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nice areas in Bogota?

Hi which are nice areas to rent or buy a flat in Bogota? Does the 'centro' include the Candelaria, and is that a good area? Is all of Chapinero good, or some parts better than others, like "Chapinero Alto"? Which are the nice areas where you can walk around, is it a walkable city, or are they car-crazy like here, Mexico City?

thanks for anyone answering, will look at past forum posts as well, saludos..

By Alidad on Aug 21, 2008, 07:21 in Friendly Talkzone.

bickerss says on Aug 21, 2008, 08:41:

Depends on your budget I guess. I like Chap alto, the areas around Zona Rosa and P 93. The area around Park Virrey near to zona rosa below the 15th street. Usequen is nice and near to Uniucentro. These are probably the more expensive areas though.

Investment Strategy - buying when others are crying!! Offloading when others are gloating!!!

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Robert Jorge says on Aug 21, 2008, 08:50:

I walked everywhere around downtown Bogota. It is actually often quicker than a cab. Candelaria pretty much borders the centro area. I wouldn't personally want to live in Candelaria. It can get a little seedy after dark.

He who farts in church, sits in his own pew.

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ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Aug 21, 2008, 09:42:

Chapinero Alto, east of Carrera Septima is still relatively good. I had family living in that area, but as this area has deteriorated a bit, they have all moved to either El Nogal or Los Rosales. I have lots of great memories from when I was a kid and we had a place on Cra 3 at Calle 61. Chapinero around La Caracas can be a bit sketchy at night, especially for an obvious foreigner.

Areas North of about Calle 70 and East of Autopista del Norte tend to be the better areas although there are certainly others. As brickers stated, it all depends on your budget.

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Gator says on Aug 21, 2008, 18:37:

Los Rosales is very nice and safe, but expensive, estrato 6

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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Bill Turley (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 23, 2008, 06:39:

Don't forget CHia as a very nice and safe alternative to Bogota. We have a rental apartment in the Unicentro area fronting on the Country Club a very nice area strata 5

Mr. Bill Somondoco

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Gator says on Aug 23, 2008, 09:09:

a little far out, but less and less every year-can get crowded on the weekend with people escaping Bogotá-estrata 5 is nice

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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adrimm (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 23, 2008, 10:27:

It really depends.

There are some great walking areas - like Chapinero and parts of "Old Country" which have pricey areas, but on the other extreme are the high-rise suburbs, made up of closed complexes of high-rise residential towers. These are not connected or walking distance to much and yet are coveted by many Colombians for their new shinyness and percieved exclusivity.

I'd say that much of the rising middle-class is car crazy.. not for the convenience, but for the percieved "status". Many people would rather spend hours sitting in their little private bubble commuting to/from their new gated apartment complex to work and essentials than live in a more convenient location.

To combat this, the regional government has been gutsy in how it discourages driving..they have pico y placa, they have given priority to transit with TransMilenio.. despite a huge fleets of taxis, tons of busetas many stubbornly aspire to the car. It's quite backwards. Bogota is denser than central Paris, there simply isn't space for it to be a car-oriented society.

My preferred location would be northern Chapinero (Chap Alto?), from about Calle 60 up to about Calle 75, a block on either side of la septima.. probably one block west since it's cheaper than the east side and closer to Ave Caracas and TransMilenio. .

Everything you need for daily life is walking distance (groceries, restaurants, book stores, music stores, pharmacy, etc) no need to waste time sitting in traffic (and circling blocks looking for parking) for essential goods or activities. Imho my time is precious - being stuck in traffic is the ultimate waste of it.

Chapinero is also the district with the highest-percentage of foreign-born residents... makes it feel more like other big cities with maybe a bit more diversity. It's a very active area, office buildings mixed in with residential, shops, etc - lots of people out going about daily life in stark contrast to other areas of the city (the one I love to pick on the most is sterile Salitre).

I think a regular commute from Chia to central Bogota would kill me.. for a more rural feel somewhere off of the Calera road would be more appealing - but you would still be totally tied to a car.

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Gator says on Aug 23, 2008, 19:05:

¡Admirn, exaco! Our car seldom leaves the garage these days and we walk a block and a half to the Carulla's on Cl 72. A ton of restaurants, banks, small stores and malls are close. Not that far to the TM but coming back to the apartmento up the longgggggggggg hill is a bitch.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Aug 23, 2008, 19:10:

Gator. That is the Carulla I've gone to my whole life. We had a place on Cra 3 and Calle 61 when I was a munchkin. We actually still go there since we are now in Rosales Reservado(one of the newer high rise complexes).

I was in that Carulla recently and someone told me it is the oldest one in Bogota. Now I know it's been around since the 70s, but I am not sure that is true. Have you heard that?

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Gator says on Aug 23, 2008, 19:58:

Posssible under another name. We love the bakery and often, if the weather cooperates, have a tinto on on the little patio. The RR is very nice (more than "nice") and we have looked at it in passing. Mrs. Gator loves the garden-green area.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Aug 23, 2008, 20:52:

Man. I've loved that bakery since I was a little kid. My gamin ass would run around Chapinero all day and stop off at the Carulla bakery whenever my friends and I got hungry. There was a little place on the other side of 72 that sold great obleas. I don't think it's there any more.

Yep. I love the RR. It reminds me of the complexes you see on the east side of Hong Kong. If my family ever decides to sell that apartment, I hope I have enough scratch to buy it myself. That is the only place I'd want to live in Bogota. You can't beat the location.

I've shut up a few ignorant gringos who thought that Colombia is a backwater with chickens on every street by showing them pictures of that place. They can't believe that places that nice exist in Colombia. It makes their heads spin when I explain that the residents' elevator takes you to your apartment just by putting your thumb on the fingerprint scanner.

Of course, it wouldn't be Colombia if basic things like the lighting on the putt putt course hadn't been out for months. Here's my silly ass playing putt putt in the dark with a way too short putter.

If you recall, I told you I'm a freak when it comes to the Bogota cold. Everyone else was wearing coats and all I had on was that thin sweater

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Alidad says on Aug 24, 2008, 06:01:

thanks all for advice and replies.. Ali

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