Muisca gold, colonial churches and the night Bolívar jumped out of a window.
At 2,600 metres, between the eastern hills and the savannah, Bogotá keeps its oldest neighbourhood in La Candelaria: steep streets, whitewashed houses with wooden balconies, 16th-century churches and the buildings where Colombia's history was decided. Three free routes to explore its historic centre on foot, from the flower vase of 1810 to the legend of El Dorado.
Choose your free tour
All routes are free and can be combined. If it’s your first visit, start with the mixed route.
Gold coins struck by hand, a flower vase used as a trigger, a Capitol that took 78 years to build and the birthplace of the man who translated the Rights of Man.
The legend of El Dorado, the grave of the executed, the murder that split the 20th century in two, a palace in flames, a founder who never found rest and the night Bolívar jumped out of a window.
The Gold Museum, the city's oldest church, Plaza de Bolívar, the Colón Theatre, the Botero Museum and the Chorro de Quevedo in a single walk.
The map
The routes cross in the old town. Tap a point to see which story awaits you there.
Filled points already have a published article; the rest are in the works.
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A day in the city
Link the three routes and you will see the best of the city on foot, for free: the mixed route in the morning, history in the afternoon and legends as the sun goes down.
Morning
Afternoon
Early evening
Where to eat. Try Ajiaco santafereño at La Puerta Falsa.
What to eat
The dishes you can’t leave without trying, and the classic spots that have been serving them for years.
Bogotá's signature soup: shredded chicken and several kinds of potato that break down until the broth thickens, scented with guascas, an Andean herb. It comes to the table with capers, cream, avocado and corn on the cob.
Where to try it
Maize dough with rice, pork and chicken, peas and carrot, wrapped in banana leaf and steamed for hours. In Bogotá it is the classic Sunday breakfast, almost always with a cup of hot chocolate.
Where to try it
Hot chocolate with chunks of fresh cheese that sink into the cup and go soft, served with almojábana or bread for dunking. It is Bogotá's classic afternoon snack, known as «onces».
Where to try it
In Colombia this is the name for a small cup of black coffee. In the centre it is drunk in old-school cafés, standing at the counter, while arguing about politics or football.
Where to try it
