When one of my closest friends moved to Bogotá, I booked my tickets to see her almost immediately. Having visited Cartagena a few years ago, I already knew I loved Colombia, and I was itching for a reason to go back again. Bogotá was everything I imagined: a lively, energetic city with friendly people, green parks for strolling, and a fantastic food and drink scene. So here’s how I spent a few days in Bogotá:
WHERE TO EAT
Let’s start with what’s important – the food! As you can tell from the list below, I spent my few days in Bogota eating and drinking. The tropical climate in Colombia lends itself to loads of fresh produce, which chefs utilize in their cooking throughout the country. Fresh fruit, corn, bread, and arepas are also sold in food carts and food stalls in local markets.
Restaurant Black Bear: This trendy restaurant shows up on all the best restaurants in Bogotá lists and for good reason. With a light-strung patio and bistro dining room, the atmosphere is vibrant and exciting, the kind of place where you want to linger over a glass of wine for hours. And the food is nothing short of fantastic. For a starter, we opened with a brie fondue, spooned over meaty local mushrooms, and drizzled with truffle oil, sweet carrots, and beets garnished with goat cheese, almonds, and honey. Then, we moved on to cheese ravioli in a chunky tomato sauce and orzo coated in a creamy mole sauce. The only challenge was dessert: choosing between sticky toffee pudding, goat cheese cheesecake, and chocolate cake with a butterscotch sauce. My advice? Get them all.
Prudencia: Truth be told, my lunch at Prudencia was my favorite meal while I spent a few days in Bogotá. The sun-kissed dining room, which was once a colonial-style home, is rustic and filled with the scent of freshly baking bread. The food is fresh, local, and vegetable-forward, with dishes like charred asparagus with poached pears and a strawberry curd, wood-smoked cauliflower served in a puddle of spinach puree, and melt-in-your-mouth homemade cheesecake with a silky dark chocolate sauce. The menu changes daily, depending on what is in season. You can find each day’s menu on their Facebook page. Located in the La Candelaria neighborhood, it’s the perfect place to have a leisurely lunch in between sightseeing. Just be sure to make a reservation – it gets booked up!
Restaurante Leo: Leo is one of Bogotá’s most famous restaurants, featured in San Pellegrino’s 50Best restaurants in Latin America list. The meal is not for the faint-hearted, as it involves all kinds of exotic local Colombian plants and ingredients (crocodile anyone?) but as a vegetarian, my tasting menu didn’t involve anything too weird and almost all of the dishes were divine. With hearts of palm, local cheeses, greens, and fruits it was a delightful gastronomic experience.
Oficial: This elegant restaurant has all the hallmarks of a fine dining experience – excellent services, a great wine list, and a menu full of beautifully composed dishes. The cuisine is international; we sampled carrots with tahini and pistachio dukkha, grilled hearts of palm with pecorino cheese, and burrata stuffed agnolotti. A must while spending a few days in Bogotá.
Apache: Located on the top of the Click Clack Hotel in Bogotá, this glass-enclosed rooftop bar is the ideal spot for a pre-dinner, post-dinner, or even mid-afternoon beverage. Cocktails, wine, and beer are in abundance, and if you need a quick snack there are tacos, burgers, and fries.
Amor Perfecto: Colombia is known for its coffee, and Amor Perfecto is serving up mugfuls of it all day long. Not only does this coffee shop have amazing coffee and a cozy atmosphere, but it also serves delicious, cheesy arepas that are the perfect mid-afternoon snack. There are three locations of Amor Perfecto, so at least one should be close to wherever you are staying!
What To Do While Spending a Few Days in Bogotá
Plaza de Mercado de Paloquemao: When spending a few days in Bogotá, you have to add the Plaza de Mercado to your list. This fruit and flower market is an absolute gem. Stroll through the market and peruse the stunning array of flowers and a wide variety of fruit. From guanabana to guavas to maracuya, plums, mangos, and more, you will go crazy sampling all of the exotic fruits. There are also stands selling buñuelos, which are small savory cheese balls, pan con queso, and arepas of all different flavors.
La Candelaria: A visit to the historic district in Bogotá is a must. The cobblestone streets, Spanish colonial architecture, gorgeous street art, and art shops make the district an enchanting place to visit. You can also wander through Plaza Bolivar, where the city’s Palace of Justice, the National Capitol building, and the Cathedral of Bogotá are located. The Museo Iglesia Santa Clara is also worth a visit, it is one of Bogota’s oldest churches.
Botero Museum: Home to the artwork of famed Colombian artist Fernando Botero, this museum is free and a fun spot to visit. Botero’s artwork is interesting and at times comical, featuring women and animals in larger-than-life proportions.
Spending a few days in Bogotá: The Verdict
Bogotá is a delight! The city is rich in culture, hospitality, and vitality.
