bathroom, and elegant, uniquely-colored wooden floors.
Check price and book a stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Bogota here.
Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia offers luxurious accomodations. Its facilities include a restaurant, bar, business center, and gym. The hotel’s Basilic restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine, as well as an appetizing fusion of French and Colombian dishes.
Check price and book a stay at the Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia here.
Day 1: Explore La Candelaria
After enjoying a traditional Colombian breakfast at your hotel or any of the cool cafes in Chapinero, start the first of your 3 days in Bogota by heading to La Candelaria.
La Candelaria, the heart and historic center of the city, is a short taxi ride from Chapinero. When in Bogota, I recommend that you do not call a taxi on the street. Instead, use only the Beat or Uber apps if you need one.
If you want to adventure and take a bus like a local, there is a bus running along Calle 45 that will leave you at the Museo del Oro (Museum of Gold) in La Candelaria in about 12 minutes, where you can start exploring this area.
Museo del Oro (Museum of Gold)
With an opening time of 9:00 am, visitors can explore a museum containing more than 55,000 pre-Columbian gold artifacts, ranging from jewelry and sculptures to ceremonial objects. The admission fee for this museum is a mere U$ 1.
Museo Botero
In Bogota, you can see paintings by Renoir, Monet, and Dali, among others. The Botero Museum has 87 pieces of international art and 100 pieces of Botero’s work, including his distinctive “boterismo” style. The building has charming gardens and a café, and admission is free. Open since 9:00 am, it’s a must-visit for art lovers in Bogota.
Plaza de Bolivar
This is a very popular sport for locals and tourists. Around the plaza you will find the Cathedral and historic mansions such as the Supreme Court of Justice, the Congress and the palace of the archbishop.
El Chorro de Quevedo
The square on which the Spanish founded Bogota in the 16th century is nowadays a place for young locals to hang out in the evenings, with the walls covered in graffiti art. There are many lively bars and cafes nearby. A walking tour through La Candelaria starts exactly in this place. Walking with a local guide, you will discover the secrets and legends hidden in every corner.
Book in advance a walking tour in La Candelaria here.
Lunch Time
Anthony Bourdain was a great proponent of Colombia’s cuisine. He recommended La Puerta Falsa, an affordable and authentic Colombian restaurant next to the Cathedral of Bogota. It opens at 7:00 am, so you can also sample an authentic Colombian breakfast there. If you go for lunch, you can expect long waiting lines, but I can assure you that the wait is worth it.
Another way to taste authentic Colombian dishes while learning about their ingredients is by taking a foodie tour. Just 300 m from El Chorro de Quevedo, you will find the Cranky Croc Hostel, where you can take a foodie tour that will take you to seven places within La Candelaria to sample all types of food.
Book your Bogota Food Experience in advance here.
DAY 2
Climb Mount Monserrate
For the second of your 3 days in Bogota, visit Mount Monserrate. This icon of the city is 3,152 meters (or 10,341 feet) high, and you can reach the top by either taking the funicular or cable car, which only take four minutes, or by walking up the stepped way. However, the hike may be challenging due to the altitude.
As soon as you reach the summit, you will be struck by the stunning vistas. There are observation spots that provide incredible panoramas of Bogota, as well as a 17th-century small white chapel that is popular for weddings.
Lunch Time
Apart from the multiple food stands at the summit, you have two options for restaurants.
The upscale Restaurante Casa San Isidro offers exquisite international cuisine, white tablecloths, and excellent vistas. Restaurante Monserrate Parrilla provides a more laid-back atmosphere and budget-friendly grilled meats and Colombian cuisine.
DAY 3
For your third day, you can choose between exploring more of Bogota city or taking a day trip out. In the second case, you have two options to choose from: a visit to a coffee farm or a visit to a salt cathedral.
1. Visit a Coffee Farm in Fusagasuga
Fusagasuga, located 60 km south of Bogota, is known as the Garden City of Colombia. Hacienda Coloma in Fusagasuga is a beautiful and historic coffee farm. At the farm, you can learn everything about how the coffee is grown, harvested, and processed. If you are a coffee and nature lover, this experience is for you!
An 8-hour round-trip tour takes you to the Coloma coffee farm. You will also enjoy the view of the beautiful villages along the way to the farm.
Book a day tour to the Coffee Farm Hacienda Coloma here.
2. Visit the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquira
The town of Zipaquira is situated an hour away from Bogota. It has a distinctive cathedral entirely carved out within the tunnels of a salt mine that dates back to pre-Columbian times and was in operation until the early 1990s.
A 7-hour round trip tour takes you to explore the Cathedral, as well as Zipaquira with its colonial architecture. It also offers optional lunchtime before returning to Bogota.
Book a tour to Zipaquira and the Salt Cathedral here.
Any of these choices will make a great epilogue for the last of your 3 days in Bogota.
