Bogota

Bogota is usually covered very well in all guide books, there is tourist information here in the city. This page just brings together a few useful links for things to do in Bogota. It also includes some useful links for getting around in Bogota.

For hiking/walking around Bogota and other days out there is a separate page on this website here. This page has a large number of different ideas for hiking/walking around Bogota.

For maps of Bogota you are best heading off to tourist information, they have a very good map of Bogota that they give out for free. The main tourist information office is on Plaza Bolivar (on the west side under the arches). The coverage of Bogota on Google Maps is very good. Click here to see Bogota in Google Maps.

On this page you can find information on:

• Transport How to get around Bogota and how to get out of Bogota.
• Hostels A list of hostels in Bogota.
• Cinema A list of links to cinemas that show European film.
• Museums A list of links to museums in Bogota.
• Ciclovia Information on the Bogota Ciclovia including some ideas on how to rent a bike.
• Other Information A list of other sites that provide information on Bogota.

The main transport within Bogota is the buseta. These run from everywhere to everywhere. You need to read the wooden signs to find out where they're going. Before using the buseta it is worth looking at a map to have some idea of the names of the districts in the direction you're going. On buseta signs "K" or "Cr" stands for carrera and "C" or "Cll" stands for calle, so "K3C19" or "Cr3Cll19" on a wooden board would mean the bus is going along carrera 3 to calle 19.

The transmilenio was built in order to improve the public transport between North and South Bogota. Most tourists staying in La Candelaria will be able to use the transmilenio as a quick way to get to the North of Bogota. During rush hours (7am - 9am and 5pm - 7pm) the transmilenio is totally packed and you can sometimes wait for several buses before you can get onto one. Bogotanos have a very irratating habit of standing right in front of the doors and trying to get on when people are still getting off - they will even block the doors when they are not planning to get on that particular transmilenio. The best way to get on or off is just to push gently and politely.

To get out of Bogota there is a main terminal on Diagonal 23 #69-60. The terminal is ordered into three main halls; "Norte" for the North (Boyaca, Coast), "Sur" for the South and "Oriente y Occidente" for the East and West. Enter the correct hall and then try the various companies to find the best ticket who is leaving soon - the cheapest ticket means the most uncomfortable bus and the most expensive ticket means the most comfortable bus. There does not appear to be any "real" competition with all the different bus companies - just a lot of price fixing.

To get to Terminal you can either get a buseta marked "Terminal" from calle 13 or carrera 10 between calles 19 and 26. Alternatively get a bus to "Salitre Plaza" from anywhere in the city and get off outside Maloka, the science museum, which is just behind Salitre Plaza (a huge shopping centre). Follow the chain of bridges that cross the roads, 5 minutes to reach Terminal.

There are various smaller company terminals around Bogota. For example buses to Choachi, Ubaque and Fomeque go from a small terminal on Calle 6 #13.

There are also various unoffical terminals around town where buses originating from terminal stop to fill up before moving on. Buses going to the North all stop at Transmilenio Portal Norte on the side of the road (the side with the traffic heading North). Buses heading to La Calera and Guasca stop at Calle 72 and Carrera 13.

Taxis run all over the city and are cheap. At the airport and terminal there are counters that you have to go to in order to catch a taxi. These take you name, ID and destination and give you a slip of paper with the price of the journey. This is to stop you being ripped off by taxi drivers.

TransMilenio

Contains map of the transmilenio system and other information.

Bogota Terminal

Website for finding out national bus information. Select destination in drop down box and results will include companies, times and prices.

There are a few hostels in Bogota and new ones are currently being opened regularly. Hostels are situated in La Candelaria which is the old area of Bogota. The safety around the hostels themselves can sometimes be questionable and you should be careful when leaving and returning to your hostel. Treat Bogota as any other big city and you should be fine, i.e. don't carry valuables around with you or large amounts of money. Also try not to stand out as a lost gringo too much! On the whole Bogotanos are very friendly and happy people and will want to help you (and be very pleased that you are visiting their city) - unfortunatley as usual it is the tiny minority that cause the problems.

Platypus

Calle 16 #2-43. One of the oldest and best known hostels in Bogota.

Hostel La Candelaria

Calle 16 #2-38 just opposite Platypus. Apparently they can organise bike hire as well.

Hostel Sue

Carrera 3 #14-18, a favourite of some travellers.

Capital House Hostel

Calle 24a # 44a - 79. Close to the terminal for those only passing through and outside of La Candelaria for those concerned about safety. Run by Diego and Edgar who are both very friendly and helpful.

The main cinema chain in Bogota is "Cine Colombia" and there are hundreds of these dotted around the city. For main stream cinema goers these are your best bet, most films are shown in their original language with subtitles.

For people wanting independent and alternative films there are three main cinemas south of Calle 100. Links to these are given below - all of the websites include what's on - however this is sometimes out of date.

Cinemania

Cinema showing many european films on Cra 14 at #93A-85.

Cinema Opera Plaza

Cinema specialising in special festivals on Cra 13 at #26-81

Cinemeteca

Government run cinema sowing all sorts of films on Cra 7 at #22-79. Scroll to bottom of page for link to program information.

There are only a few museums in Bogota but most of them are very good. If visiting Bogota you cannot leave without visiting the Gold Museum.

The Gold Museum
The highlight of Bogota, the collection here is fantastic and the November 2008 refurbishment has made it easy to navigate and very informative about the different civilizations that inhabited Colombia. The information is all given in English and Spanish.

The museum is on the corner of carrera 5 and calle 16. It is open from 9am until 6pm (Tue - Sat) and from 10am to 4pm on (Sundays and bank holidays). It is closed on Mondays. Entry is 2,700COP however on Sundays it is free and so probably best avoided.

• The Gold Museum Offical Webpage Information on the museum in English.

Bibliteca Luis Angel Arango (BLAA) This libary is owned by the Banco de Republica (the national collection) and includes some of the best known museums in Bogota (including the Gold Museum above).

The Botero Museum includes and impressive collection of Botero's paintings and some sculptures. The museum also includes Botero's private collection that he gave to the state. The museum is on Calle 11 #4-21 and is free to enter. It is open Mondays to Saturdays 9am to 7pm and on Sundays and bank holidays 10am to 5pm.

• Botero Museum Page on BLAA's website about the museum.

The Money Museum includes information on printing and producing money in Colombia. It covers the history of money in Colombia since 1622. Information is mainly given in Spanish but there are a few English cards around as well. The museum is free to enter and next door to the Botero Museum on calle 11 #4-93. The opening hours are the same as the Botero Museum.

• Money Museum Page on BLAA's website about the museum.

The Colombian Republics art collection, calle 11 #4-21.

• Museum of Art Page on BLAA's website about the museum.

Maloka
The Science and Industry Museum is a high tech interactive museum.

• Maloka The offical website of the museum.

National Museum
Contains over 20,000 pieces of Colombian heritage including some Botero paintings.

• National Museum The offical website of the museum.

Museum of Art Deco A new museum in containing a selection of Art Deco pieces. The museum is on Calle 21 #5-59.

• Musuem of Art Deco The offical website of the museum.

Every Sunday many main roads in Bogota are shut for the Ciclovia. This gives cyclists, roller bladers, joggers and family walkers the opportunity to take to the traffic free streets for a pleasent morning of exercise. It also gives tourists the opportunity to see more of the city using a bike.

Renting a bike in Bogota is currently problomatic, there have been various suggestions by the city government to improve the situation but as of yet nothing has been done. We managed to rent two bikes; one from a market stall holder who was selling the bike and the other from one of the bicycle repairmen along the ciclovia. We paid 15,000COP for each bike for four hours, this method is only likely to work if you have a blonde women with you.

If you don't happen to have a blonde women to hand there are other options you can try. Next door to Hostel La Candelaria is meant to be a man who will rent out bikes - ask at Hostel La Candelaria for information. There is a company in the north who do bike tours, they are on carrera 7 somewhere near calle 72 (I think there called Rent-A-Bike, but I'm not 100% sure).

There is a new bike hire shop that has opened in La Candelaria. The name of the shop is Mike Cafe Bici and the address is Carrera 3 No. 13-86. Their telephone number is 312-502-0554. A city bike costs 15,000COP for half a day and a mountain bike costs 20,000COP for half a day.

Map of the Ciclovia

Further Information

• Poor But Happy Thread on Renting Bikes in Bogota
• Poor But Happy Guide to the Bogota Ciclovia
• Article on Bogota Ciclovia

Firstly, teaching English in Bogota involves working long and unsocialable hours. Most lessons are at 6am in the morning before people go to work. You may also end up teaching after work and not finish teaching until 9pm. You are likely to have most of the day to yourself because Colombians will be at work or studying.

If you are happy to put up with the hours then Colombia and Bogota are great places to work. You can teach illegally on a tourist visa by taking private students or working for less reputable schools. The problem with a tourist visa is that it only allows you to stay in the country for 6 months in any one year. Thus you will have just built up a nice customer base when you then have to leave again. Work visas are very hard to get and many schools do not want to go to the trouble of getting them for their teachers. Universities hire a lot of English teachers each year and will provide work visas however they usually hire within Colombia and do not advertise internationally.

IH Bogota are one option if you want to work in Bogota but they have received a lot of bad press recently for their very poor working environment. IH Bogota will provide a work visa but with many strings attached. You can read more about the problems with them here thread on working at IH Bogota.

Poor But Happy Guide

A reasonable guide to Bogota for backpackers.

Platypus Hostel Info Page

Contains lots of useful links for Bogota.

Google Map of Bogota

About as good as you´ll get for a map of Bogota on the internet.

Days out around Bogota

A page on this website detailing how to get out and enjoy the fantastic countryside around Bogota (including hiking/walking tips).