A Short City Guide To Bogota, Colombia

There are many interesting things to do in Bogota, Colombia. One of the must see things on any to do list is go to the El Museo del Oro, or the Gold Museum. This place is entirely devoted to gold, with many different kinds of displays, including the world's largest display of pre-Hispanic works of gold. There are many Indigenous tribal exhibits of stone, wood, and shell objects, and this has more than  50,000 different displays.

Another thing to check into is the Bogota Botanical Gardens, called the Hose Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden. The largest in Colombia, this garden features plants of all climates, altitudes, and areas of Colombia. There is an exhibit of the largest Amazonian aquatic flower, Columbia's national tree, the Palma de Cera, as well as a man made waterfall.

The tallest building in all of Colombia, the fifty story Colpatria Tower in Bogota is one of the greatest landmarks. There is a great observation deck that has some really great panoramic views of the city. Another building to check out is the National Capitol Building, located in the center of the city on Bolivar Square. Started in 1847, it took until 1926 to complete, and included a mural of the congress which happens to be by Santiago Martinez Delgado, and is considered his most important work.

There are many other museums, churches and historical sights to visit. Bogota has some of the best shopping and dining in the area. You can find just about anything you can imagine here, with many unique shops, malls, and market places. You can walk around on your own, or take one of the many tours available, and even some of these attractions are free.

Some of the things to do with families that are free is a visit to Jaime Duque Park, which not only features an amusement park, but a zoo as well. There are also replicas of the Taj Mahal, as well as the Colossus of Rhodes. Accessed only by free cable cars, Cerro de Monserrate has some of the most spectacular views of the city. Another exciting museum to visit that is free is the Museo Historico Policia, or police museum, with hundreds of displays of communication devices, guns, and the main attraction, exhibits on the drug lord Pablo Escobar.

There are also several family friendly and inexpensive restaurants to choose from, depending on what your tastes are. The La Pola is an excellent Colombian restaurant, with some of the best food in Bogota. Their average main course is just $7, which is comparable to other spots in the city. The Cafeteria Romana, another Colombian style of food cafe, has some really great breakfast specials, at around $5.

In order to see the sights of Bogota, it is a good idea to book a hotel Bogota online, there are many to choose from, but you need to make reservations early. With all the places to see, tourists come here by the millions ever year. There are many different discount websites that can provide some excellent deals on cheap holiday accommodation, hotel accommodations, as well as rental cars. It is still a good idea to shop around for the best deals, so you can budget wisely.