When to visit Bogota: Bogotá's high altitude keeps temperatures mild year-round; June-August is drier than other months
When is the best time to visit Bogota?
Avg Temp
10–20°C
Rainfall
Moderate, ~90mm/month
Best Time
Bogotá's high altitude keeps temperatures mild year-round; June-August is drier than other months
Packing Tips (3)
- Layers for chilly mornings and evenings at 2,600m altitude
- A light rain jacket for sudden afternoon showers
- Warmer jacket for evenings, since it cools quickly after sunset
What does Bogota cost?
Typical prices
- Budget mealCOP 18,000
- Mid-range mealCOP 55,000
- CappuccinoCOP 5,000
- Domestic beerCOP 8,000
- Taxi (per km)COP 2,500
- Public transport ticketCOP 2,950
- Museum entryCOP 4,000
- Mid-range hotel (night)COP 280,000
Local currency: COP
Food & Drink
Andrés Carne de Res
Legendary, wildly decorated grill-and-party restaurant in nearby Chía famous for enormous meat platters and dancing that goes until dawn.
La Puerta Falsa
Tiny historic tamale-and-hot-chocolate shop near Plaza Bolívar operating since 1816, known for ajiaco and tamal santafereño.
Leo Cocina y Cava
Chef Leonor Espinosa's tasting-menu restaurant celebrating Colombia's Amazonian and Caribbean ingredients, a repeat Latin America's 50 Best entry.
El Chato
Contemporary Colombian restaurant in Zona G blending Bogotá's produce markets with French technique, run by chef Álvaro Clavijo.
Prudencia
Rustic-chic restaurant in Chapinero focused on Colombian countryside cooking, arepas and slow-cooked meats.
Mesa Franca
Chef Jorge Rausch's grill restaurant in Zona T serving Latin American open-fire cooking with a strong cocktail program.
Zona Rosa / Zona T
Bogotá's main nightlife district in Chapinero, packed with clubs, bars and reggaeton and salsa venues around the pedestrian Zona T plaza.
Theatron
One of Latin America's largest nightclubs, a converted theater in Chapinero with multiple rooms playing everything from salsa to electronic music.
Quiebra Canto
Beloved salsa bar in La Candelaria's bohemian streets, an intimate spot to dance to classic Afro-Cuban and Colombian salsa records.
Culture & History
Museo del Oro (Gold Museum)
World's largest collection of pre-Hispanic gold work, including over 30,000 pieces from cultures across Colombia, next to Parque Santander.
Museo Botero
Free museum in La Candelaria showing Fernando Botero's signature voluminous figures alongside his personal collection of Picasso, Monet and Dalí.
Museo Nacional de Colombia
Housed in a former panopticon prison, tracing Colombian history and art from pre-Columbian times through the 20th century.
Casa de la Moneda
Former colonial mint in La Candelaria now displaying Colombian currency history and colonial-era art.
Cinemateca de Bogotá
Cultural cinema on Avenida El Dorado screening arthouse, Colombian and classic films, run by the city's cultural institute.
Cine Colombia Centro Andino
Major multiplex inside the Centro Andino shopping mall in Zona Rosa, a mainstream option for new releases.
Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá
One of the world's largest theater festivals, filling the city's streets and stages with international performing arts groups.
Rock al Parque
Free, massive outdoor rock festival at Parque Simón Bolívar, one of Latin America's largest rock festivals.
Nature & Outdoors
Salto del Tequendama
Dramatic 132-meter waterfall on the Bogotá River at the edge of the savanna, viewable from a clifftop lookout near an abandoned hotel.
Cerro de Monserrate
Iconic 3,152m peak overlooking downtown, reached by cable car or funicular, topped by a white church and panoramic city views.
Cerro de Guadalupe
Sister peak to Monserrate crowned with a large statue of the Virgin Mary, offering a quieter hike with sweeping views over the city.
Active & Fun
Bodytech
Colombia's largest gym chain with numerous full-service branches across Bogotá's Chapinero and Zona Rosa neighborhoods.
Parque El Salitre Mágico pools
Public recreational complex in Salitre with pools alongside the amusement park rides.
Salitre Mágico
Bogotá's main amusement park in the Salitre area, with roller coasters and family rides set inside a large urban park.
Mundo Aventura
Amusement park in south Bogotá featuring the Kondor roller coaster, one of the taller rides in the city.
Cities in Colombia
Planning Bogota?
Try a ready-made trip first.
Open the demo trip with no sign-up: Barcelona on your own, or Rome, Florence and Venice as a group. Then plan Bogota your way.