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June 24, 2024
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If you are a traveler who loves beautiful Spanish colonial architecture, then you will adore Villa de Leyva in Colombia. This town, located about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Bogota is a favorite among locals seeking a short break from hectic city life. As Villa de Leyva is one of Colombia’s most popular tourist destinations, I’ve put together this guide with my experience visiting this little town. I’ll let you in on how to experience it as a conscious traveler, and it there are still some hidden gems to be found that are off the tourist trail. Here we go!
View over Villa de Leyva from Mirador El Santo
Villa de Leyva is a small town in the Bocaya department, located only a short drive from Bogota (3 hours is short according to Colombian standards!). It is known for its cobblestone streets and its Plaza Mayor, one of the largest cobblestone squares in South America.
The area was inhabited by the Muisca tribes before the Spanish took over the land in the 16th century. It was founded in 1572 and was named after Andres Diaz Venero de Leiva, the first president of the ‘Kingdom of the New Granada’.
Today, Villa de Leyva is one of Colombia’s most popular ‘Pueblos Patrimonio‘, locations that embody Colombian heritage and culture because of their architecture, history, and natural landscape. It’s also shortlisted to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Furthermore, Villa de Leyva is also a place of paleontological importance. Fossils have been found here from the Cretaceous period and today, you can marvel at an almost complete skeleton of a ‘Monquirasaurus’ at Museo El Fosil.
While Villa de Leyva is indeed a beautiful town with an incredible town square, you have to be aware that it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Colombia.
This results in lots of crowds during the weekends (mainly Colombian tourists), inflated prices for food and accommodation, and activities that are much more pricier than anywhere else in Colombia.
Furthermore, even though the center is beautiful, I didn’t see that much local life anymore in the main streets as they are full of restaurants, souvenir shops, and hotels, which was a bit of a turn-off.
If you want to have a slow travel experience in Villa de Leyva, I can highly suggest visiting outside of Colombian peak season (Dec to Feb) and also visiting during the week as the weekends are swarmed with day- or weekend trippers.
Eventually, I skipped a lot of the activities in and around Villa de Leyva, because they felt a bit like tourist traps. And I also skipped the fancy Western-style restaurants that were seriously overpriced.
In the next sections, I’ll give you a rundown of the attractions I skipped in Villa de Leyva and why. After that, I’ll let you in on the things I enjoyed!
Here are some popular things to do in Villa de Leyva that I refrained from doing. The reasons behind it may vary but in the end, it all comes down to the fact that I mostly felt they didn’t offer the correct value for the price asked.
Paso de Angel is a mountain ridge located about 25 kilometers from Villa de Leyva. I had seen this beautiful natural attraction pass by on many blogs, praising the gorgeous natural setting.
Unfortunately, these days, it has been turned into an adventure park with ziplines, bridges, and Instagram photo spots. Bummer.
El Infiernito is an archaeological park located 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the center of Villa De Leyva. It consists of a set of monoliths that served as an astronomical observatory in pre-Colombian times.
After visiting the incredible archaeological sites of the San Agustin Archaeological Park in San Agustin in Huila, I felt this site wasn’t well-kept and could do with some English-speaking guides to understand the history of the stones.
Casa Terracota is a unique architectural marvel that is also often called “the largest piece of pottery in the world’. It was built by architect Octavio Mendoza Morales and is completely made out of clay, making it a durable and environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional building techniques.
I initially was very keen on visiting Terracotta House but refrained when I saw the ticket price of 50.000 COP. Again, in comparison with other sites in Colombia, this felt like too much for what it was.
The Paleontological Research Center (CIP) is located about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the center of Villa and is right next to Museo El Fosil. It’s an institution dedicated to the study and preservation of the paleontological heritage of the region and felt like a really interesting place to visit.
Unfortunately, guided tours and explanations were only in Spanish so I refrained from visiting but I do think it can be very interesting if you understand Spanish well.
Gondava Dinosaur Valley is a theme park and educational center located about 7 kilometers (4,5 miles) from the center of Villa de Leyva. It is especially geared towards families with kids and has educational programs for schools.
Since I don’t have any children, I didn’t visit this theme park and I don’t believe any information in English is provided.
There are several vineyards around Villa de Leyva. The most notable one is Vineyard Ain Karim, which established itself in the region in 1988.
While I’m very interested in the food culture of the countries I visit, this vineyard felt a bit too European for me. As I am from Belgium, I didn’t feel like participating in this in Colombia and I’m also not a huge wine connoisseur.
The Pozo Azules of Villa de Leyva are a series of man-made pools with bright turquoise water. They are located on private property, cost 15.000 COP to enter and you can go quad-biking or horseriding around the pools.
In my opinion, this is a first-class tourist trap. Why would you pay 15.000 COP to see man-made lakes when there is so much natural beauty in Colombia?
→ Also read: Pozo Azul, Minca: All You Need to Know
This museum is dedicated to the work of one of Colombia’s most prominent painters of the 20th century, Luis Alberto Acuna.
While his work intrigued me, since it implemented indigenous themes, I decided to visit other things in Villa de Leyva that were more suitable for my adventurous taste.
Antonia Narino was a prominent figure in the early stages of the Colombian and Latin American independence movements. He died in Villa de Leyva in 1823, hence why there is a museum in the house he lived in, in the center of town.
I assume it’s a great place to visit if you like to learn more about the political history of Colombia but I preferred to do other things in Villa de Leyva.
This is another museum in Villa de Leyva dedicated to religious art from different periods of Colombian and Carmelite history.
While it can be interesting to visit if you are a catholic, I had no desire to visit this museum as I don’t believe it’s one of the best things to do in Villa de Leyva.
While their intentions seem good, I find this natural park with waterfalls, located about 10 kilometers to be too overpriced for what it is. They ask 35.000 COP for a one and a half hour tour that takes you to three waterfalls.
After visiting other great natural parks with waterfalls in Colombia like Juan Curi in San Gil and Marinka Waterfalls in Minca I found this hugely overpriced. I even heard Colombians complain about it because it used to be a free attraction a few years ago.
While the above things didn’t really warm my heart, here are the things that I did enjoy in Villa de Leyva. Luckily, in a local restaurant out of the center of town, we got to meet Pedro and Debby, a Colombian-American couple who had been living in Villa de Leyva for a few years.
They gave me and my partner, Ben, some great tips on what to do in Villa de Leyva, which are a bit out of the tourist trail. I included them in the section below!
The Plaza Mayor of Villa de Leyva is not exactly off the tourist trail but I was really impressed by it, to say the least! The vastness of this square is extraordinary and the mountains and old buildings surrounding it give it a bit of a mysterious atmosphere.
I also paid a little visit to the Parish Church which had a little display with old artifacts that were quite interesting. The best time to visit Plaza Mayor is in the early morning, ideally before 8 P.M. before the throngs of tourists arrive.
El Fosil is a well-known paleontological museum located about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the center of Villa de Leyva. It is famous for housing an almost complete fossilized skeleton of a Kronosaurus, a large marine reptile that lived during the Cretaceous period.
I was a little hesitant to visit because I found the price, like at many places in Villa de Leyva, above what you would expect in Colombia (20.000 COP). But I’m glad I entered, especially because there were informational signs in English and I learned quite a bit about the archaeological excavations in this area of Colombia.
If you are looking for the most cozy restaurant in Villa de Leyva, check out El Patio del Riachuelo. This restaurant, located away from the busy streets of the center of Villa de Leyva is a peaceful getaway, located about 3 kilometers from town.
I found this restaurant by searching Google Maps for restaurants with plant-based options in the area and I stumbled upon this gem by chance. They have a wonderful vegan menu del Dia and the setting is absolutely gorgeous.
This small Paleontological Museum is located about 1 kilometer out of the center of Villa de Leyva is a quiet location. The entrance fee is 10.000 COP and it’s a good place to visit if you want to learn a little more about the region’s rich fossil heritage.
The museum is managed by the National University of Colombia and also harbors a great botanical garden in the back, a great place to have a break after your tour. Note that it is closed on Monday!
→ Also read: The Ultimate Packing List for Colombia!
On of the coolest hidden gems I encountered in Villa de Leyva was the natural spring of La Mesopotamia Hotel. When you stand in front of the hotel, you’ll see an open gate to your left. Walk on, until you reach this beautiful pool with spring water.
Just before you arrive at the pool, you’ll see some buildings to your left. This is where you need to pay the entrance fee of 14.000 COP. For that price, you can stay the whole day and you can bring snacks and food.
Casa Guadalupana is located right next to La Mesopotamia Hotel and is very much off-the-beaten-track. You can’t even find them on Google Maps!
If you are looking for daily yoga classes while you are in Villa de Leyva, this is the place to be. Afterwards, you can have a delicous coffee before visiting the natural pool of La Mesopotamia.
Now, if you are looking for a traditional restaurant in Villa de Leyva that serve regular Colombian fare, check out Estacion 20 03. This is in my opinion the best restaurant in the town center.
At the time of my visit, they served a delicious menu del dia for only 14.000 COP that includes a drink, soup, and a main plate. The great thing about Estacion 20 03 is that they cater to vegans and you won’t be short on delicious veggies, lentils and chickpeas here!
For the best views of Villa de Leyva, you have to do some uphill hiking! Mirador El Santo Sagrado Corazon de Jesus is a lookout point located northeast of town on a lush mountain.
You can reach the top by doing a 45-minute walk along a poorly marked trail. There’s a white statue of Jesus at the end of the trail which creates some great photo opportunities. There are more trails in the area too like the Sendero a las Dunas.
Here are a few more things that I wanted to visit but didn’t due to various reasons!
The man reason I wanted to make a stop in Villa de Leyva was because of its close proximity to Iguaque National Park. In Iguaque Nature Reserve, you can go on a 6 to 8 hour hike through beautiful paramo to Lake Iguaque, a place that is sacred to the indiginous Muisca people.
Unfortunately, the entrance to Iguaque National Park was closed when we visited Villa de Leyva.
Compared to La Periquera, this is another ecological nature reserve near Villa de Leyva that I did consider visiting. The entrance fee is 30.000 COP, which is a lot for visiting a natural park in Colombia but, in contrast to La Periquera, I think you can spend the whole day exploring the park and bathe in the waterfalls.
If you visit Los Tucanes, let me know how it was in the comments below or give me a message through my contact page!
I’m always in for a wellness treatment and the thermal baths of La Portada looked like a great break from all the hiking and adventuring I did so far in Colombia.
Unfortunately, when I arrived in Villa de Leyva, I was struck by altitude sickness and I was unable to go on walks the first few days that I was there. As a result, I had to skip some activities I wanted to do in Villa de Leyva, and La Portada was one of them.
Villa de Leyva is extremely touristy and there are a lot of accommodation options available. Most of them are in a higher price range than in other location in Colombia and I had to search a while to find something that was within my budget.
Since we were on a 2-month stint in Colombia, our daily budget for accommodation wasn’t supposed to exceed 20 dollars per night but this wasn’t easy in Villa de Leyva. Do note that we don’t stay in dorms and always look for a room with a private bathroom.
Here are my recommendations for places to stay in Villa de Leyva:
I already mentioned my two favorite restaurants for vegan Colombian food in Villa de Leyva previously in this post, which are Estacion 20 03 and El Patio del Riachuelo. I had a hard time finding another restaurant that was too touristy in Villa de Leyva.
I considered trying ‘La Tienda de Teresa’ but, because I loved to food at Estacion 20 03 so much, I eventually didn’t go there. I also went for pizza once at ‘Pizzeria Napolitana‘ and I have to say that the quality was great for the price (but the restaurant itself isn’t really cozy).
Aside from restaurants, there are a lot of great bakeries and coffee shops in Villa de Leyva. Here are my favorites:
A lot of people recommend La Galetta, but I found it lacked charm.
The closest airport to Villa de Leyva is Bogota and the main way to reach Villa de Leyva from Bogota is by bus or private car.
Direct buses leave the Salitre Bus Station and Terminal del Norte in Bogota regularly and you can buy tickets online through Busbud. Another option is to take a bus to the city of Tunja and change to a Villa de Leyva-bound bu there.
If you are coming from destinations north of Villa de Leyva, like San Gil, Bucaramanga, or Guadalupe you’ll need to change buses in Tunja as there are no direct buses from these destinations. If you come from Guadalupe, you’ll also need to change in Oiba first to reach Tunja.
As I mentioned before, Villa de Leyva is a bit more pricier than other located I have visited throughout Colombia. As this is one of the most popular towns in Colombia, it’s no wonder that prices are a bit inflated, but it’s something to keep in mind if you like to travel on a budget.
That said, we traveled on a budget of 50$/day with two people and I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything that I wanted to do.
There you go! I hope this conscious travel guide to Villa de Leyva was useful to you. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!
ENJOY!
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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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