NATIONAL PARKS TOURS COLOMBIA

ALL CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS COMBINED WITH FABULOUS NATURE

10 BEST FUN FACTS BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

1. Bogotá, D.C. (“Distrito Capital”), is capital of Colombia;
2. Bogotá is an Andes town at an elevation of about 2700 masl;
3. The climate is moderate with day time high temperatures varying between 14 and 20 degrees;
4. The population of Bogotá is estimated at 12,000,000;
5. A cable cart and a Fulnicular take you up the Montserrat mountain;
6. Almost two third of Colombia's tourism takes place in Bogota;
7. Bogota is now one of the safest capitals of South America;
8. Bogotá is the bicycle capital of Latin America;
9. La Candelaria has been beautifully restored with many streets with cobbled stones;
10. The Plaza Bolivar is the colonial heart of the Candelaria.

Climate of Bogota

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT BOGOTA [2021]

Bogota, Colombia, Climate Graphs

 it never gets really hot nor really cold. When looking at the annual precipitation climate graph of Bogotá, Colombia, there is a concerning decline in annual precipitation, which could be a concerning trend related to climate change.

Bogotá climate graphs show that Bogota has a spring-like climate; in fact, it is a very pleasant climate resulting form its position in the tropics at a high elevation (2,700 masl). Temperatures only vary moderately throughout the year, while daytime highs vary from 15 - 20° and nighttime lows between 5 - 10°C. Freezing temperatures don't occur in the city, but may occur in the highest neighborhoods. Temperatures above 25°C are also uncommon.

Best time to visit Bogotá, Colombia

Bogota also has wet and dry seasons with the rainiest months being March, April, May, October, November with averages of above 80 -90 mm. The driest month is July with an average of 35 milimeters. Snow is is unknown but hailstorms may occur. With as many as 220 foggy mornings per year, making those a frequent event.

So, the driest months coincide with the vacation periods in the USA and Europe: December - January and July - August. These are also the months with the greatest amount of sunshine showcasing Bogotá in those deep blue skies that are typical for high elevations, particularly in the tropics. In short, those are the best times to visit Bogotá, Colombia.

BEST TIME TO VISIT BOGOTA [2021]

Distrito Capital, Colombia DC

Bogotá, D.C. (“Distrito Capital”), is capital of Colombia. It lies in the central Andes of Colombia at an elevation of about 2,700 masl between the Guadalupe and Montserrat mountains, each with imposing churches. The center of the city and the first neighborhood, the Candelaria, is laid out in a grid pattern plazas, or squares, including the Plaza Bolívar, with the principal public buildings and churches.

Capilla El Sagrario, interior: the Pulpit, the organ, the dome.

The Plaza Bolivar with the Lieviano Plalace, the Cardonal's Palace and the San Bartolome Highschool, and the Palace of Justice.

European settlement in 1538, when Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada conquered Bacatá from the Chibcha Indians. It was named Santa Fé de Bacatá, which was soon corrupted to Bogotá. Soon it became the capital of the viceroyalty of New Granada and a centre of Spanish colonial power. As capital and archiepiscopal see of the colonial viceroyalty of New Granada, the city became an early religious and intellectual center. Alexander von Humboldt called it (c.1800) the Athens of America in honor of its cultural and scientific institutions. Among them were the first astronomical observatory in South America, founded by José Celestino Mutis. The French Revolution inspired Antonio Nariño and others to resist Spanish rule. In 1810–11, its citizens revolted against Spanish rule but still had to contend with Spanish loyalists until 1819, when Santander and Bolívar conquered the city after winning the Battle of Boyacá, about an hour north of town. In 1821 the city became capital of Gran Colombia, a confederation of the present republics of Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia. As the federation was dissolved in 1830, Bogota remained the capital of New Granada, later renamed the Republic of Colombia.

The Casa de Nariño Presidential Palace: from the side; the main gates with the palace guards; palace guard close up; The palace garden.

Power struggles and geographic isolation, stunted Bogotá’s growth and prosperity in the 19th and 20th centuries. In April 1948 riots destroyed many buildings in a wave of violence, known as the bogotazo and unrest continued in Bogotá until 1958, when the Liberal and Conservative parties reached a settlement. In 1955, Bogotá and the surrounding area were organized as a Special District of 1,588 sq km. It houses the Congress, Supreme Court of Justice and the center of the executive administration as well as the residence of the President (Casa de Nariño). These buildings, along with the Office of the Mayor, the Lievano Palace (Palacio Liévano), are located within a few meters from each other on the Plaza de Bolívar. The square is located in the city's historical center, La Candelaria, which features Colonial and Baroque buildings. The neighborhood is full of cobblestone streets and centuries-old houses.

Old town Bogota, the Calandaria, with cobbled streets, houses with balconies and mansions with patios, like the Sociedad Mansion.

Other cultural institutions located in or near the Candelaria, include the Botanical Institute, the National Conservatory of Music, the National Museum, the Botero Museum, the Military Museum, the National Astronomical Observatory, the National Library, and the Columbus Theatre. There are also a planetarium, a museum of natural history, several modern art galleries, and the Gold Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of pre-Columbian gold objects.

Population

The population of Bogotá is estimated to be 8 million, but above that number is an estimated floating (non registered) population of some 4 million people, most of them being migrant workers from other departments and displaced people, not counting the influx of Venezuelans.

Tourism

Almost two third of the tourism in Colombia takes place in Bogotá. There are many hotels in the La Candelaria at a great variety of prices and luxury, although many modern hotels are now located near the airport and in the South of the city. The city is rich in splendid colonial architecture, notably the cathedral and the churches of San Ignacio and San Francisco. Bogotá has Latin America's largest network of bicycle routes, called 'Ciclorutas'. On Sunday's and public holidays, many main and secondary roads are closed to cars for the Ciclovia from 07:00 - 14:00 so people can run, bicycle, inline skate or just watch from the side. There are refreshment stands along the way and most parks host some type of event such as yoga, dancing, stretching, spinning, etc. Numerous parks adorn the city and its outskirts. Other tourist attractions include the 157 m Tequedama Falls, about 32 km to the south, and the tram and cable cars and funicular that climb 550 m to the church and shrine atop Montserrat mountain with a spectacular view over the city and some fine restaurants. A short distance from the city is the Salto de Tequendama waterfall, Chingaza National Park and the underground cathedral at the salt mines of Zipaquirá. Bogotá's water is quite drinkable, although the water has the taste of chlorine. There are no tropical diseases because of its altitude. Altitude sickness may cause discomfort to some, but that would not last long.

Montserrat Mountain from the distance; Montserrat ticketing office; the Fulnicular vertical train; Montserrat Church with Christmas decorations.

Universities

Some of Colombia's universities are among the oldest in the Americas and even match in age a number of famous European universities. The Xavier Pontifical University (1622) and the University of Santo Tomás (1580) are among the several excellent universities in Bogotá.

Economics

Economically Bogotá has some industries, like a tire plant as well as some chemical and pharmaceutical industries, but it is primarily a center of commerce. The stock exchange was established in 1928 and all the main banks have their headquarters in the city.

Transportation

For transportation, it is the hub of of Avianca (Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia), the first commercial airline in South America and after the integration of TACA Airlines, the second largest airline of all Latin America, including Brazil. Outdated railroads connect Bogotá with the Caribbean coast to the north and via Puerto Berrío with the Pacific coast to the west. Bogotá is on the Colombian section of the Pan-American and Simón Bolívar highways and has road connections with all major Colombian cities. Transport within the city is offered by public transportation and taxis, which require fixing a price before entering