Barichara - Colombia’s Prettiest Town

Pocket-sized, brimming with colour and situated on sort of a hilltop has made Barichara being declared as one of the most beautiful towns in Colombia. Since it was only a short 40 minute bus ride from San Gil, most people come here as a day trip, but I wanted to properly check out the place and thus stayed for two nights.

There is not a whole lot to do in Barichara besides strolling around the colonial town, getting lost amongst its beautiful houses and feeling transported back in time. Of course, I checked out the places with the most stunning views and did little photo sessions to try to capture the magic of the town. It is such a beautiful place that I was extremely happy to have put it on my itinerary. Really, really gorgeous and I can only highly recommend to make a stop here if in Colombia.

I also met a few other travellers in Barichara and with one I went to a local bar that my hostel owner invited us to.

A popular thing to do in Barichara, is to walk 1.5h through the countryside to another, even smaller town called Guane. Hence, I grabbed my backpack and went off for a walk. The walk offered fantastic views over the adjacent hill and was a nice stroll through the countryside.

Once | arrived in Guane, I was surprised by its size. It was super tiny. Literally one square (like all towns in Latin America), 3-4 more streets and that was it. So, I sat down at a local restaurant, had my menu del dia, walked five minutes to a nearby viewpoint and then just sat in the park and watched life pass by. Basically, I was waiting for the bus to take me back to Barichara.

That was it already. One thing I have to mention, in addition, is the hostel I stayed in. It was probably one of the most beautiful or cutest hostel I have stayed in. It really enhanced my experience, as it essentially was an old colonial house with two small courtyards, hammocks, antique furniture, and at the same time painted very tastefully with pastel colours - most of it blue. A perfect place to stay in a very beautiful town in the Colombian hills.Read more