Santander, Colombia
Barichara, Santander: hotels and a guide to the stone town
Barichara is a town of yellow stone streets and whitewashed rammed earth houses, set on a plateau that drops straight into the Suárez river canyon. Here is what you need to go: where to sleep, what to walk and how to get there.
- Altitude1,300 m
- Populationabout 8,000
- To San Gil22 km
- Historic centerNational Monument since 1978
What to know first
The historic center was declared a National Monument by Decree 1654 of August 3, 1978, and since 2010 Barichara has belonged to the Colombian Heritage Towns network. Almost everything is walkable: from the main square to the cathedral and chapels, the cemetery or the viewpoint is only a few blocks.
Streets climb and drop steeply and the paving is uneven. Shoes with a firm sole help more than any map.
Where to start
Where to sleep, in short
Booking.com lists around two hundred places to stay in Barichara. Those in the old town keep everything walkable; those in the La Loma neighborhood have the best views in exchange for a climb; those on the San Gil road, such as Hotel Victoria or Hotel Terra, have more room and big pools. The full comparison is in hotels in Barichara.
How to get there
There is no airport and no direct bus from Bogotá: you go to San Gil, and from there a Cotrasangil bus leaves every half hour. Full detail in where it is and how to get there.
Frequently asked questions
Which department is Barichara in?
How many days do you need?
Sources
Checked on October 20, 2026. Prices and opening hours change: always confirm with the official source before you travel.