La Candelaria and the Gold Museum

National Monument Historic District, Founded With The City In 1538. Colonial Lanes, Plazas And Churches Around Plaza De Bolivar, Home To The Museo Del Oro, The Botero Museum, The Presidential Palace Area And The Cerro De Monserrate Cable Car Above. · Bogota, Bogota

La Candelaria is the old heart of Bogota, a grid of steep colonial lanes, balconied houses, churches and plazas climbing the slope below Monserrate, about 2,600 metres up in the Andes. It starts at Plaza de Bolivar, where the Catedral Primada, the Capitolio and the Palace of Justice face one another, and it holds the best museums in the country within a few blocks. The MUSEO DEL ORO is the headline: one of the largest collections of pre-Hispanic gold in the world, with the Muisca raft and the Quimbaya poporo among its pieces. Beside it sit the Botero Museum and the Banco de la Republica cultural complex, both free. Between them are street art, small cafes, the Chorro de Quevedo square and the Calle del Embudo. It is cool, often wet by afternoon, and best walked slowly in daylight, with a few simple precautions about phones and empty lanes. Spend the first day on short flat walks, since the altitude tires newcomers on the steep upper streets.

Historic centre of the capital on the slopes below Monserrate, from Plaza de Bolivar up through the colonial lanes, with the Museo del Oro near Parque de Santander, Bogota, Bogota, Colombia

The district itself is open all day, but the sensible visiting window is daylight. The Museo del Oro is generally CLOSED on MONDAYS and has a free-entry day, usually Sunday, with long queues - confirm both before you plan. The Botero Museum and the Banco de la Republica spaces are free and usually close one weekday, often Tuesday. Monserrate runs by cable car and funicular on set daily windows and pauses for maintenance now and then. Casa de Narino guard posts and the Capitolio only admit people on arranged visits with ID. Confirm every day and hour locally.

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