Colombia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 504

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and other artwork by influential,
avant-garde twentieth-century artist
Luis Alberto Acuña, who lived here for
the last fifteen years of his life. The large,
colourful murals in the courtyard,
depicting Muisca mythological figures,
are a highlight.

15min; 45min). To continue north to San Gil or Bucaramanga,
it's better to backtrack to Tunja and catch a bus from there
as they are more frequent, though it's also possible to go
via Arcabuco or Chiquinquirá and transfer there.
Tourist information The helpful tourist information
o ce at Cra 9 No. 13-04 (Mon-Sat 8am-12.30pm &
2-6pm, Sun 9am-1pm & 3-6pm; T 8 732 0232) has
maps and lots of information. The nearby headquarters
of Colombian Highlands, at Cra 9 No. 11-02 (daily 9am-
noon & 1-8pm; T 8 732 1201, W colombianhighlands
.com), is an excellent first stop to pick up information on
a variety of outdoor excursions.

Museo del Carmen
Facing the imposing Monasterio de las
Carmelitas and its attached church is the
Museo del Carmen (Plazuela del Carmen;
Sat, Sun & hols only 10am-1pm &
2-5pm; COP$2500), justifiably famous
for its collection of religious art. Here
you'll find large numbers of wooden
icons from the Church's early years of
proselytizing in the New World, as well as
altarpieces and paintings that date back
to the sixteenth century.

GETTING AROUND AND TOURS
Taxis You can hire a taxi for the day to drive you from site
to site around the city (approx. COP$20,000 per site, but
negotiate). Alternatively, you can travel by horseback or
walk to some sites, though the winding roads can be
dangerous for unwary pedestrians.
Tours Colombian Highlands (see above) can organize
an array of excursions, including hiking, abseiling and on
horseback, and offers ten percent discounts to those who
stay at their hostel.

Casa de Antonio Ricaurte
Once home to a national hero who
fought for Bolívar, and operated by the
Colombian armed forces since 1970, the
house where Antonio Ricaurte was born
(Wed-Fri 9am-noon & 2-5pm, Sat &
Sun 9am-1pm & 2-6pm; free) contains
some personal objects and documents
(in Spanish only), plus modern military
paraphernalia, but the best reason for
coming here is the beautiful garden.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
By bus The bus station is three blocks southwest of the
Plaza Mayor, towards the road to Tunja. Direct buses run
to Bogotá (6-8 daily; 4-5hr) between 5am and 5pm, and
plentiful minibuses connect Villa de Leyva with Tunja (every

ACCOMMODATION
There are several campsites around town, but you need
your own tent. Discounts of up to thirty percent are often
available during the week; book early for weekends and
holidays.
Casa Viena Cra 10 No. 19-114 T 8 732 0711, W casaviena
.com. Friendly little hostel - two doubles, a single and a
three-bed dorm - run by Hans and his family, complete
with Austrian (and Indian) dishes on the menu, and home
comforts. It's on the same road as Hostal Renacer and
they'll also refund you the taxi fa re from t he bus statio n
(COP$4000). Dorms COP$18,000 , doubles COP$50,000
Hospedería La Roca Plaza Mayor T 8 732 0331. This place
has a fantastic location on the main square, plus a pretty
courtyard and 23 rooms (including one for up to six people)
with private bathrooms and TV. Breakfast COP$5500. Pr ices
drop twenty percent outside high season. COP$100,000
Ì Hostal Renacer 1.2km northeast of Plaza Mayor
T 8 732 1201, W colombianhighlands.com. Owned by
Oscar Gilède, the English-speaking biologist behind
Colombian Highlands (see above), Hostal Renacer is a
haven surrounded by trees and mountain views. A TV
room, hammocks, free wi-fi and hot drinks, a fridge full
of beer and heaps of information, plus rooms with huge
windows and comfortable beds, make it popular with
backpackers, and you can also camp. The location, about
1km uphill from the centre, is a bit of a pain, but if you call
when you arrive in town they'll 'll pay for you r taxi. Camping
per person with o wn tent COP$10,000 , without ten t
COP20,000 , dorms COP$38,000 , doubles COP$130,000

LOCAL FIESTAS
The town plays host to two spectacular
annual festivals. The larger is the Festival
de Luces (Festival of Lights; Dec 6-8),
a fireworks extravaganza that gathers
the best of the region's pyrotechnicians,
while the popular Festival de las
Cometas (Kite Festival; Aug) sees the
country's finest kite-flyers compete in
a variety of categories as spectators shout
encouragement. There are also smaller
festivals, including foodie-friendly
Festival Gastronómico (Sept): ask at
the tourist information o ce for details.