Villa de Leyva was highly recommended by other travelers as well as a friend from home. We took a bus from San Gil toTunja where we caught a very crowded collectivo (mini-van filled to the gils) for the 45 minute drive out of town and to Villa de Leyva. We arrive at the bus station and decide to catch a cab to our hostal -Colombian Highlands -as it is on the outskirts of town and we don't really know how far that is. Turns out in the cab it seems much further as they kinda go around the outskirts of town. We later find out it is an easy 10 or 15 minute walk.We arrive to find a great homey hostal nestled against the hillside with great outdoor courtyards, an outdoor eating area with a pizza oven and a community room, tambien. Our room is cute and cozy. Unfortunately there is a problem with our reservation and we will need to change rooms tomorrow for the bunks - bummer.
The staff here is very helpful and one of the woman's daughter - Carolina - has decided to give us her personal attention - at times we cannot get her to leave our room!
We had read that the hostal offered several tours, included a real full day canyoneering trip for experienced canyoneerers. As it turns out the guide is back home in France getting new equipment! Just our luck. Disappointed we ditch the tour idea altogether and opt for a short hike which starts from the property. After breakfast, someone from the hostal walks us to the path and tells us how to find the trail up to the vista. The trail is well-marked, until we get to the top. The directions say to cross the grassy field and pick the trail up again on the other side.
Well we do find another trail but then we can't find the trail heading back up over the backside of the hill to the final vista. At the insistence of a local farmer who is clearing brush we just head up the hill - ahh, there is the watertank landmark. And the Mirador (lookout). You can see the entire city and the surrounding hills. Spectacular.
The colonial town itself is a picture perfect postcard style town - whitewashed buildings, colorful bougainvillea, cobblestone streets (sometimes more like boulders!) If we had not already experienced the lovely town of Barichara we would be in awe. Villa de Leyva was declared a national monument in 1954 and it has been preserved - in its entirety!
There is no modern architecture - even the vehicles are restored.
Villa de Leyva is a bigger, more commercialized version of Barichara. Colombian vacationers flock here every weekend. Upscale hotels and tourist shops line the major streets.
The Plaza Mayor is a one of a kind plaza - there are no trees, or fountains, or park benches - rather it is a huge cobblestone square anchored by the impressive Cathedral. At night the cobblestones glimmer from the sporadic rain. During the day, I marvel at the women in high heels navigating the uneven terrain as they cross the plaza.
It really is picture perfect, all the time. As you walk up and down the streets its hard to get over how "perfect" the town feels. A bit Stepford Wife'ish if you ask me.
We spent three days here, relaxing at the Colombian Highlands hostal - which we highly recommend! On our last day we decided to do a little sightseeing and head out of town to visit the El Fosil museum. On the way we saw this bike store and thought - well maybe bikes would be more fun. Ciclo Shimano - with a name like that they should have some decent bikes. Well ok, not really. We stick with the original plan and walk ...6 km one way.
El Fosil is a almost complete kronosaurus - an 120 million year old prehistoric marine reptile which looks like a huge overgrown croc. The walk was predominantly on the road, but that was ok as there was very little traffic. We found a bit of a short cut back, but figured it was 10 or 11 km overall - which seemed a lot longer than it would have if it had been on a forested trail.
