SUESCA

Some 65km north of Bogotá, the small town of SUESCA is one of Colombia’s top rock-climbing destinations. Adventure-sports enthusiasts of all persuasions will feel at home here, but it is the sandstone cliffs on the town’s doorstep that steal the show, offering traditional and sport rock-climbing with more than six hundred routes including multi-pitch.

The majority of the rock-climbing and adventure-sports operators are located at the entrance to the rocks, a fifteen-minute walk from the town centre.

 

THE ZIPAQUIRÁ SALT CATHEDRAL

The most popular day-trip from Bogotá is a visit to the salt cathedral of ZIPAQUIRÁ, some 50km north of the city. Inaugurated in 1995 to great fanfare – having replaced an earlier one that closed because of collapse – the cathedral lies completely underground, topped by a hill that was mined by local Indians even before the Spanish arrived in the seventeenth century. As you descend 180m into the earth, you’ll pass fourteen minimalist chapels built entirely of salt that glow like marble in the soft light, each a different combination of colours. The main nave is a feat of modern engineering, complete with the world’s largest subterranean cross, and the vast salty cavern is impressive, though the changing lighting is very gimmicky.

Above ground, there’s a museum explaining the history of salt extraction; more expensive ticket combinations include museum entry. You must enter the salt cathedral with a guided tour that’s included in the entrance fee, but once inside, you’re free to escape.

MUSEO DE ARTE MODERNO

The Museo de Arte Moderno has the largest collection of contemporary Colombian art in the country, running the gamut from photography and painting to sculpture and graffiti. Frequently changing exhibits tend to focus on Latin American artists, such as the psychedelic works of Jairo Maldonado. There’s also a bookshop and a cinemateca that projects art films on weekends between 3 and 5pm.

MIRADOR TORRE COLPATRIA

Fantastic 360-degree views can be had from the Mirador Torre Colpatria, Colombia’s tallest skyscraper (162m). Here you can catch a glimpse of the Plaza de Toros La Santamaría, the Moorish-style bullring where the Temporadas Taurinas (bullfights) take place each January and February.

MUSEO NACIONAL DE COLOMBIA

Inside a fortress-like building, the Museo Nacional de Colombia provides a detailed chronological look at the country’s tumultuous history. The converted jailhouse’s most impressive exhibits relate to the conquest and the origins of the beguiling El Dorado myth that so obsessed Europe. The second floor houses an extensive collection of paintings by modern Colombian artists, including Fernando Botero, while on the third floor, don’t miss the exhibit on Jorge Gaitán, the populist leader assassinated in 1948. Descriptions are in Spanish only, but you can pick up English-language placards.

MUSEO DEL ORO

On the northeastern corner of Parque de Santander, at Cra 6 and C 16, is Bogotá’s must-see Museo del Oro, or Gold Museum. The world’s largest collection of gold ornaments, some 55,000 pieces strong, is spread out over three floors, with extensive displays on Colombia’s indigenous cultures, cosmology and symbolism, techniques used in working with gold, and a region-by-region breakdown of the use of various pieces. Note the recurring symbolism of animals (jaguars, birds, monkeys, human/animal hybrids), the very fine filigree earrings, gold offerings used in rituals and elaborate ornamentation worn by chieftains and those who communed with deities. Free one-hour tours in Spanish and English take place from Tuesday to Saturday at 11am and 4pm, respectively.

QUINTA DE BOLÍVAR

At the foot of Monserrate is the Quinta de Bolívar, a spacious colonial mansion with beautiful gardens where Simón Bolívar lived sporadically between 1820 and 1829. The informative museum retells the story of Bolívar’s final, desperate days in power before being banished by his political rivals, in a collection that includes a plethora of Bolívar paraphernalia including his military medals, billiard table and bedpan. One object you won’t see here is the sword El Libertadór used to free the continent from four centuries of Spanish rule. It was stolen in 1974 from the collection in the now legendary debut of urban guerrilla group M-19. When they handed in their arsenal in 1991, the sword was quickly shuttled into the vaults of the Banco República.

PLAZOLETA DEL CHORRO DE QUEVEDO

Nowhere is La Candelaria’s grittier, bohemian side better captured than on the streets surrounding the Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo. The tiny plaza is said to be the site of the first Spanish settlement, though the tiled-roof colonial chapel on the southwest corner was built much later.

MUSEO MILITAR

Run by the military, the Museo Militar showcases weaponry through the ages, jaunty military uniforms, model battleships, anti-aircraft guns and other articles relating to the art of war. You need ID to enter.

MUSEO HISTÓRICO POLICÍA

Friendly young English-speaking police offer free guided tours of the Museo Histórica Policía, which are really worthwhile just to hear about their experiences. The basement is largely given over to a display on the notorious 499-day police hunt for drug lord Pablo Escobar, and includes his Bernadelli pistol, also known as his “second wife”, and there’s a great view across the city from the roof.