7 Days in Bogotá: First-Timer Plan
A full week lets you cover Bogotá’s core, both major day trips, and a proper night out in Chapinero without rushing anything. Here’s the plan.
Day 1
Arrive at El Dorado International Airport and book your transfer through an app rather than hailing a taxi outside. Once settled in La Candelaria, keep it easy: walk Plaza de Bolívar, the Cathedral Primada, and the Capitolio Nacional, then continue to Chorro de Quevedo, the plaza marking the city’s 1538 founding. Dinner at La Puerta Falsa, open since 1816, for ajiaco and chocolate santafereño (around $8-12 per person).
Day 1 tip: hydrate more than feels necessary tonight. Bogotá sits at roughly 2,640 meters, and altitude sickness hits hardest in the first 24 hours.
Day 2
Take the cable car or funicular up Monserrate (round trip around $10-12), ideally before midday cloud rolls in. In the late afternoon, book a graffiti tour of La Candelaria (tip-based, budget $15-20) to see the street art the city has tolerated since a 2011 policy shift. Dinner at Andrés D.C. for a livelier Colombian meal (budget $25-35 per person with drinks).
Day 2 tip: dress in layers, temperatures at Monserrate’s roughly 3,152 meters drop fast once cloud sets in.
Day 3
Visit the Museo del Oro in the morning (around 5,000 COP, free Sundays) for the Muisca Raft, then the free Museo Botero (closed Tuesdays) in the afternoon. Spend the evening in Usaquén for its Sunday flea market and brunch scene, or in La Macarena for galleries if it’s not a Sunday.
Day 3 tip: both museums get crowded on free days, so go right at opening if you can.
Day 4
Spend the morning at Paloquemao Market for Colombia’s exotic fruit lineup, lulo, feijoa, guanábana, granadilla, mangostino, and uchuva (a few dollars per bag), then walk the Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis in the afternoon. In the evening, book Leo, chef Leonor Espinosa’s restaurant, ranked #23 in Latin America’s 50 Best for 2025, for a tasting menu built around Colombian biodiversity.
Day 4 tip: Bogotá’s tap water is safe to drink, so carry a refillable bottle through the market instead of buying bottled water at every stall.
Day 5
Take the day trip to the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, about 1-1.5 hours north (entry around $17, plus transport), going early for the best underground light and fewer crowds. Buses run from Bogotá’s main terminals, or book a driver for the day. Dinner back in the city at El Chato if you can get a table, ranked #1 in Latin America’s 50 Best for 2025 (tasting menus run higher, budget accordingly).
Day 5 tip: pack a light rain shell regardless of the forecast, weather at Zipaquirá’s altitude changes fast even on a clear morning.
Day 6
Take a guided visit to Laguna de Guatavita, about two hours from the city, the actual ceremonial lake behind the El Dorado legend, where the Muisca people once made gold offerings, a ritual the Spanish mythologized and violently pursued. Treat it as living Indigenous heritage rather than folklore. In the evening, head to Chapinero, home to one of South America’s best LGBTQ+ scenes including Theatron, a genuine plus given Colombia legalized same-sex marriage in 2016 (budget $15-25 per person).
Day 6 tip: book any late-night ride home through an app, not a street-hailed taxi, and keep an eye on your drink in nightlife areas.
Day 7
If your last morning lands on a Sunday, spend it at Ciclovía, when roughly 120 km of streets close to cars from 7am to 2pm. Otherwise, use the morning for last souvenir shopping or a return visit to your favorite neighborhood. Book your airport transfer through an app and leave extra time for traffic to El Dorado.
Day 7 tip: confirm you’ve completed the Check-Mig departure form within 72 hours of your flight; it’s required alongside entry.
Read more: our Bogotá travel tips round up money, safety, and altitude advice used throughout this plan.