my favourite things: BOGOTA

BOGOTA is where I want to die. Colombia is my new favourite country and Bogota is its capital. This city has it all. Fascinating history, over the top culture, bad traffic and lots of edge. Great food is endless: restaurants creating haute cuisine, cafes pouring hot wine (odd but true) and stalls serving delicious empanadas. People are friendly; the weather is perfect; women are stunning. It a great hub for exploring the rest of the country. I felt safe everywhere; have never even been offered a single drug. I can’t wait to get back.

Stay: The Click Clack Hotel. Seriously cool. This hotel has paid attention to literally every detail, even the no smoking signs are perfectly, incredibly stylish. The rooms are sized like clothes, S,M, L, XL; the housecoats are oversized hoodies and the mini bar free. Pick a cocktail from the pop-up list: it arrives like a chemistry set ready to be individually customized. Clever and witty, this is one fun place to stay.

www.clickclackhotel.com

Eat: Prudencia. He’s Colombian, She’s American. Together they have created an amazing space and serve amazing food. The small select menus change daily.This is the best place to eat when exploring La Candelaria. Like the neighbourhood, the decor by architect Simon Velez mixes original historic details with the new: recycled petroleum pipes, plastic chairs and lots of glass. The food is hauntingly good, every taste will be remembered long after the meal is over.

www.prudnecia.net

Take: Vertigo Graffiti Tour. There is no better way to learn the grit, grime, politics and power of Bogota than through its graffiti and street art. Camilo Lopez believes a city is understood through its graffiti; the tags and murals have meaning and tell a history. His custom tours offer a unique angle on exploring the city that puts a hop-on-hop-off bus to shame.

www.vertigografitti.com