Almost everyone who travels through Colombia will encounter the beautiful street art in one way or another. There are even street art and graffiti tours in Bogotá and Medellín. But not only in big cities do they love colorful murals. Even in my beloved hometown of Sopó, they know how to do graffiti. A village off the beaten path, where only travelers come who want to experience Colombia in a different way and see the real Colombia. Very worthwhile I can tell you. In this article you can enjoy beautiful colorful street art in Sopó as well as find a map with the locations of these murals. Perfect for a day trip from Bogotá or to start your itinerary through Colombia off the beaten path!
The difference between street art and graffiti
What is actually the difference between street art and graffiti? I had no idea, but a little Googling provides the answer. The line between the two is somewhat blurred, but in general it can be said that graffiti refers to the images or texts applied in public places with paint, paint pen, ink or scratches. The quality criterion with graffiti is the level of difficulty, while with street art it is originality and expressiveness.
Street art is an art form related to graffiti. Unlike graffiti, street art creators often work anonymously, distributing images without text or signature. By street art you can think of illegally or legally applied art expressions in public places that do not fall under pure graffiti, but are not official art either.
Graffiti is often primarily about decorative name tags (related to the creators), while street art tends to focus more on the images and the message behind them.
The beautiful paintings in Sopó are murals with a message, but the creator’s signature is also on everything. So a nice combination of street art and graffiti.
Street art in Sopó Colombia
Every time I do my shopping in Sopó, go to the gym or go for a walk with Juaco I run into one of the beautiful murals. And every time, it puts a big smile on my face. So beautiful! And what talent the creators have. The residents of my beloved village also love the paintings. A lot of new graffiti has been added recently. And every year they paint current street art over with new murals. And there are many blank walls that will also be painted by the artists.
Who create the murals in Sopó?
The street art is created by a group of artists affiliated with Banco De Pinturas | Sopó Es Diverso. Local and regional artists are being asked by the community to breathe new life into the village with murals that reflect the village’s diversity. There is a story behind every mural. Below I highlight some of them.
Murals highlighted
Every mural Sopó Diverso creates has a story. Here a few highlighted.
Una mirada hacia la vida
Una Mirada hacia la vida, or: a look at life. You can find this mural along the main road in the La Montana neighborhood. In addition to beautifying the environment, this mural depicts the perspective of life from the innocence of children.
Nuevo Amanecer
The goal of Nuevo Amanecer is to create metaphorical awareness about how order is violated in public spaces. Which makes them dark despite being passable. Filling the areas with color brings renewal and light into the darkness.
Niña Salvaje
The mural Niña Salvaje represents the relationship between women and nature, as a representation of strength, unity and protection.
Mujer Montaña
Also in the La Montana neighborhood, across from the white bridge to the cultural center, you will find the beautiful mural Mujer Montaña. The description accompanying this artwork reads, “This wall is a place to celebrate life. The imaginary wings of freedom look at the faces of girls. Of women, their colors and differences. Of their encounters and opinions. Celebrate the life of the legitimate struggles of thousands of women. Of the struggle of art and the diversity of many worlds.”
Educational & tourist street art route Sopó
Sopó Diverso has created a street art route that takes you past the most important murals. Of course, this route will be updated as soon as new murals arrive, so keep an eye on their Facebook page! The goal of Sopó Diverso is to create an educational space for the reduction and eradication of violence against women and the elimination of street violence through art. They also stand for promoting sustainable and alternative tourism in the beautiful village. Would you also like to enjoy this beautiful art as well as my fantastic village? Come to Sopó!
More graffiti in Sopó
And there is much more! In Pueblo Viejo, for example, you will find this beautiful pictures. And there are some murals that I know about but haven’t photographed. If you walk through Sopó you will automatically come across all kinds of things. You will also find murals in the cultural center (cross the white bridge, there is only one). Unfortunately not pictured either, but equally beautiful. Sopó is enveloped in color, a wonderful sensation in this fantastic village!
What else is there to do in and around Sopó? | A complete mini-guide
In this mini-guide Sopó you will find all the information about Sopó. Includes attractions, restaurants, lodging, transportation, surroundings and more.
Here’s a sneak peek:
Although almost no travelers visit Sopó, there is a lot to do here.
- Paragliding in one of the most beautiful places in Colombia
- Amazing views from Pionono
- The famous La Cabaña Alpina
- Rest in Parque Puente Sopó
- To the theme park Parque Jaime Duque (where you will find a replica of the Taj Mahal)
- Large outlet shopping center Arauco
In the area you can rock-climbing, visit the white village Guatavita, visit the most famous salt mines of Colombia, go hiking in Chingaza National Park and much more. Check this article for more information and a itinerary off the beaten path.
Practical information
How to get to Sopó
It depends a bit on where you are coming from, of course, but most likely it’s Bogotá.
By car: exit Bogotá on the autopista norte and head toward Tunja (after the toll there is a fork to Chia right and Tunja left, keep left). Continue until the Sopó exit and turn right there. At the traffic circle you are already in Sopó and it depends on where you want to go. To downtown, take the second exit. You can rent a car at Rentalcars. Or at Localiza. By the way, everything about car rental and driving in Colombia can be found here.
By bus: go by the transmilenio to Portal Norte (at the very north of Bogotá, along the autopista norte). Stay in the station and look for the bus to Sopó. You have to pass through a gate to do so; the bus itself you pay in the bus. If you want to take a cab to the north of Bogotá, you can get off at Terminál de Transporte Norte (looks like a white tent). In front of the terminal on the autopista is a bus stop. Hold the bus to Sopó there.
How long it takes you depends on the traffic jam. When there is no traffic jam I drive the car to my mother-in-law in Usaquén in about 50 minutes. If there is a traffic jam, it can easily take half an hour longer. By bus from Portal Norte it’s about 45 minutes with normal traffic. With a lot of congestion, it obviously takes longer.
Accommodation in Sopó
You can visit Sopó just fine on a day trip from Bogotá, but then you can only see a few things. Want to enjoy all that Sopó and the surroundings have to offer? Then stay a few nights. There is plenty to do! A very nice hotel is Casa Aggreste. Highly recommended for everyone.
Combine Sopó with your travel itinerary Colombia
Sopó is great to fit into your itinerary Colombia. Both off and on the beaten path. I would always recommend, if you have enough time, exploring Cundinamarca and Boyacá. Take a look at these itineraries how to do just that.
I am a proud resident of Sopó. Find it a great fun and unique village. For example, in Sopó there is the cultural center than you will find almost nowhere else in Colombia. Do you also love traveling off the beaten path and want to discover the real Colombia? Then come to Sopó and admire the beautiful street art and more!
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