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Breathtaking Barichara, one of Colombia’s Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio), is a great place to get away from it all. In fact, Barichara means “place of rest” in the indigenous Guane language. This small, quiet town founded on January 25, 1705, has everything you need to unwind.
Getting There
Barichara sits about a half hour from San Gil, the extreme sports capital of Colombia. You can easily visit on a day trip by taking a bus. The bus should drop you off at the main plaza in town.
Getting Around
Since the town is very small, you can get around on foot. If you’re not keen on walking uphill or on cobblestone streets, you can hire a tuk-tuk in the plaza. They even offer tours lasting about 90 minutes stopping at all the town’s highlights. A positive for tourists is that all interpretive signs are marked in both Spanish and English.
Casona Said
We stayed at Casona Said, which is a small B&B a few blocks downhill from the plaza. There are only a few rooms, all with modern (but small) bathrooms, comfortable beds, and big closets. Our room was one of two that had a balcony.
The hotel also has a sitting area with a TV, a small pool to cool off during a hot day, and offers breakfast. Staff does a great job making sure you’re happy during your stay. Accommodation can get expensive in Barichara, so we thought the price per night was a steal for the quality of the room.
Prices
Prices for food and accommodation in Barichara will be higher than in other small towns, but there are still good options for all budgets. For accommodation, you can find hostels as well as luxury boutique hotels. Click here to read about the restaurants we tried.
