Villa de Leyva

Villa de Leyva needs 2 days: the Plaza Mayor, one of the largest in the Americas and still paved with original 16th-century stone, on one, an excursion to the nearby Pozos Azules and rock formations on the other. December-January and July are best for dry weather. It's mid-to-high priced for Colombia, a very popular weekend destination among Bogotá residents. Its historic center, frozen in time since its founding in 1572, is one of the best-preserved in Colombia -with ordinances banning visible cables and antennas-, and its central square, without a single tree or slope, is the largest in the country.