I took a solo trip to Bogotá to celebrate my birthday. While I was there I took private Spanish lessons ($10/hour), drank incredible coffee, explored museums, shopped at local boutiques, and ate some of the best food in South America.
It was one of those trips where a city quietly spoils you: great coffee on every corner, beautiful restaurants that don’t break your budget, and enough art, culture, and texture to keep you curious every day.
Jump to a Section
- Where I Stayed
- Café Culture in Bogotá & My Favorite Cafés
- Shopping & Boutiques
- Bogotá’s Food Scene
- Museums & Emerald Experiences
- Safety Tips
- Final Thoughts
Where I Stayed: Walkable, Stylish, and Strategic
I stayed in Chapinero at an airbnb for ~20/night. Chapinero is close to a lot of upscale restaurants and boutiques. This mattered. Bogotá is a city of contrasts, and there are very dangerous areas. I didn’t look for them, and I didn’t stumble into them either. I stayed in my walkable neighborhood, Ubered when needed, and felt comfortable doing so.
Bogotá feels like grunge, graffiti, and absolute luxury layered on top of each other. Where you are matters. The star icon was my airbnb, and all of the olive icons are my saved locations based on recommendations – so as you can see, that’s mostly where I stayed – in fact I can say, I don’t know Bogota well, I know what’s here on this map. and I loved it.
Café Culture: Bogotá Does Not Play About Coffee
I went to at least one bakery and one cafe every single day.
Colombia takes its coffee personally, and Bogotá is where that pride is put to practice. When I visited in 2022, Starbucks wasn’t allowed to operate in country unless it used Colombian beans exclusively (this has since changed by 2025—but the attitude remains).
I did an $18 coffee tour that took us to multiple cafés, where we tasted different beans, roast levels, and brewing styles. We ended at a café comparing methods side by side—including pour-over and the mesmerizing siphon method, where heat and gravity pull the coffee upward. It was one of the most fun and accessible experiences I had in the city.
My Favorite Spots:
- Libertario – By far the best brand name in Bogotá. Spacious with multiple indoor and outdoor rooms, grab a bag of their coffee to take home.
- Árbol del Pan – Famous for their breads, and yes, there’s often a line.
- Café Amor Perfecto – Leather seats, great atmosphere, and a popular spot for remote work.
- Café Cultor – A colorful café with a wide selection of pastries.
- Doméstica – Has a large outdoor patio and good food.
- Bahue Bogotá – Part clothing store, part café, and all about cool vibes. It’s where sneakerheads and coffee lovers ho.
- López & García – They specialize in tres leches cake, and despite not even liking tres leches, I was blown away. Shoutout to my tutor who made me go.
Beauty, and the Luxury of Affordability
Bogotá spoiled me. I got my hair blown out for $9. I got my nails done 2x in ten days. A gel manicure and pedicure WITH DESIGN for under $20.
I shopped at high-end grocery stores, drank fresh juice daily, ate well without ever feeling like I was hemorrhaging money. I bought so many clothes in Bogotá that I had to buy an extra suitcase for $45 USD just to get everything back to the U.S. I love unique clothing that people ask me “where did you get that” and I can say “oh a boutique in Bogota!”
Some of my favorite pieces I still own came from Bogotá. I went into Agua Bendita and acted a fool. I recommend navigating to the streets and stores below, walking around see what catches your eye.
- Zona T Bogota – a pedestrian zone full of so many erstaurants and shops. I bought so many things here – a linen crop top which I’ll wear forever. A Rick and Morty t shirt. I really liked the store Discrepante. (Kr 13 #82-24. Bogotá, Colombia)
- Wala Store – it’s a tailor where I brought a few items to be taken in, around this area were a lot of small cute boutiques. it’s also very close to Cafe Cultor, which I also recommend. (Cl. 71 #10-40, Bogotá, Colombia)
- St. Dom Bogota – this store and the surrounding blocks were a hit for me. (Cl. 79b #8-40. Bogotá, Colombia)
Food Scene: World-Class Dining
Bogotá has some of the best restaurants in South America. El Chato and Leo, are basically neighbors in the Chapinero neighborhood, and are world renowned. I have absolutely no shame that I use best restaurants rankings list as a guide to find recommendations. Some others that I tried:
- El Chato Bogotá tasting menu — El Chato is currently ranked as #1 in South America in 2026!
- Leo Bogotá tasting menu — Another must-visit fine dining experience.
- Cacio & Pepe Bogotá — A swanky Italian restaurant with great vibes. I ordered an entrée and dessert for just around $14 USD (prices from 2022). Highly recommend if you want affordable Italian in Bogotá.
- Mesa Franca Bogotá — Fresh seafood and a beautiful setting. Perfect for a stylish lunch or dinner.
- Humo Negro Bogotá — I tried their beet ice cream dessert — surprising and delicious!
- Ko Asian Kitchen Bogotá — Cool Asian fusion spot with big portions. Not the best Asian food in the world, but great for the vibe and casual eats.
Outside of the fancy places try the famous chicken soup from Bogotá featured on Netflix’s “Street Food: Latin America” (Episode 5) is Ajiaco. It is a hearty, creamy soup made with three types of potatoes, chicken, and guascas (a traditional herb), famously prepared by Mamá Luz (Luz Dary Cogollo) at her stall in the Paloquemao Market.
Museums and Materials: Gold, Emeralds, and Identity
I visited the Gold Museum, which is essential if you want to understand Colombia’s pre-Columbian history and its relationship to extraction and power.
Colombia is also famous for emeralds, and there are jewelry-making classes where you can create your own emerald ring if that’s your thing.
If you come to Colombia, the trifecta is clear: coffee, emeralds, and gold.
Safety, Awareness, and Moving Intentionally
I was warned EXTENSIVELY about crime in Bogotá. My spanish tutor grabbed my chin and said “promise you won’t go out at night, look at me, promise” and I listened. I went to a nice dinner, called my Uber by 10 PM and took my Black ass home.
I also took a free walking tour on my first day — something I do in most cities to get oriented. The guide repeated the same advice over and over: hold your belongings, don’t put your phone in your pocket, your phone is safer in your hand than anywhere else.
Within minutes, a tall American guy on the tour said, “Shit — my phone is gone.” First day in Bogotá. Mortified. I told him, “Feel bad today. Tomorrow, let it go. Don’t let it ruin your trip.” The guide stayed behind to help him buy a new phone. Pickpocketing here is real, fast, and highly efficient!
A City That Still Feels Untouched
One of the best things about Bogotá was how little English I heard and how few Americans I saw. If there’s a gringo digital nomad scene, it wasn’t loud or overwhelming when I was there. My Spanish was barely conversational at the time, and English felt limited mostly to touristy or business areas like Chapinero, Zona T, and Parque 93—where you might have a 25-30% chance of finding an English speaker. That mattered. Bogotá felt like a city living for itself, not performing for westerners…like parts of Medellin.
Final Thoughts on Bogota:
Bogotá isn’t effortless. It takes awareness, intention, and respect. English isn’t everywhere, so you’ll need to adjust. But if you show up ready, the city rewards you.
Great coffee.
Exceptional food.
Rich art, history, and real texture.
A place that feels lived-in, not staged.
I left slightly ruined—for other cities.
and I’d come back anytime, especially to take Spanish lessons again because I love their accent.