Ideally situated in the colonial Candelaria, and equipped with great bars and a restaurant, this hotel offers everything that you could need, including great views, guided tours and excursions. Prices from £60 for a double room.

Calle 10 5-72; www.hotelopera.com.co

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It is difficult to spend too much money on food in Colombia but try this iconic Bogotá venue. Andres Carne de Res is actually a little out of town in the Chia district, but the trip is well worth the effort. Movers, shakers and the beautiful people descend on the sprawling bar, grill and restaurant nightly. The decor is unique, the vibe amazing, and once you are done eating the dancing goes on until the wee hours. Make sure you have someone to take you home again. The website will give you a better idea of the style of the place than anything I can tell you.

www.andrescarnederes.com

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A Bogotá band with an English influence. Simply great tunes.

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Acclaimed tale of a county girl who turns cocaine mule. An authentic flavour of the Colombian pueblo when it’s not being a horrific vision of some of the damage drug trafficking can inflict.

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Bogotanos are absurdly proud of the gleaming new Transmilenio bus service, a kind of overground metro. A bendy bus might not seem that exciting, but compared to the insanity of the traditional bus routes, this is travelling in style.

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Provides a showcase for the bewildering variety of plants that grow in the country, one of the planet’s most bio diverse.

Calle 57 61-13

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Try any fruit. Especially if you have never seen or heard of it before. There are seemingly hundreds of exotic flavours to try.

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The city’s trademark dish. A delicious chicken and potato soup served with rice, plantain, corn, avocado, capers and cream. A siesta afterwards may be necessary.

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Emeralds are one of Colombia’s natural riches and a great temptation for bargain hunters. However, inferior stones can be passed off onto unsuspecting gringos with ease if you don’t know your stuff, so go for reputable outlets or avoid altogether.

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The Mirador restaurant upstairs at Hotel de la Opera is right in the middle of the Candelaria, the romantic colonial section of the city. Sit on the fourth floor and enjoy a candlelit dinner watching the sensational high altitude sunsets and distant mountain lightning that flickers beyond the terracotta rooftops and view of the main plaza.

Calle 10 5-72; www.hotelopera.com.co

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Best to leave it behind. Customs are quite hot on this one.

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Woven baskets, hammocks and mochilas (a local bag) are all worth a look, as are reproductions of pre-Colombian pottery and gold work.

Try the pricey but high quality Artesanias de Colombia next to the church Iglesia de las Aguas on Carerra 3A, 18-60.

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Gifted to the city by Colombia’s most famous artist. Botero’s trademark paintings of dumpy people abound, but a surprising number of other artists too including Miro, Picasso and more.

In the Candelaria, Calle 11 4-41

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The Museum of Gold houses arguably the finest collection of pre-Colombian gold on the planet. Not to be missed. 2,500 pesos for adults, free on Sundays.

Calle 16, 5a-6a; www.banrep.org/museo

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On Sundays and bank holidays a network of main roads is shut to traffic to create the ciclovia (which sounds better than ‘bike route’). It seems like the whole city is out and about, either on foot, bike, roller blades or unicycles. Those not riding are selling; hundreds of food stalls, vendors and entertainers will cater to your needs.

Start early on the Septima, (Carerra 7) and follow your nose.

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Take a stroll in the Candelaria, the city’s beautiful colonial heart. Calles 10 to 16 between Carerras 1 to 7 are the best-preserved streets to see. The area has fantastic architecture, a certain squalid charm and a vibrant bar scene thanks to the numbers of students and artists living and working here. The adjacent Plaza de Bolivar is worth a visit too.

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A peak of over 3,000m offers magnificent, uninterrupted views of the city and the altiplano beyond. A colonial church, a restaurant and splendidly tacky vending stalls await you at the top. Take the cable car or funicular railway from the station at Carerra 2E 21-48. (It’s worth taking a taxi this far, as the surrounding neighbourhood is not the safest to wander around on foot.)

You can walk up, too. It takes an hour, but is only recommended on Sundays when the volume of locals making the pilgrimage to the shrine at the top is sufficient to deter the thieves and muggers who otherwise might try to relieve individuals of their possessions.

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One of the better luxury hotels in the city. Situated on the edge of the Zona Rosa entertainment district, it offers easy access to the plush northern shopping malls and more up-market eateries. Prices from £150.

Carerra 13 85-80

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Offers rustic charm, some peace and quiet and great views of the city for prices starting at around £30. Not in the centre of the action, but near enough.

Calle 54A 3-12

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It’s actually the name of three restaurants offering traditional Colombian fare, with a bit more atmosphere and panache than Sopas y Postres. You will struggle to spend more than six or seven pounds all in, and will not need to eat for the rest of the week.

Av. Jimenez, 3-63, Carerra 10 26-60 or Carerra 11 89-08

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