Villa de Leyva & Ráquira

Leave the capital to discover two of Colombia's most attractive small towns and enjoy their timeless atmospheres.

This full day visit starts with an early morning departure from Bogotá to Villa de Leyva, considered one of the most beautiful villages in Colombia. This region has several rural landscapes, from a wilderness area region with its unique lakes and water reservoirs to the semi-arid deserts.

The first stop is at the colonial town of Ráquira, probably the most colourful town in Colombia, with vivid coloured facades and attractive buildings. The name of this hidden gem literally means “City of Pots” in the native Chibcha language, spoken by the ancient Muisca tribe. The town specialises in fine hand-made ceramics and throughout the streets you will find different craft shops and artisans selling their artwork and pottery. In the colourful shops, usually located at the main square, you will find everything from ceramic bowls, vases, pitchers, children’s toys, piggy banks, dwarfs and even Christmas decorations hanging in the storefronts. During this visit, you will have the opportunity to pass by a workshop and observe the process of how traditional pottery is made.

Close to Ráquira you will find the “Monasterio del Desierto de la Candelaria”, the first Augustine monastery founded in Latin America in the year 1604. We will visit the chapel, a small museum and the cloisters in the courtyard.

We then arrive in Villa de Leyva. Founded in 1572, this lovely colonial town was declared a national monument in 1954 and has been preserved in its entirety, including its stone-paved streets embedded with fossils from the surrounding area. All the buildings are whitewashed, with terracotta tile roofs, pine green doors and balconies decorated with flowers.

The tour ends with a walking tour through the colonial town; you will learn more about the culture of the people and its interesting architecture as you pass through the different cobbled streets and the vast main square plaza. The quiet atmosphere, together with the solitude of its streets and the easy going pace of life of its inhabitants, make you feel that you are in an era where it seems like time has not passed. Afterwards, you will head back to Bogotá, a four hour drive.