Skyscrapers of central Bogotá with Monserrate hill behind
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Bogotá in 2 days

  • 2 days
  • 4.2 km on foot
  • 17 stops
  • Audio guide

With two days you can stop rushing. The first goes to the tourist heart and the heights, with Monserrate as your viewpoint; the second to political history and the big museums. It is the best pace for adjusting to 2,600 metres, eating without hurry and understanding why La Candelaria is still the district with the most past in Colombia.

Day 1Gold, hills and shadows

Kick off with «Bogotá's must-sees», from the Gold Museum to the Chorro de Quevedo, and have an ajiaco santafereño for lunch. The afternoon is free: visit the Quinta de Bolívar and ride up Monserrate to see the whole city at your feet. Come down with time to spare and head back to the centre for dusk, when «Bogotá of gold, gunpowder and secrets» really makes sense, with La Veracruz, Gaitán and the Palacio de San Carlos. Close the day with a tamal.

  1. Morning

    Bogotá's must-sees: from the Gold Museum to La Candelaria

    Mixed · 1.8 km · 1 h 55 min

    1. Gold MuseumThe world's largest collection of pre-Hispanic goldwork began in 1939 with a single object: a Quimbaya poporo.
    2. Church of San FranciscoBogotá's oldest surviving church hides a gilded altarpiece of 1623 behind its austere front.
    3. Plaza de BolívarColombia's political heart: cathedral, Congress, City Hall and Supreme Court around a bronze Bolívar and thousands of pigeons.
    4. Colón TheatreAn Italian-style opera house opened in 1892 for the 400th anniversary of Columbus's voyage, where peace was signed in 2016.
    5. Botero MuseumFernando Botero gave Bogotá his private collection, with Monet, Renoir and Dalí and more than a hundred of his own works, on one condition.
    6. Chorro de Quevedo SquareThe little square where, by tradition, Bogotá began in 1538 is now La Candelaria's most bohemian corner.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Ajiaco santafereño at La Puerta Falsa. Calle 11 n.º 6-50, La Candelaria

  3. Afternoon

    Quinta de Bolívar

    A colonial country house at the foot of the hills, given to Simón Bolívar in 1820. It keeps period furniture and a quiet garden. The visit is short and fits nicely on the way to Monserrate.

    Directions

    Monserrate Hill

    Bogotá's viewpoint, at over 3,100 metres, with a shrine at the top. You go up by cable car or funicular. Best on a clear day and outside the busiest weekends; wrap up, it is cold up there.

    Directions

  4. Early evening

    Bogotá of gold, gunpowder and secrets

    Mysteries & legends · 1.3 km · 1 h 35 min

    1. Gold MuseumA chief covered in gold on a raft: the Muisca ceremony that the conquistadors turned into an impossible city.
    2. Church of La VeracruzThe brotherhood that accompanied the condemned buried some 80 patriots shot in 1816 here.
    3. Site of Gaitán's assassinationOn 9 April 1948, gunshots on this pavement unleashed the Bogotazo. Whether anyone else was behind them is still unknown.
    4. Palace of JusticeOn 6 and 7 November 1985, a guerrilla siege and the army's recapture left around a hundred dead. Some questions remain open.
    5. Primatial CathedralFour churches on the same ground, a roof that caved in on the eve of its opening and a founder who never found rest.
    6. Palacio de San CarlosOn the night of 25 September 1828, Bolívar escaped through a window of this house while the conspirators hunted for him inside.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Tamal at La Puerta Falsa. Calle 11 n.º 6-50, La Candelaria

Day 2The Bogotá that decided a country

Spend the morning on «The Bogotá that made a nation»: Casa de Moneda, Casa del Florero, the Capitol, Casa de Nariño and San Agustín. It is the shortest route, perfect for taking your time. Afterwards, a chocolate santafereño with its cheese to warm up. The afternoon mixes two ways of understanding the country: the library, right next to the Casa de Moneda, and the National Museum, a little further north, to go through its history at an easy pace.

  1. Morning

    The Bogotá that made a nation: from colony to republic

    History · 1.1 km · 1 h 30 min

    1. Casa de Moneda (the Mint)From 1621 the coins of the New Kingdom of Granada were struck here, and the building went on making Colombia's money until 1987.
    2. Casa del Florero (Independence Museum)A vase that was never lent: the staged quarrel that sparked independence on 20 July 1810.
    3. National Capitol78 years of building work, several architects and a dome that never came: Congress rose where the viceroys' palace once stood.
    4. Casa de NariñoThe presidential palace stands on the plot where Antonio Nariño was born, the man who risked his freedom to print the Rights of Man.
    5. Church of San AgustínA 17th-century church that served as barracks, battlefield and the last resting place of La Pola.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Chocolate santafereño at Pastelería Florida. Carrera 7 n.º 21-46

  3. Afternoon

    Luis Ángel Arango Library

    The Banco de la República library, next to the Casa de Moneda, with reading rooms and art exhibitions. A calm spot to rest your feet, and a natural follow-up to the morning's history.

    Directions

    National Museum of Colombia

    The country's oldest museum, founded in 1823, set in a former panopticon prison. It covers Colombian archaeology, history and art. Get there by taxi or a long walk from La Candelaria.

    Directions

The map

Bogotá in 2 days, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed Mysteries & legends History Extra sight

Loading the map…

Before you go

Tips for Bogotá in 2 days

  • Save the Monserrate ride for a clear afternoon; if the morning is cloudy, swap the extras between the two days.
  • Between La Candelaria, the Quinta de Bolívar and the National Museum, a taxi booked on an app saves you the climbs and is cheap.
  • On Sundays and public holidays Carrera Séptima fills with people and cyclists: lovely for a stroll, but some museums keep shorter hours.

Questions

Bogotá in 2 days: your questions

Is two days enough for Bogotá?

For the historic centre, Monserrate and two museums, yes. It is the minimum we would recommend to see the basics without pushing it. If you want markets, northern districts and more museums, add a third day.

How much walking is there on this itinerary?

The routes add up to about 4.2 km (2.6 miles): 1.8 + 1.3 on day one and 1.1 on day two, not counting the trips to Monserrate and the National Museum. It is very doable if you respect the altitude and take breaks.

How do you get up Monserrate?

By cable car or funicular, both leaving from the station at the foot of the hill. There is also a footpath, but at Bogotá's altitude it is tough and needs a very slow pace. Check that the service is running that day.

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