BoldspiritTravels on a budget: “La Candelaria” district, Bogota, Colombia [Solo backpacking on a budget in Latin America]

There are several places that you cannot miss while visiting Bogota in Colombia. In case you have missed my previous posts about that city, I already recommended: Mountain Monserrate, el Museo del Oro (the Gold Museum) or simply walking around the downtown.

Today I will continue strolling around the city centre so if you wanna, please feel free to join me :)

In the whole Bogota, there are several bus companies that operate across the city. It can be a bit confusing. So the most important is to know that there is one public operator that offers vehicles that are big, modern and, most importantly, safe. You cannot miss it, it is called “TransMilenio”. The whole system is designed it avoid traffic jam that can be pretty frustrating in this huge city of 8 million habitants, so it has its own lines on some of the major streets. And don’t get me wrong, other buses didn’t look particularly dangerous or repealing. I would normally use them if it weren’t for the locals’ advice to avoid them. The other disadvantage is that some of them do not have timetables.
Where should you definitely have a walk? The answer is simple –in one of the most charming districts called “la Candelaria”.

“La Candelaria”

La Candelaria is a historical city centre, “old city” as some would call it. It is easily accessible and truly picturesque. And varied in architectural styles, from Spanish Colonial to Baroque! There are also modern accents such as unique graffiti murals! A little trivia: in Bogota in 2011 the laws against graffiti were relaxed and therefore graffiti flourished across the city and became its touristic attraction.

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To give you a little context of how important this “barrio” is let me just tell you that

(…) there are around 500 artistic institutions or groups, museums, research centres, theatres, libraries, and universities in this area.
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Pretty impressive if you ask me. :)

Plaza Bolívar

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This main square is located in the heart of the district. It’s spacious, with a unique, a little mystique, atmosphere. Around it, you will find one of the most important buildings in the whole Bogota - the Palace of Justice, the National Capitol building, the Cathedral of Bogotá and el Museo del 20 de Julio (which is Colombia’s Independence Day).
The Cathedral (la Catedral Primada de Bogotá) is the biggest in the whole country and one of the biggest in South America was built in the beginnings of the ninetieth century in only sixteen years!

The streets

Wandering around the streets of la Candelaria district, particularly those just next to the Plaza Bolívar, is a pure pleasure, because of all the colours on the facades of the edifices. The streets, to mention “Calle del Embudo” as an example, are long but narrow, with small and charming buildings, painted with bright coulours and with impressive examples of graffiti.

The Botero Museum

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Fernando Botero, a sculptor, and a painter, is one of Colombia’s most prominent artists. You may not know his name but you definitely can recognise his, one of a kind, style (called Boterismo) – the artist portrays people and animals in exaggerated proportions and volumes. The exquisite and large collection of his works can be admired in The Botero Museum located in… That’s right – la Candelaria district. ;) What more? The entrance is free, both for locals and tourists. To be honest, I wasn’t a fan of his art, and seeing his work live didn’t change my mind. ;) But no matter if you like and appreciate it or not, this museum is a must.

Thank you for being here with me. I hope until next time!
Pura Vida and enjoy your journey! ❤

• More about me here: You can travel without being wealthy aka a girl from a "struggling" family chasing her dreams!

• Some of my recent stories from South America:
  Boldspirit and the death road - la ruta de la muerte - Bolivia # 1 and # 2
  BoldspiritTravels on a budget: Bogota & my XIX century colonial experience aka how I met another strong woman! [Solo backpacking on a budget in Latin America]