Bogotá
In three words: Hilly, varied, rhythmic.
Three must-see things: Cerro de Monserrate, Plaza Bolívar (Bolivar Square), La Candelaria.
Getting around: Uber is pretty reliable in Bogotá, but has been technically illegal. In either case, the driver will request for you to sit in the front seat, so as to avoid suspicion by the authorities. To get a taxi, don't hail for one off the street (which can be a bit dangerous) -- call a reputable company at 599-9999, 311-1111 or 411-1111 or request one through your hotel if possible.
As for public transit, you can use Transmilenio, Bogotá's rapid bus transit service. You will be able to recognize the long accordion buses that split through the middle of the streets and the queues at the stops. Tickets can be bought at all stations. If you're daring, you can also use colectivos, small buses that operate on scattered routes through the city, mainly to get from point a to point b. Expect the bus to be a little dilapidated and the ride to be crowded and uncomfortable.
Favorite neighborhoods: La Candelaria (Bogotá's old town), Chapinero (also holds the gay neighborhood Chapinero Alto), Zona Rosa.
How about a museum? Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), Museo Botero (Botero Museum).
Three must-try foods: Aborrajado (deep-fried stuffed plantains), arepas (cornmeal patty split open and filled with cheese, vegetables or meat), maracuyá (passion fruit). Plus: Drink the coffee!
How much is a pint of beer? 4,000 COP / About $1 USD / €0.95 EUR
Can you drink the tap water? Yes.
Do people tip here? No. If at a finer restaurant, a service charge of 10% is usually added anyway. For taxi drivers, you can tip a couple thousand pesos if you'd like.
Least favorite thing: Can be a little hard to get around by foot; some parts of the city aren't walkable. Traffic can also be a little bad.
Safe to walk at night scale — 1 = riskiest to 5 = safest: 1.5 -- stick to heavily frequented areas with other tourists and people, otherwise use Uber to get around at night.
Caution: Helpful to know some basic Spanish phrases, since many people do not speak English or have a basic level of English. Don't walk around at night, use unmarked taxi cabs or flash your cell phone or other fancy accessories.
Currency: Colombian Pesos (COP). 1 USD = 3870 COP / 1 EUR = 4242 COP (Updated April 2020) Electric plug type: Type A / B
Nearest getaway? Medellin (1 hour by plane or 7 hours by car); Cartagena (1.5 hours by plane); Quito, Ecuador (1.5 hours by plane)