If you’re planning a trip to Colombia, then you’re most likely going to be visiting Bogota, the country’s capital city. You’ve probably landed on this post because you’re doing research about the city. If that’s the case, then we hope that you’ll find everything you want to know prior to visiting Bogota in this travel tips post. This guide aims to answer every question you might have, such as how to get to Bogota and get around the city, where to stay and eat, and how to stay safe and avoid altitude sickness.
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The sprawling city of Bogotá, Distrito Capital (Bogotá, D.C.) is located in the center of Colombia, on a high plateau known as the Bogotá savanna. Situated at around 2,640 meters (8,660 ft) above sea level, it’s considered one of the world’s highest capital cities along with La Paz, Bolivia and Quito, Ecuador. Before the Spanish arrived, the area was inhabited by the Muisca people and their city was called Bacatá. In 1538, a new city was founded by Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, who named it Santa Fé de Bacatá. Later, in 1550, it became the capital of the viceroyalty of New Granada up until 1819. In 1810, the people of the city started to revolt against Spanish rule, but had to continue to contend with Spanish military loyalists until 1819. This was when Simón Bolívar took the city after his victory at the Battle of Boyacá. In 1821 Bogota was made capital of Gran Colombia, which was a self-proclaimed state that incorporated modern day Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama between 1819 and 1830. After this state dissolved, the city stayed the capital of New Granada, which later became the Republic of Colombia. In 2000, the capital’s name was officially changed from ‘Santa Fé de Bogotá’ to ‘Bogotá’. Over the past few centuries, Bogota has evolved into one of the most vibrant Latin American cities. It’s the largest city in Colombia and also the fourth most populous city in South America.
Probably one of the biggest questions you’ll have before visiting Bogota will be, is it safe? Unfortunately, the answer to that will be different depending on who you ask and their experience when visiting the capital. Bogota is the biggest city in Colombia and, just like any big city in the world, that also means crime is more prevalent. We’ve heard and read stories about many petty crimes happening in the city. There are also some scary and violent stories on the internet. However, this doesn’t mean that you should skip visiting the capital. Quite the opposite. We think you should definitely spend a few days in Bogota, because there’s a lot of interesting things to do there. Progress has been made on improving safety in recent years and we generally felt safe during our visit. However, it’s good to be aware of a few things prior to your trip. Below, we’ll list a few health and safety precautions you should bear in mind before and during your travels around Bogota. For more official safety advice please visit the Government’s website.
Often at the end of most people’s travel planning checklists is insurance. However, it is one of the most important things you should be thinking about when planning your travels. Travel insurance will give you protection if you get ill, injured, have things stolen or suffer last-minute cancellations. Whilst purchasing travel insurance can feel like a waste of money, if something happens during your trip, it’ll quickly become one of the best investments you’ve made. We never go anywhere without travel insurance, so make sure to buy one prior to your visit too. There are many different companies out there offering varying levels of cover depending on your needs. We personally use SafetyWing, who offer a high level of coverage at a much more affordable price than most other insurers. SafetyWing also allows you to sign up even if your trip has already started and you completely forgot about travel insurance in the midst of all your travel planning.
