if you speak fluent spanish and really want to spend 25 minutes learning all the statistics involved in wine making, and drink a half glass of wine with instructions, by all means pay for the tour.otherwise, use your money to buy a glass of white, one of their meat and cheese platters (not cheap), and sit at one of the outdoor tables to enjoy the view. it is a beautiful, tranquil place, and there aren't many better spots to sit and enjoy a glass--especially if you've come here by bike.
I really like how rustic villa de leyva can be, its just such a quiet small and great place to go, the word to descrive it would be "peaceful"
It was interesting to visit the winery (although apparently no tours in English) but I can't say we liked the wine at all!
I wasn't expecting much and ended up enjoying my visit. The tour is pretty standard and in Spanish but the setting is very nice, and how can you be disappointed while walking through a vineyard? The tasting only consisted of one glass of their Cabernet Sauvignon but I believe a glass of any of their 5 wines was $10,000 COP, which is a decent deal considering you can have the reserve cab for the same price as the rose or Sauvignon Blanc. They even have cheese and fruit platters and board games to relax with on the patio.
I have mixed feelings about the tourist trap that is Villa de Leyva. But not about the winery. I heard whispers that Colombia had some good wineries and I was skeptical. I disagree with the views that you do not need to see the tour. For 10,000 pesos I thought it was worth it, just to see how favourably this does compare to those I've seen in other parts of the world. It is small and produces for domestic consumption only. What did annoy me was the gouging in getting there. The prices are ridiculous! I bargained with a cab driver and still felt ripped off over all. (Our tour included other places.) The winery is close to the little town and a pleasant bike ride away. I would suggest to the owners that they be a little more generous with their "free" glass and include a white as well as a red. They could also do to make everything a little more affordable - sure to sell more that way. I highly recommend the Cab Sav Gran Reserva.
If you already know the basics about wine, the tour is totally unnecessary. Either way it's a nice place, a vineyard that can be enjoyed as a garden.
The wine is OK, not great, but pared with some cheese and salami it makes for a pleasant afternoon.
visited and took the wine tour. Quick and straight to the point explaination. That was fine because we enjoyed some time with a platter of cheese, fruit and meats with a couple of glasses of wine.Pretty farm, nice views and an enjoyable and relaxing time.
The 150-mile trip from Bogota took us nearly 5 hours because of terrible traffic, but once there, we relaxed and enjoyed the cobblestone streets, historical buildings, enormous plaza, fun shops and an excellent restaurant.This town was made for photographing -- the interior courtyards, impressive plaza, mountains in the background, etc. Given the long ride, it was great that we could spend about 4 hours walking around and dining before heading back. We saw some lodging and you may wish to consider an overnight visit to break up the visit.
It was a 3-4 hours drive from Bogota airport. On the way the landscape is very pleasant. This medieval town is not big, lined with old colonial Spanish houses and cobbled street,a big square in the center, surrounded by restaurants and handicrafts shops. Those old colonial houses has a special charm.weather is extremely nice there,It's a place worth to visit many times.