Bogotá

La Candelaria is the historic and cultural soul of Bogotá — the colonial old town climbing the lower slopes of the eastern mountains in a tangle of narrow, cobbled streets lined with brightly coloured one- and two-storey houses, churches, bohemian cafés and a clutch of universities that give it a youthful buzz. Its monumental centre is the vast Plaza Bolívar, ringed by the neoclassical Cathedral, the Capitolio (Congress), the Palace of Justice and the French-style city hall, with pigeons, vendors and a statue of the liberator Simón Bolívar in the middle. Around it wind streets full of museums, hidden courtyards, street art and old churches; the Chorro de Quevedo, the tiny plaza where the city was supposedly founded, fills with students, chicha (fermented maize drink) sellers and storytellers in the evening. It's a quarter best explored on foot in daylight, ideally on a walking tour that unlocks its history and graffiti.

Bogotá holds two of the most rewarding museums in South America, both in or near La Candelaria. The Gold Museum (Museo del Oro) is a world-class collection of pre-Columbian goldwork — tens of thousands of intricate ornaments, masks and figures from Colombia's indigenous cultures, brilliantly displayed, culminating in the famous Muisca golden raft that gave rise to the legend of El Dorado. It's one of the finest museums of its kind anywhere and an essential stop. A few streets away, the Botero Museum, housed in a colonial mansion and long free to enter, shows the donated collection of Fernando Botero — Colombia's beloved painter and sculptor of voluptuous, rounded figures — alongside an outstanding selection of international modern art he gathered, from Picasso and Monet to Dalí. Together with the nearby National Museum, they make a culturally rich day, all within walking distance of the colonial centre.

For the big picture, ride the funicular or cable car up Monserrate, the 3,150-metre peak rising directly behind La Candelaria, crowned by a white 17th-century pilgrimage church. The summit gives a breathtaking panorama over the immensity of Bogotá spreading across its plateau, with cafés, restaurants and a craft market — best on a clear morning or at sunset. Back below, Bogotá has become one of the world's great street-art cities, its walls covered in striking, often politically charged murals; a graffiti walking tour through La Candelaria and the surrounding districts is one of the best things to do in the city, explaining the work and the artists. And on Sundays and public holidays the city stages its famous Ciclovía, when more than a hundred kilometres of major avenues close to traffic from morning to early afternoon and fill with cyclists, runners, skaters and families — a joyful, healthy ritual that's well worth joining (bikes are easy to hire).

Bogotá's food and nightlife have flourished. The city's signature dish is the warming ajiaco, a chicken-and-three-potato soup with corn and the herb guascas, served with cream, capers and avocado — alongside arepas, tamales and the country's superb coffee and astonishing variety of tropical fruit (try a juice flight). The upscale Zona G and Parque de la 93 hold the best restaurants, the Zona Rosa the nightlife, and the cobbled, village-like Usaquén in the north is the place for a Sunday flea market and long brunch. The colourful Paloquemao market is a feast of flowers, fruit and street food. Beyond the city, two day trips stand out: the extraordinary Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, a vast, atmospheric cathedral carved 180 metres underground inside a working salt mine, and the sacred mountain lake of Guatavita, heart of the El Dorado legend. Bogotá's central location and major airport (BOG) also make it the springboard to the rest of Colombia.