Last updated on .
The sleepy town of Arcabuco is a pleasant place to stop and stretch your legs if you’re driving through the department of Boyacá. It’s located about 45 minutes from the town of Villa de Leyva past the Páramo de Iguaque and 40 minutes from the city of Tunja.
Introduction to Arcabuco
Arcabuco is a Chibcha word meaning “place of the intricate scrublands” or “place enclosed by the hills”. It was originally inhabited by the indigenous Muisca people. The modern town was founded on October 22, 1856. Electricity arrived by 1950 and schools were built in the 1970s and 80s. The economy is mostly centered on agriculture and dairy production as well as ecotourism. The most important crops are potatoes and strawberries.
Plaza
This small town has a nice open plaza with lots of shrubs and a fountain with an interesting sculpture in the center. This was the nicest thing about visiting Arcabuco, and we enjoyed having a seat in the plaza.
Church of Our Lady of Protection
The Church of Our Lady of Protection (Nuestra Señora del Amparo) is the most important building on the plaza. It’s probably the most recognizable symbol of the town. The parish was founded on March 19, 1908. We took a few minutes to visit.
