There are a lot of weird things to do in Bogotá, quirky, and unusual as well, and even some strange beliefs too. In this article, you will get to see the other side of the city: activities and things that happen in the daily lives of rolos that can seem quite weird to foreigners and even some of us Colombians.
Ghost tour
La Candelaria is one of the smallest localities in Bogota and has a very rich history, so of course, this is the perfect spot to go learn about myths and creepy stories from Bogotá’s past. For those who like the supernatural, this is the perfect tour for you. To learn more and buy tickets, click here.
This tour has two options:
Option 1:
Includes scary stories, ticket and souvenir, entrance to abandoned houses, guide, and one canelazo (a traditional beverage made from agua de panela with aguardiente and cinnamon).
- Starts at: 7:00 pm
- Finish at: 8:30 pm
- Cost: 35,000 pesos (~10 dollars)
Option 2
Includes scary stories, ticket and souvenir, entrance to abandoned gated community, guide, one canelazo, and one beer or juice.
- Starts at: 7:00 pm
- Finish at: 9:00 pm
- Cost: 40,000 pesos (~ 12 dollars)
Herbs “tour”
This is not a guided tour per se, but rather it is an option for doing something at night that is, of course, unusual as well. Every night, more than 300 farmers meet in Plaza Samper Mendoza to offer all different kinds of herbs and guide you towards the perfect purchase for your needs. In Colombia, you can find herbs not only to cook or make tea with, but for many other purposes too. Some Colombians really believe in the power of herbs so that’s why you are going to find herbs with very esoteric uses.
You will find herbs from the mountains, herbs from outside Colombia, herbs to cook with, bitter herbs, medicinal herbs, and much more.
- Where: Plaza Samper Mendoza – Carrera 25 # 22A-73, Bogotá
- Starts at: There is not a specific start time, but the farmers arrives at 8:00 pm
- Finish at: approx. 5:00 am
- Cost: Depends on how much you want to buy. Prices start at 2,000 pesos ($0.60 dollars)
Gambling games and street artists
Colombians never stop creating new ideas for earning money. They always use their creativity to find ways to “survive.” That’s why you are always going to see people selling things on the street or trying to entertain you so they can make a little cash.
Gambling games are one of the most creative ways some people try to earn money. They offer a lot of deceptively easy and carnival-style games like trying to pick up a bottle with a rope or betting on hamster races. You will see them in the Séptima in the center of the city, or in Simón Bolívar Park.
To play, you only need to pay around 100 to 500 pesos (3 to 15 cents). These games look easy but as always, they have their tricks. So if you want to play and have fun for a few minutes, these games are perfect.
Also, you are going to see a lot of “living statues” in the Séptima, and they only move if you give them money. They move depending on the character they are doing. You will also see artists making custom artwork on the street; one of my favorites is a guy who makes paintings using crazy spray can techniques.
Try different “weird” food
Another weird thing to do in Bogotá is to try the different foods or beverages that outsiders might consider weird. Walking around and trying different foods can be a great plan for an afternoon.
I´m going to tell you about some of the options and where you can try them.
Chocolate con queso (Hot chocolate with cheese): This combination is really popular in Bogotá and you can find it in a lot of places. The idea is to put pieces of cheese inside the hot chocolate, wait for a few minutes, and then use a spoon to eat the cheese with the hot chocolate. It sounds weird, but tastes good!
Some famous places to try this are:
- La Puerta Falsa – Cl. 11 #6-50, Bogotá
- La Romana – they have three locations: Cra. Séptima, Av. Jiménez, and Cra. 13.
- La Florida – Cra. 7 #21-46, Bogotá
Fruit Salad: You might think, “Fruit salad? Is that really all that weird?” But the weirdest thing is what’s inside a Colombian fruit salad. You can request the fruits you want in your salad. Some of the most popular fruits are strawberry, grapes, mango, banana, apple, and papaya. So far so good, right? But now, it’s time for the weird part: we add ice cream, cheese, heavy cream, and sauces like strawberry, chocolate or arequipe (similar to a caramel sauce) to complete the “salad”.
Lechona: This delicious plate is the main dish in the Tolima region in Colombia. What is lechona? It consists of a roast pig stuffed with yellow peas, green onion, rice, and spices. It takes about ten hours to cook. I think it is weird to see the entire pig just sitting there, but to be honest, it tastes really good.
In Bogota, the main area to try lechona is near San Andresito (one of the oldest places where you can find clothes, shoes, cellphones, etc. for a really good price). I recommend you go with a local. In the south of the city, you will find a lot of places to eat lechona as well. But ask locals – they can help and tell you the best places to go and try it.
Places to eat lechona:
- La Planchonería: Cedritos (Av. 19 # 134 A – 54, Estación Petrobras), Pepe Sierra (Calle 116 # 17 -60)
- Le’Chon Barra De Lechona: Autopista Norte, Cl. 127b Bis #61, Bogotá (Prices range from 8,000 to 18,000 pesos (~2.5 to 5 dollars)
Other weird facts and customs
Tejo: A traditional game where you throw an iron rock at gunpowder-filled targets and the idea is to make a small explosion.
Sushi: For Japanese people, Colombian sushi can be weird because we put a lot of sauces on the sushi (like mayonnaise, tartar sauce, etc.) And sometimes we even fry the sushi!
Chicken wings: If you go to some restaurants and order chicken wings, they will give you PLASTIC GLOVES to keep your hands sauce-free while eating!
I hope you learned more about some of the weird things to do in Bogotá and if you know another idea, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. I hope you enjoyed this article 🙂
For more information look at our amazing website colture.co.
