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The best photos of Villa de Leyva aren't always at the obvious landmarks. Sure, Plaza Mayor and Casa Terracota will fill your camera roll, but the real magic is in the side streets, the reflected light, and the unexpected angles that only reveal themselves to those exploring on foot. Seek out El Infiernito for the kind of shot that no one else is posting.
A whitewashed colonial village in the Colombian highlands with one of the largest town squares in South America and a perfectly preserved 16th-century center.
Roamee Pro, also known as Roamee, offers a free self-guided photography tour route in Villa de Leyva. The audio walking tour can include stops such as Plaza Mayor — one of the largest town squares in South America, entirely cobblestoned and car-free, Casa Terracota — an enormous house built entirely from baked clay by a Colombian architect, Parroquia de Nuestra Senora del Rosario — the colonial parish church on the main square, plus hidden gems like El Infiernito — a pre-Columbian astronomical observatory with stone phallus columns, about 5km outside town and Pozos Azules — turquoise pools in a desert landscape, a short walk from the main road outside town.
Use this page as a starting point for a Villa de Leyva walking tour, a free self-guided route, or the Roamee app for Villa de Leyva. Roamee Pro keeps the route flexible so you can follow the stops, skip ahead, or explore nearby streets at your own pace.
Villa de Leyva attracts visitors for history and architecture, and Plaza Mayor and Casa Terracota and every landmark doubles as a photography opportunity when you know where to stand and when the light is best. A photography-focused walk pays attention to reflections, leading lines, and street scenes between the landmarks. Hidden photogenic spots like El Infiernito reward those who wander off the main path.
The town is small and entirely walkable. The surrounding countryside requires transport but is worth exploring by bicycle or hired car.
December through March and June through August are driest. Villa de Leyva's kite festival in August fills the enormous plaza with color.
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