Bogota Colombia

Bogota, the capitol of Colombia is located in a large plateau in top of the Andean mountain range, in the heart of Colombia at an elevation of 2,600 meters above sea level (8530 ft above sea level).

By 2010 the population of Bogota was around 8 million people.

The city displays a cold mountain climate with an average temperature of 14°C (57 F), that fluctuates from 7°C to 19°C (44-66 F); there are no seasons as in the USA or Europe, but there are rainy periods mainly on April, May, September and November, and dryer periods mainly on January, February, July, August, and December.

Being the Colombian Administrative and Political center, the main governmental institutions are located in this city, including Congress (Capitolio Nacional), the Supreme Court (Palacio de Justicia), the Presidency of Colombia (Casa de Nariño), and the Foreign Affairs Ministry (Palacio San Carlos), the Constitutional Court of Justice, and the Council of State.

The head of government in the city is the Mayor of Bogota (Samuel Moreno 2008-2011) who is elected by direct vote every 4 years, and the Mayor is supported by the 20 Locality Mayors he elects  to run each of the 20 localities in Bogota (Usaquén, Chapinero, Santa Fe, San Cristóbal, Usme. Tunjuelito, Bosa, Kennedy, Fontibón, Engativá, Suba, Barrios Unidos, Teusaquillo, Los Mártires, Antonio Nariño, Puente Aranda, La Candelaria or the Historical Center, Rafael Uribe Uribe, Ciudad Bolívar and Sumapaz). The Legislative Power in the city is represented by the District Council. The Bogota’s Supreme Court is the one representing the judicial power in the city.

It also has Local Administrative Committees which are elected by vote every 4 years. Bogota also has several support institutions such as the Health, Mobility, Education, Environment, Social Integration and the Sports and Recreation Secretariats, among others.

Bogota Tourism

Being one of the most important metropolis in Latin-America, Bogota offers a great cultural, educational, recreational and commercial display, and it is home to important events such as the Book Fair (Feria del Libro), Arts and Crafts Fair (Expo-Artesanías), the Spanish-American Theatrical Festival (Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro), the Agricultural Exposition (Agro-expo) and the Park Festivals such as Rock al Parque, Jazz al Parque, Salsa al Parque, etc.

There are important museums in the city as well, such as the National Museum, the Gold Museum, Botero’s Museum, the Silva Poetry House, the Coinage House, the Modern Art Museum and Children’s Museum. There are also great archives keeping track of the history of the city and Colombia such as the National General Archive, the Archive of Bogota, and excellent libraries such as the National Library, Luis Ángel Arango Library, El Tintal Library, El Tunal Library, Virgilio Barco Library, the National Newspaper Archive and Casa Rafael Pombo; there are also great theaters such as Colón, La Candelaria, El Camarín del Carmen and León de Greiff.

The educational system in the city is vast and the educational level offered by public and private institutions, schools and universities, are among the best in Colombia and Latin-America.  Some of the best known universities are Los Andes, La Javeriana, La Nacional, El Rosario, La Sabana, El Externado and La Salle, among others.

Sport facilities throughout the city have been home to both national and international events. The best known facilities are the Campin Stadium, the High Performance Center, the Sports Palace, and El Salitre Coliseum, not including the many clubs and parks where you can walk, jog, or play golf, and more. There are also some important events such as the Half Marathon, highways for bicycles on Sundays and more.

Commerce in Bogota is very diverse and abundant because lots of products come to the city from all over Colombia and the world. Lots of first world shopping malls are located throughout the city, some of which are Santafé, Unicentro, Boulevard Niza, Gran Estación, Atlantis, Andino, Palatino, Hacienda Santa Barbará, and Galerías. There are lots of outlets and factory sales where you can find anything from emeralds, jewelry, crafts, antiques, clothes, shoes and more.

For families the entertainment is guaranteed. There are lots of theme parks such as the Botanical Garden, Panaca, the Planetarium, Maloka, Salitre Mágico, Mundo Aventura, the Children’s Museum (Museo de los Niño) and Divercity. For those who want to spend a fun time the city at night time, there are lots of places such Usaquén, Zona Rosa (Pink Area), Parque de la 93 (93 St Park) and La Candelaria (the historical center of Bogota). And for those wanting to get out of the city, there are lots towns outside the city such as Calera, Sopo, Chía, Tabio, Tenjo, Fusa, Melgar, Girardot, Guatavita, La Vega, Cajicá and Zipaquirá, where people can enjoy the extreme sports or beautiful scenery offers. Other places to visit are the Quinta de Bolívar, a building with historical, political and architectonic relevance, as well as the Monserrate’s Church that oversees Bogota from a higher altitude, which you can visit after a walk or a ride on cable car or funicular.

The city also offers lots of health care institutions, including Santafé Foundation, Reina Sofía Clinic, Abood-Sahio Foundation, Barraquer Clinic and The Country Clinic. Bogota is becoming day after day as the preferred destination for patients looking for plastic surgeries and other health care services both for patients from other Colombian regions, and patients coming from abroad.

The religious tradition in the city has been predominantly catholic but most religions have their representation. There are lots of churches but the main one is the Primate Cathedral. There are also Buddhist Centers, Mosques, Synagogues, Orthodox Churches, and Protestant Temples.

Bogota Travel & Entertainment

There are two typical dishes every visitor has to try in Bogota: Ajiaco, a soup containing chicken, different kinds of potatoes, corn, cream, caper, with a side dish of avocado. And the other dish is the Tamal a corn dough including pieces of meat, chicken, pork, carrots, vetch, and chickpeas, wrapped up in a plantain leaf and offered with hot cocoa.

The main airport in the city is El Dorado Airport, receiving both international and national flights. There is also a bus terminal from which the traveler can get to any point in Colombia by bus.

There is a large transportation offer including rental services, taxis, buses, and the well-known Transmilenio, which is being expanded throughout the city, and which ticket is only $1,600 (US$0.85). Also, the construction of a metro rail system in Bogota will be finished in a few years, according to the Mayor in office.

The city also has permanent paved ways exclusive for bicycles, which are becoming in a green alternative for many.

The main highways to access the city are the North Highway (Autopista Norte) and the Seventh Rout (Carrera Séptima) by the north, connecting Bogota with Boyaca and Santander; by the south, Boyaca Avenue, 68 Avenue, South Highway, connecting Bogota with Tolima, Huila, Cauca and Valle; by the west, 13^th Street, 80^th Street and Medellin Highway, connecting Bogota with Medellin, Caldas, Antioquia and the Atlantic coastal area. Some other important highways are the NQS or Route 30, Encircle Road (Circunvalar), Caracas Avenue, Suba Avenue, Américas Avenue and 26^th Street or El Dorado Avenue, connecting Bogota with El Dorado Airport.

In the past few years there is a restrictive measure called “pico y placa” where vehicles are assigned days in which can’t be moved between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., depending on the last number of the license plate (by May 2010 that restriction: Monday 3,4,5,6; Tuesday 7,8,9,0; Wednesday 1,2,3,4; Thursday 5,6,7,8, Friday 9,0,1,2).

Places you should visit in Bogota

If you are in Bogota, some of the points of interest you shouldn’t miss are:

• La Candelaria Neighborhood, the area where most of the political and administrative institutions are located. The architecture is quite distinctive and there are lots of cultural events in a daily basis. Pay attention to architecture, restaurants, and events.
• Gold Museum, one of the most important museums in Colombia, with over 30,000 gold artifacts and sculptures, ceramics and crafts from pre-Columbian times.
• El Tequendama Falls, at only 30 kms (19 miles) from Bogota, it is one of the higher falls in Colombia with over 130 meters high (426 ft). Enjoy the scenery and the stories locals tell you about this place.
• Monserrate Church, one of the best known churches in Bogota, and peregrination site. You will be able to see the entire city and beyond from the church site.
• Bolivar Plaza, the plaza where all the political powers are concentrated. History and architecture surround this plaza. Ask your tour guide to tell you about that.

Bogota Real Estate

Bogota has many amazing real estate opportunities in both residential and commercial. Our blog will provide continual articles on average price per meter, best places to buy, the buying process for foreigners, and much more.

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