What to See in Barichara, Colombia’s Prettiest Town
Barichara, located in the Santander province in central Colombia, has been called Colombia’s most beautiful town. It’s not hard to see why. It’s a lovely little town with cobblestoned streets, pretty churches, and quaint adobe white homes with clay roofs. A visit here is a great addition to any Colombia itinerary. Learn about the best things to do in Barichara here!
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Feel Like You’ve Traveled Back in Time
This is the main attraction of Barichara! The town is just so charming. Practically every house is one story and all have white-washed walls and clay tile shingles. The roads are cobblestoned with big clay bricks. Surrounding the town you have views of the hills and valleys of the roots of the Andes.
There are several pretty cathedrals and churches. The Santa Barbara Chapel has a stone brick look, while the larger Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception has an almost rusty stone look. Barichara still very much has a small-town vibe with friendly residents. Doing a walking tour of this town is an absolute must thing to do in Barichara. *Click here and get more information about this tour.*
Take the Royal Road to Guane
The Camino Real connects Barichara and the tiny indigenous town of Guane. It was originally built by the indigenous peoples as far back as 600 years ago. In 1864, it was renovated into the stone-paved trail it is today.
The approximate 2-hour hike takes you through both tropical and humid forest climates. Guane is today one of the few remaining protected indigenous areas in Colombia, and once there, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about their culture and history.
There is an Archaeological and Paleontological Museum where you can see lots of examples of fossils as well as a 700-year-old mummy. Finally, you can get an amazing view of the surrounding area and the Suarez River and Canyon from the Mirador. You can choose to hike or take a Tuk-Tuk back to Barichara. Regardless, a walking tour to Guane is another can’t miss thing to do in Barichara.
*Looking for the best hotels to lay your head down in Barichara? Then check out our recommendations for the best 3 star, the best 4 stars, and the best 5-star hotels in Barichara!
Sample the Food
The entire Santander province is highly celebrated in Colombia for having some of the best traditional dishes in the country. There is no better place to try the Santandereano cuisine than in Barichara! Doing a gastronomic tour is a terrific way to try them all, but you’ll surely be ordering more at all the nice restaurants in town too.
Many Colombians consider the Arepa Santandereana to be among the very best you’ll get anywhere. They are quite hearty and include chicharrón (fried pork skin) mixed into the dough and are cooked over charcoal, giving them a unique taste and texture. They go well with the chorizo santandereano, cooked with panela, or raw sugar cane.
You’ll also love the traditional Carne oriada. This is sun-dried and salted seasoned beef that is similar to beef jerky but with larger cuts that are grilled fresh to eat. You also have to try the traditionally prepared goat, a local favorite for lunch, along with petitory, a mixture of rice, eggs, and goat innards.
Finally, you can’t visit Barichara and not try the Hormigas Culonas, literally translated as Big Butt Ants. These ants are a local delicacy! Every spring, they are harvested when they are pregnant, hence the big butt, and roasted or fried. While they are best when they are fresh, you can find them for sale year-round. They are best enjoyed as a snack, sort of like a peanut with legs, and go great with an ice-cold soda or beer. Locals claim they are a powerful aphrodisiac, but you’ll have to judge for yourself.
*Interested in having a complete gastronomical experience with the Guane Hike in Barichara? Click here and book now
Visit the Chicamocha Canyon and PANACHI
Another can’t miss thing to see in Barichara is the Chicamocha Canyon and The Parque Nacional de Chicamocha (PANACHI for short). The canyon itself is stunningly beautiful. You’re sure to be mesmerized looking down at the canyon cut through the mountains. In fact, this is the second-largest canyon in the world and the depth from the largest peak to the lowest point is even deeper than that of Arizona’s Grand Canyon.
You can ride a cable car down into the canyon and across to the plateau known as Mesa de Los Santos. Here you can enjoy more great views as well as enjoy lunch, perhaps getting a second taste of one of your favorite dishes from above.
Crossing back over to the park, there are several attractions and rides. There’s also a monument to the Comuneros Rebellion, a revolt in Santander Province in 1781 and an early precursor to the Colombian Independence Movement. There’s also a water park just across the street if you wanted to enjoy some waterslides overlooking the picturesque canyon. *Like to take a complete tour of the second-largest canyon in the world? Be sure to click here for more info.
Go Paragliding
The thermal winds that come up from the Chicamocha canyon and other areas around Barichara make it a great place to go paragliding. While most often associated with extreme sports mecca San Gil, it’s also easy to go paragliding from Barichara.
Not for the faint of heart, you’ll fly high above the landscape with a trained guide and pilot. The views you get are really incredible, and if you ever wanted to take a walk on the wild side while getting a birds-eye view of the beautiful Santandereano landscape, paragliding should be added to your list of things to do in Barichara. *You can find more information here about visiting Chicamocha with paragliding activity.
*Planning in visiting Barichara and Chicamocha Park? Click here and get all the information you need to plan your perfect trip
Visit the Juan Curí Waterfalls
Not far from Barichara, you can also visit the Juan Curí waterfalls. 250 meters high, these multilevel falls descend down a mountainside covered in lush and green forests. You can choose to hike through the forest to the swimming holes, or for those looking for even more adrenaline, you can choose to rappel down the falls. Either way, a visit here is another one of the best things to do in Barichara. *Click here and get more information about this tour.
Planning Your Visit to Barichara
Here at BnB Colombia Tours, we can help you plan your trip to Barichara. We include it in a number of our multi-stop tours but we can also customize a tour just for you whether that is just to Barichara or part of the larger Colombia trip of your dreams. Contact us here to start planning today.