A whitewashed colonial town with a vast cobbled square
Villa de Leyva was founded in 1572, and its whitewashed houses, wooden balconies and cobbled streets have been carefully preserved. Its Plaza Mayor, paved in rough cobbles, is among the largest town squares in South America. The dry countryside around holds fossils, including a kronosaurus skeleton displayed where it was found, the Casa Terracota, a house built entirely of fired clay, and the stone circles of El Infiernito. It is a favourite weekend escape from Bogotá, so weekdays are quieter.