Bogotá, Colombia

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Bogota is one of South America's most happening cities. It has culture, bohemia, cafes, parties, art, dance and business. Bogota is booming, and now is a great time to go. Bogotanos are friendly and sophisticated. And yes, it's quite safe.

Most travelers land in Bogota as their first stop in Colombia, and spend just a day or two. Others stay for weeks, months or years.

Population: 7.5 million Elevation: 2650 meters. Average temperature: 14 degrees Celcius. Tel: 1 | Editing history.

Places to stay:

The most popular area to stay in is La Candelaria. Bogota used to have just a few cheap hostels, but the last few years dozens of cheap hostels have surfaced, keeping prices low. There are plenty of new hostels that are worth a try that are not in the guidebooks yet (although many of them have already made it onto poorbuthappy).

no price-range entered:

Lucana´s (0 comments) Avenida Nutibara # 70 91 Tel: 0057-4-5804623 Tel: 0057-300 6190700 Website: www.lucana.us Website: Email: lucanaus at gmail dot com Email: lucana at une dot net dot co Cheapest night: 15 US$/night. Private rooms available.
Just in front of the University Bolivariana, nice place.

ChapiNorte B&B (1 comments) Carrear 15 No 75-35
45,000 COP for a single, cheapest room I've found close to the Zona Rosa. Spartan accomodations, rooms are not cleaned every day. Bring your own toilet paper. Note, many of the guests are long-term locals.

cheap:

Platypus Hostel (6 comments) Calle 16 No 2-43 Tel: 352 01 27 Tel: 341 28 74 Website: http://platypusbogota.com Email: platypushotel at yahoo dot com Cheapest night: 5 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
In La Candelaria, the Platypus hostel is one of the classic hostels of Colombia. German, the owner, has traveled all over the world before opening his own hostel in Colombia. It's a great place to land and plan your trip in Colombia with local information. Platypus has a common area with tables, a kitchen you can use, a book exchange, hot showers, free wifi, inexpensive internet and free coffee. The rooms are basic but clean. Dorm beds 15000 pesos (US$ 6), double without bathroom 30000 pesos (US$ 12). Herman also has a few houses next door where he can put you up if there is space and you want to stay a bit longer. The Platypus is also a good place to ask around for options for staying longer term.

Hostal Sue (2 comments) 16 # 2 - 55 Tel: +571 341 2647 Tel: +571 314 464 0774 Website: http://www.suecandelaria.com/ Email: info at suecandelaria dot com Cheapest night: 8 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
Hostal Sue is a cheerful budget hostel, right next door to the Platypus. They have the usual services, kitchen, laundry service, free internet and table tennis. A dorm bed is 14000 pesos, a single room is 25000, a double is 35000.

Hotel Internacional (1 comments) Carrera 5 No 14-45, opposite the Tel: 341 3151 Tel: 342 3768 Email: hotelinternacionalbogota at hotmail dot com Cheapest night: 5 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
Hotel Internacional is a decent cheapie, dorm beds are 13000 (US$ 5) per person, rooms with bathroom are 20000 (US$ 8) for a single, 35000 for 2 people, 45000 for 3 and 55000 for 4. Popular with budget travellers. There's a kitchen to use.

Centro Plaza (0 comments) Carrera 4 No 13-12 Tel: 286 15 80 Tel: 243 3818 Website: http://www.hotelcentroplaza.com/ Email: hotelcentroplaza at gmail dot com Cheapest night: 7 US$/night. Private rooms available.
Dorm beds are 18000 (US$ 7), doubles are 45000 (US$ 20). The owner is Israeli and that's clear in the decoration of the hotel. There's a kosher restaurant and internet cafe attached.

Hotel Santa Fe (0 comments) Calle 14 No 4-48 Tel: 342 05 60 Private rooms available.
One of two deliciously run-down hotels in La Candelaria. Rooms are big, have high ceilings, the hotel has a lot of wood and looks like it hasn't been renovated since the 1920s, which in this case is a good thing. It's not super clean, but you get that old-school charm instead. Rooms for 1 person are 27000 pesos, 2 people 41000 pesos, 3 people 54000 pesos.

Hotel Dorantes (0 comments) Calle 13, between Carrera 5 and 6 Private rooms available.
Similar to hotel Santa Fe, it might even be more visually charming, but it's just as run down. Rambling wood and high ceilings, and great light to take some pictures. It would make a good movie set. 35000 for a single, 45000 for a double.

Hotel Avenida Jimenez (3 comments) Av Jimenez No 4-71 Tel: 243 66 85 Tel: 286 7303 Private rooms available.
This place has small (some say claustrophic) but clean rooms with bathroom at 40000 (US$ 18) for a double, 50000 pesos for 2 double beds and 60000 pesos for 3 double beds (a great deal if you happen to travel with 3 couples that don't mind sharing a room?) It's a good place for a night if the great places are full, and well located.

La Casona del Patio Amarillo (1 comments) Carrera 8 No. 69 - 24 Tel: 2128805 Website: http://www.lacasonadelpatio.net/ Email: casona at telecom dot com dot co Private rooms available.
A great budget option in the north of Bogota, it charges US$ 20 for a nice double. It's not the best located, but a nice atmospheric budget place to stay.

Martha's Apartments (1 comments) Calle 22 and Esperanza Avenue, Salitre Pijao Tel: 361-4394 Tel: 295-9222 Website: www.welovebogota.com Email: apartmentrentals at welovebogota dot com Email: roomrentals at welovebogota dot com Cheapest night: 18 US$/night. Private rooms available.
Martha's is an apartment where you can rent rooms, with lots of closet space and cable tv. There is a small balcony off the master bedroom with a good view. There's a kitchen you can use with all utensils, microwave etc.Rooms start at $17.99 a night.

Casa Platypus (2 comments) Carrera 3 No. 16 - 28 Tel: (57-1) 281.1801 Website: http://www.casaplatypus.com/ Private rooms available.
A new hostel from the owner of the classic Platypus hostel, this one is aimed at "the parents of the travelers" - the rooms are a little classier with private baths, the prices are still low, the service still super friendly. It's an old colonial house with a beautiful patio and a rooftop terrace. It's just around the corner from the Platypus hostel.

El Cafecito (0 comments) Cr 6 # 34 - 70 Website: http://www.cafecito.net/ Email: bogota at cafecito dot net Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
An inviting combination of a cafe on the first floor and a hostel upstairs, with dorm beds and 2 private rooms. They also have cafecitos in Quito and Cuenca (Ecuador).

Hostal Fatima (4 comments) Calle 14 # 2-24 Tel: (571) 281 63 89 Tel: 283 64 11 Website: http://www.hostalfatima.com Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
In a 150 years-old colonial building, yet another good hostel option in La candelaria.

Posada del SOL - Bogota (0 comments) Calle 9, No 3-71, La Candelaria, Bogota Tel: (+57 1) 342 7105 Website: http://www.posada-bogota.com Email: posadadelsol dot bogota at gmail dot com Cheapest night: 6 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
Brand new hostel in La Candelaria. The owner Danny, a RTW traveler since 2003 and PADI professional dive master, is an excellent information source for traveling Colombia. The hostel has all new and clean facilities and lots of space to take a rest. HD-movie theater, 2 fully equipped kitchens, video game system, free use of internet(4Mb speed) & WIFI, top quality innerspring mattresses from El DoradoTM, 24 hours hot shower, BBQ party on every Thursday night. Room rates are COP$15,000~$45,000. Also, the hostel offers private Spanish classes, by qualified teachers from Los Andes University. *The location is just few blocks away from the president's palace and Plaza Bolivar. This guarantees better security in La Candelaria area.

Hostel Odeon (0 comments) Calle 54 (Carracas) No 49 - 38, Tel: 513-1404 Tel: 511-1360 Cheapest night: 11 US$/night.
Hoatel is around the Parque de Bolivar, is another (perhaps more decent) cheapie with rooms with bathroom at 25000 (US$ 11) for a single, 35000 for a double

Los Faroles Azules (0 comments) Calle 62 #14-45 Tel: 235-3098 Cheapest night: 10 US$/night. Private rooms available.
A very clean love hotel with fantastic rates next to a Transmelenio station. You may have to ask but you can get a very clean room, cable, very hot water for $25000 a night, 30000 on Fridays and Saturdays. Fantastic Value and outstanding service. Good, safe area between central Bogota and the north. Perfect if you want to get to know both parts. Way cleaner than any other hotel that has low rates.

midrange:

Abadia Colonial (1 comments) Calle 11 No 2 - 32 Tel: 341 18 84 Website: http://www.abadiacolonial.com Email: abadiacolonial at gmail dot com Private rooms available.
One of the few boutique hotels in Colombia. It is small and set in a beautiful colonial house. Rooms are clean with private bathroom and comfy beds, and they even have a heater in each room, something that can be handy in chilly Bogota but that you almost never find. Single rooms are 90000 pesos (US$ 40), doubles are 13000. There's a tea room too.

Capital House Hostel (0 comments) Calle 24a # 44a - 79 Tel: 311 592 6246 Tel: 300 300 5483 Email: diegotenorio74 at hotmail dot com Email: dande at samerica dot com Cheapest night: 8 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
A block from the United States Embassy, this place has seven rooms with bathrooms (towels provided), hot showers, TV and free wifi. Dorm beds are 22,000 COP (US$ 8 - 11), single rooms are US$25-27, doubles a bit more expensive.

Global Hostel (0 comments) Carrera 35 #7-58 Zona Rosa Cheapest night: 23 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
A "boutique" (ie. more expensive) hostel, a few blocks away from Parque Lleras, with free internet & breakfast.

Things to do:

Plan your further travels in Colombia, do some partying, get to know other travelers, and take in the bohemian atmosphere of the beautiful Candelaria area. Or stick around and teach English.

Bogota has a beautiful colonial area, "La Candelaria", that is great fun with lots of beautiful colored houses, bohemian cafes, arts and theater and so on. The other area popular with travelers is the "Zona Rosa", which is a modern party area. Most travelers stay in La Candelaria.

La Candelaria is probably the best place to hang out and stay. It's a colonial area, with beautiful houses painted in all kinds of colors, surrounded by universities (so there are lots of young people) and filled with funky theaters and cafes. There's a lot of graffiti too, but even that manages to blend in and the mix looks great.

La Candelaria is a great area to have a discussion about arts over a beer. Or to sit on the ground listen to a cuentero (a story-teller), if your Spanish is good enough. Or to drink an aromatica (a herbal tea) from a street vendor, eat an arepa from a hole-in-the-wall shop or eat a plate of morcilla (blood sausage) from another street vendor. Drink chicha (a special kind of alcoholic brew) in one of the many bars, or just a warm wine or a canelazo (sugarcane with alcohol drink).

Or you can just walk in one of the many theaters and see a play, or in one of the many cultural houses and get some poetry done. At night, there's dancing of reggae, salsa, and lots of young, bohemian people.

In La Candelaria, La Plazoletta del Chorro de Quevedo (Calle 13 with Carrera 2) is a good place to start partying. There's a small square and a bunch of cafes around it. Another popular starting place is at Calle 15 with Carrera 4.

In the more modern parts of Bogota you can go to a mall, or watch the latest movies.

Bogota has a lot of museums and historic churches that are easy to visit. There's the famous- and recently revamped - gold museum, at the border of La Candelaria. There are also a lot of free cultural events, like dance events, theatre and so on, that can be fun places to meet Bogotanos. Just check the newspapers.

At Enrique Rodriguez Galvis in La Candelaria (tel 562 29 46, Cr 1 No 12 - 56), you can have a guitar hand-made from about US$ 50 upwards. He has a small funky shop and you can see the guys making guitars.

If you're in Bogota with children, make sure to take them to Divercity. It's a theme park for children ages 3-13 that is both fun and educational. Divercity is a miniature city where children learn about life by pretending to work in different jobs, get a driver's license (they take a 15-minute "class" using bumper cars and get a laminated "license" when they're through!), go shopping for food, and use the "money" they make to shop for food and other things. It is located in the new Santafe mall (Autopista Norte and Calle 183).

Places to eat

There's plenty of cheap food in Bogota, a good lunch can be had from 5000 pesos. Typical are the soups (ajiaco).

There are a bunch of cheap places to eat in La Candelaria, try along Carrera 4 between Calle 14 - 15.. A typical cheap lunch with soup and a main course can cost as little as 5000 pesos (US$ 2.2). You can buy pizza and other snacks all throughout La Candelaria.

L'Jaim, Cr 3 No 14 - 79), open from 11AM to 6PM, is a great Isreali restaurant with friendly owners who can help out with travel tips and such. They serve shawarma, falafel, and a lunch special for 7200 pesos (US$ 3).

Mora Mora (Carrera 3A No 15 - 98, on the corner from Platypus) is a juice-shop that serves breakfast and juices, but opens too late for breakfast (around 10:00am). (It was closed for rennovation in 2008)

Casa Vieja is a good (ie. fancy) restaurant in La Candelaria. It's a good place to invite someone if you want a very typical Colombian experience. It's a bit more expensive than a standard meal, a typical meal is around 20000 pesos (US$ 8). They serve Colombian classics like Ajiaco (soup from Bogota). It's only open for lunch, there is a branch in the center of Bogota that's open for dinner too.

Menta y Miel (Carrera 4 No 14 - 92, tel 3 421991) is a good place for breakfast: you can have fruit salad, eggs, the works, and it tends to be open at breakfast time (except on Sunday).

Cafeteria Romana (Avenida Jimenez No 6 - 65, tel 334 81 35) is a 50s-style coffee-house like you can find in various places in Colombia. You can have a coffee with some cake or have lunch in a 50s diner-style setting. Not touristy at all!

Andante non Troppo (Carrera 3) has the best bread in La Calendaria. Their breakfast is tasty, croissants amazing, and cappucinos are good too. Nice music, bright sitting area.

Carbon de Palo Avenida 19 with Calle 106 or Carrera 6 with calle 70 Considered one of the best steakhouses in the city by Bogotanos. Tender beef served in generous portions. Impeccable service. Full service bar & moderate pric bar & extensive wine list. Moderate to expensive.Great service.

Guillo Morilla, Calle 116(Av Pepe Sierra) at about Cra 17. Exellent steakhouse. It is not too well known, but they have some of the best steaks in town. Expect huge portions at a moderate price. Live music on most evenings.

Taking Spanish classes

A lot of travelers take Spanish classes in Bogota, from simple interchange classes (easily arranged in hostels) to long term in-depth courses (at schools or universities). Apart from the resources below, you'll also find ads at Platypus and other hostels.

Individual recommended teachers: * Heidi Tel: 311 565-8650 or 804-6151 * Marcia tel 221 28 41 or 311 241 07 27 * Gustavo tel 493 75 63 * Angel Tel: 674-3733

The following people interchange Spanish classes for English classes. * Gustavo tel 493 75 63 * Laura tel 713 99 36 or 361 37 71 * Margarita tel 341 48 54 or 310 246 33 65 * Tiziana tel 315 263 27 96

A bunch of the universities have Spanish courses for foreigners:

• UNIVERSIDAD DE LA SABANA Km. 21 Autopista Norte de Bogota, D.C. Tels: 861 5555 # 1495 e-mail: studium.desarrollo at unisabana.edu.co
• UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL Calle 29 # Cra 40 Tels: 316 53 35 # 311 67 73
• UNIVERSIDAD JAVERIANA Cra 7 # 40 - 62 Piso 4 Maritza Castro $ 1.920.000 x 120 horas Tels: 320 83 20 Ext 4620 # 320 46 20
• UNIVERSIDAD EXTERNADO Calle 12 # 1 - 17 Este Tels: 282 60 66 # 341 99 00
• UNIVERSIDAD DE LOS ANDES, espaextr at uniandes.co Cra 1 A Este #18 A - 70 Tels: 286 92 11 Ext. 2566
• UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGOGICA Calle 79 # 16 - 32 COP $ 250.000= X nivel / 40 horas Tels: 610 80 00 Rocio Sanchez.

Going out

Bogota is Colombia's party capital. There are all sort of parties: from techno to salsa. Bogota is very happening these days. Bogotanos are friendly and outgoing- and love their whiskey!

The best bet to finding out about nightlife and special events is checking two online resources that are always updated. These are planb.com.co and vive.in.

The Zona Rosa remains king in terms of Bogota nightlife. Dance clubs like Gotica and Cinema still rule the roost with parties featuring both international and beloved local djs. A stunning new addition to the Zona is Penthouse, owned by the folks from Cha Cha.

(This section needs work!)

Theater

There are a lot of theater groups in Bogota. In La Candelaria, there are a bunch of theaters and you can often just walk in, ask when they have a play and watch it 2 hours later. Bogota is also host to one of the best theater festivals in the world.

• Camerin del Carmen, Calle 9 # 4 - 93, tel 283 17 72.
• Teatro Colon, Calle 10 # 5 - 32, tel 284 74 20 or 341 04 75. Large theater groups play here in an historic building.
• Teatro Ditirambo, Calle 45 A #14 - 37, tel 338 03 39.
• Teatro experimental la mama, Calle 63 # 9 - 60, tel 211 27 09.
• Teatro La Candelaria, Calle 12 # 2 - 59, tel 342 03 88 or 286 37 15. A small theater in La Candelaria.
• La Media Torta, Avenida circunvalar con Calle 18, tel 281 77 04. Up some steep stairs in La Candelaria, this open air theater also often has free cultural events.
• Teatro Libre, Calle 13 Nº 2 - 44 and at Calle 62 # 10 - 65, tel 341 96 17 or 217 19 88.
• Teatro Nacional, Calle 71 # 10 - 25, tel 217 45 77 or 235 80 69.
• Teatro Jorge Eliecer Gaitan, Cra 7 # 22 - 47, tel 334 68 00.

Every two years around easter, the city sponsors one of the largest theatre festivals in the world. There are plays in many of the city theatres as well as free street performances all over the city. Top theatre groups from all over the world.

Gay & Lesbian scene

Bogota has an active gay scene. The Chapinero area, a.k.a. "Chapigay," is a popular gay area, with lots of bars, clubs and cafes. Chapinero is also home to a gay and lesbian community center, supported by the city government.

Have a look at this, or have a look at that. Also, this website has a gay and lesbian section that is always updated with party information. Another good resource for things going on, an online guide by El Tiempo newspaper.

• La Oficina.com: Calle 59 Nr. 13 - 22, tel 249 49 98. This slightly trashy bar is always free and is open daily. Dress down!
• Blues Bar: Calle 86A No. 13A-30. Friendly place to go on Thursday nights, or to start your rumba on weekends.
• theatro: in Chapinero, Calle 58 Nr. 10 - 42, tel 249 20 92, US$ 8 cover, a huge disco with several floors. Avoid barra libre promotions- gets messy.
• Lottus: part of the Theatron complex is for men only.
• Village Cafe: Cra 8 Nr. 64 - 29, tel 346 65 92 Friendly cafe - one of the first gay establishments in town.
• Bianca: Calle 72 Nr. 16 - 48.Mostly women, but men welcome in this friendly dive.
• Sungay: This occasional party, in benefit of the gay rights organization Colombia Diversa, is usually held on "puente" Sundays (long weekends). Check their myspace page for party schedule.
• Gotica: (Cra. 14 No. 82-40)This straight disco featuring international djs in the Zona Rosa has a state of the art sound system and is becoming increasingly popular (very popular) with the gay crowd, especially on Saturdays late. Look for their Facebook group to find out about upcoming parties.
• Cavu: (Cra. 15 No. 88-71) Discover what "musica de plancha" is all about on Wednesday nights.
• Chase (Cl. 67 # 4A-91) Just opened! Chase has moved to the "Parque de los Hippies" in Chapinero. Fancy cafe, restaurant, bar, that also serves brunch on the weekends. By the owners of Cavu.

Getting around & transportation:

Bogota is a large city, divided in the modern and rich north, and the poorer south. On the east side of the city are mountains.

Roads (as in most of South America) are divided in Calles and Carreras. Calles go from east to west, Carreras from north to south. Carrera 7 is a main artery going from north to south. And Avenida Jimenez is a road that borders the north of la Candelaria. To go to the start of La Candelaria, for example, you can ask a taxi driver to go to "Avenida Jimenez con cuatro (4th)". In La Candelaria, apart from numbers, roads also have cute names.

The transmilenio is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system that runs on exclusive busways. It works quite well and is a great way to get around town. Tickets cost 75 US cents. You can check here which Transmilenio bus to take online. They also show you different places of interest that might be close to stations. It is disabled friendly. Taxis are cheap too, and there are also lots of buses.

A quick overview of the city.

La Candelaria

Travelguides:

Banks and money: There are casas de cambio (money changing houses) everywhere. They offer decent deals but shop around because rates may differ. However, rates for exchaging cash are significantly lower than the official rate. Do NOT change money on the street if someone offers to pay good cash for your dollars - it's a rip-off. You can also take out money if you carry a credit or debit card. This way you can get the best rate, but be aware of your home bank fees for international withdrawals, Colombian banks don't charge for their use. Be CAREFUL - thieves maybe watching. Do it in the daytime, cover the keyboard while typing your PIN and go back to your hostel to deposit the cash. Also, when paying for something with a credit card, do not let you card out of your sight.

Getting camping gear: There is decent camping equipment for sale in Bogota, although you can perhaps find better quality at cheaper prices if you buy it before you leave in the USA or Europe. You could also try asking around at the hostels, maybe someone is selling something.

Embassies in Bogota: A list of foreign embassies and consulated

The Other Side of Bogota: I lived in Bogota for almost a year. In that year I rented a furnished apartment. I rented it from a woman named Martha. Every day I went out and explored the city. Below are some of my wanderings around the great city of Bogota. I am Canadian and my customs are often very different than the customs of Colombians. Some of their customs are difficult for me to understand and I assume they laugh at the way we behave at times. We are different in many ways but in many ways we are alike.

Need an interpreter?: Hello travelers! My name is Angelica Pinzon and want to offer my services as an english-spanish interpreter. This year I worked in the 2009 Taiwan Expotour around South America and currently work for different companies when an interpreter is required for doing business. I help business people and english speakers to solve their language barriers when visiting our beautiful country.

 

Reviews

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Comments

ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 5, 2008, 13:53: Peter, You might want to add www.fernandosuites.com to your list. They have nice, private apartments in Santa Barbara(Calle 116 & Kra 22) neighborhood with full amenities including wife, phone service and a fully equipped kitchen. Their prices are $90.000 COP a night for a one bedroom, $110.000 for a two bedroom and $130.000 for a three bedroom. They are one of the best deals for apartahotels. Yo me como los mocos debajo de la ruana pa que no me pidan. 0 funny, 0 helpful.

PennilessBliss says on Sep 26, 2008, 14:59: WOW!! I think this is what a lot of the guys on here would love... for under $80 US a night you get a private apartment, full amenities AND a WIFE! That's what I call all inclusive service. Now, in case you want to take her back home with you... how much? 0 funny, 0 helpful.

Peter (Moderator) (Trustee board) (Dev team) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 17, 2008, 01:23: Cogringo: thanks, but that's too expensive for our guide :) Check out the travel guide writing guidelines: http://poorbuthappy.com/about/writing/ Poor but snappy 0 funny, 0 helpful.

shazam (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jan 7, 2009, 19:27: Bizarre that you've got Gotica listed as a gay bar late Saturday night...Gotica doesn't even start until LATE (after 3am) on any night...and it's bascially everyone in Bogota who isn't ready to go home yet and still has the money to party upscale. I've seen RedPapaz (parent policing network) in Gotica more than I've seen it full of gays. 0 funny, 0 helpful.

realstate says on Jul 3, 2009, 07:08: I know another bogota travel guide http://www.bogotatravelguide.com 0 funny, 0 helpful.

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