Villa de Leyva

From World travel guide

Villa de Leyva is a charming old colononial city in Boyoca in Colombia. Calm and tranquilo in weekdays. In weekends the town get flooded by tourist from Bogotá

1 Get in
2 Get around
3 See
4 Do
5 Buy
6 Eat
7 Drink
8 Sleep
9 Get out
10 External links

[edit]

Get in

Every ten minutes minibusses go to and from Tunja.

[edit]

Get around

[edit]

See

There are a handful of museums in town. Not all of them are impressive.

Museo Paleontológica -- A collection of fossils. Open: Tu-Sa 9am-12am & 2pm-5pm; Su and holidays 9am-3pm. Entrance: COP$ 2.000
Luis Alberto Acuña -- Pictures and sculptures collected by this painter. Open: Mo-Su 9am-6pm.
Prehistorical garden -- Open: Mo-Su 9am-6pm.
Museo del Carmen -- Impressive collection of religios art. Opem: Sa, Su and holidays 10am-1pm & 2pm-5pm.
Antonio Ricaurte -- Military museum in the former house of Antonie Ricaurte. Open: We-Fr 9am-12am & 2pm-5pm; Sa, Su and holidays 9am-12pm & 2pm-6pm.
Casa Museo Antonio Nariño -- Last house of this independence hero. Displays some of his possessions. Open: Th-Tu 9am-12am & 2pm-4pm. Entrance COP$ 3.000.

[edit]

Do

Climb up to the mirador named "sagrado corazon". It's east of the town and to find the path you have to cross the football pitch. It's about one and a half hour climb to the top.
Taxis offer trips to some of the surroundig attractions.
Rent a mountainbike or a horse or just go by footh and visit some of the attraction on your own.

[edit]

Buy

[edit]

Eat

[edit]

Drink

[edit]

Sleep

Prices rise in weekends and holidays.

Dino's resaurant & pizzaria, Plaza Mayor (next to the Parish church), tel: 8-732-0803. Rents out double rooms for COP$ 15.000 per person.

[edit]

Get out

Around Villa de Leyva are several attraction which can be visited as a daytrip.

El Fosíl -- Fearly complete fosil of a chronosaur. About 5.5km on the road to Santa Sofía. Open: Mo-Su 7am-6pm. Entrance COP$2.500.
El Infernieto -- A Muisca Indian astronomy observatory and a collection giant fallus statues. About 7.5 kilometres down the road to Santa Sof&iacut;a. Entrance COP$3.000
Pinturas & petroglifos -- Rock paintings and petrogliphes. Around 10km down the road to Santa Sofía. The site is hard to find on your own.
Convento Santo Ecco Homo -- Monestry founded in 1620 now open for public. About 16km down the road to Santa Sofía. Open Mo-Su 9am-6pm. Entrance COP$2.000.

Raquira -- Village famous for its pottery. With the souvenirshops it's a bit artificial. Busconnections are infrequent and schedules tend to change if there aren't enough people.
La Candelaria dessert -- About 7 km east of Raquira.

Santuario de flora y fauna Iguaque -- Natural Sanctuary which is home to Laguna Iguaque and several other lagunas at an altitude of 3600m. Busses drop you off about 3km from the entrance. From there to Laguna Iguaque and back takes about 7 hours. At the entrance there is a hotel, camping area and restaurant. Bring warm clothes. Open: 8am-6pm. Entrance COP$20.000.

[edit]