By air
El Dorado, Bogotá (BOG), ~3.5 h by road
South America · Colombia
Villa de Leyva, Colombia
A whitewashed colonial town on a great plaza
Getting there
Best time to visit
December to March — dry season
Don't miss
The Plaza Mayor
El Fósil museum
The Casa Terracota
The Pozos Azules
Things to do
The plaza
The fossil museums
Cycling to the vineyards
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Fotografía oficial de la Presidencia de Colombia · Public domain
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
The Iguaque sanctuary's sacred-lake trail
Questions travellers ask
What's the ideal time to visit Villa de Leyva?
December to March, the dry season. Pack layers.
How long is the drive to Villa de Leyva from Bogotá?
Fly into El Dorado, Bogotá (BOG); from there it's about 3.5 h by road.
What is there to see in Villa de Leyva?
The Plaza Mayor, El Fósil museum and the other fossil museums, the Casa Terracota and the Pozos Azules. You can also cycle to the vineyards.
What's a hidden gem around Villa de Leyva?
The Iguaque sanctuary's sacred-lake trail. Afterwards, try Boyacá-style arepas, cheese and local wine.
About Villa de Leyva
- Mountains
Where it is
Villa de Leyva is a colonial town in the Boyacá department of central Colombia, set at about 2,150 m in a valley of the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes, 37 km west of Tunja and about three hours by road from Bogotá.
History
The Muisca lived here under the zaque of Hunza when the Spanish founded the town on 12 June 1572, naming it after Andrés Díaz Venero de Leiva, first president of the New Kingdom of Granada. The First Congress of the United Provinces of New Granada met here in 1812, and the town was declared a national monument in 1954 to preserve its architecture.
People
Villa de Leyva's people speak Spanish and live from farming, tourism and crafts, with pottery from nearby Ráquira sold in its shops, and Boyacá's traditions show in the ruana, the woollen poncho of the cold highlands. The International Kite Festival in August and the Festival of Lights in December fill the great plaza.
Known for
- The vast cobbled Plaza Mayor
- El Fósil, a pliosaur left where it was found
- The Casa Terracota, a house made of clay
- Wineries and dry valley landscapes
- The Iguaque Flora and Fauna Sanctuary
Did you know?
The Plaza Mayor, about 14,000 square metres of cobblestones, is the largest square in Colombia and is thought to be the largest entirely cobbled square in South America.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.