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Bogota neighborhoods: where to live in Bogota [Updated 2023]

Introducing you to some of Bogota's neighborhoods

When I was contemplating my move to Colombia, I started checking out the different Bogota neighborhoods and the cost of rent to see what I could get for my money. The problem was that I had no idea which areas were nice, safe and well-located, or which I should avoid. Now that I’ve been living here for a while, I feel qualified to provide the low-down of areas you might want to consider living in. If you want to find accommodation in Bogota** you might find my post on how to find a place to live in Bogota useful, which has a list of useful websites and other tips.

Under this list of Bogota neighborhoods I’ve given some tips on other things to consider when you’re deciding where to live, and an explanation of the estratos. If you’re still not sure, it can be a good idea to book an Airbnb apartment for your few months in Bogota so that you can explore the different streets and neighborhoods before committing to a year contract.

La Candelaria (the Historical Center) (Estrato 2-4)

Bogota neighborhoods - La Candelaria

This area is popular among tourists as it’s the historical centre of Bogota. You’ll find museums (including the Gold Museum and Botero Museum), cable cars and a funicular train to Monserrate and various language institutes and universities.

Many people assume that this must therefore be the best place to stay in Bogota. I would say that if you’re planning to stay for less than a month in Bogota and want to be close to the main attractions, the Candelaria or downtown may be a good option.

However, this area isn’t the safest (especially at night), and the buildings are very old, so you’d be more likely to encounter power-cuts and lack of hot water. It’s not recommended to walk around the Candelaria after dark unless you know the streets very well. It’s also close to some of the poorer areas of the city. So even though the Candelaria has character and is well-located for tourists, I wouldn’t say it’s the best place to settle if you’re staying long-term.

Having said this, the art scene is fantastic. There are examples of street art and graffiti by well-known artists on every single street – you can see and learn about these on the Bogota Graffiti Tour. There are also cultural events such as film screenings and art workshops, and a fantastic selection of cafés and pubs. I find it a very inspiring area to be in and take a walk through. I imagine it’s how people might have felt in Paris in the 1920s! But again, for reasons I’ve mentioned, I don’t think I’d choose to settle in the area long-term.

The International Center (Estrato 4)

Bogota neighborhoods - Centro Internacional

Close to the Museo Nacional, the Centro Internacional is located more or less between Calle 26 and Calle 34, and between Carrera 14 and Carrera 7. It is an area full of many new buildings, many of which come complete with gyms, meeting rooms, events rooms, squash courts, saunas, jacuzzis and even swimming pools.

Most parts are relatively safe, and it’s okay if you are coming home by TransMilenio or bus after dark and need to walk a few blocks to your building.

The cost of rent varies in the International Center. A studio or 1-bedroom apartment will be around 1,200,000 – 3,000,000 pesos per month, depending on the size, which floor it is on, and how old the building is. The International Center is well-connected to the city center and to the north of Bogota by the TransMilenio on main avenues Carrera 7, and Avenida Caracas.

I lived in the Centro Internacional between December 2022 and April 2023, and for me it was too noisy for a long-term stay. The windows of the buildings aren’t that great at isolating noise and there’s a lot going on in the area – bars and pubs that stay open till 4am. The traffic can also be loud, as well as people shouting in the street.

So I’d recommend visiting the area during the day and at night, and especially the apartment you’re thinking of renting. Check how much noise you can hear inside, and keep in mind that while there’ll be less noise from traffic at night, there may be noise from the local bars.

There are also a lot of Airbnbs in this area, which I’ve found means people come to Bogota to party for a few days and then leave. So you may not have the quietest neighbors if you’re living in the International Center of Bogota.

La Macarena (Estrato 3-4)

Bogota neighborhoods - La Macarena - where to stay in Bogota

La Macarena neighborhood is just up the hill from the Centro Internacional. When I say ‘up the hill’, that means depending how close you are to the mountains you’ll have an uphill trek home each day.

It’s a trendy area, popular among expats and it does have character. There are many traditional, colourful buildings, several fantastic art galleries, bookshops, a great selection of bars and restaurants, and it generally has a nice ‘neighborhood’ vibe.

For great food on a budget, I love Calle Bonita (Calle 30), where you can get an excellent lunch for around 17,000 pesos Monday-Friday. The menus are often displayed on chalk-boards outside the restaurant, so take a photo before you go in and have Google Translate ready if you’re still learning Spanish! My favourite restaurants on this street are ‘De la Loma’ (right at the top of the street) and Peri-Peri (in the middle). There’s also a decent vegan restaurant nearby called ‘Restaurante Naturalmente Vegano’. You’ll find all of these on Google Maps.

If money is no object, there are many restaurants to choose from on Carrera 4a between Calle 26b and Calle 29. I loved the orange beef thing at Gaudí restaurant, and the toy-themed restaurant La Jugueteria is a bit like dining in Stan’s bedroom in Toy Story! (good food though!).

Some streets in La Macarena are not that safe to be walking in at night. There are, however, some nice buildings there, and it is close to the historical center and some of the universities in that area. So if you see any apartments you like the look of online, check it out in person. That way you can judge how safe the area feels, and whether you really want to be trekking home uphill at the end of every day!

Chapinero (Estrato 4)

Chapinero is very popular among young expats. It is well-located about half-way between Candelaria in the south, and trendy Chicó and Zona T in the north. This means it’s relatively easy to get to most of the places you might want to go to.

However, although it’s relatively safe during the day, some parts of Chapinero (particularly those close to Avenida Caracas and the parks) aren’t so safe at night. Keep this in mind if you expect to be regularly returning home after dark. As there are many students and young expats living in Chapinero, you won’t find it difficult to find a flat-share there, and there are some decent, spacious apartments in the area. You’ll probably be able to rent a room for around 800,000 pesos a month including admin and bills.

Chapinero Alto (Estrato 4-5)

Bogota neighborhoods - Chapinero Alto - where to stay in Bogota

View of Chapinero Alto and the eastern mountains from my old apartment

This part of Chapinero (‘Upper Chapinero’) is my favorite part of Bogota. I lived there in 2014-2015 and am living here again in 2023. It’s a fantastic location if you’re a digital nomad, as there are lots of cafés. My favorites include Mistral (great lunch option), Mesa Salvaje (vegetarian), Almendro and Hibrido.

Chapinero Alto is located between carrera 1 and carrera 7, and between calle 40 in the south and calle 70 in the north. A lot of students live around calle 45 because of the Universidad Javeriana. Universidad de la Salle is also around Calle 60. It’s also become popular among expats.

My favorite part is between streets 55 and 70 around Carrera 4. This is close to the ‘Gourmet Zone’ (Zona G) of Chapinero Alto/Rosales. Most restaurants are pretty affordable, and some very cheap, if you’re earning in a Western currency. There’s a variety of cuisine and plenty of trendy bars.

The best thing to do in Chapinero Alto if you’re thinking of living there is to visit the area, take a walk around and see how you feel. Some streets have a lot of new and trendy apartment buildings and are quite quiet. Others are quite old and have noisy buses and trucks going down them several times an hour. As I write this, I’m about to check out of an Airbnb in Chapinero Alto that was very cute in the photos but has windows that are not sealed and a street below. It took some getting used to the noise and I wish I could have seen it before booking. I’m moving to another apartment that has a quiet bedroom (I’ve already checked!).

Chapinero Alto is a good location if you want to be able to travel to the historical center or the chic north, as it’s about half-way between the two. There are good public transport connections as well as supermarkets (Carulla and Exito) and gyms (Bodytech and Stark Gym) on carrera 7. The rent will be anywhere between 1,500,000 and 3,500,000 pesos for a 1-2 bedroom apartment, depending on the age of the building, the street and the size of the apartment.

Quinta Camacho (typically Estrato 4)

Bogota neighborhoods where to live and stay in Bogota Quinta Camacho

I used to live a few blocks away from Quinta Camacho and it’s one of my favorite Bogota neighborhoods. The area is made up mainly of two-storey traditional residential houses. There are also plenty of bars, coffee shops, restaurants and cute boutiques.

It’s a bit leafier than many of Bogota’s neighborhoods, with trees lining many of the streets. This area is a bit quieter compared to other parts of the city. It’s located north of Chapinero, west of the upmarket Rosales neighborhood and south of the exclusive El Nogal neighborhood.

Although it’s not actually part of Bogota’s ‘gourmet zone’ (the ‘Zona G’), it should be, as it has a wonderful choice of restaurants. These include Crepes and Waffles, Wok, Itanos and an English gastropub, El Inglés (try the Sunday lunch!).

Quinta Camacho is charming and achieves a balance between being a friendly neighborhood you’d want to live in without being prohibitively expensive like some of the surrounding neighborhoods. I’d say this is one of the safer areas of Bogota (though like anywhere in the city you should always take a reasonable amount of care, especially on Carrera 11).

If you want somewhere you can walk out the door and let your kids run around though, I’d look more at Chico and Parque de la 93 for their parks. You can also look for ‘Conjuntos Cerrados’, which are private gated neighborhoods or apartment buildings often with a playground inside.

Zona T / El Nogal / Rosales (Estrato 5-6)

Bogota neighborhoods - El Nogal - where to stay in Bogota

El Nogal, Bogotá

This is one of the most expensive areas of the city. It’s a nice green district with the prestigious Andino, Atlantis and Retiro shopping malls, cinemas, trendy bars and restaurants.

The buildings are generally old, so they don’t come with the facilities (pools, gyms etc) of the buildings in the International Center. However, they are in a good condition and most have security guards protecting the entrance. Many of the foreign embassies are located in this area, Chicó and Parque de la 93, so you will also see many of the better-off expats and diplomat-types living in these areas.

From Carrera 7, you can take a bus down to the historical center, and from Carrera 20 you can take the TransMilenio. If you are lucky, you might find a one-bedroom apartment for around $2,000,000 pesos including administration but most will cost more. You also need to factor in the likely cost of bills, as this area is mostly estrato 6. Four to five bedroom apartments are rented out in this area for 10 – 15 million pesos per month.

Parque de la 93, Chicó and Parque El Virrey (Estrato 5-6)

Bogota neighborhoods - Parque de la 93, Chicó

Enjoying a burger at one of the restaurants surrounding Parque de la 93 in Chicó

These are all great areas in the north to go out for dinner, with plenty of trendy restaurants and bars. They are all very commercial areas, which may or may not be to your taste.

Chicó’s ‘Zona T’ and the Parque de la 93 are popular nightspots among the well-heeled classes of Bogota. In fact, nowadays (2023), the Zona T on a Friday or Sunday night is full of kids filming TikToks (spoken like a true millennial LOL). You’ll generally find a more mature crowd in Parque de la 93.

These neighborhoods are a common base for expats who are in Bogota temporarily for work, I’ve noticed. Parque de la 93 is similar to El Nogal and the Zona T in terms of price and estrato but is located about a 15-20 minute walk away from the nearest TransMilenio stop (Virrey). There is fairly good access from Carrera 7 by bus, but most people will arrive in and leave the area by car or taxi. Make sure you pre-book your taxi; it is not recommended to take one from the street.

These areas are quite a good option for people with a high budget and for those with children. There are several parks nearby, including Parque del Chicó on cra. 7 and Parque El Virrey. It’s also just nice to walk around and go for a coffee nearby. I recommend Azahar Café for great specialty coffee, Wok for Asian cuisine and La Fabbrica for Italian.

Santa Barbara (Estrato 5-6)

Bogota neighborhoods - Santa Barbara - where to stay in Bogota

This area in the north of Bogota has a nice suburban feel to it and is very nice to walk around. It is close to Unicentro shopping mall, with Exito and Carulla supermarkets nearby and it’s served by Transmilenio stop Calle 127 on Autopista. Santa Barbara shopping mall and the colonial area of central Usaquén are also nearby.

I highly recommend the Usaquen flea market on Sundays. There’s also a general market which is open everyday, where you can buy jewelry, bags and traditional handicrafts. Santa Barbara is quite close to Parque El Country if you have kids or need to walk the dog. It’s also close to the members-only Country Club de Bogota.

Santa Barbara is on the more expensive side. If you’re looking for a nicely-finished 1-2 bedroom apartment, you should expect to pay at least $2,000,000 pesos/month (2023) which may or may not include administration. Bills will also be quite high, as most properties will be listed as estrato 5 and 6.

A cheaper alternative nearby would be El Batán neighborhood to the west of the Autopista. El Batán is estrato 4 and as good as Santa Barbara in terms of location. There are also some cheaper places in parts of Usaquén and in Bella Suiza neighborhood to the northeast.

In years past, the TransMilenio station Calle 127 was extremely overcrowded during the morning and evening rush hours. I haven’t been there recently so I’m not sure if that’s changed, but previously there was often long queues along the bridge just to get into the station. It may be better to take an Uber or buy a bicycle and take advantage of the cycle tracks in the area.

Teusaquillo and Park Way (Estrato 2-4)

Bogota neighborhoods - Teusaquillo - where to stay in Bogota

Teusaquillo – flickr

In the middle of the last century Teusaquillo was a highly sought-after, well-to-do area. Nowadays it has largely lost its attraction to the upper classes, who have drifted north to the exclusive neighborhoods of Chicó, Virrey and Santa Barbara. Teusaquillo and Parkway feel more like artsy hipster neighborhoods now, and haven’t lost their charm, in my opinion.

You’ll usually find houses instead of apartment blocks in Teusaquillo and it’s quite popular with young expats. Its proximity to the Universidad Nacional means there’s also quite a large student population. Teusaquillo is quite well located for Simon Bolivar Park and Parque de los Novios in Salitre neighborhood.

Just north of Teusaquillo is Park Way. Park Way itself is actually a narrow area of green which stretches along Carrera 24, starting from Calle 36 up to Calle 45. Over the last few years, many businesses and start-ups have chosen Park Way as their home.

The rent is still reasonably affordable for the middle class and there’s a great selection of cafés, bars and restaurants. There are also a couple of independent theaters and art spaces and the thin stretch of park for walking dogs. It’s close enough to Calle 30 and Avenida Caracas to walk to the Transmilenio in 10 minutes, but far enough away from all the noise and pollution. I wouldn’t mind living in this area.

Usaquén (generally Estrato 4)

Bogota neighborhoods - Usaquen - where to stay in Bogota

Usaquén used to be a town outside of Bogota. It only became a part of the city as it expanded further north in the latter half of the last century.

I love the Usaquén flea market on a Sunday, and it would be a nice area to live in as it offers plenty of restaurants, bars and squares. There’s also the Hacienda Santa Barbara shopping mall, which isn’t great for shopping but has a supermarket and a Cine Colombia cinema.

I love the independent Cinema Paraíso, and just up the street from it is a wonderful specialty coffee shop, Catación Pública.

Usaquén can feel less safe the further you go up towards the mountains, where poorer neighborhoods are located. I wouldn’t walk around the area after dark. There are quite a lot of new developments along Carrera 7 in Usaquén, which will be well-connected in terms of bus routes going down to the Zona T, Parque de la 93 and the historical center, but will come with a high price-tag.

As I update this in 2023, I can say I’ve noticed in recent years that Usaquen has become more expensive. There are more chic boutiques and posh market galleries selling traditional Colombian souvenirs and goods at elevated prices (targeted at tourists).

Cedritos (Estrato 4)

where to live in Bogotá - Cedritos - where to stay in Bogota

Cedritos feels like a nice suburban, green, family neighborhood, and it feels quite safe to walk around too. Because it is quite far north of the city, it is not that convenient to commute from if you work downtown. However, if you work or study close to Caracas Avenue or Autopista, it’s very easy to get there by TransMilenio from Cedritos.

As Cedritos is less central, rent is cheaper and there are many nice new apartment buildings (which means prices have increased in recent years). If you are willing to compromise on location to live in a quieter, less polluted and more affordable neighborhood, Cedritos might be a good option.

Salitre (Estrato 4)

Bogota neighborhoods - Salitre - where to stay in Bogota

Salitre neighborhood has been up-and-coming for a number of years now. I really like walking in the area.

It has many modern developments, with plenty of green spaces, unlike many parts of the city. There are a lot of hotels in this area on Calle 26/Avenida El Dorado, as this leads up to the airport. It is close to the Centro Administrativo Nacional (CAN), so there are a number of big corporate and government buildings.

There’s also the Gran Estación shopping mall next to Salitre El Greco TransMilenio station, which has decent shops, a supermarket and a cinema. There’s also the newer Plaza Claro, which has many design and technology shops, as well as a movie theater.

Salitre is well-located to downtown by TransMilenio, and the M86 TransMilenio route goes up to Chapinero, Chicó or Usaquén. It is close to the Simon Bolivar ‘Central Park’, the biggest and nicest park in the city, Parque de los Novios and to the Botanical Garden. These all provide a welcome respite from the urban jungle and a taste of the beautiful Colombian flora and fauna. If you’re lucky, you may spot hummingbirds in the Botanical Garden.

Salitre has a lot going for it and continues to gain in popularity, which is reflected in the rising rents. Renting a nice 2-bedroom apartment in Salitre would cost around $2,000,000 Colombian pesos, plus administration.

Suba

Like Usaquén, Suba used to be a little town just outside of Bogotá, and only became part of the city in the latter half of the last century.

Suba’s a tricky one to give an opinion on, because I don’t know it very well, and it covers a large area. There are parts of Suba which are working class neighborhoods, and probably less safe. There are also parts of Suba which have a leafy suburban feel.

Renting will be much cheaper up there, so you’ll get more for your money. However, getting to other parts of the city is complicated because there are only two main avenues which serve it: Avenida Suba and Avenida Carrera 86 (Avenida Cali). These become extremely congested during rush hour.

It has the park Parque Mirador de los Nevados which has nice views over Bogota. But Suba is probably too far out to ever be an option for me.

Bogota Neighborhoods Suba - where to stay in Bogota

Parque Mirador de los Nevados

So hopefully this will have given you an idea of the options which are open to you in terms of where to stay in Bogota. The main considerations are: the public transport connection to other parts of the city; things to do in the area; the quality of the buildings and the estrato (cost of bills) of the building.

Tips

I just want to finish with a few important things you should bear in mind when searching for apartments. The first is that where you expect to be working/studying should have a strong influence on where you decide to live. This is because traffic in Bogotá is a major problem and long commutes to and from work are something you will want to avoid!

Estratos

I can’t emphasise enough how important the estrato category of the building is when you’re looking at places to live in Colombia. A building’s estrato relates to the cost of bills. There are six estratos, 1 being the lowest and cheapest, 6 being the highest and most expensive. This means that two families which consume the same amount of water, electricity and gas will pay hugely varying amounts for their bills if one lives in an estrato 1 property and the other lives in an estrato 6 property.

The estrato (which can also translate into English as ‘social stratum’) has also become indicative of the social status of the people living in an area, and was originally intended as a way of ensuring people only paid what they could afford to for their bills.

The reason the estrato issue is so important is that you need to factor the monthly cost of bills into your budget, particularly if you are looking at estratos 5 and 6. You don’t want to move into your dream apartment which already stretches your budget, and then get a nasty shock when the first bill arrives! I have tried to give indications of the most common estratos of the buildings in each of the areas listed above.

Administration charge

One more thing to remember is that most buildings will have a monthly administration charge on top of the rent. This covers the cost of building repairs and paying the doorman, for example, and doesn’t relate to your utility bills (water, electricity etc). When you are searching online, the rent (arriendo) will often be listed separately from the administración, and it usually says if the administration is included in the rent. Always good to make sure.

Still not sure? Try Airbnb!

If you’re still not sure where to live in Bogota and you’re planning to move here for a while (say for six months or more), I would recommend booking yourself into an Airbnb* in the area that most appeals to you, and see how you feel. In the meantime, this will give you a chance to look at rooms or apartments to stay on a long-term basis.

Some Airbnb properties offer large discounts to people who want to stay for a month or longer, so this might be an option too. Plus, these often include all bills in the price and you don’t have the inconvenience of having to buy furniture, set up an internet connection etc! You also won’t need guarantors or need to leave a deposit before you move into an Airbnb, and it’ll be furnished.

*The link to Airbnb is my referral link, which means that if you don’t already have an Airbnb account, and you then click on my link, sign up and make a booking, you will get £35 and I’ll get £15 free credit! This is so useful for me, as I use Airbnb quite often in my travels, and hopefully it will be useful for you too!

**This link is sponsored by tomplanmytrip.com, an expat who has been living in Bogota for years. The page I link to shares his personal recommendations of places to stay in each Bogota neighborhood, which I thought might be helpful.

Do you live in any of these Bogota neighborhoods? How do you find them? Is there anything you would add to what I’ve said?

 

If you have found this blog informative or entertaining and would like to support How to Bogotá, you can now buy me a digital cup of coffee! ?

24 Comments on Bogota neighborhoods: where to live in Bogota [Updated 2023]

  1. Henry devilliers // May 31, 2015 at 1:16 am // Reply

    Thanks for the info. I was wondering if this done in all cities of Colombia?

  2. Henry devilliers // May 31, 2015 at 9:52 am // Reply

    Hello Naomi, Im curios of the Estrato method where they charge you a set rate, depending on your status. Im not aware of that being the case in Fusagasuga, but was curious of other cities. I noticed you said it applies to the building, does it applie to living in a house?

    • Hi, it’s the case all over Colombia (including towns like Fusagasuga) for apartments and houses, as they use your ‘estrato’ to determine exactly how much, if anything, you have to pay for your service bills and tax. For example, if you live in a posh brand-new building in Chapinero, it might be ‘estrato 5’ but many of the buildings in Chapinero are more than 10 years old and are therefore ‘estrato 4’.

  3. Hello Naomi, My husband and I are visiting Bogota very soon and I was wondering what you could tell me about the Floresta District of Bogota – we will be air bnb’ing around there and just wanted to know if it was a good area and what estrato is there in case we decided to get an apartment. Many thanks!

    • Hi Heather, Floresta is not an area I know well. I’ve been there a couple of times and it looks ok, but I wouldn’t choose to live there as I didn’t think it was THAT nice and it’s quite far from all the places I’d usually go to. It’s probably mostly estrato 4 if you’re looking at decent buildings. There are some ugly parts in that area – I particularly remember the polluted river, which gave off an awful smell. But if you’re considering that area for a reason then go there and see what you think. It’s always important to live near to the places that you’ll often be going to because of how bad the traffic is in Bogotá, so that may be a deciding factor for you. Good luck!

  4. such a usefull blog, thank you! I rented a air b&b in los martires, would you consider the area to be more or less save?

    • Hi Ilona thanks for your comment! I’m glad you’ve found the blog useful! To be honest I would say that Los Mártires is less safe, you would be safer within the Candelaria. Don’t be walking in that area alone after dark, take a cab home, and make sure you don’t display valuables! All the best and have a great trip!

  5. Hi there, thanks for the many tips!
    I’m going on an exchange at Universidad de Los Andes (located near Montserrat) and I wondered where would be best to live… I know that La Candelaria isn’t the safest area, and I actually thought Chapinero was, but after reading your text, I’m not so sure… Do you have an area, that you could recommend for two young people, where one is to study at Universidad de Los Andes?
    I look forward to hearing from you!
    Sincerely,
    Clara
    ps after living in Rio for 3 months, I know that “safe” is always relative ?

    • Hi Clara, did you find something in the end? I’m going to Universidad de los Andes in January and am running into the same issues!

  6. Hi, this is useful information but since I know nothing about Bogota it is a little overwhelming. I will be an English Language Fellow with the US Embassy in Bogota for 10 months which may be extended. I’m not sure where where the US Embassy provides teacher training. I would like a 2 bedroom airy apartment with lots of natural light. I need an east facing window. I like artsy communities with coffee shops, outdoor cafes and cultural events. I am 63 years old African American. Any suggestions?

  7. I live in the very house in the picture for “Teusaquillo”, and I can tell you that we are not actually “estrato 4”. Buildings located in historic neighborhoods are subject to architectural conservation and can actually enjoy “estrato 1” bills.

  8. Fantastic post. Should be coming to Bogota this summer for at least a years contract. Thinking about living with 5km of Quinta Paredes where my work will be and cycling to work. Aside from La Macarena, which other neighborhoods are uphill from Quinta Paredes

    • Hi Evan, thanks for the comment! Quinta Paredes is close to Calle 26 / Avenida El Dorado, which has a cycle track along the whole avenue, so if you’re cycling, conveniently located neighbourhoods would include Modelia, Normandia and Salitre, Teusaquillo and La Soledad would be ok too. I’m not really sure what you mean by “uphill from Quinta Paredes” , but anywhere with good access to El Dorado Avenue would be convenient for Quinta Paredes if you’re cycling!

  9. Evan Owen // June 3, 2018 at 2:49 pm // Reply

    Thank you for your prompt reply. In the original blog post on where to live you mention that La Macarena neighborhood would be an uphill slog at the end of the day. I was wondering what other neighborhood would have me trudging uphill at the end of the day

    • Generally, any avenue east of Carrera 7 will be uphill, getting steeper the further east you go because then you’re getting closer to the mountains. So going north from La Macarena – Chapinero Alto, Rosales, Chico Alto, Usaquen would all be uphill. Also parts of the Candelaria, say east of about Carrera 3 or 4 in that area are very uphill.

  10. This was really informative! You seemed to emphasize the safety factor a lot. Would you be willing to share more on that?

    • Thanks Candice, I’m glad you found it helpful. Sure, anything in particular you’d like to know? I did another post on safety tips for Bogota which you might find interesting.

  11. So happy to have bumped into your blog.

    Would you be able to recommend the closest and safest yet sophisticated neighbourhood near The CGB (Colegio Gran Bretaña) school?

    • Hi SJ. The CGB is quite far north, away from the main neighbourhoods of Bogota. “Safe” is relative, as anything could happen anywhere and a lot depends on just being careful and not taking risks (such as flashing valuables or walking home late at night). I think Santa Barbara and Chicó near the Autopista would probably be good options, depending on your budget. It’d be a 20-30 minute drive up to the CGB depending on traffic. You’d be closer to the action of the city but not too far from work. Hope that helps! The school could probably advise too. All the best, Naomi

  12. Hi
    Nice blog post!
    Moving to Bogota for a 6-9 month stint in November. Is the above info still topical, or have things now changed a lot in 7 years?

    • Hi Ed, sorry for the late reply! For the benefit of others, the info about the neighborhoods is still more or less correct, but the price of rents etc will need to be updated.

  13. Have stayed in Usaquen and Terralinda a few times. Area around the Hotel Estelar la Fontana, where I stayed, going into Santa Barbara felt very safe. Handy for Exito, Unicentro and Carrula.

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