Colombia’s capital city, full name Santa Fe de Bogotá, sits at 2,650m high in the Andes mountains in the centre of the country. It is one of South America’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas, its 6 million inhabitants comprising rural Colombians and international immigrants seeking a better life in Colombia’s largest financial, political and cultural centre. Despite its inherent problems of drugs, poverty and traffic, the city itself is a fascinating fusion of modern Latin American life and stunning colonial treasures. Modern high-rises and futuristic architecture contrast with fine colonial mansions and glittering pre-Colombian art; enticing restaurants, bars and shops serve a diverse cultural and intellectual life, and the Bogotanos as people pride themselves on speaking the purest Spanish in the New World. You may not be able to ignore the beggars but nor can you disregard the allure of one of the world’s most chaotic yet spirited metropolises.
