Under $100: Bogotá, Colombia

Bogotá is a huge city. Compared to North America, it’s only third in size to Mexico City and New York City while consistently ranked as a World City thanks to its economic and cultural contributions.

This city is built on an imperfect grid system, so getting around will be difficult without the help of a driver, though most tourist attractions are easy enough to find. Taxis are ubiquitous, but it’s not uncommon to be taken on a paseo millonario, where several accomplices get in the car to extort money. Always hire a taxi from an official stand or, at the very least, call the service by phone. Uber is also available but the government is cracking down on drivers at the moment.

Start your day at Paloquemao Market where you can sip on hundreds of different juices freshly squeezed from local fruit like lulo, curaba, guanabana and maracuyá. For lunch, grab a plate of the classic Colombian dish, lechona, pork, rice and peas cooked together in a pig’s carcass. Morcilla is a similar dish in the form of blood sausage. If markets are your thing, you should also check out the Emerald Market for an eye-popping display of raw and cut gems. There’s also an unofficial market where the older heads sell their wares at a cheaper price without tax.

Street art is one of the best ways to experience the authentic side of a city, especially in Bogotá where local artists take full advantage of the medium as protest art. The modern graffiti scene began when Diego Felipe Becerra was shot dead by a policeman while painting his signature Felix the Cat piece. Citywide protests forced the mayor to arrest two officers and legalize street art in certain areas and walls, making the culture intrinsic to Bogotá’s identify. Cool off in Bogotá’s Gold Museum, an anthropological museum that displays the long history of gold in Colombian culture.

For dinner, splurge on Mercado by Leonor Espinosa, a native chef and a strong proponent of farm-to-table dining.