Colombia is divided into the capital and its surrounding areas, Caribbean coast areas and coffee producing areas according to the terrain and the styles of different regions. Today, let's take a look at the scenic spots in the capital Bogota and its surrounding areas. Which of them cannot be missed for you?
Bogota and its surrounding areas have an annual average temperature of 14℃, characterized by mild climate all the year round. Bogota is the most populous with the largest area in Colombia. Bogota is home to the national government, large companies and famous universities, and has talents in various fields and is known as the center of the country.
Bogota is also a diverse city. It is full of cultures and customs in North America, Central America and South America, making Bogota, a metropolis located in the east of the Andes, appear with obvious Latin stigma. The novel modern architecture and the ancient architecture of the colonial period complement each other, both of which create a different style for the city.
1. Museo de Oro
Museo de Oro is the biggest museum of gold artifacts in the world. It was established in 1939 and moved to its current site in 1968. It is now managed by the National Bank of Colombia. The museum has a collection of about 30,000 exquisite gold artifacts made by Indians from the 20th century BC to the 16th century AD, which are displayed by period and region.
2. Monserrat
Montserrat is the commanding height of Bogota. You may take a cable car or a small train up the mountain. At the mountain top, you may not only visit the church where miracles are said to have appeared, but also overlook the whole city Bogota.
If you have a free day, you may visit the old downtown where the Museo de Oro is located for half a day, taste the fragrant JuanValdes coffee, come to Montserrat in the evening to enjoy the night view of Bogota, and have dinner in one of the high-end hotels in the new downtown. How pleasant will it be!
3. Catedral de Sal Zipaquirá
Zipaquirá is one of the famous tourist destinations in Colombia. The town has beautiful scenery, where La Maddalena River flows through the town. Outside the town, stand lofty the amazing white mountains. These mountains are salt mine resources. Four parallel salt mountains zigzag for 500 kilometers. Its abundant salt reserves can be used by 5.3 billion people on the planet for 100 years. The town is more and more prosperous and Zipaquirá is famous for salt mining.
4. Guatavita
Guatavita Town was built in 1960 for housing residents relocated as a result of the building of Tomine Hydropower Plant. The architectural style of the town completely retains the characteristics of Spanish colonial style. The quiet town has many restaurants, handicraft stores, beautiful churches and museums. It is a typical settlement town in Colombia.
Guatavita Lake - 30 minutes' drive from the town. There is a "Golden Legend" about this tranquil lake. Local Indians rowed boats to dump gold jewelry into the lake in order to offer sacrifices to gods. After Spanish arrived, they heard the legend and organized several excavation activities to salvage the left treasure from the lake. We may see the traces of excavation by Spanish even today.
5. Villa de Leywa and Raquira
Known as "the most beautiful town in South America", Leywa has an idyllic scene. The town has completely retained the Spanish colonial style buildings. Walking on the slate road left in the 17th century is like a journey crossing over the times. It is also a typical idyllic town in Colombia.
Raquira is an "online famous" town in Colombia. The villagers paint their houses in various colors to stand out from others. They paint various art works in the streets and alleys of the town, making the town a big painting board.
Every country is a polyhedron. Colombia is undoubtedly an ideal destination for all travelers. However, Bogota's charm is far more than as narrated above. We are looking forward to reading more stories from you after your trip there.
