Quinta de Bolívar Museum

The basics

You can explore Bolívar’s former abode on self-guided tours. Rooms in the house—which include the bedroom, living area, gaming room, and the pantry—have been recreated to appear as they would when the famed revolutionary lived there, and display antique furniture, clothing, and weaponry. You’ll learn about Simón Bolívar’s leadership, as well as how he would relax and rest between battles, and see the garden where five flags now fly, marking the modern Latin American countries where he brought independence.

Due to its historical significance, plenty of city tours include a stop at the museum: they typically combine it with a visit to Mt. Monserrate, a mountain topped with a baroque church, and the charming La Candelaria Old Town.

Things to know before you go

• You can’t go inside the rooms, but you can admire them from behind a protective rail.

• There’s a small fee to enter the museum.

• Though most of the gardens are accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, the house’s age means the second floor isn’t accessible.

How to get there

Museo Quinta de Bolivar is on Calle 21, number 4A. It’s 10 minutes by car from La Candelaria, and is can be reached by plenty of bus lines, including 7, C80, K307, 14-2, A617, H617, and L519.

When to get there

Quinta de Bolivar Museum is open from Tuesday through Sunday, from the morning until evening. It opens an hour later and closes an hour earlier on Sundays, and the last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

Exploring Mt. Monserrate

Just a 5-minutes’ walk from Quinta de Bolivar Museum, you’ll find the funicular that takes you to the top of Mt. Monserrate (Cerro de Monserrate)—a whopping 10,341 feet (3,152 meters) above sea level. At the top, you’ll find a 17th-century church whose shrine is a major pilgrimage place for Colombian Catholics.