Things to do in Bogotá

Bogotá has more to see than most people expect, but it’s spread across a huge city: the trick is to tackle it area by area. In two days you can see La Candelaria and its museums and go up Monserrate; with three, add Usaquén or a day trip to the Salt Cathedral. Here’s what’s really worth it, with opening hours, prices and visit times. For getting there, where to stay and trip costs, start with our Bogotá travel guide.

La Candelaria: the historic centre

La Candelaria is the colonial district where the city was founded and where nearly all the museums are. You can walk it in half a day, but with museums you’ll need a full day. I’d follow this route:

1. Plaza de Bolívar, the main square, with the Capitolio Nacional, the Primate Cathedral, the Palace of Justice and the city hall. Thirty minutes is enough.
2. Botero Museum and the neighbouring spaces of the Banco de la República collection (Casa de Moneda and the Miguel Urrutia Art Museum), all in the same complex.
3. The uphill streets to Chorro de Quevedo, the small square where tradition places Bogotá’s founding in 1538, now full of cafés and street performers.
4. The neighbourhood’s street art: many free walking tours focused on graffiti start in La Candelaria and are paid with a tip at the end.

Bogotá sits at 2,600 metres (8,500 ft): La Candelaria’s slopes are more tiring than they look, especially on your first day.

The Gold Museum

It’s Colombia’s most important museum and, in my view, the one visit not to miss: tens of thousands of pieces of pre-Columbian goldwork, including the Muisca Raft linked to the El Dorado legend. Allow 2 hours.

Useful information
Opening hours	Tuesday to Saturday 9 am-7 pm (last entry 6 pm), Sundays and public holidays 10 am-5 pm
Closed	Mondays, even when they’re public holidays
Foreign visitors	21,000 pesos
Sundays	free for everyone

Rooms, tips and how to avoid the crowds are in our Gold Museum guide.

The Botero Museum

The museum fills a colonial house with a lovely courtyard and holds works by Fernando Botero plus the collection he donated, including paintings by major European masters. An hour is enough, and it costs nothing.

• Entry: free.
• Hours: Monday to Saturday 9 am-7 pm, Sundays and public holidays 10 am-5 pm; closed on Tuesdays.
• Guided tours: sources mention free tours in Spanish and English at set times, without booking; ask at the entrance.

Monserrate

The Monserrate sanctuary, at 3,152 metres (10,341 ft), is Bogotá’s viewpoint: on a clear day the whole city spreads out across the plateau below you. Allow 2-3 hours for the trip up, the visit and the way down.

How to go up	Price	Good to know
Cable car or funicular, Monday to Saturday	35,000 pesos return, 21,000 one way	runs roughly 6:30 am-10 pm
Cable car or funicular, Sunday	21,000 pesos return	runs until about 5 pm, much busier
Walking trail	free	closed on Tuesdays; go up early in the morning (roughly until 1 pm)

In 2026 both lines had maintenance periods, with the funicular running only on some days: check the official website to see which one is operating on the day you visit. The trail climbs for 1-1.5 hours with lots of steps: only do it once you’re used to the altitude, never alone and never in the afternoon. Go in the morning: clouds often roll in after midday.

Usaquén and the north

Usaquén was a separate town until Bogotá absorbed it in 1954: today it’s a neighbourhood with a colonial square, the Santa Bárbara church and plenty of restaurants. The best time to go is the weekend, for the flea and craft market (Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays, roughly 9 am-5:30 pm). Allow half a day. How to get there and what to do are in our Usaquén guide.

Sundays in Bogotá: the Ciclovía

On Sundays and public holidays, from 7 am to 2 pm, more than 100 km of main roads close to cars and fill with bikes, skates and walkers. It’s the best way to see Bogotá the way locals live it: rent a bike or join a bike tour and ride for a couple of hours along Carrera Séptima or Carrera 15.

Other places to consider

• Museo Nacional de Colombia: the country’s history and art in a former prison, the Panóptico. Worth it if you have an extra half day; check hours and prices on the museum’s website.
• Paloquemao market: the big covered fruit and flower market. Go early in the morning, when the flower stalls are at their best, and try the fruit you don’t recognise.
• Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral: the most famous day trip from Bogotá, about an hour away. Tickets and transport are in our Zipaquirá guide.

3-day Bogotá itinerary

1. Day 1 (not a Monday) – La Candelaria. Plaza de Bolívar, the Gold Museum in the morning, lunch downtown, the Botero Museum (not on a Tuesday), Chorro de Quevedo and a street art tour in the afternoon.
2. Day 2 – Monserrate and Chapinero. Up Monserrate at 8-9 am, back down for lunch, an afternoon among the bookshops and cafés of Chapinero, dinner in the Zona G.
3. Day 3 (ideally a Sunday) – Ciclovía and Usaquén. The Ciclovía in the morning, then the market and lunch in Usaquén. Alternatively, a day trip to Zipaquirá.

Mistakes to avoid

• Visiting the Gold Museum on a Monday or the Botero Museum on a Tuesday: they’re closed.
• Going up Monserrate in the afternoon: clouds often hide the view, and on Sundays the last trip down is early.
• Walking around La Candelaria with your phone out: it’s the area with the most snatch thefts; keep it in your pocket and use a ride-hailing app at night. More in our guide to safety in Colombia.
• Hiking the Monserrate trail on the day you arrive: you’ll feel the altitude.
• Going out without a jacket: even in sunshine, Bogotá’s weather changes fast.

FAQ

What are the must-sees in Bogotá?

The Gold Museum, La Candelaria with Plaza de Bolívar and Chorro de Quevedo, the Botero Museum, the view from Monserrate and, if you’re in town on a Sunday, the Ciclovía and the Usaquén market.

How much is the Gold Museum in Bogotá?

Foreign visitors pay 21,000 pesos from Tuesday to Saturday; on Sundays entry is free for everyone. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Is the Botero Museum free?

Yes, the Botero Museum is free all year. It’s open Monday to Saturday 9 am-7 pm and Sundays 10 am-5 pm; it’s closed on Tuesdays.

How much does it cost to go up Monserrate?

By cable car or funicular, 35,000 pesos return or 21,000 one way from Monday to Saturday; on Sundays a return ticket costs 21,000 pesos. The walking trail is free and closed on Tuesdays.

How many days do you need in Bogotá?

Two days are enough for La Candelaria, the main museums and Monserrate. With three, add Usaquén and the Ciclovía, or a day trip to the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral.