A walking tour through history in downtown Bogotá

The capital of Colombia is a treasure trove of history, architecture, ornate churches and fantastic museums. Happily, many of Bogotá’s most compelling attractions cluster in its compact center.

As you set out to explore this huge metropolis, consider getting oriented with this 3.7km, 3-hour walking tour. Expect a thorough introduction to the city’s rich history – and to pass by some of the most fascinating sites in the entire country.

An urban estate

Begin at the 19th-century Casa Museo Quinta de Bolívar. This once was the home of Simón Bolívar himself: the “Liberator” who led a slew of Latin American countries (including Colombia) to independence from the Spanish Empire in the 19th century. At the foot of Cerro de Monserrate and surrounded by a well-tended garden, the historic colonial estate offers a calm escape from the restless metropolis beyond. Inside, rooms contain displays of period furniture and furnishings, including the Liberator’s sword. The lush property and mountain backdrop also make the spot an ideal location for bird-watchers wanting to spot endemic species.

Next, you’ll leave the country estate and enter the city streets, walking down Calle 19A toward La Candelaria, Bogotá's historic center. This is one of the city’s most popular neighborhoods for visitors, thanks to its charming cobbled streets, colonial architecture, array of museums, and plethora of restaurants and bars.

After passing Los Andes University and Parque Germania, you’ll approach Plazuela de La Aguas. A little further down the hill, on the left, you can take a photo at the statue of Policarpa Salavarrieta, a heroine of Colombia’s independence. “La Pola” worked as a spy for the Revolution, secretly recruiting men and passing on information overheard by Spanish Royalists.

A writer’s park, a lavish church and a moving monument

Continue along the same street, passing by the Parque de los Periodistas, where a statue of Simón Bolívar stands tall in a circular, Roman-inspired temple. The park was renamed in the 1940s thanks to its role as a meeting place for poets and writers; later, the name of Colombian literary giant Gabriel Garcia Márquez was tacked on. Look up to take a photo of the iconic mountaintop Sanctuary of Monserrate, which looms over the square far above.

Head west along Avenida Jiménez de Quesada – a street built over the San Francisco River, which flows down from the mountains – to the Iglesia de San Francisco. Lavishly decorated, the church was begun in the late 16th century, making it the oldest church that still stands in all of Colombia.

Set out on Carrera 7 – universally known as La Septima, and one of the city’s most important streets, one that has witnessed numerous historical events. Colombia’s first tramway operated along La Septima in the early 20th century; a few remaining rails are still visible in the pavement today.

Along this commercial strip is a small but moving monument to a traumatic event from Bogotá’s past. Next to the Aquiles shoe store, a wall is covered with chiseled tributes to the populist Liberal leader and onetime Bogotá mayor Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, who was assassinated at this exact spot in 1948. Upon hearing the news, Gaitan’s supporters went on a rampage, all but destroying downtown Bogotá during the 3-day “Bogotazo” riots. Thousands of people were killed, streetcars were set ablaze, shops were looted and fires burned for days. It’s hard to imagine such chaos amid La Septima’s current commercial bustle.

A sidewalk party, and a cluster of grand government buildings

The next three pedestrianized blocks of La Septima brim with street artists, dancers, musicians and old men playing intense games of chess. On the corner of the avenue and Calle 12a, you can sign up for a Tranvía Tour of the city center in a vintage (but comfortably retrofitted) tram.

La Septima forms one side of Plaza de Bolívar, the historic heart of the city, where public circuses, bullfights and markets used to take place. Make a detour up a side street to visit 200-year-old cafe La Puerta Falsa and taste its famous tamales (corn dough filled with meat, potatoes and vegetables all wrapped in a banana leaf).

Back in the Plaza de Bolivar, take a selfie with a llama or peek inside the city’s largest cathedral, the neoclassical Catedral Primada. The buildings lining the southern and western borders of the plaza respectively house the Parliament of Colombia (Capitolio Nacional) and Bogota’s City Hall (Edificio Liévano). On the northern side is the Palacio de Justicia, the country’s Supreme Court – which was seized by M-19 guerrillas in 1985, with tragic consequences.

Exit the southern corner of the plaza and walk for two blocks to the Casa de Nariño, where Colombia’s president lives and works. Visit on Wednesday, Friday or Sunday at 3:30pm to watch the changing of the presidential guard.

A military museum, and a neighborhood square

Turn left onto Calle 7 and follow the road to take another left onto Carrera 6. After a couple blocks, take a right onto Calle 10 and you’ll find the Italian-style Teatro Colón, and the colossal 16th-century Palacio de San Carlos, the city’s oldest palace that’s now home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (Simón Bolívar narrowly escaped an assassination attempt here.) A few meters away, explore Colombia’s military history at the Museo Militar, in a grand classical building. Free to visit, the museum displays a host of weaponry and war-related memorabilia.

Continue along Calle 10 for two blocks, passing well-preserved Spanish colonial houses with red-tiled roofs, protruding balconies and wooden doors. These historic structures are today occupied by university offices, theaters, libraries and museums.

Take a left onto Carrera 2 and stroll along until you reach Plazoleta Chorro de Quevedo, a pretty little square popular with students, tourists, guitarists and live storytellers. Leading off to the north of the square is the colorfully painted, cobblestone Calle del Embudo (Funnel Street), where vendors sell handmade arts and crafts, tie-dyed t-shirts and more.

Cap off your walk with a glass of chicha, a traditional Indigenous drink made of fermented corn, at La Bendita Museo de la Chicha, tucked away in the plaza’s northeast corner of the plaza.