Barichara is often regarded as the most beautiful town in all of Colombia. Along with its colonial architecture, there are plenty of stunning viewpoints and hikes to enjoy.
Perched atop a cliff overlooking the Rio Suarez in Santander is the quaint town of Barichara, Colombia. Founded in 1705, the settlement’s picturesque Spanish architecture has stood the test of time.
The scenic heritage attracts many Colombian tourists and backpackers alike, who come to experience what the country looked like during the times of colonialism. But look beyond the town and you’ll notice that Barichara is also blessed with stunning nature.
Read on to find out the top things to do in this historically significant, adventurous destination.
The best things to do in Barichara, Colombia
Here’s a map pinpointing the locations of all my recommendations of the top attractions in Barichara.
Camino Real
If you’ve done any kind research into Barichara already, then you’ll undoubtedly have come across El Camino Real (Royal Journey). This is a 5.5 km walk that takes you through incredible landscapes from Barichara to the village of Guane. Most walkers spend around 2 h on the trail.
The path was built by indigenous peoples of Guane several hundred years ago and forms a section of a larger network of ancestral trails connecting various places within the Santander department.
You can walk El Camino Real to Guane and back to Barichara. However, while this is an easy walk from Barichara, the return journey is all uphill making it much tougher. Most of the trail is exposed to the sun too and temperatures can get hot.
I recommend heading out early from Barichara and after arriving at Guane spending some time exploring the quiet streets and getting a refreshing drink at one of its cafes.
To get back to your accommodation, I recommend catching the bus. In 2024 the bus from Guane to Barichara costs 4,000 COP ($1 US) and leaves from Guane town square every 45 minutes.
Viewpoints in Barichara
In and around Barichara there are a few viewpoints where you can cast your eyes upon incredible sights of the town and the surrounding nature.
Mirador Salto del Mico
About a 15-minute walk from the centre of town you’ll find El Mirador Salto del Mico. This is a famous place in Barichara for taking photos overlooking the enormous valley below. A large rock that you can stand on conveniently juts out from the cliffside making for the perfect spot to snap some pics.
Mirador de Barichara
At the western end of Carrera 5 you’ll find another impressive lookout called Mirador de Barichra (Barichra Viewpoint). Looking towards the valley and you’ll find the views are pretty similar to those at El Salto del Mico. However, in the opposite direction you get views of the colonial architecture that the town boasts.
Mirador los Italianos
This viewpoint is located just before the entrance to the Camino Real and the views are of the valley. From this vantage point you can look over the landscapes towards Guane and in the direction that you’d walk along the Camino Real trail.
This is probably the least impressive viewpoint on the list, but if you’re exploring the higher-up streets of Barichara, it’s worth wandering over for a look.
View from Calle del Encanto
This is my second favourite viewpoint in Barichara and it’s right by Mirador los Italianos. To get here, simply head all the way up to the top of Calle del Encanto. The street gets quite steep towards the top, but it’s worth the sweat.
I love this viewpoint because you can look all the way down what is arguably the most beautiful street in the whole town. Not only that, you have stellar sights of Barichara Cathedral, the rest of the town and the rolling hills beyond.
I headed up to the top of Calle del Encanto for sunrise. The morning light lit up the sandy brown bricks of the cathedral, turning the building a majestic golden colour. I also got to see Barichara’s colourful streets before the hustle and bustle of the day began.
I highly recommend that you walk up to this great viewpoint at either sunrise or sunset to enjoy the most special views of Barichara.
Viewpoint at Bioparque Moncora (Moncora Biopark)
I’ve dedicated a section to this viewpoint because it was by far my favourite. From this spot you get panoramic views of Barichara and the surrounding areas including, of course, the impressive valley. What I particularly like about this viewpoint is that you see how Barichara sits so closely to the edge of the cliff.
To get to this viewpoint head all the way to the top of Carrera 8. Follow the street and leave Barichara behind. After a few minutes you’ll come to a wooden gate which is the entrance to the biopark.
Follow the path through the biopark to the top. You’ll see a mast and from here you can enjoy the amazing views I described above.
If you’re looking towards Barichara, then on your left-hand side you’ll see a stone wall. This stone wall separates the biopark from another path which leads higher up the hillside.
If you climb over the wall and follow this other path, you’ll shortly arrive at a group of large rocks. These rocks are another great vantage point from which to enjoy views of Barichara.
Chicamoya Canyon
Some people choose to visit the Chicamoya Canyon from Barichara. At 1,000 m deep, the canyon is an awe inspiring sight. You can do lots of adventurous activities here too including hiking, a cable car ride and paragliding.
While there are tours to the Chicamoya Canyon that run from Barichara, I recommend visiting it from the nearby city of San Gil instead. San Gil is just a 1 h ride from the canyon, while the drive from Barichara takes around 2 h 30 min.
How to get to Barichara
Regardless of where you’re coming from, you’ll need to get to San Gil in order to take a bus to Barichara. You can get to San Gil from major cities in Colombia including Bucaramanga, Medellin and Bogota with public transport.
- From Bogota you can take a direct bus from Terminal de Salitre which takes around 8 h
- From Medellin you can take a bus from Terminal del Norte to Bucaramanga and from Bucaramanga a second bus to San Gil with a total journey time of around 12 h.
Copetran is a reliable bus line that runs both of these routes and tickets cost around $20 US and $30 US respectively.
The bus ride from Bucaramanaga to San Gil takes around 3 h and the company Trassander runs this route for around $8 US a ticket.
Buses from all of the cities I mentioned above arrive at Terminal de Transportation San Gil. This is the main bus terminal and it’s located outside of the city centre.
To get a bus from San Gil to Barichara, you first need to get to the other bus terminal in town, called Terminalito.This is a much smaller bus station located in the city centre that serves local routes. A taxi from the main bus terminal to Terminalito should cost around 8,000 COP ($2 US).
From Terminalito the bus to Barichara takes 1 h and as of 2024 costs 6,000 COP. The route is operated by a single bus line.
Where to stay in Barichara
There are plenty of accommodation options in Barichara for all budgets. You’ll find several hostels in the town and a range of hotels.
From 25,000 COP ($6 US)/night
This is where I stayed and I highly recommend it. The hostel is a beautiful old house converted into a quiet accommodation. There are shared and private rooms and guests have kitchen access. There’s also a nice terrace area to enjoy views of the countryside.
Nacuma Garden Hostel – Casa Nacuma
from 40,000 COP ($10 US)/night
Nacuma is another beautiful colonial property offering both shared and private rooms. The property has an excellent rating of 9.6 on booking.com and is well-located in the town. Dorms house just a few guests and private rooms are affordable.
From 92,500 COP ($22 US)/night
Casa Aparicio Lopez is a great budget hotel option in Barichara. Prices aren’t much more than what you’d pay in a hostel and the location is great—just a few blocks from the central park. The property looks very nice and has an overall booking.com rating of 9.4.
From 231,000 COP ($55 US)/night
If you’re looking for something a bit more comfortable than a budget hotel, then consider Hotel Casa Canela. The hotel features a swimming pool and plenty of areas to relax in. Breakfast is included and guests have access to a kitchen.
More adventure travel guides on A World Over
You can’t miss Barichara if you’re in Santander, Colombia. The vibrant streets, beautiful architecture, and excellent viewpoints make it a great destination for all kinds of travel, especially adventure travel.
For more travel tips and guides to Colombia, check out these next articles.