Centro Internacional: Museums and Monserrate Hill, Next to the Metro

What to see and do

• Monserrate Hill

  Bogotá's landmark mountain, topped with a church and sweeping views over the entire city. Reach the top by cable car, funicular, or on foot.

• Centro Internacional's museum district

  The area around Parque de la Independencia is home to several of Bogotá's most-visited museums and cultural spaces.

Getting there from Line 1

• CentralA 5–15 minute walk.

Centro Internacional is a 5 to 15 minute walk from Central station (Calle 26), depending on exactly where you're headed within the district.

Getting to Monserrate Hill by public transport

Today, the usual way to reach Monserrate is TransMilenio to Universidades station (J Line) or Las Aguas, then a walk of about 15 minutes uphill to the trail entrance on Carrera 2 Este, according to Visit Bogotá; a short taxi ride saves the walk. From the base you can go up Monserrate Hill by funicular, by cable car, or on the free hiking trail. The summit sits at about 3,152 meters (roughly 10,340 ft) above sea level, according to the Bogotá Mayor's Office.

Once Line 1 is running, Avenida Jiménez will be one of the closest stations, but the metro will not reach the hill itself: you will still need to get to the base and take the funicular or cable car, or hike up. Funicular and cable car hours and fares vary on weekdays, Sundays and holidays, so check the official Monserrate website before you go.

Where to stay

A middle-ground base between the historic center and the north, with lodging ranging from business-oriented options like Tequendama Suites Bogotá — a 10-minute walk from the National Museum of Colombia and Torre Colpatria — to the luxury end with the Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogotá. Useful if you want to combine culture, parks, and easy access to Monserrate.

Tours & activities

This city tour covers downtown Bogotá, includes entry to the Gold Museum, and rides the cable car up to Monserrate — a way to combine the district's main sights into a single day.