Bogotá is the capital city of Colombia. It is a city with many layers, from internationally recognized universities to regional offices for multinational companies. Bogotá is Colombia's capital for official business dealings. It is a city that caters to a population that has been exposed to European and North American influences, which ensures that anything from traditional dishes (Ajiaco) to sushi or fast food restaurants can be found. It's one of the most modern and metropolitan cities of South and Central America. Bogotá is divided by 4 sections: The south - which is mainly the poorer section of the city, El Centro - where the main financial headquarters are established, El Occidente - which is where lots of Bogotá's middle and upper classes live, and the north - which is where most of the affluent live and where you will find many up-scale boutiques, cafés, nightclubs and hotels.

Tourist Offices
There is a tourist information office on the western corner of Plaza de Bolívar and another one at the bus terminal.

Around and closeby
Catedral de Sal is located in nearby Zipaquira. This is a must, you will not regret it. About an hour away from the city, you can grab a bus to nearby Zipaquira and go to see the amazing church carved into the mountain. Several artists participated in the conversion of this former salt mine into a Catholic church. The town is small but has at least a few restaurants and many taxis to take you back to the city. Take a cab or Transmilenio to a working class neighbourhood in the southside (ask someone in the front desk where to go, most likely they live in the southside themselves and can tell you of a good place). Sit down in a 'panaderia' (bakery), order a colombiana (soda) and some good bread...sit down and breathe the environment of the regular Colombian...don't narrow yourself to the upscale Norte.

Sightseeing
La Macarena (bullfight ring area) is a bohemian neighbourhood full of arty cafés, art galleries and great restaurants. La Zona T is another chic area of Bogotá which is surrounded by the up-scale malls of Centro Andino, Atlantis Plaza and El Retiro. Torre Colpatria, Bogotá's tallest building and one of South Americas tallest buildings, is located in El Centro. You can visit the panoramic deck on the top of the building on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Make it a must see.

Getting there
There are domestic flights from most large cities in Colombia and there are also regular buses from Armenia, Cali, Bucaramanga, Cúcuta, Ipiales, Manizales, Pasto, Neiva, Tunja, San Agustín, Santa Marta and Barranquilla.

Getting around
Colectivos cover practically every major route of the city, and can generally be flagged down at any point on a main road. Watch these small buses for lists of destinations displayed on their windshields. Renting a bike and having a ride on Bogotá's modern Ciclo-Ruta is a very exciting and healthy way to get to know the city and get closer to the people.