New York Times travel writer, Robert Caplin spends 36 Hours in Bogotá, Colombia
07/07/2010
THERE seems to be a fine line between a drug-war battlefield and a hip bohemian city, and Bogotá has crossed it. In just a few years, this subtropical city has clamped down on violence, cleaned up its act and emerged as the trendy capital of Colombian cool, safe enough to visit but still seedy enough to feel far from home. With its stretches of drab urban jungle, Bogotá is not conventionally pretty and its pleasures not immediately clear. But it rewards intrepid travelers who hop across its archipelago of neighborhoods to unearth artistic and cultural gems.
Friday
5 p.m.
1) DO THE MACARENA
Don’t be embarrassed by this Macarena. This hilly neighborhood, which is lined with turquoise, pink and orange buildings, has an air of downtown obscurity that attracts a fashionable, in-the-know crowd. The trendsetters can be spotted at Valenzuela Klenner Galería (Carrera 5 No. 26-28; 57-1-243-7752; vkgaleria.com).
10:30 p.m.
3) CREATIVE COCKTAILS
Bogotá’s night life is thriving, and it can be dizzying to watch local residents argue over the coolest new spot. Play it safe at BarDeLeo (Calle 27b No. 6-73; 57-1-286-0539; bardeleo.com/en), where new mingles easily with old. It has become a less controversial but no less creative producer of cocktails. The walls are a deep red, as are the shades on the chandelier; Cuban son music might be played live behind you. Try the starfruit (carambolo) and aguardiente martini — aguardiente is an anise-flavored, sugarcane-based drink, a Colombian favorite.
Saturday
10 a.m.
4) COLOMBIAN CULTURE
Three of Bogotá’s premier cultural institutions are clustered in the Candelaria district. The Botero Museum (Calle 11 No. 4-21; 57-1-343-1212) holds the personal art collection of the Colombian artist Fernando Botero, which includes works by Renoir, Monet and Picasso, not to mention full-figured works by Botero himself. In a city whose colonial influences are apparent, the Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango (Calle 11 No. 4-14; 57-1-343 1202; lablaa.org), just across the street from the Botero, seeks to remind visitors of the precolonial past and includes a collection of musical instruments that are indigenous to the region. Nearby, the Gold Museum (Calle 16, No. 5-41; 57-1-343-2222; banrep.gov.co/museo) traces the history of the precious metal and how it shaped Colombia.
1 p.m.
5) OCTOPUS AND OLIVES
Tucked inside one of Macarena’s steep streets is a fashionably dim tapas restaurant called Donostia (Calle 29 No. 5-84; 57-1-287-3943). Install yourself in one of its multicolored leather booths and start off with soft, delicious bread and a dipping sauce of olive oil, tomato pulp and spices. Try the chorizo santarrosano made in-house; the lemony octopus ceviche; the lamb meatballs with salsa; and the shrimp with garbanzo beans.
6 p.m.
7) TAKE IT FROM THE TOP
Bogotá is a vast urban frenzy — that is, until it runs into the Andes. Take the funicular up to the top of Monserrate (Carrera 2 este No. 21-48; 57-1-284-5700; cerromonserrate.com), and find yourself with the throbbing city on one side and the virtually deserted green mountains on the other.
8:30 p.m.
8) CLUB STEAK
Colombians love to “rumbear,” a word that captures the country’s culture of music and dance and late-night revelry. But until recently, Andres Carne de Res, a beloved spot that offers a hard-to-explain combination of steakhouse and all-night dance party, was situated in the remote outskirts of town. Thankfully, last year the club opened a branch downtown (Calle 82 No. 12-21; 57-1-863-7880; andrescarnederes.com).
Sunday
9 a.m.
9) BICYCLE POWER
Bogotá’s flirtation with a post-automobile city is being studied — and copied — by urban planners worldwide. On Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., more than 70 miles of streets in the city center are open only to bicycles as part of the Ciclovía program. The car-free thoroughfares are spiced up with cultural offerings such as aerobics and rumba lessons and the vending of fresh juices and snacks. Bogotá Bike Tours (Carrera 3 No. 12-72; 57-312-502-0554; bogotabiketours.com) has beach cruisers and mountain bikes.
11 a.m.
10) FASHIONABLE BRUNCH
A traditional Bogotá breakfast would include steaming chicken tamales, a spiced egg soup and hot chocolate. But as the city looks outward, brunches have gained a foothold. A fashionable favorite is La Bagatelle, in the Holiday Inn Express Hotel (Calle 94 No. 11A-12, 57-1-256-1619; bagatelle.com.co), which serves fusion fare to young Colombians hiding hangovers behind sunglasses. The fried egg and chorizo comes in an iron skillet, with corn arepas.
1 p.m.
11) GREEN STROLL
Despite its congestion, Bogotá has plenty of green, with tree-lined avenues and the hulking Andes on its edge that always seem just around the corner. Make your way to the Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis (Calle 63 No. 68-95; 57-1-437-7060; www.jbb.gov.co), a roughly 50-acre oasis of palm trees and lush tropical gardens.
IF YOU GO
Opened late last year, the Bogotá Marriott (Avenida El Dorado No. 69b-53; 57-1-485-1111; marriott.com) has bright colors, plenty of amenities and modern rooms starting at $215 a night.
A good midrange value in the central Candelaria district is Hotel de La Opera (Calle 10 No. 5-72; 57-1-336-2066; hotelopera.com.co). Book a room in its colonial wing, with its heritage furniture, tiled floors and pastel walls. Rooms from 375,000 pesos, about $204.
For a budget option, try the Hotel Ambalá in Candelaria (Carrera 5 No. 13-46; 57-1-342-6384; hotelambala.net). It offers clean and functional rooms starting at 121,000 pesos, including breakfast.
