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Indigenous artisanry and hand-knitted/woven clothes
Carrera 3 No. 11-24
La Candelaria

Lucia sells arts and crafts made by indigenous and rural communities from all over Colombia with a philosophy of fair trade. You can pay more for the same wares in branches of ‘Artesanías de Colombia’ in western-style malls, but why would you do that?

Lucia also sells her own hand-knitted and woven clothes and if you are very nice you might be treated to a cup of coca tea!

Find Tienda Fibrarte on the map here

See pictures here

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It’s not as if I’m a massive doors fan and even though I do find good architecture and interior design appealing I’ve never banged on about it before yet I do find meself enthusing somewhat over the 1870s style Republican doors that we have in our new Bogotá pad.

Check this out spa:

Viewpoint, church and restaurants in the mountains to the east of Bogotá

Access by cable car and funicular railway
Carrera 2 Este No. 21-48
(1) 284 5700

To call a landline from a mobile/cell in Colombia prefix the landline number with 03 followed by the region code. For Bogotá prefix with 031

Prices:
Mondays – Saturdays COP 14,000 until 17:30, COP 17,000 after 17:30
Sundays COP 8,000

Running times:
Funicular:
Monday – Saturday 07:45 – 23:45
Sundays and festivals 07:45 – 18:30

Cable car:
Monday – Saturday 12:00 – 00:00
Sundays 09:00 – 17:00

Take the cable car or funicular to the Cerro de Monseratte and see the spectacular views over Bogotá and/or dine at one of the two fine restaurants. The best time to go for views is a little while before sunset so as to see the city by day and by night. Not really worth the trip when cloudy…

Find the cable car and funicular on the map here

See their website here

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Bike hire and tours, walking tours
Carrera 3 No. 12-72
La Candelaria
312 502 0554 (cell)
(1) 281 9924 (landline)

To call a landline from a mobile/cell in Colombia prefix the landline number with 03 followed by the region code. For Bogotá prefix with 031

Bike Hire:
Full day COP 25,000
Half day COP 15,000

Tours:
Bike COP 25,000 (4-5 hours)
Walking COP 20,000

Find Bogotá Bike Tours on the map here

Visit Bogotá Bike Tours’ site here

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07:00 – 14:00 Sunday and festivals

On Sundays and festivals over 70 miles of Bogotá’s streets are closed to traffic between the hours of 07:00 and 14:00 for the ciclovía. Now a worldwide phenonomen, it is maintained that the ciclovía originated here in Bogotá. More than just a massive network of car-free cycling, running, rollerblading and walking, there are stations throughout the ciclovía at which you can take part in free dance and and aerobics classes. It is said that between 1.5 and 2 million Bogotanos take part in the ciclovía every week.

Click here to see a short film about the ciclovía and here for a map.

Hire bikes at Bici Café.

Tourist Information Office
South-west corner of Plaza de Bolívar
Carrera 8 with Calle 10

Free guided tours of Bogotá’s historic centre are given by tourist police (in Spanish) at 10:00 and 14:00 daily, well worth joining in even if you don’t speak the lingo – there will often people people who can translate and if not you still get to see all the cool stuff…

Find the Plaza de Bolívar Tourist Office on the map here

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Arabic café/restaurant
Carrera 3 No. 13-55
La Candelaria

I’ve yet to eat here but hope that when I do the food is tasty…

Find Al Samira on the map here

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Corner of Carrera 5 with Calle 14
La Candelaria

I’ve no idea what this place is called but the old railway carriage makes a cool setting for a coffee or a smoothie, I’m pretty sure they do bits of food as well

Find the railway carriage café place on the map here

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Carrera 3 No. 13-41
La Candelaria

I’ve not eaten here but it looks very cool inside – a large covered courtyard houses the main eating area on both ground floor and balconies, a separate café area offers a less formal setting for a quick snack.

Find Café Arte on the map here

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Guest house
Carrera 3 No.13-14
Private room COP 20,000

Lacks the atmosphere that one might seek in a hostel but is cheap. Ten percent discount offered for month-long stays. Has a communal kitchen but no wifi at time of this post.

Find Aragon on the map