Sights & Attractions in Bogota

As you tour the city, take a taxi whenever possible—don't be carefree about strolling around, even during the day, or about lingering in places at night—it's simply not safe to do so. Keep in mind that carreras (roads) run north-south and calles (streets) run east-west. You'll probably spend much of your time in the charming neighborhood of La Candelaria. To the north of La Candelaria is the downtown area, which is slightly forlorn-looking but holds a handful of bars and restaurants, mostly in La Macarena. Farther uptown and marked by towering office buildings is the Centro Internacional, the city's financial center. To the north is the leafy Zona Rosa, a popular shopping district anchored by an upscale shopping mall called Centro Andino. Farther north along the Carrera 7, at Calle 116, is Hacienda Santa Barbara, another high-end shopping mall built as an extension of an old mansion. A few blocks north of Hacienda Santa Barbara is the plaza of Usaquén, an Andean village that became a neighborhood as Bogotá grew but still maintains its small-town manner.