Walled City (Centro)

Very safe with English everywhere, but you pay tourist prices. Good for first-time visitors who want convenience and security over seeing real local life.

The Walled City is the UNESCO historic center with colonial buildings, horse-drawn carriages, and tour groups everywhere. During the day Plaza Bolívar fills with vendors selling mango and coconut water. At night there are string lights and musicians, though it gets pretty touristy. Eating alone is normal - lots of outdoor tables good for people-watching. Staff speak English since this is the main tourist zone. Police and security are everywhere, making it very safe even late at night. You'll pay for that safety though - coffee costs three times what it does elsewhere. It's pretty but can feel more like a theme park than real Colombia, especially after dark when there are more tourists than locals.