This was an unexpected trip to say the least, and calling Colombia the most welcoming place on Earth falls short of all that the country has to offer. When you walk the art filled streets of Bogota, you can't help but to feel inspired and immersed in rich heritage and culture. A melting pot of unique gastronomic experiences, colorful buildings, and some of the best coffee in the world, you can rest assured that when it comes to things to do and enjoy, Bogota has plenty of add-on's for your itinerary. In this blog I narrowed it down to some of my favorites based on my enriching cultural experience and love for instagramable moments! Where to Stay: Hilton Bogota Corferias Walk through the streets of La Calendaria Known as the original city, this neighborhood is home the city's oldest buildings, astonishing architecture, and a classic experience of Colombia with a modern twist in certain spots making it a true walk to remember, and yes, I recommend you walk the entire neighborhood! You'll catch a glimpse of the simple things in life, like children playing traditional Colombian games outside, street performers channeling their heritage the best way they know how with wild interpretive dancing, live music, and so much more! Explore La Zona T Even though within the walls and streets of Bogota, the city holds great heritage and culture, the capital of Colombia could not go without an upscale metropolitan area. Zona Rosa, also known as Zona T features a variety of upscale restaurants, hotels, shopping, and of course nightlife! Luckily, I got to experience this zone more than once, the first being a nice and entertaining dinner at Andres C.D and the second for lunch at Kuna Mya, both of which were excellent choices, by the way! My third encounter with Zona T, of course had to be one of my favorite things to do, SHOPPING! I had the privilege of visiting St.Dom, a high end luxury store curated to showcase and sell only the finest in Latin/Colombian designer piece with an additional focus on discovering new young Latin talent. Visit Museo Botero Bogota has various museums and the Botero Art Museum is no exception of a beautiful scenery inside and out. Going through the museum and exploring the attention to detail played a role in my enrichment of the destination's cultural knowledge, and what all influences the local art scene both past and present. This Visit the First Wonder of Colombia, the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral Colombia's first wonder, is nothing short of breathtaking with it's intricate architectural style, this monumental masterpiece was hand built by miners and eventually became a temple. This iconic piece of history lies only 48 kilometers from Bogota and is buried deep in the hill of Zipa, a name taken from the most prominent indigenous chief and stands at 2,652 meters above sealevel with an average temperature of 14 degrees Celsius. Experience the Coffee Scene at the Rose Pastry Shop Colombia is known for some of the greatest coffee in the world, and although you can find a coffee shop at just about every corner, Rose Pastry Shop is both delicious and instagrammable! Located on Carrera 9 #70A-11 in Bogota, this exquisite little shop is decked out with an all pink ensemble. From the pink walls, flowers, furniture, LED lights, and even plants, you can't help but to just want to take a picture. Their feature desserts are perfectly displayed with great eloquence to make a true gastronomic experience from a simple little coffee run. Learn about one of the world's most precious jewels at the International Emerald Museum Did you know that Colombia is known to be the most important source of high quality emeralds in the world? Due to the ideal climate and geographical location, Columbias emeralds are known to contain less iron and fewer impurities making them more valuable. Respectively, the International Emerald Museum was a must. Although it was a small museum, the real VIP experience is getting to purchase beautiful emeralds right on property, knowing that they are true and tried. I couldn't help myself but to make the investment, after all, when will I ever get the opportunity to purchase some of the best emeralds in the world right from their source? Encounter the Culture of Colombia at Plaza de Bolivar Soak it all in, embrace the culture, and let yourself be immersed by what Colombia is all about at the Plaza de Bolivar, located at the main square in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, this iconic plaza hosts vendors, artisans, and picturesque llamas for pictures? (yup, that's right.. I could not resist the temptation to take a picture with a freaking LLAMA!) Not only is this iconic plaza a gathering place but it's rich history exceeds beyond just another ancient site. This plaza also symbolizes the country's liberty with it's name being given after Simon Bolivar Venezuelan, a solider who played a crucial role in the South American independence movement. Now, years later, the country still commemorates Bolivar's bravery with various memorials including this iconic plaza surrounded by exquisite architecture, and the rest of the original city also known as "La Candelaria." Colombia Quick Facts:
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