Bogotá Guide, Colombia

With its current approximately 8 million inhabitants and 20 neighborhoods, Bogotá until a few years ago teetered on the edge between modernity and chaos, threatened by traffic and immigration, smog and the typical chaos of all South American capitals. The Transmilenio project (92 articulated buses) changed everything. The project reorganized traffic and urban mobility, profoundly modifying the city’s life and future. Safety has improved, numerous urban infrastructure projects are underway, the city is very clean, and people are fully reclaiming their neighborhoods. Today Bogotá is vibrant, multicultural, young, a city to enjoy outdoors, especially on foot or by bike mainly on Sundays when many streets are closed to car traffic and open to skaters and cyclists (a full 300 km of bike lanes) or to crowd various parks such as Simon Bolivar Park, Enrique Olaya Herrera National Park, Tercer Milenio Park, or the El Salitre sports complex, or various golf courses open to all. In the city hosting more than 50 museums, many Events dedicated to art (ARTBO in October), music (such as the “Rock al parque” festival in November, “jazz al parque” in September, “salsa al parque” in August, “opera y zarzuela al parque” in November, etc.), theater (“Ibero-American Theater Festival” in March), gastronomy (international gastronomy festival in November), literature (“Book Fair” in April), and many other events and festivals are held. Colombian cuisine offers many dishes, among these the arepas (small turnover with various fillings); and Bogotá’s specialty: ajiaco, a dense stew of stewed chicken with different kinds of potatoes, guascas leaves, and corn, served with cream and capers. On the coast, excellent fish is served.
Tourist attractions. The Gold Museum, Calle 16, 5-41, Tel. 57-1-343-2222; entrance 2,500 pesos, with 34,000 pre-Columbian pieces. The Botero Museum, Calle 11, No. 4-21, Tel. 57-1-343-1223, collection of over 123 Botero works plus an impressive collection of modern pieces. The Candelaria, historic colonial neighborhood with lively rumba houses. The Monserrate Hill (3160 m), to enjoy panoramic views of the city. Zipaquirá, (50 km away), an underground cathedral, rebuilt like the one from 1954 that was carved inside a salt mine. The churches, almost all from the 17th and 18th centuries, in Hispanic-Moorish style. Maloka, an interactive science and technology center. Guatavita Lagoon, a mythical lake linked to the legend of El Dorado. Botanical Garden, (Tel. +571 437 7060). 200 km away, Villa de Leyva, a splendid colonial town founded in 1572 and declared a National Monument. Hotels: Hostería Duruelo, Hotel Plaza Mayor or El Molino de Mesopotamia. Bogotá is Colombia’s top destination for congresses, conventions, and trade fairs. It has a total of 193 meeting rooms (from 15 to 1,300 delegates) to host every type of event. The two most important venues are: the Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada Convention Center and Corferias, in the heart of the industrial area. The offer is complemented by the Tequendama Intercontinental Hotel with its Auditorium, the Compensar Auditorium, and the Salitre Business Center of the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, in the nearby Boyacá department by a lake, the Paipa Hotel with its Congress Center. In Bogotá there are 19 luxury hotels and 10 first-class hotels, totaling about 4,051 rooms.
Transport: The international “El Dorado” airport, the only one in Bogotá, is served from Italy via Paris (AirFrance), via Madrid (Avianca, Iberia, or Aircomet). Flag carrier is AVIANCA.
Upon leaving the country, an airport departure tax of about USD$ 33.00 is charged. The taxi ride from the airport to downtown takes about 35 minutes and costs around 15,000 pesos or €5.
Climate: Bogotá is at an altitude of 2640 meters above sea level. Average temperature: 14°C. The minimum ranges between 5 and 8°C – The maximum is 20.9°C. Least rainy months: January, February, December, March. Rainiest months: May, April, June, October.