Getting to Barichara from Bogota is a short 2.5 hours from the Bucaramanga airport. One hour nonstop flight, barely enough time to unpack headphones, connect Bucaramanga to Bogota. Private flights can be arranged by our team.

The charming colonial town of Barichara is hidden in the breathtaking countryside of Colombia’s Santander region. Barichara was founded in the 18th century and roaming through the pale cobblestone streets, and colonial architecture, it’s hard to imagine that it’s changed much since. In 1978, the settlement was protected as a national monument, a pueblo patrimonio, which resulted in much of the town’s historic area been lovingly restored. Barichara means “Place to Rest” in Guane, the local indigenous language.

According to local legend, Barichara was founded after the image of the Virgin Mary appeared on the rocks in the hillside. This remote area was a prosperous Spanish center along a once well-known trade route between Bogota and the Caribbean Sea.

Barichara’s quiet Centrale Plaza, the traditional town center, a well planted garden with trees provided much needed shade over the old stone benches. The park is flanked by the 18th century Catedral de la Immaculada Concepcion—a graceful structure of sandstone block and red tile. Its golden stonework turns deep orange at sunset and is a stark contrast with the simple whitewashed houses surrounding it. The ornate gold leaf altar and a clerestory high up in the nave, are both uncommon for a Spanish colonial church. When I visited, the religious statues were perched on large wood platforms, in preparation for Holy Days, when they will be carried on the parishioners’ shoulders in a procession through the town.

Other significant churches include whitewashed Capilla de San Antonio, built in the 19th century, and hilltop Capilla de Santa Barbara. The Churches have beautiful original Spanish tile floors, and surprising to me, ancient ‘god‘ symbols, including monkeys, carved in the stone of the ornate Church front. Using symbols of the indigenous natives, was one method utilized by the Catholic priests to draw in the locals.

Charming Andalusian architecture, cobbled streets and unparalleled views of the Andes, draw visitors to this captivating village. Small boutiques with local crafts, art galleries, a women’s center for handmade paper, authentic restaurants featuring traditional meals make this a must visit Colombian town.

On the town’s western outskirts, Cementerio Barichara is a small but very ornate cemetery with elaborate hand carved tombs. It reflects the art, history and tradition of the local people. At the entrance is a hand carved stone replica of Antonio Gaudí’s ‘The Last Supper’ made by the sculptor Arsenio Plata. ​I had read about the small cemetery, and my guide had it on his list, despite the high heat and humidity, we visited in the morning when it opened. Located next to the beautiful Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the brown clay stone hues of the church are also reflected in the tombstones in the Barichara Cemetery. An unpretentious cemetery, dotted with old tombstones, many are decorated with images of religious figures with dark skin.

The tombs display many sculptural works in stone and wood, tombstones lovingly carved with figures that suggest the occupation of the deceased. A teacher’s grave displays a stone book, a carpenter his favorite tools. The area is known for stonework and one tombstone shares a chisel and appropriate tools. The cemetery walls are decorated with ancient metal crosses with unique designs in Forja – wood or wrought iron. On the rammed earth wall of the adjacent church, delicate preserved tombstones are printed on glass.

​My guide translated one note of someone whose favorite car was on his tombstone. “During your life of good tales, leave good values of service and friendship and leave your knowledge to follow you”. Perhaps a mantra to memorize?

Where to Dine – my favorite restaurant was Mija– owned by a young woman, Khaterine, who attended culinary school in Buenos Aires, she cooks her version of Argentine cuisine with strong Colombian influences. Choose between Latin, Spanish or Colombian dishes and experience the flavor of each local ingredient.

Among the local dishes, the sobrebarriga and the Creole potato fritters were delicious! Casa Yahri offers a private cooking class in residence! Khaterine, who has generations of female chefs behind her, comes to Casa Yahri and engages guests in a fun, slightly hands on cooking class! My fabulous local guide, Nicholas, translated her Spanish… but she understands most English conversation. Vegetable Empanadas and stuffed green tomatoes were delicious!

Where to Stay – We prefer the delightful private Casa Yahri, the sister property of Hacienda Bambusa. Hidden behind a colorful gate, tug the bell rope to announce your arrival. The main house has 4 suites (capacity for up to 8 guests), each with ensuite bathroom and private terrace. I stayed in the separate suite with garden terrace and private plunge. Each suite is furnished with King beds, air conditioning, minibar, free Wifi and cable TV. Casa Yahri is in the “La Loma” neighborhood, the most desirable neighborhood in Barichara.  My scrumptious Chicamocha Suite on the middle terrace amid the jungle of landscaping with a lovely private terrace, the perfect location for morning coffee, the soundtrack – birdsong! Hot afternoons, plop on a lounge in the private splash pool. There is a lap pool near the main home for other guests. All the suites offer comfort and privacy.

Meals. When staying at Yahri you enjoy a fully inclusive visit with full board and a private guide to explore the entire region. Meals can be taken in the property, prepared by a private chef, as a picnic during a day of activities, or in the village at a local restaurant or a private home. Tuk Tuk transport down the hill or hike up and down the cobblestone streets, peeking in galleries as you make your way down the hill to the village.

Prosperous travelers from across Latin America come to enjoy the town’s timeless beauty, fine panoramas, and calm pace.

The small, whitewashed homes are immaculate, many with colorful window boxes dripping with flowers. Wander the colonial town day or night, or take a Tuk Tuk, a delightful form of transportation up and down the stone streets. You can easily walk the village, but the colorful Tuk Tuks offer supreme convenience in the afternoon heat.

It’s not unusual for visitors to spend three or more nights, taking at least one day to hike the ancient trail to the colonial town of Guane, six miles to the northwest. The trail known as Camino Real, winds its way through spectacular landscapes, showcasing the region’s natural beauty. An early morning start in the heat is suggested, our team can return you to Barichara by Tuk Tuk with a stop at a small Inn for a delightful lunch.

Guane, is at the end of the trail, a mini-Barichara in terms of architecture and ambiance. Known for its well-preserved colonial architecture and narrow streets, as well as a small Paleontological Museum showcasing the area’s indigenous history. Visiting the old village of Guane, i peeked into a small grocery store, which I love to do all over the world – stories are told where people shop for food! An array of colorful hats, the tiniest bottle of Pepsi, with a straw dispenser… in the white bucket behind the counter was a fermented fruit concoction, basically local moonshine! My guide Nicholas mentioned ‘ Barichara Revenge’ can be a side effect… no Gracias! Pepsi is bueno.

Barichara isn’t really a village focused on site seeing, it’s a place to slow down, wander small shops offering paper making workshops, craft boutiques, a charming shop which sells a plethora of local spices and herbs, sit in the central plaza designed for locals to meet while waiting for their schoolchildren, or older residents to catchup and share stories. Sip a beer, take a cooking class at the well-known restaurant Mija.

I ducked into some beautiful art galleries; antiques shop owned by a charming Frenchman. There is a linen shop not far from town. Wandering around, it was abundantly clear that the pace of life here is friendly and relaxed, inviting visitors to slow down and savor the simple pleasures.

You won’t regret swapping the hustle and bustle of the congested Colombian cities city for a few days in Barichara.

Don’t Miss – although, I said No Gracias! Eating hormigas culonas (fat-bottomed ants) is a tradition in the area of Santander. These insects come out of the ground around April, when peasants catch and then roast them. Their strong and salty flavor is so important to the cuisine of Barichara that the town has erected two monuments dedicated to them: one at the village entrance and the other at City Hall, next to the main square. Vendors sell them around the central square.

Colombia’s Grand Canyon is known as Chicamocha Canyon, a captivating stunning canyon. Just an hour away from the city of Bucaramanga, in Santander. This tourist destination is one of the most attractive in the country and is home to the Chicamocha National Park, an area where you can connect with nature and participate in a wide variety of sports and cultural activities.

If you’re an adrenaline junkie, you can paraglide at over a thousand meters high in the heart of this majestic canyon. A much more civilized form of transport over the park is the Cable Flight, where you descend by pulleys to admire beauty of the beauty of Chicamocha Canyon.

A mere twelve miles southeast of Barichara is San Gil, which is often described as Colombia’s Capital of Adventure, including: white water rafting, horseback riding, mountain biking, zip-lining, paragliding, rappelling, spelunking, bungee jumping.

Barichara’s appeal extends beyond its historical and natural wonders. Capturing the attention of filmmakers, the Colombian mountains were inspiration for Disney’s animated film, Encanto.

Our expert Latin American team is one of the best in the travel Industry, they are problem solvers, restaurant experts, employ some of the best guides I’ve ever explored the world with and are endlessly patient with agents who get colds while traveling and constantly change their schedules due to heat and lack of energy!

Highly Recommend!