Travel Guide Ráquira

25 km southwest of Villa de Leyva and 2,150 meters above sea level, Ráquira, "the city of pots" in the Chibcha language ("rua" means pot and "quira" means city), is the pottery village par excellence. It is even called the artisanal capital of Colombia. Its colorful facades and balconies and its nice square, with its terracotta statues of the artisans, make it very attractive. It is also far from the masses of tourists of Villa de Leyva. Handicrafts are the main source of income in Ráquira. The Indians were already working with clay before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, and today's artisans produce marvelous pottery and ceramics. There is something for everyone, flower pots, dishes, bowls and other pots, religious figures, mobiles... The clay extracted locally has different colors, black (presence of coal), white, red and yellow. Beautiful bags, baskets, ruanas and hammocks have also been made for many years, and it is possible to visit some of the ceramic workshops. Ask in the stores if they can connect you with artisans. Most of the workshops are located outside the center, a 10-15 minute walk away, and are well received. On Sundays there is a very interesting craft market, so bring some cash, one is tempted to buy everything!The visit of the village takes only a few hours, but there are some hotels in case you want to stay. If you are in the area in October, try to attend the Festival de los Cargueros (Festival of the Carriers), a parade where the children of Ráquira parade loaded with pots and ceramics. The idea is for the younger ones to take ownership of this ancestral handicraft culture that has been passed down from generation to generation.