By making Bogotá your headquarters for a week-long stay in Colombia, you get a little of everything: the rhythm of Colombian life and an opportunity venture further afield to explore one of Colombia’s best preserved colonial towns as well as take in an exhilarating nature hike.
Fly into Bogotá. Set in the Andes at an elevation of 2,625 meters (8,612 feet), the Colombian capital city can be especially cool, so pack some layers and an umbrella. In the late afternoon, wander the historic Candelaria district and visit the world-famous Museo del Oro. Stay at the Casa Platypus downtown.
Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá, Colombia. Photo © Andrew Dier.
Take a bus or hire a car for the 3.5-hour trip to the low-key pueblo of Villa de Leyva, one of Colombia’s best preserved colonial towns, in the department of Boyacá.
Enjoy the unique atmosphere in Villa de Leyva by walking its stone streets. Check out the woolen ruanas (ponchos) at Alieth Tejido Artesanal, and if you have time, check out the Convento del Santo Ecce Homo in the desert nearby.
Stay at the Casa Viena Hostel or splurge at the Hotel Plaza Mayor, where the views are great.
Visit the Santuario Flora y Fauna Iguaque just outside of town and hike to the mist-shrouded Laguna Iguaque for some morning exhilaration. Relax in Villa de Leyva for the evening.
Return to Bogotá and, if it’s a weekend day, go to the top of the Torre Colpatria for an incredible 360-degree view of the massive city. Spend a night in the Zona Rosa and splurge on a meal at Andrés Carne de Res, Colombia’s most famous restaurant. Here, the line between dining and rumba gets blurred at around 8 o’clock.
If the next morning is a Sunday, enjoy the city’s Ciclovía by renting a bike and joining the thousands of Bogotanos hitting the streets for a little exercise. If it’s not a Sunday, you can still stroll the streets.
Check out more of our Colombia best-of travel itineraries with five days in San Agustín, Popayán, and Cali, or make it six exploring Medellín and the Coffee Region.×
Bogotá
Boyacá and the Santanderes
Excerpted from the First Edition of Moon Colombia.
