First time · Bogotá
First time in BogotáBogotá
Bogotá is a museum-and-café city at 2,600 m: do La Candelaria's museums in the morning, expect afternoon rain and slow traffic, and take a booked car after dark instead of walking between neighbourhoods.
The honest verdict
Bogotá's sights are clustered in the old centre, but the city is 30 km long, cool and rainy, and traffic turns a 5 km ride into 40 minutes. The trips that go wrong walk the centre after dark, cross the city at rush hour, or climb Monserrate on the first day at altitude. Four clusters cover a first visit: Candelaria for museums, La Macarena for the national museum and dinner, Zona T for restaurants, Usaquén for the Sunday market.
You will like
- Museums with strong collections
- Cool weather and coffee
- Street murals and food markets
What wears you down
- Rain and traffic
- Altitude on day one
- Dark, empty streets at night
Where to stay on a first visit
- La CandelariaFor: First visit, museum-focused, 2–3 nightsEverything is a walk; accept the early-evening curfew on walking.
From the airport
El Dorado International Airport (BOG)
- Fastest and cheapest
- Booked car or official airport taxi to the door · about 45 min · about COP 60,000
Typical ride times and fares, 2026 desk estimates (check). Last services and night options are on the gateway page.
How long to stay
- 2 days
- La Candelaria museums + Museo Nacional and La Macarena
- 3 days
- Candelaria, Macarena with Monserrate, Usaquén market on the last morning
- 5 days
- Three city days + a Zipaquirá salt cathedral day trip + one slow day
Three mistakes to avoid
- Fake or unlicensed taxis quoting an inflated fare: use an app (inDriver, Cabify, Uber operates in a legal grey area) or a radio taxi booked by the hotel, and confirm the fare or meter before moving.(Scams)
- Plaza de Bolívar can host protests: leave if a march forms.(Survive · red lines)
- Do not walk between neighbourhoods after dark; book a car at the door.(Survive · safety)
Money and SIM
- Budget day
- COP 120,000–200,000 excl. bed
- Paying
- Cards work in most restaurants, hotels and malls; carry COP 20,000–50,000 in small notes for taxis, markets, tips and street food. Contactless and tap-to-pay are common in Bogotá chains.
- Cash
- Keep COP 100,000 in small notes for taxis, markets and tips; withdraw at ATMs inside banks or malls in daytime, not on the street.
- SIM
- Carrier counter in El Dorado arrivals (Claro, Movistar, Tigo): Straightforward with a passport; buy at the branded counter, not a reseller.
Etiquette: the top three
- Greetings
- A handshake for first meetings; a single cheek kiss (right cheek) between women, or a woman and a man, once you know someone.
- Dress
- Bogotá dresses a notch smarter and warmer than a beach city — bring layers, not shorts and flip-flops.
- Tipping
- A 10% service charge on restaurant bills is voluntary; you can ask for it removed if service was poor.
The best time to go
Jan: Dry season; cool mornings, sunny days.
A first day
Day 1 — Candelaria museums, a 13:00 lunch table
Start about 08:30
Fixed point: Lunch table 13:00 (Candelaria)
Hotel or a café 14:00–16:00; back to the hotel before dusk.
Timed version: Bogotá in 3 days