Laguna Guatavita: In Search of the Legend of El Dorado

We took a hiking tour – in Spanish – of the Laguna de Cacique Guatavita, which roughly translates to Guatavita Indian Chief Lake.

Located about 40 miles north of Bogotá, Lake Guatavita is a spectacular lake in the heart of the Colombian mountains. It’s also the birthplace of a legend of El Dorado, the mythical city of gold.

The hike was challenging, taking you over 10,000 feet, and the reward was a breathtaking vista. Es vale la pena!

Bring good hiking shoes and lots of water. You’ll need to get an official tour, which includes the bus from Bogota and a tour in Spanish, and often is paired with a tour of the Salt Cathedral. If you’re over 60, the senior discount is significant.  

INFO

MyColombia.com

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Bogota Private Tour: Monserrate, the Gold Museum, and the Botero Museum

We spent a day with a private guide exploring some of Bogota's most iconic destinations, including Monserrate, the Gold Museum, and the Botero Museum.

First, we rode a funicular to the stunning mountain peak of Monserrate, which overlooks the sprawling city of Bogota at more than 9,000 feet.

A major pilgrimage site, Monserrate features an outdoor walk along the Stations of the Cross (Jesus’ journey to his crucifixion) to a neo-Gothic church called the Sanctuary of the Fallen Lord.

We enjoyed the panoramic views of the city, stopped at the tourist kiosks to shop, and tried some coca tea before heading back down the mountain to Bogota and the Gold Museum, which contains the largest collection of pre-Hispanic goldwork in the world.

We then strolled through the Candelaria neighborhood of Bogota, including Simon Bolivar Square, and the Botero Museum, a free museum that features works of art by Fernando Botero, Picasso, Dali, Monet, Renoir, and others.

We took a tour through GetYourGuide to see all these places, and the cost was very reasonable, especially for seniors.

INFO

Monserrate
Gold Museum
Botero Museum

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Monserrate
Gold Museum
Botero Museum

 

Welcome to Bogota

Off to a new continent: South America!

Messy Suitcase heads to Bogota, Colombia, for a pre-Christmas interlude. We stayed at the edge of the charming old Candelaria neighborhood, in an AirBnb with a panoramic view of the city. Because of the timing of our visit, in December, we were lucky to witness firsthand Colombia’s Christmas traditions, which transformed Candelaria into a giant street party complete with candles, music, Christmas lights, vendors, street chalk drawings, performances, crowds and fireworks.

The Christmas season officially launches for Colombians on Dec. 7 with the Dia de las Velitas, or Day of the Little Candles. On this day Colombian families, mostly Catholic,  light hundreds of little candles and place them in the streets in front of their homes, to light the way for the Virgin Mary to bless them. Then Christmas is celebrated gaily along Carrera Séptima Septima (Seventh Avenue) for the next two weeks with as Bogotá is transformed into a festive haven where locals and visitors alike are experience multimedia, theatrics, shows, music and more.

We visit the main square, bop around town, and then take a tour of the stunning Chase Sapphire lounge at the airport!

INFO

Visit Bogota website
The Culture Trip

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Colombia’s Otherworldly Cathedral of Salt

We ventured 2 ½ hours south of Bogota to the Salt Cathedral, the “First Wonder of Colombia.”  The Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá is an underground Roman Catholic Church built within the tunnels of a salt mine 660 feet underground inside a  mountain near the city of Zipaquirá, Colombia. It’s a huge tourist destination and a popular pilgrimage spot.

This massive subterranean cathedral is truly spectacular, with dramatic lighting, sculptures, light shows, Gregorian Chants and choir music, a mining tour, an underground mall, and even a train. Following the Stations of the Cross is a fascinating experience. The eerie combination of otherworldly and touristy is not to be missed!

We paid about $40 for the entry fee, plus the cost for the tour guide who drove us through the mountains.

Info:

Salt Cathedral Info
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