Bogota

Bogota is the capital of Colombia. The capital has a population of close to nine million and is at over 8,600 feet above sea level. There are only two cities in all of North America larger than Bogota: New York City and Mexico City. Bogota can be described as having contrasts between the old and the new. In Bogota, you can find centuries-old churches and plazas that are majestically guarded by towering skyscrapers. A number of universities call the city home and many are internationally renowned. You can see a number of influences from both Europe and North America in the city from the new architecture to the layout of the many shopping malls. The colonial area of the city, referred to as Santa Fe, is where the city was originally founded and where its oldest history is found. The El Salitre district has many of the sports complexes and stadiums. La Macarena is a bohemian neighborhood that is full of artsy venues, cafes and art galleries.