As a great lover of colorful urban landscapes, I’ve traveled to many of the world’s most noted cities for street art. Berlin and Athens are two that immediately spring to mind. After visiting Colombia’s thriving capital, Bogota, several times over the past year, I would definitely add this high-altitude city set against a background of dramatic Andean peaks to a list of the world’s most interesting street art locations.
Sadly, Bogota’s street art scene was both accelerated and legitimized by a tragedy–the police shooting of a young graffiti artist, Diego Felipe Becerra, in 2011. The protests that followed Diego’s death resulted in the setting aside of city-sanctioned areas for street artists to paint. Of course, as street artists by nature tend to rebel against the establishment, there’s now street art spread over large areas of the cityscape, although there are specific neighborhoods with significant clusters of walls painted by both local and internationally-recognized street artists.
Easy Accessibility
One of the best things about Bogota’s street art is that it’s so easily accessible to visitors who might otherwise have trouble navigating such a sprawling city. Simply by walking around the historic center, known as La Candelaria, and Chapinero Central–both tourist-friendly neighborhoods–visitors will pass by some of the city’s most arresting outdoor works.
Adjacent neighborhoods to the south and west of these areas also contain a wealth of street art, but many visitors may not feel safe walking around less-touristed areas alone. Personally, I would advise taking one of the official guided tours of the city’s street art. Allow some time after the tour for personal exploration.
In addition, there’s a very good book about Bogota’s street art scene by local, long-time expat teacher and author, Christopher Burke. While everyone won’t be as lucky as I was to receive a personal tour of Bogota’s street art conducted by the author himself, his book “Street Art Bogotá” is available on Amazon.
I’m also including Christopher’s WordPress.com site where he posts new creations he finds while searching Bogota’s culturally rich neighborhoods.
Note: All the street art scenes I’ve presented in this post can be found in the city center historic district of La Candelaria.
Peace~henry
My quest blog 
Reblogging to sister site “Timeless Wisdoms”
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Thanks so much! Hope you’re doing well!
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Thank you in return for your good wishes 😊
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Thanks, Henry, for including the links to my book and my blog!
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And thank you Christopher for taking time out of your busy schedule to give me an insider’s view of Bogotá. I hope to return soon!
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Really enjoy the street art..so colorful and unique. I spent time just looking at the more complicated pieces and trying to think as the artist must have. Love
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Hi Jane,
Yes, I try to do that too when I’m looking at huge walls splashed with so much color and emotion. It must be a sort of spiritual experience for many street artists. Thanks so much for commenting! Love to you too!
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What breathtakingly beautiful artwork!!! Thank you so much for sharing these!
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Thanks Jill. Bogotá really is jewel for those of us who love to wander urban streetscapes and be entertained by amazing artistic feats!
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Thank you for your like. The street art reminds me of others here in my country. They say so much to the world with beauty and intelligence. Take care.
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Thanks @lorac888890. Colombia’s cities have some of the best street art I have seen anywhere in the world. Add to that the beauty of the landscapes and I must say you live in a fantastic country. All the best!
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I had no idea that Bogota was blessed with such exuberantly colorful and awe-inspiring street art. Thanks for introducing me to it!
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Hi Carolyn,
Quite honestly, Bogotá’s street art scene is one of the world’s most colorful and diverse. It definitely adds a sense of vibrancy to the streetscapes there. Glad you enjoyed!
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How wonderful.
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With all the negatives pushed our way on a daily basis, I love going to my old standbys of art and nature for solace and healing. Bogotá rocks as a creative center for street art!
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Wow, the art works depicted in your blog is stunning. I can only imagine what it must have been seeing them in the real world and what other amazing creations are there in other parts of the city.
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I only presented a few of my favorites. Bogotá has hundreds of street art scenes in different neighborhoods. Let me know if your love for travel and birding brings you to South America. Colombia is one of the best places on the planet for bird spotting. Thanks for reading and commenting!
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Great finds. We had a wonderful time in Bogotá and loved the art especially. You found some gems here!
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Yes, the street art scene is my favorite aspect of Bogotá. Thanks for commenting!
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The street art here is truly spectacular. Great post 🙂
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Agreed! Thanks for stopping by Eric!
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