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Bogota Colombia is a city loved by its warm-hearted people
that greets you with smiles.
Bogota, Colombia was founded in 1538 by the gold-seeking Spaniards and is Colombia's first city in every way. At the center of Bogota is the historic district of La Candelaria where is located the Plaza de Bolivar and San Carlos Palace.
Liberator Simon Bolivar slept here, and his name echoes on the plaques of hundreds of monuments and squares in the Andean countries.
Bogota has wonderful museums: tops are the Donation Botero, a superb collection of 19th and 20th century paintings donated by artist Fernando Botero; the fresco-lined Santa Clara Church and Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions displaying regional crafts in a beautifully restored convent.
The capital’s most spectacular attraction, however, is the Gold Museum, whose darkened vault lights up to illuminate some 18,000 ancient golden artifacts: ceremonial masks, exquisite jewelry, weapons, and votive figurines.
From Bogota, a day trip to the salt mine of Zipaquira and its Salt Cathedral carved out of rock some 450 ft below ground is an essential excursion.
Another is Villa de Leyva, the colonial gem of the hill towns of the neighboring state of Boyaca; its setting is right our of Man of La Mancha, with small convents, monasteries, plazas, and patioed homes admirably restored.
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