The Sights and Sounds of La Candelaria in Bogota

Points Summary

11 years ago

The La Candelaria neighborhood is located in El Centro Bogota, otherwise known as downtown Bogota. The area was convenient for me on my first day in Bogota because I booked a hotel in downtown. Just to let you know, there are no major chain hotels located in the La Candelaria area. I opted to stay in a small private room in bed and breakfast boutique hotel.

During the early morning, I walked to Plaza de Bolivar which is the main town square in historic Barrio La Candelaria.

Plaza de Bolivar is a place where you can meet friends, hang around, and people watch. It is also home to large fiestas, events, concerts, and also protests.

Plaza de Bolivar is also home of the National Capitol and the Primary Cathedral of Bogota.

Heading East of Plaza de Bolivar, you can find many narrow side streets in the La Candelaria neighborhood. The architecture of the buildings and old houses is of Spanish Colonial, Baroque, and Art Deco.

There is even a military museum (Museo Militar) in Barrio La Candelaria. As you can see, the area is guarded with armed military personnel.

There is also a beautiful Arabic style church called the La Iglesia de Nuestra Senora Del Carmen, or also known as the Church of John Bosco.

You can also find various museums in the La Candelaria neighborhood such as the Museum of Gold (Museo del Oro).

There is a lot of shopping near the Museo del Oro and my favorite one is the Galeria Artesanal de Colombia. There are many vendors selling Colombia wares and if you’re into bargaining, you can do well here.

If you need Coca tea, you can find it in one of the shop vendors in the Galeria Artesanal de Colombia.

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