Villa de Leyva & Barichara holidays
Villa de Leyva & Barichara holidays at a glance
Colombia’s interior has always been a challenge to cross, with voluminous rivers carving deep valleys through rugged Andean ranges. Scattered along the mountain roads are a string of once-forgotten colonial towns of great architectural beauty, and Villa de Leyva and Barichara are two of the finest.
Both are whitewashed, cobbled and refreshingly unhurried. Villa de Leyva lies around four hours’ scenic drive from Bogotá. Barichara is closer to Bucaramanga, a fine base for walking the old stone Camino Real through the surrounding countryside.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Villa de Leyva & Barichara
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
There’s something timeless about Villa de Leyva and Barichara, with their cobbled streets, colonial charm and relaxed pace offering a different side of Colombia.
When to visit Villa de Leyva & Barichara
The best time to visit Colombia’s Heartland depends on which part of the region you plan to explore. Conditions vary between Villa de Leyva, Barichara and the hotter, more humid town of Mompós.
December – January coincide with Latin American holiday times and as such this is a busy period for visitors. Temperatures in Villa de Leyva and Barichara are in the 20°Cs and there shouldn’t be too much rain. During Semana Santa (Easter week) there are grand processions and parades across the towns.
This is an ideal time to visit Mompós, with delicious hot weather and exciting processions for Semana Santa (Easter week) in the quaint cobbled streets. These months are the rainiest in Villa de Leyva and Barichara, though temperatures remain in the 20°Cs.
The popular religious festival of Virgen de Carmen is celebrated in July in Villa de Leyva, drawing bustling crowds and live folk music. Mompós is hot and humid, while Villa de Leyva and Barichara remain in the 20°Cs.
While the weather remains hot and humid, this is not a good time to visit Mompós as the town is prone to flooding between October and November. These are also rainy months in Villa de Leyva and Barichara, with temperatures in the 20°Cs.
Top Things to do in Villa de Leyva & Barichara
Browse our things to do in Colombia’s heartland. Use the option below to filter by holiday style.
Wander the cobbled streets of any one of Colombia’s unspoilt colonial towns of the interior. Mompós, for example, is a sleepy riverside town, once a thriving trade post, which retains the impressive colonial architecture of a more prosperous era.
Explore a beautiful landscape of undulating Andean peaks, mist-shrouded páramo and mystical lakes.
Follow the original cobbled Spanish road downhill to the lovely village of Guane.
Accommodation in Villa de Leyva & Barichara
Accommodation in Villa de Leyva and Barichara reflects the character and charm of these historic towns, with inviting places to stay that provide a relaxing base for exploring their cobbled streets, colonial architecture and surrounding landscapes.
Charming 17th century building on the banks of the sleepy Magdalena river, with a picturesque courtyard garden, a roof terrace and a serene yet cheerful atmosphere.
Casa Belle Epoque is a small, restored Republican era mansion on the banks of the river Magdalena in Honda.
Beautifully atmospheric guesthouse made up of three adjoining colonial mansions, with sumptuous furnishings and a romantic ambience.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Holidays to Villa de Leyva & Barichara
Group Villa de Leyva & Barichara Tours
Our group tours follow expertly designed, well-planned routes with an experienced local guide throughout. Prefer to keep it to your own party? Book the same trips privately for four or more.
Chachalaca: Colombia’s Colonial and Coffee Culture
Places visited: Bogota · Villa de Leyva & Barichara · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Medellin · Cartagena
14 days from £4,476
Weaverbird: Spirit of Colombia
Places visited: Bogota · San Agustin, Popayan and Cali · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Caribbean coast and islands · Villa de Leyva & Barichara · Cartagena
16 days from £3,326
Tailor-Made Villa de Leyva & Barichara Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Off The Beaten Track Colombia: Colonial towns to the Llanos
Places visited: Bogota · Villa de Leyva & Barichara · The Colombian llanos
13 days from £5,350
Self-drive Colombia: Exploring the coffee region and beyond
Places visited: Bogota · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Villa de Leyva & Barichara
12 days from £2,700
FAQs about visiting Villa de Leyva & Barichara
Villa de Leyva & Barichara is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- When is the best time to visit Colombia's heartland?
The sleepy colonial towns are less sleepy at weekends, when citizens of Colombia’s major traffic-choked cities descend on them for a rural weekend. Villa de Leiva and Barichara have a uniform temperature in the 20s°C all year with most rain falling in Apr-May and Oct-Nov. The best time to visit Mompós is Apr-Jun. Floods are common Oct-Nov and it can feel hot and humid all year round. Medellín’s temperature is also stable in the high 20s°C, and most rain here falls Apr-Nov.
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- What language is spoken in Colombia's heartland?
The main language spoken in Colombia’s heartland is Spanish.
- What currency do I need in Colombia's heartland?
The Peso is the main currency used in Colombia’s heartland. Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs in major cities using a UK credit or debit card, though you may have to advise your bank first and amounts that can be withdrawn may be lower than in the UK. Be aware that some ATMs are often out of service but there should be a working one nearby. Banks will offer advances on a credit card, but with a lot of paperwork. Money exchanges (casas de cambio) change US dollars cash (very few accept euros or sterling and the rate will be poor). There’s an ATM in the plaza in Villa de Leiva but you are advised to acquire pesos in larger towns before heading into the heartland.
- What is the time difference between Colombia's heartland and the UK?
The time difference between Colombia’s heartland and the UK is GMT -5 hrs
- How do I get to Colombia's heartland?
To Villa de Leiva it’s a 4 hour scenic road journey from Bogotá (127km); to Barichara is a 2hr 40min drive from Bucaramanga; Mompós is a 6-7hr journey from Cartagena by road and launch/ferry.
- What are the festivals and cultural events in Colombia's heartland?
Desfile de Silliteros, Flower Festival; Medellín, 10 days in August. Flowers of all shapes and colours flood over the city, with 140 cultural events, parades, music and competitions.
Virgen de Carmen, Villa de Leiva, 13-17 Jul.
Semana Santa, Holy Week, Mompós. A serious religious festival where images of saints and the Holy Family are taken from the churches and paraded through the streets.
Ready to start planning?
Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.