When you live in a big, sprawling city with another eight million souls, it’s always nice to find a good green spot between the buildings and cars to relax and have fun. In Bogotá, there are several places where you can do just that. El Virrey Park, located in Chicó neighborhood, is here to steal your heart and I’ll tell you why!
Among all the types of green areas you can find in Bogotá (and in any city), parks are considered one of the most important and enjoyable. In Bogotá, we even have a classification system based on a park’s location, importance, and size. El Virrey Park is a neighborhood-type park, but at the same time it is also an important landmark in the city and it’s actually quite big. If you want to have a nice, relaxing time walking, exercising, reading, enjoying a coffee, playing sports, or looking at hundreds of different breeds of dogs all within the same space among trees and greenery, then you need to experience this park. Keep reading to find out everything about it!
El Virrey Park was primarily created for the protection and conservation of the water source that runs through the area (called Quebrada El Virrey). Therefore, it also seeks to protect the animals and plant species that inhabit the area, especially the birds. It has pedestrian and bicycle paths, playgrounds, exercise zones, and two small squares where people can meet for events and other activities.
Now that you know a bit more about the park, I’ve decided to summarize all the other info within five reasons why you should visit this amazing park in Bogotá!
Because it’s very well located
The park is located in Chapinero, specifically in Chicó neighborhood, which is a vibrant and well-known residential, social and cultural area in Bogotá. As such, it’s close to some of the best party zones, restaurants, and malls.
El Virrey Park runs between Carrera Séptima (7th Avenue) and Autopista Norte (North Highway), which makes it about fifteen blocks long! The majority of its area is a linear ecological corridor so it’s not that wide. The most extensive area is between Carrera 15 (15th Avenue) and Autopista Norte (North Highway). It contains kids’ play areas and hosts several activities, fairs, and events throughout the year. If you circle the entire park, as if you were walking or running a lap, it’s about 3.3km. So, yes, El Virrey park is big!
Because it hosts many different activities
Like many other parks in Bogotá, El Virrey enjoys quite the agenda throughout the year. Many events are held here, including one of the biggest food fairs in the city called “Alimentarte”, hosted every year around August. El Virrey is also home to outdoor yoga every Sunday, running clubs (like the Adidas running club every Tuesday), capoeira meetings, and even book clubs! Whether they are formal or informal events, there’s always something to do at El Virrey.
Because it takes full advantage of the Ciclovía on Sundays
As you might already know, Bogotá has Ciclovía every Sunday, which is nothing but the greatest idea of closing several main streets and avenues to give free right of way to cyclists, runners, and walkers. As such, the busiest time at the park is Sunday mornings when everyone is outside enjoying different activities. It’s the best time to experience the park, and regardless of what you are doing, it’s always nice to enjoy a walk, some music and maybe even a coffee, freshly made orange and carrot juice, or an amazing fruit salad (100% recommended!) on the street. It’s an atmosphere of happiness and fun!
Because you’ll see different people, different dogs, and different situations
Diversity in all its forms is what makes the world a great and interesting place to live! Places like El Virrey Park provide an interesting perspective on how people live and enjoy the city. For writers and curious minds, for example, it’s a wonderful source of inspiration as they can witness a wide range of diverse situations and different people. For dog-lovers, it’s also a paradise as hundreds of owners take out their furry friends of all different breeds for a nice walk. People also have picnics, birthday celebrations, special gatherings, and much more since El Virrey is a public zone you can enjoy. As a result, if you take a walk around the park, you’ll experience the beauty of life through all these situations!
Because its green areas give you life and fresh air
I mean, what would we do without some green in our lives? Especially in a city like Bogotá, parks are a little “escape” from the streets and buildings, offering tranquility, peace and fresh air. If you are visiting or living in Bogotá, I recommend that you take advantage of these “eco corridors” because they’ll surely turn out to be ideal places to spend some time and hang out with both people and nature.
El Virrey Park is an important place for Bogotá that you shouldn’t miss. Take some time to experience the nice atmosphere it offers, relax, and – most importantly – enjoy!
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