Living in La Candelaria – Get Lost and Go Home

Hola, I’m Sarah, regular suitcase packer, Salsa addict and the new See Colombia Travel Intern. I’m from Brisbane, Australia, but have been travelling through Colombia since 2006 when I first got to travel to Medellín, the City of Eternal Spring. Now I’m living like a Rolo in Bogotá and have just moved to La Candelaria. Here’s my take on Bogotá’s oldest barrio. 

You know you’re living in La Candelaria when you have to quickly cross the road to get out of the way of a pack of llamas walking towards you. After a giggle and a quick photo, it has become absolutely clear, I have arrived in Colombia and La Candelaria is the place I call home.

But when you move to a new city, there are things to look out for to feel at home – the first is a place to live, then a local bar or restaurant to become a regular at and then, eventually, you make friends and life is grand. But it takes a while.

After my first tour of La Candelaria, I knew this was the place for me. The cobbled streets, the brightly coloured buildings, the small, dimly-lit restaurants and cafes, the students walking around talking about something that sounded interesting but that I couldn’t really understand. Yep, La Candelaria, I am going to make you home, is what I thought.

La Candelaria is the oldest barrio in Bogotá – it’s where it all started way back in 1538. There are centuries-old churches on street corners, old colonial-style houses with opened doors to sneak a peek through, dark narrow walkways where lovers canoodle and buildings steeped in history and nostalgia for another time.

But how do you go about finding a place to live around here? Well, when in doubt – Google. After visiting seven different apartment blocks, share houses, and even share rooms in family homes, my two friends and I decided on the first place we saw – an old home on a quiet street on the not so touristy side of the barrio.

Here, there aren’t so many restaurants and students – more families and small tiendas. And I love it that way. But one word of warning, before moving into a new place, always, always ask if there is hot water, or you might have to schedule visits to the local gym to use their showers, not that I would do that.

There might be a lack of hot water, but what there is not a lack of in La Candelaria are great places to eat. Whether that means munching on an oblea on a street corner, or tucking into the most delicious tamal and hot chocolate at La Puerta Falsa, delicious food is aplenty and, just between you and me, I have made it my secret mission to try every type of pechuga available.

If you find yourself lost along the narrow streets, not sure where to go, look to the mountains topped by Monserrate. With this in sight, you can be sure to always find your way – no matter where you are in this beautiful city.

Sarah