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At 2,600 metres above sea level, Bogotá sits on a high savannah plateau in the Eastern Andes, a fact that shapes almost everything about the city, from the cool, thin air that surprises first-time arrivals to the extraordinary light that falls across the terracotta rooftops of its oldest quarters. It is the capital of Colombia and one of the largest cities in South America, yet its altitude gives it a temperament quite unlike the tropical lowland cities most visitors associate with the country. The climate is famously described as eternal spring, though in practice that means mild days, frequent afternoon cloud, and evenings that call for a jacket regardless of the month.

The neighbourhood that anchors any first visit is La Candelaria, the colonial centre that climbs the lower slopes of the Andes on the city's eastern edge. Its narrow streets, painted facades, and concentration of museums make it the most historically legible part of Bogotá. The Museo del Oro, which holds the world's largest collection of pre-Columbian gold work, is housed here, and the Museo Botero, a few blocks away, displays Fernando Botero's own collection of his characteristically voluminous figures alongside works by Picasso, Monet, and Dalí. Both museums are free to enter, which says something about the city's relationship with its own cultural inheritance. Beyond La Candelaria, the Zona Rosa and Chapinero districts offer a different register entirely, with restaurants, galleries, and a nightlife scene that reflects Bogotá's position as Colombia's creative and commercial capital.