Barrio La Candelaria, Bogota, Colombia

4Nathan Smith Jr 5:00 PM Sep 18, 2022

A must visit for any trip to Bogota
As a Youtube content creator, one of the things I like to do is go to where the real people of a given city live and hangout. Candelaria definitely has some tourists, but generally it's mainly locals who are out going to bars, restaurants or chilling. I really enjoyed walking along the small narrow streets with our local tour and learning about the history of Bogota which started as a small square in the area. I felt that the place was safe to walk around in and was able to meet some really interesting people as a women's performance art festival was going on at the time.

4Robert O 5:00 PM Nov 29, 2020

Historic neighborhood in transition
This historic (17th century) neighborhood in central Bogota roughly stretches from the southwestern slopes of Monserrate hill all the way to Calle 6 towards the south. It includes the presidential palace (Casa Narino), Bolivar square with Bogota's main cathedral and other important sites such as the Gold Museum, Botero art museum and the Iglesia Santa Clara. For most backpackers the main attraction is the area near Calle del Embudo (the funnel), where Bogota's bohemians flock to visit bars and restaurants, admire grafitti and enjoy street comedians. Close-by are also many hostels and small hotels. During the day La Candelaria is a lively neighborhood, but after dark activity dies down rapidly. The city authorities have detached military and other men in uniform to improve security. They will warn you if you are walking out of the more or less secure area. Still it is not recommended to visit after dark. During the last decade many of the original (poor) inhabitants have been moving out of La Candelaria, being replaced by outsiders who have opened small businesses geared to tourists. Though some locals have succeeded in adjusting to modern times, the authentic character of the place has changed dramatically. The Belen section towards the southeastern corner of La Candelaria is still very much how it used to be.