In big and bustling Bogotá, the rush-hour traffic makes Los Angeles’ pale by comparison. The modern metropolis of almost 8 million people may gear itself more to business than tourism, but this is part of its charm. Visitors discover an authentic South American experience and will likely find themselves mixing with locals, even in La Candelaria, the city’s oldest neighborhood.

With origins going back to 1538, La Candelaria boasts narrow cobblestoned streets, colonial buildings and panoramic mountain views. It serves as the seat of Colombia’s government, but it’s not all about history and tradition — the neighborhood’s proximity to several universities lends an air of youthful cool, including wildly colorful street art and offbeat places to eat and drink.

A man walks along a street in La Candelaria © Ellen Clark

Plaza de Bolívar serves as the central focus of the neighborhood, surrounded by La Catedral Primada, Bogotá’s most important church; El Palacio de Justicia (Supreme Court); El Capitolio Nacional (National Capitol); and the office of the mayor. You’ll often see the plaza filled with families with young children feeding the plethora of friendly and hungry pigeons.

A short walk from the plaza lies Museo Botero. The museum displays a collection donated by Colombian artist Fernando Botero, whose style, known as Boterismo, depicts people in large and exaggerated volume. Besides Botero’s own work, the museum features works by representative artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

To see dazzling exhibits of gold, head for Museo del Oro. The classy and modern museum exhibits a collection of exquisite pre-Hispanic gold work and includes a great gift shop.

There’s plenty of variety in the food and drink department in La Candelaria. Quinua y Amaranto, a vegetarian restaurant, offers a three-course set menu that changes daily. One of the city’s oldest restaurants, El Son de los Grillos, serves traditional food — a good place to try ajiaco, a Colombian soup made with chicken. Tiny and legendary La Puerta Falsa has been in business since 1812 — and for good reason. It serves up some of the tastiest tamales and best hot chocolate in the city. For a trip to wild and crazy, check out the youth-oriented bars near Chorro de Quevedo and try chicha, an alcoholic South American drink made from fermented maize.

To cover a lot of ground, get some exercise and learn some interesting lesser-known facts, join one of Bogota Bike Tours’ English-speaking guides for a two-hour pedal around the neighborhood.