SUN DESTINATION
Bogotá Is Celebrating
Long obscured from view, Bogotá is emerging as one of the most desirable South American capitals to discover. Its physical beauty and cultural attractions are now front and center, and the city is celebrating.
Monserrate Hill
Colombians have a high tolerance for stimulation. I came to this conclusion while sitting at a dinner table in the middle of a crammed dance floor in Bogotá. Music blared, people sang along, and just a few feet away another heaving dance floor roared with a competing soundtrack. Out of the crowd, a dozen costumed people emerged carrying brass instruments and began a salsa rendition of “Happy Birthday,” complete with more dancing and a blizzard of confetti.
I’m told this is a typical Friday night at Andrés Carne de Res, a uniquely Colombian hybrid of grilled meat, loud music and dancing on the outskirts of Bogotá. Depending on your perspective, it’s either the greatest party on the planet or a tad over the top. But judging by the beatific smiles and abandoned dancing of hundreds of partying patrons, it’s the former. The meat, mostly beef, is abundant and expertly grilled, seasoned and presented on sizzling skillets that double as plates.
After years of strife, Colombians have reason to celebrate. There’s optimism in the air, and nowhere is that newfound spirit more apparent than in Bogotá.
This modern, sophisticated city of 6 million is one of the fastest growing cities in South America. Although it’s less than 400 miles from the equator, Bogotá is blessed with a mild, even climate, owing to its elevation of 8,530 feet.
It may take a day or two to get used to the altitude, but once you do, make a point of visiting Monserrate Hill. The mountain towers above the city and dominates the eastern horizon. For 400 years, pilgrims have climbed to the top of the mountain to visit the Monserrate church. Today a cable car accomplishes the ascent in a few minutes and provides magnificent views over all of Bogotá.
The historical center of the city is the neighborhood known as La Candelaria. Like most Spanish colonial towns, the city was built around a central square, known here as the Plaza de Bolivar. The ornate, colonial buildings speak of the square’s complicated history, but today crowds gather to see live bands and be entertained by mimes and magicians.
Museo BoteroA short stroll from the square is the Museo del Oro, a fiercely modern building displaying some very ancient art. Over $200-million worth of pre-Colombian gold artifacts are displayed in the darkened rooms of the museum. Directly across the street is the impressive Museo Botero. Colombia’s premier living artist, Fernando Botero, donated over 100 of his own works and a significant selection of his personal collection to this impressive museum. Botero’s signature portraits – enormously plump figures and robust sculptures – have a larger-than-life presence, and his collection of works by Matisse, Chagall, Picasso and De Kooning rival those of many more famous museums.
A great way to get around the city is on a bicycle. Bogotá has one of the most extensive bike path networks of any city in the world. On Sundays between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., all of the city’s main streets are closed off to traffic and taken over by cyclists. Day or night, prepare for a party.
Useful information
Andrés Carne de Res, Calle 3, No. 11a-56, Chía-Cundinamarca, 571-863-7880
Getting there
We offer the only non-stop service between Canada and Colombia, with three flights each week from Toronto to Bogotá and easy connections to and from the U.S. Find your flight. Plus, check out our great prices on car rentals and hotel rooms.
TOP PHOTO: IMAGE SOURCE / JUPITER IMAGES
CATHEDRAL: NELSON MEJIA / ISTOCKPHOTO
CAR: MARCEL COPS / DREAMSTIME
MUSEO BOTERO: BANCO DE LA REPÚBLICA
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