Quick summary: In 2026, October 12 falls on a Monday, so Colombia’s long weekend runs from Saturday the 10th through Monday the 12th. Restaurante Fusión Los 3 Soles has a plan for each day: a long lunch and live music Saturday, brunch Sunday and an early holiday lunch before heading back to Bogotá.
Some long weekends disappear into traffic jams and plans that never quite happen. Others you actually make the most of. Colombia’s October long weekend is one of the good ones: it arrives after a stretch of long weeks, just before the year-end rush, and in 2026 it lines up with October 12 itself, which falls on a Monday. If you’re visiting from the US, it may feel familiar, since that same Monday is Columbus Day, also observed as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, back home.
At Restaurante Fusión Los 3 Soles, off the Chía-Cota road just north of Bogotá, this weekend means something special. The holiday is about cultures meeting, and that’s exactly what our kitchen does: Colombia, Mexico and Peru at the same table. Here’s what the holiday celebrates and how to make the most of all three days with us.
What Colombia celebrates on October 12
Out of habit, most Colombians still call it Día de la Raza. The holiday has existed since 1940, when Law 35 of 1939 took effect, and it marks Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492.
In 2021 the observance got a new name. Through Resolution 0138 of May 31 that year, Colombia’s Ministry of Culture renamed it the Day of the Ethnic and Cultural Diversity of the Colombian Nation. The change builds on the 1991 Constitution, which defines Colombia as a multiethnic, multicultural country. The idea is to put the spotlight on the cultures that share the territory: Indigenous peoples, Afro-Colombian communities and the descendants of Europeans.
Since it falls on a Monday this year, the holiday isn’t moved. The long weekend, or “puente” (bridge) as Colombians call it, shapes up like this: Saturday the 10th, Sunday the 11th and Monday the 12th, the holiday.
A holiday about blending, just like our kitchen
We like the new name because it describes what happens in a Latin American kitchen. Corn and potatoes are Indigenous heritage. Pork, rice and many techniques came over from Europe. From Colombia’s Afro-Colombian Pacific coast comes viche, a sugarcane spirit with centuries of history. And in Peru, Chinese immigrants left behind the wok and the soy sauce you’ll find today in lomo saltado and arroz chaufa, Peru’s take on fried rice.
At Los 3 Soles all of that is on the menu, and you don’t need a lecture to notice it. Just order something like an arepa de peto, a white corn cake stuffed with cheese and fried in birria fat, a ceviche in lulo tiger’s milk or a causa with ají amarillo, Peru’s sunny yellow chili. Celebrating diversity at the table is easy when the food already comes blended. It’s even built into our name.
Three days, three plans at Los 3 Soles
We’re open all three days of the long weekend, each with its own hours. Here’s how to make the most of them.
Saturday, October 10: a long lunch and a night with music
On Saturday we’re open from noon to 11 p.m., making it the fullest day. Show up for an unhurried lunch, let the kids run around on the lawns and stay into the evening. There’s live music on weekends, and the bar has several signature cocktails on a two-for-one deal.
For a big group, the Picada 3 Soles is a great way to start: chicken breast glazed in goldenberry sauce, beef in tamarind barbecue sauce, pork belly cracklings and papa criolla smothered in cheese sauce. If you’re bringing a crowd, ask for a kiosk when you book.
Sunday, October 11: brunch in the countryside
On Sunday we open earlier, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It’s the perfect day for Sunday brunch, and the morning menu already reflects all three cultures:
- Colombia: calentao, a hearty breakfast hash of rice and Antioquia-style beans with pork belly, shredded beef, a fried egg and an arepa.
- Mexico: huevos motuleños, eggs in a red tomato sauce with ham over fried corn tortillas and refried beans.
- Peru: humitas, a corn wrap pan-fried in butter and sweetened with tamarind, served with a bowl of fresh-cut fruit.
Monday, October 12 (holiday): an early lunch before the drive home
On the holiday we’re open from noon to 7 p.m. An early lunch lets you hit the road before traffic piles up on the way back to Bogotá. It’s a great day for something comforting, like ajiaco, Bogotá’s chicken and potato soup with papa criolla, corn and guascas, an earthy Andean herb, or sopa de totopos, a tortilla soup with guajillo chile.
If you want to toast to diversity, order the viche reposado shot flight. It’s an easy way to bring Colombia’s Pacific coast to a table on the Bogotá savanna.
Why Chía works for a short getaway
Not every long weekend calls for a big trip. Chía is close enough to Bogotá to go and come back the same day, and far enough that it feels like you’ve left the city. If you’re planning an escape from Bogotá, a countryside lunch is one of the easiest and most rewarding plans you can make.
At Los 3 Soles there’s also 24/7 monitored parking, and pets are welcome in the outdoor areas. So your dog gets a long weekend too.
Tips for an easygoing long weekend
- Book ahead. Long weekends are some of our busiest days, especially Saturday night and Sunday around midday.
- If you’re coming with a group or want a kiosk, ask for it when you book.
- On the Monday holiday we close at 7 p.m., so plan your lunch with time to spare.
- Leave early on Monday to dodge the heaviest return traffic into Bogotá.
- Bring a jacket. Afternoons on the savanna cool off fast.
Short on time? Order this at Los 3 Soles
If you only have one meal this weekend and want to try all three cuisines, this lineup sums it up:
- Causa 3 Soles: papa criolla, ají amarillo paste and crispy pork belly with spiced sour cream. Peru.
- Birria tacos: four corn tortilla tacos with slow-cooked beef and consommé for dipping. Mexico.
- Ajiaco: chicken soup with papa criolla, corn on the cob, guascas and capers, served with avocado and white rice. Colombia.
- Viche reposado shot flight: a short pour of the traditional sugarcane spirit from Colombia’s Pacific coast.
The October 12 long weekend in Chía: frequently asked questions
When is the October 12 long weekend in 2026?
From Saturday, October 10, through Monday, October 12, 2026. Since the 12th falls on a Monday, the holiday is observed on its original date.
What is Día de la Raza called now in Colombia?
Since 2021, its official name is the Day of the Ethnic and Cultural Diversity of the Colombian Nation, under Resolution 0138 from the Ministry of Culture. Many people still call it Día de la Raza.
What are Los 3 Soles’ hours over the long weekend?
Saturday the 10th, noon to 11 p.m.; Sunday the 11th, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Monday the 12th (holiday), noon to 7 p.m.
Is there brunch on the Sunday of the long weekend?
Yes. On Sunday we open at 9 a.m. with brunch options like calentao, huevos motuleños and humitas with fruit.
Where is Los 3 Soles?
On the Vía Cerca de Piedra, off the Chía-Cota road in Chía, Cundinamarca, a short drive from northern Bogotá.
A long weekend to celebrate the mix at the table
October 12 is a reminder that Colombia is a country built from many heritages. This weekend you can celebrate it the simplest way: sitting in the countryside with a Colombian dish, a Mexican one and a Peruvian one, surrounded by the people you love. We’ll be at Restaurante Fusión Los 3 Soles all three days. In Bogotá for the holiday? Add us to your itinerary, and check out more October plans in Chía.
