IN BOGOTA

The Colombian Ministry of Tourism and Commerce revealed the top tourist attractions in Bogota these last few years. Numbers were tallied by the Instituto Distrital de Turismo. This is a positive sign considering that Bogota and many other cities in Colombia are normally deemed unsafe for travel. Based on the statistics, the following six attractions lure the most number of tourists.

Bogotá Downtown with Monserrate (left) and Guadalupe (right) Hills behind.

Candelaria

It is both the historic and cultural center of Bogota city. Begin your exploration of Candelaria by wandering its colonial streets. Visit the Luis Angel Arango Librbary and Botero Collection. We also recommend paying Chorro de Quevado a visit, the site where Bogota was founded by Spain. After hours of walking around, you can grab lunch at any of the fine restaurants within the district.

Museo del Oro

The Gold Museum situated downtown is one of the top tourist attractions in Bogota. It has the biggest collection of pre-Hispanic gold work in this entire planet. Apart from that, Museo del Oro has a sizeable collection of pre-Colombian pottery and archeological objects made of shell, stone, textile, and wood.

Catedral Primada de Bogota

The cathedral borders the northeast corner of Plaza de Bolivar and has been around since 1829. It managed to survive a series of disasters and the Bogotazo riots. Inside the cathedral is the tomb of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, the man who founded Bogotazo.

Monserrate

The religious often go on a pilgrimage to reach its peak. It is believed by many to be a miraculous mountain. Hiking is not recommended during weekdays however. To reach the top you can either take a cable car or a funicular train. Even if you’re not after the miracles, Monserrate provides amazing views of the city explains why it’s one of the top tourist attractions in Bogota.

Jardín Botánico

Also known as José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden, it is a good place to relax in the morning and afternoon. Plants coming from different parts of Colombia are grown here. The manicured garden also features a butterfly vivarium where you can see different species of butterflies.

Maloka

The interactive museum completes the round of top attractions in Bogota. It entertains kids and older people alike. It is basically a smaller version of the Epcot Center. Exhibits are separated into Water, Human, City, Telecommunications, Universe, Activities, as well as a movie theater.