Usaquén and the Mercado de las Pulgas

Usaquén is a former colonial village on the northern edge of Bogotá, Colombia, that was absorbed by the capital's growth but kept its own plaza, whitewashed church and cobbled side streets. Its best-known draw is the Mercado de las Pulgas, the flea and craft market held every Sunday and on public holidays beside the Hacienda Santa Bárbara, around Carrera 6 and Calle 119. Several hundred stalls line the streets and the small plazas, selling handmade jewellery, leather goods, woven bags, ceramics, paintings, secondhand books and antiques, alongside food stands and street performers. The setting matters as much as the shopping. Low colonial-style buildings, brick courtyards and tree-lined lanes hold restaurants and cafés serving Colombian dishes such as ajiaco, empanadas, arepas and fresh juices, and many have terraces that look out over the market crowds. The plaza in front of the church is the natural meeting point and the best place to photograph the scene, particularly in late-morning light when the stall awnings and the church facade are both well lit. Most visitors spend two to three hours, which is enough to walk the stalls, browse the craft lanes and stop for lunch. The market usually opens around 10:00AM and runs until about 5:00PM, and the busiest period is early afternoon, when families and lunch crowds fill both the lanes and the restaurant queues. Arriving late morning gives the most room to browse and the best choice of tables. Prices at the stalls are negotiable within reason, and small purchases are often paid in cash in Colombian pesos, so carrying small notes helps. Outside market days the village is much quieter, but the restaurants, boutiques and plaza remain open daily, making it a pleasant weekday stop for a meal. The area is reached by TransMilenio to Calle 116 or Prado station, followed by a short taxi or SITP bus ride east. Usaquén is generally considered one of the safer, more relaxed parts of the city for strolling, though normal precautions with phones and bags apply in the Sunday crowds. Visitors interested in local design will find that many stalls sell work by regional artisans rather than mass-produced souvenirs, and the mix of craft, food and architecture makes the neighbourhood a useful counterpart to the historic centre.