How to see Bogotá in 3 days

Three days in Bogotá is just enough time to take in the major sites and explore the city’s cosmopolitan scene. The mile-high capital of one of the most biodiverse countries on earth offers plenty of museum-hopping and graffiti-gazing in the historic colonial center, chances to explore the Andean peaks that cradle the city, and markets to get lost in. But at the center of Bogotá's heart is its food—and there’s always time (and a place) to sit down for a meal at some of South America’s top restaurants. Each day here is an adventure—one that ends dancing ‘til you drop.

Although the 10 million–strong metropolis sprawls across a high-altitude plateau, most attractions are located in a tight central corridor that hugs the slopes of the lush Cordillera Oriental range. To make sure you don’t miss a thing in Bogotá, we put together a three-day itinerary packed with museums, meals, mountain views, and more.

Kick off the day with a fresh cup of premium Colombian joe and a typical pastel (try the gloria, a flaky affair filled with guava paste and creamed sugar) at Juan Valdez in Parque de los Periodistas, a large plaza and transit hub in the city center.

Then, walk just a block down Calle 16 to the Gold Museum. This massive structure houses artifacts from complex pre-Columbian Indigenous civilizations, including the Muisca, who the Spanish believed lived in El Dorado—a city made of gold. There are more than 34,000 items in the museum’s collection, and while you won’t be able to see everything in a single morning, make sure to seek out the “Muisca Raft,” featuring a chieftain who was said to adorn himself in gold powder instead of jewelry. The exhibits are in English and Spanish, and you can opt for a guided audio tour as you weave through the museum.

Right next to the museum is La Candelaria, Bogotá’s 500-year-old city center. Grab lunch at the Plaza Mercado de La Concordia, a recently renovated neighborhood market stocked with fresh produce and gourmet Colombian products. Don’t miss chocolates hand crafted by Afro-Colombian communities at Late Chocó. For lunch, try the ajiaco, Bogota’s trademark steaming potato and chicken stew at Recetas de la Abuela, one of a half-dozen eateries surrounding the sunny market patio.

After lunch, walk up pedestrian-only Calle de Embudo. The street is lined with cafes, artsy shops, and chicha (a traditional, sour drink made of fermented corn) bars all the way up to the Choro de Quevado, a plaza built around the fountain where Bogotá was founded. Follow the crowds down to Calle 11 and pop into the Botero Museum, home to the exaggerated statues and paintings from Colombia’s most iconic visual artist. Ease into the evening and catch the spectacular sunset at Plaza Bolivar, home to the palatial Cathedral Primada de Bogotá—the largest cathedral in the country.

LA CANDELARIA TOUR OPTIONS

Just up Calle 11 from the Plaza Bolivar, La Aquelarre (The Coven) serves elevated takes on Colombian regional classics like mixed seafood chontaduro (peach palm) curry alongside a brujeria (witchcraft) inspired cocktail list. After dinner, check out Quebra Canto, a two-story historic mansion turned live music venue where some of the city’s top salsa bands play every weekend.

Perched over downtown Bogotá like a sentinel, the 17th-century monastery atop Mount Monserrate is a must-visit. There are two ways to get up to the gleaming white landmark: take the long, stone, paved trail (a serious cardio workout that takes about an hour) or hop on either the teleferico (cable car) or funicular that’ll have you there in about 10 minutes and costs about $10 each way.

The views from the top are unbeatable. There's also a church, Monserrate Sanctuary, at its peak. To build the sanctuary—which dates back to 1640—bricks were carried up the mountain one by one. If you’re interested in going inside, masses are held daily between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. and from noon to 2 p.m.

After heading back down Monserrate, take a taxi to Paloquemao, Bogotá’s gigantic central market. Here, tucked away behind mountains of unique-to-Colombia fruits, you’ll find dozens of local food stalls alongside several Mexican and Peruvian restaurants. Take your pick for lunch, you won’t be disappointed.

After lunch take another cab to the Bogotá Botanical Gardens. With temperature-controlled domes that house living ecosystems from across the country—everything from the Amazon rainforest to the succulent-studded Paramo—the garden is a fascinating place to get to know Colombia’s unparalleled biodiversity, including the over 5,000 species of orchids that are endemic here.

MARKET AND GARDENS TOUR OPTIONS

Located in the Chapinero Alto neighborhood, Bogotá’s Gastronomical Zone (Zona G) is home to dozens of cutting-edge restaurants. Top picks include MiniMal, which fuses Amazonian and Pacific ingredients into critically acclaimed creations, and Leo, a restaurant from Leonor Espinosa, one of the best chefs in the world. Her 13-course menu is a culinary tour de force through the Colombian landscape. After dinner, wander down to Chapinero, where you can dance till dawn in the 30+ different rooms of Theatron, the largest LGBTQ+ nightclub in South America.

On Sundays and national holidays, several Bogotá main streets are closed to vehicular traffic and turned over to bikes and pedestrians only. The Ciclovia, which is now copied in smaller cities across the country, is a full-on street party that should not be missed. Bike rentals and bicycle tours of the Ciclovia are available at Bogotá Bike Tours in La Candelaria.

Take the hour-long bike ride from the center, or a 20-minute taxi, to Usaquen. Once a small pueblo located just north of Bogotá, it was swallowed up as the city rapidly grew in the 20th century. Its historic streets and postcard-perfect central plaza are now home to the largest artisan market in South America. Fine art and traditional handicrafts are abundant here; the perfect spot for some souvenir shopping.

BOGOTÁ NATURE TOURS OPTIONS

Usaquen is also a restaurant hotspot: Grab a perfectly grilled Colombian-style steak at La Bonga de Sinu or some freshly prepared ceviche at La Mar, the Bogotá outpost of Peruvian celebrity chef Gaston Acurio.

After dinner, head to the Zona Rosa, a bustling shopping and nightlife district located minutes from Usaquen. Grab a locally brewed craft beer at Bruder MicroCerverceria or an import at El Irish Bar—both sport large patios overlooking Zona T, a pedestrian-only passageway where Bogotá’s well-heeled strut their stuff.