Boyaca & Villa de Leyva: Colombia's Best Weekend Escape

If you live in Bogota and haven't spent a weekend in Villa de Leyva, you're making a mistake. It's a 3.5-hour drive through dramatic mountain scenery, and the town itself feels like colonial Colombia frozen in amber — except with good restaurants and wine bars that somehow appeared in the middle of rural Boyaca.

I've been four times now, and each trip I discover something new. Here's the full breakdown.

Getting to Villa de Leyva

From Bogota, you have two options: drive or take a bus. Buses leave from Terminal de Transporte Norte every 30-60 minutes (Libertadores and Omega lines). The ride takes about 4 hours and costs 35,000-45,000 COP. If you're driving, take the road through Tunja — it's better maintained than the route through Chiquinquira, though slightly longer.

If you don't have a car, check our guide to bus travel in Colombia for tips on booking and what to expect.

Pro tip: leave Bogota before 6am on Saturday to avoid the brutal traffic heading north on the Autopista. Coming back Sunday evening is always a crawl no matter what.

Villa de Leyva: The Town Itself

The main plaza is the largest in Colombia — a massive cobblestone square surrounded by whitewashed colonial buildings. It looks like it hasn't changed in 400 years, and honestly, it mostly hasn't. On weekends, the plaza fills with vendors selling handmade jewelry, wool ruanas (ponchos), and local cheese.

The town is walkable. You can cover the entire centro in an afternoon, popping into small museums, galleries, and shops. But the real appeal is the pace — this is the kind of place where you sit in a cafe for three hours and nobody cares.

What to Do Around Boyaca

The Fossil Museum (Museo El Fosil)

A complete kronosaurus fossil — a marine reptile from 110 million years ago — sits in a small museum just outside town. It's the most complete specimen found in South America. Entry is about 12,000 COP and you'll spend maybe 30 minutes there. Worth it if you're remotely interested in paleontology; the area was an ancient seabed.

Raquira: The Pottery Capital

Twenty minutes from Villa de Leyva, Raquira is a riot of color. Every building is painted in bright oranges, blues, and greens, and the entire town makes and sells pottery. Prices are absurdly low — beautiful hand-painted pieces for 15,000-30,000 COP that would cost 10x that in Bogota. Go during the week if possible; weekends are packed.

Puente de Boyaca

The bridge where Simon Bolivar won the decisive battle for Colombian independence in 1819. It's a national monument with a small museum and monument. Historically significant, but I'll be honest — you can see everything in 20 minutes. Worth a stop if you're driving past, not worth a special trip.

Iguaque Sanctuary

A serious hike to a high-altitude lake sacred to the Muisca people. The trail is about 12km round trip and takes 5-7 hours. You'll pass through cloud forest and paramo, reaching the lake at about 3,600 meters. Bring warm layers — it gets cold up there. Entry is around 25,000 COP and you should start early (before 8am).

Food & Wine Scene

This is where Villa de Leyva surprised me. The food is genuinely good — not just tourist-good but actually-good. A few highlights:

Mercado Municipal has cheap, hearty almuerzos for 12,000-15,000 COP. For something nicer, restaurants around the plaza serve excellent trout (trucha), lamb, and goat. Boyaca is known for its cured meats and local cheeses — look for queso Paipa, which has DOP-like protection.

The wine scene is small but real. Ain Karim winery outside town does tastings and has a surprisingly decent altitude wine (yes, wine at 2,200 meters). Marques de Villa de Leyva is another option. Neither will rival Argentine wine, but they're interesting and the settings are beautiful.

Where to Stay & Costs

Hotels and posadas range from 80,000 COP/night for basic rooms to 400,000+ for boutique haciendas with fireplaces and gardens. Airbnb has plenty of cabanas in the hills surrounding town for 150,000-250,000 COP — these are my favorite option because you get mountain views and peace.

Weekend budget for a couple: 400,000-600,000 COP ($100-$150 USD) all-in including transport from Bogota, accommodation, meals, and activities. That's a proper getaway for less than a dinner out in most US cities.

When to Go

The dry season (December-March and June-August) is best. Villa de Leyva sits at 2,150 meters, so days are warm (around 20°C) and nights are cool (8-10°C). It rarely rains hard, but pack a light jacket regardless. Avoid long weekends (puentes) unless you enjoy crowds — the town's population multiplies by 5x.

❓ FAQ

❓ Can I visit Villa de Leyva as a day trip from Bogota?

Technically yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. The 3.5-4 hour drive each way leaves you exhausted with limited time to explore. One or two nights is ideal.

❓ Is Villa de Leyva cold?

It's cooler than you'd expect — similar to Bogota's climate but slightly warmer. Days are pleasant at 18-22°C, nights drop to 8-10°C. Bring layers and a jacket for evenings.

❓ Is it safe to drive to Villa de Leyva?

Yes. The road from Bogota via Tunja is well-maintained and heavily traveled. Just watch for trucks on the mountain sections and avoid driving at night.

❓ What else is nearby?

Tunja (the capital of Boyaca) has impressive colonial churches and is worth a lunch stop. Paipa has thermal hot springs if you want to extend your trip. Mongui, further south, is one of the prettiest small towns in Colombia.

Been to Villa de Leyva? Share your favorite restaurant or hidden spot in the comments — I'm always looking for new recommendations.