Ten Hours in Bogotá, Colombia

Introduction

In April 2025, on my way from Santiago, Chile to Panama City, Panama, I had a long layover in Bogotá, with about 10 hours to explore the city. I wasn’t expecting much (Bogotá usually gets overshadowed by Medellín and Cartagena when it comes to visiting Colombia), but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Here’s how I spent my day.

Arrival & Airport Logistics

Arrival: Landed at 5 a.m. after a red-eye from Santiago.
Immigration: Long and inefficient as hell, took over 1.5 hours. We got stuck in the wrong line (for Colombian nationals) and had to line up again because a divider that was supposed to be up was down.
Storage: Left our suitcases at the airport, then called an Uber into the city.
Uber: Uber used to be illegal at the airport, but isn’t anymore. It was easy and inexpensive to call an Uber into the city.

Stop 1: Tropicalia Coffee

Tropicalia Coffee is Number 10 on the World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops (2024), and I think that title is well-deserved.

Iced coffee: Unique, absolutely fantastic.
French toast: Great texture, not too sweet. Some of the strawberries were a bit overcooked.
Toast with scrambled eggs, mushrooms, asparagus, and broccoli: Balanced, flavorful, not too salty.
Cheese croissant: Phenomenal, but a bit small.
Macadamia nut brownie with vanilla ice cream: Brownie was maybe the best food I had here, but the ice cream had a weird taste.

Stop 2: Botero, Moneda, UMA Museums

Botero Museum: Dedicated to Fernando Botero, a Colombian artist. His style (rotund figures) is very distinctive and very cool to see in person.
Moneda Museum & UMA: In the same complex as the Botero. The Moneda shows Colombian currency through the ages, and UMA has modern art. Both are interesting but quick stops, especially since most descriptions were only in Spanish.

Stop 3: Museo del Oro (Gold Museum)

A collection of pre-Columbian gold artifacts. Interesting and elaborate pieces, though I thought the Pre-Columbian Art Museum in Santiago offered more historical context.

Stop 4: Monserrate

Iconic viewpoint of Bogotá city from above. The cable car ride up was crowded, but the sweeping view of the city framed by mountains was great. I would’ve spent longer here if I had more time.

Stop 5: Wilborada 1047

Cozy bookstore with a great neighborhood vibe, mentioned in Elizabeth Stamp’s “150 Bookstores You Need to Visit Before you Die.”

Last Stop: Tropicalia Coffee (Round 2)

Couldn’t resist going back for snacks before the flight:

Chicken avocado sandwich: Delicious, not too rich, great airport meal.
Almond croissant: Good, but like the cheese croissant, a bit small.

Final Thoughts

Bogotá surprised me. I liked it a lot more than I expected to. The city was lively and interesting.
It felt safe. Colombia has a reputation for danger, but I felt comfortable as long as I took the basic precautions (don’t walk with your phone, don’t wear upscale clothes and jewelry, etc.) Upscale neighborhoods were full of people walking dogs and wearing very flashy jewelry, which was surprising to me.
Colombian coffee is so good. It really lives up to the hype. Tropicalia is one of my favorite cafés in the world.
One day was a bit rushed, but enough time for me personally. I felt I saw the highlights of the city. If I’d had more time, I would’ve spent longer at Monserrate.
Would I return? Probably not to Bogotá – I’ve visited the places I want to in the city. I’d love to return to Colombia though to visit Medellín and Cartagena.