Engativá is not just the airport: three parks that steal the show on Sunday
If you live in Engativá or have passed through Calle 80 on a Sunday, you know the cicloruta gets crowded, but not the entire locality is the chaos of Avenida Boyacá with Calle 80. There are green corners that many neighbors don't even know about, perfect for that bike ride without having to go all the way to Parque Simón Bolívar. In August 2026, with Bogotá's weather doing its thing (sun at 10am, rain at 2pm), I bring you three hidden parks in Engativá that work for the Sunday bike ride, whether you leave from Portal Eldorado or from the center of the locality.
These are not the giant parks that show up in travel guides. They are medium-sized spaces, with decent grass, nearby or internal bike paths, and the best part: few people. Here I tell you what makes each one special, how to get there by bike, what's nearby to eat, and what rules you must respect if you bring a pet or want to take your bike into the park.
📌 Transparency
This article contains sponsored/affiliate links. We may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Spanish Bootcamp Online
Mental map of the locality: where they are and how to connect them
Engativá is divided into several UPZs, but for this route we move between UPZ Engativá (the traditional area, near the wetland) and UPZ Garcés Navas (further west, near Avenida Boyacá). The three parks I chose are:
- Parque El Lago (near Calle 80 with Carrera 106, in the heart of Engativá pueblo).
- Parque Zona Franca (not to be confused with the industrial zone; it's a large neighborhood park, between Avenida Boyacá and Calle 68, in the Zona Franca neighborhood).
- Parque Villa Amalia (north of the locality, along Avenida Calle 72 with Carrera 96, in the Villa Amalia neighborhood).
By bike, you can put together a route of about 15 kilometers connecting all three, using the bike path on Calle 80 and the one on Avenida Boyacá. If you leave from Portal Eldorado (TransMilenio), you'll reach Parque El Lago in about 15 minutes pedaling gently along the CicloRuta on Calle 80. From there to Parque Zona Franca is about 20 minutes heading down Carrera 106 to Calle 68. And from Zona Franca to Villa Amalia, another 15 minutes going up Boyacá. That's the order I recommend so the sun isn't in your face in the morning.
A note: not all bike path sections are well signposted. On Calle 68, between Boyacá and 96, the bike path is interrupted for a couple of blocks and you have to get onto the road. Nothing serious, but take it easy on Sundays since there's a lot of private traffic.
Parque El Lago: the lungs of Engativá pueblo
This is the most well-known of the three, but it's still a secret to most people who don't live in the locality. Parque El Lago is at Carrera 106 with Calle 80A, one block from Portal Eldorado. Its name comes from the artificial lake in the center, where people go to jog, ride bikes, and on weekends, have a picnic with a view of the water.
What makes it special
It's not a huge park, but it has an internal loop of about 1.2 kilometers around the lake, perfect for warming up your legs or for kids to ride their bikes around without the danger of cars. The path is flat, with some shaded areas thanks to the trees surrounding the water. There's a small skating rink on the north side, and an outdoor gym with basic machines that are empty on Sunday mornings.
The lake itself is an attraction: there are ducks and some migratory birds that stay there between March and October. Locals bring old bread to feed them, although it's not officially allowed. If you go with kids, it's a good time to teach them a bit about Bogotá's urban wildlife.
Cafés and piqueteaderos nearby
Right across from the park, on Carrera 106, there are two or three bakeries that open on Sundays from 7am. The busiest one has a red sign with the name "Panadería El Lago" (it's not a chain, it's a neighborhood business), where they sell warm almojábanas for $1,500 COP and coffee with milk for $2,000 COP. Don't expect a specialty espresso; this is a Bogotá worker's breakfast: tinto, bread, and if you want, a caldo de costilla on Sundays for $5,000 COP.
For lunch, three blocks away is the Plaza de Mercado de Engativá (Calle 80 with Carrera 104). There you'll find casual food stalls with bandeja paisa from $12,000 COP and 500ml natural juices for $3,000 COP. On Sundays there are fewer stalls than during the week, but the ones that open are the good ones: the one on the southeast corner has an ajiaco that competes with any restaurant in the center.
Pet and bicycle rules
Pets are welcome, but with a mandatory leash throughout the park. There are areas where you can let them off, specifically the northwest sector behind the gym, but only after 10am (before that, there's a monitor who gives symbolic fines of $20,000 COP). Bicycles can enter the internal loop, but at a moderate speed (maximum 10 km/h, according to the signs). On Sundays, there's a security guard at the main entrance who checks that bikes aren't going at high speed. If you have a road bike with cleats, better leave it at the bike parking lot at the south entrance, because the loop's surface is cobblestone and it's not comfortable for thin tires.
Best times to avoid sun and crowds
On Sundays, between 8am and 10am, the park is quiet: just joggers and men with dogs. From 11am to 1pm it fills up with families with kids and the noise goes up. If you want silence, arrive before 8am, when the sun hasn't warmed up yet and the lake has a light mist. After 3pm, the sun hits hard on the south side of the park, so look for shade on the north side if you go in the afternoon.
Parque Zona Franca: the BMX track nobody knows about
This is the most hidden of the three. Parque Zona Franca is located in the neighborhood of the same name, between Avenida Boyacá and Calle 68, entering via Carrera 97B. It doesn't have a big sign; it's a neighborhood park that stretches across about three blocks and has a gem: a BMX track with dirt jumps that the residents themselves built years ago and that is still maintained.
What makes it special
The BMX track is what attracts mountain bikers and kids with cross bikes. It's not a professional track, but it has six medium jumps, a banked curve, and a straight of about 40 meters. On Sunday mornings, there's a group of young people who meet to practice and are friendly with newcomers: they teach you how to land properly if it's your first time. There's no bike rental, so bring your own or one for the kids.
The rest of the park is more traditional: two children's play areas (one with swings and another with monkey bars), a concrete soccer field that on Sundays is occupied by impromptu tournaments, and a perimeter path of about 800 meters that's good for jogging or for taking a casual bike ride without getting on the track.
Fun fact: this park doesn't appear on most digital maps. If you search for "Parque Zona Franca" on Google Maps, a point appears marked as "Parque Lineal Zona Franca", but it's easy to get confused because there's a huge industrial zone next to it. The clearest entrance is via Carrera 97B with Calle 68B, where there's a residential complex of white apartments. You'll see a stone path that leads straight to the track.
Where to eat nearby: local markets
Unlike Parque El Lago, there are no fancy bakeries here. But five minutes away by bike, along Calle 68 heading east, is the Mercado de las Pulgas de Zona Franca, which on Sundays sets up a crafts and street food fair. There's a man who sells arepas de huevo with hogao for $4,000 COP and a woman who makes coconut lemonade for $3,500 COP. It's street food, but the good kind: the arepa is crispy and the hogao has fresh tomato.
If you prefer to sit down, two blocks from the park, on Avenida Boyacá, there's a casual eatery called "El Rincón de la Abuela" (not to be confused with other similar chains). On Sundays they offer an executive menu with soup, main course, and juice for $14,000 COP. The main course is usually sobrebarriga or grilled chicken breast. They close at 4pm, so don't arrive late.
Pet and bicycle rules
Pets can enter without a leash in the BMX track area, but only if there are no competitions in progress. The local dog owners are strict: if your dog doesn't obey basic commands, they'll give you dirty looks. In the rest of the park, a leash is mandatory. Bicycles are prohibited on the pedestrian paths, but the BMX track is free to use as long as there's no organized group. If you see a competition, wait your turn or ask if you can do a practice run.
Best times to avoid sun and crowds
This park fills up with BMX riders between 9am and 11am. If you want to practice without an audience, arrive at 7am, when the sun is just peeking out and the track is empty. After 11am, the park fills with kids from the nearby residential complexes, and the noise goes up considerably. In the afternoon, between 2pm and 4pm, the sun is strong in the track area, so if you're going with small kids, better stay in the play area that has big trees.
Parque Villa Amalia: the favorite of families with kids
Parque Villa Amalia is in the neighborhood of the same name, north of the locality, bordered by Avenida Calle 72 to the south and Carrera 96 to the east. It's the largest of the three, with an area of approximately 3 hectares, and it's the best maintained, probably because it's near middle-class residential complexes that pressured the local mayor's office to improve it in 2024.
What makes it special
This park has a combination the others don't: a 1.5-kilometer compacted dirt path that winds around the entire perimeter, perfect for mountain bikes or running, and a modern children's play area with rubber flooring, including a small suspension bridge and a spiral slide. Kids aged 3 to 10 love it, and parents can sit on the benches while watching them without stress.
There's also a beach volleyball court (yes, with real sand) that on Sundays fills up with groups of friends setting up impromptu matches. There's no official net, but neighbors bring their own. If you want to join, just ask: people are welcoming to newcomers.
In the northwest corner of the park, there's a small outdoor amphitheater where on Sundays
