Salt Cathedral
Salt Cathedral things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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🇨🇴 10 Must-Do Experiences in Bogotá (Before Visa-Free Rush!)
Celeste Eileen
190
This is one of must visit places around the world. You can take a guided tour from Bogota, or take a self tour using Tourist Train (look for info at Sabana station in Bogota in Santa Fe area) for full experience. Purchasing ticket online from the site does save time waiting on ticket line. Cost to entrance for Basic which covers pretty much all you need for 80k for Colombian, and 118K for foreigners (Aprox $28). Coming from town, I recommend taking Calle 5 or 6 to get to large & busy square by Zipaquira Cathedral, then go up one more street to Carrera 6 and head left (west) until you see a gate and sign for Catedral del Sal. You climb up the stairs til you get to a large court yard with various vendors upper level, and tunnel entrance below the climbing wall. Show your ticket, follow the guide (in Spanish). You can get a QR code for WiFi in the tunnel and each area in the tunnel has QR code for explanation. You will climb down about 400-500 feet while seeing various carved praying areas, until you get to bottom where you will see three large chapels (it was Sunday, so place actually had a mass when we were there), many shops, cafes, food vendors. (pretty much most of drinks, cafe has alcohol drinks and coffee drinks, sandwich, hot dogs, ice creams, pastries, snacks are what I saw. They actually heat up the churros before serving so it was nice hot and crunch! You can with some sort of cream/jelly or just sugar.) Bathroom is located further down the tunnel so be aware. Toilet doesn't have the seat down cover and no paper, so make sure to get some paper by wash area before you enter the stall. Most chapel and pray area have various changing lights. It is bit dark but able to see so just be careful. Place is handicap capable but no elevator so prepare to push hard coming up. Place is very large, so prepare to walk couple miles. Above main level, up by ticket area has restaurants, shops, and bathroom. Also other attractions.
Phil Kim
00
Went there on a Wednesday, which was perfect as there weren't too many people. They charge different prices for Colombians, around $7, and foreigners $13, for the basic tickets. The tour leaves every 15mins or so. The tour is in Spanish but they provide guided headphones in English as well. I actually wandered off on my own after 5 mins, which gave me time and space to do things on my own. The Catholic symbols and church are very enjoyable, even though I'm nowhere near religious. After the Cathedral, you will enter the retail area. The Café 340 is worth stopping for a coffee and pastry. You probably want to skip actually buying an emerald here as they are well overpriced, like at any tourist attractions. However I do recommend going to the Desal Spa. Despite the price being higher than most places outside, it is still considerably cheaper than in USA or Europe. I paid $20 for a 20mins foot scrub and foot massage. Apart from getting to experience a real salt spa inside a salt mine, the setting/ambience was beautiful and the service was great, too. I will probably be back just for the spa alone, which I was told the entry fee will be about $4 if you booked a service at the spa. If you like spa, this is a must! Even if you don't, you will still enjoy the experience. Bottomline, you will spent aprx 2 hours here. Come early on a weekday. Charge your phone as you will be taking heaps of pix. For the sake of others, don't wear strong perfume as it is a confined space and eventhough it is pet friendly and they provide a trolley for your dog....a dog in my tour group barked for 5 mins straight. P.S. After the tour, stop for lunch at a nearby restaurant, can't remember the name but it has a big cow outside. The meat samlle platter is huge and tasty
Susan
00
Visiting the Salt Cathedral (Catedral de Sal) in Zipaquirá, Colombia, was an unforgettable experience. It’s one of those places where you feel the perfect blend of natural wonder, history, and human creativity. The cathedral, built inside a massive salt mine, immediately draws you in with its serene, almost mystical atmosphere. Walking through the dimly lit tunnels, surrounded by salt-carved sculptures and crosses, I felt a deep sense of peace and awe. The main chamber, with its towering illuminated cross at the altar, was particularly striking—it’s both humbling and inspiring to stand there and take it all in. One of my favorite parts was the Stations of the Cross, which are beautifully carved into the salt walls. Each station feels deeply symbolic, and the quietness of the space allows you to reflect on their meaning. Even if you're not religious, the craftsmanship and the story they tell are worth appreciating. The guided tour was excellent, providing insights into the mining history, the engineering behind the cathedral, and the significance of the various sculptures and spaces. I also enjoyed visiting the small museum and gift shop at the end, where you can learn even more about the region's culture and history. If you go, I’d recommend wearing comfortable shoes because you’ll be walking quite a bit, and it’s slightly cool inside, so a light jacket is a good idea. Also, if you can, visit on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Overall, the Salt Cathedral is a unique and breathtaking place that left a lasting impression on me. It’s not just a religious site but a testament to human creativity and resilience. I would highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Colombia.
Rosa Morales
00
This was an interesting place to visit not far from the city of Bogota. The salt cathedral at Zipaquirá is one of the more unique attractions I have seen while in the country and for good reason; there is no other place like it in the world. To enter, you have to buy tickets which come in three separate packages. All of them include entry into the cathedral but the more expensive ones offer entry into museums and even rock climbing. After buying tickets, you wait at the entrance with everyone else and when enough people have amassed, you are taken into the cathedral. Be advised that the group gets very big for the tour. We had trouble listening to the tour guide because he was all the way up front and we were at the back of the crowd. It was very obnoxious at times because people make a lot of noise while the tour guide is speaking which makes it difficult to hear. Also there are large amounts of people all attempting to take photos at the same time and at the same places which makes it very difficult to get a photo. After a while we got tired of the tour and went ahead which was a lot better. There were not that many people as we walked further into the cathedral making it easier to see things and explore. The cathedral is massive and there is so much to see inside. It is all very impressive and there is great history behind it that is worth learning about. A small theater inside the mine provides a good history lesson on the mine and its inhabitants before it became a cathedral. There is also a number of shops down here ranging from gift shops to snack bars and even jewelry stores.
Gustavo Espinoza Jr
00
Okay, buckle up, fellow salt miners! Just emerged from the depths of Zipaquirá, and let me tell you, the Salt Cathedral ain't just a fancy salt lick for statues (although, there might be some salty saints, who knows?). This place is seriously epic! First, the main event: the cathedral itself. Think Sistine Chapel, but carved outta literal SALT. Like, mind-blowing sculptures, shimmering walls, and enough chandeliers to make Liberace jealous. And the best part? Each station of the cross has a cool story behind it, all tied to the history of salt mining. I learned more about sodium chloride than I ever thought possible, and it was actually kinda fascinating! Now, some minor hiccups – the train out wasn't exactly on my "frequent flyer" schedule, and the museum felt like a quick stroll through a dusty attic. But hey, who needs museum trinkets when you've got a freaking cathedral made of SALT?! The entrance fee might be a tad salty, but let's be real, these folks need all the love (and pesos) they can get to keep this marvel shining. ✨ So, bottom line: visiting Bogota? Skip the overpriced avocados and ditch the trendy coffee shops. Get your butt down to the Salt Cathedral. It's a one-of-a-kind, mind-bending, salty blast of epicness. You won't regret it! 5 stars, with a big thumbs-up for the salty saints and epic carvings. P.S. Don't forget your sunglasses – things get pretty sparkly down there! 😜
Bong Arquiza
00
Nearby Attractions Of Salt Cathedral
Independence Square
Independence Square
Principal Park
Principal Park
Villaveces Park
Diocesan Cathedral of Zipaquira
Museo Arqueológico Zipaquirá
Museo de Zipaquirà Casa Quevedo Zornoza
Plaza Ceremonial del Minero
Plaza De Los Comuneros - Zipaquira Cundinamarca

Independence Square
4.5
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Independence Square
4.5
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Principal Park
4.6
(2.1K)
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Principal Park
4.5
(1.6K)
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Nearby Restaurants Of Salt Cathedral
Restaurante La Carreta
Il capriccio Cucina Italiana

Restaurante La Carreta
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Il capriccio Cucina Italiana
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Basic Info
Address
Parque De La Sal, Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Map
Phone
+57 601 8519502
Call
Website
catedraldesal.gov.co
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.7
(7.9K reviews)
Ratings & Description
cultural
adventure
family friendly
Description
The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is an underground Roman Catholic church built within the tunnels of a salt mine 200 metres underground in a halite mountain near the city of Zipaquirá, in Cundinamarca, Colombia. It is a tourist destination and place of pilgrimage in the country.
attractions: Independence Square, Independence Square, Principal Park, Principal Park, Villaveces Park, Diocesan Cathedral of Zipaquira, Museo Arqueológico Zipaquirá, Museo de Zipaquirà Casa Quevedo Zornoza, Plaza Ceremonial del Minero, Plaza De Los Comuneros - Zipaquira Cundinamarca, restaurants: Restaurante La Carreta, Il capriccio Cucina Italiana
