Top 5 cities to visit in Bolivia
Find out our top tips for the best five cities to visit while on holiday in Bolivia. In this blog we’ll tell you what each city has to offer, and what day tours and trips are possible from each of the five top cities in Bolivia – from La Paz to Sucre, from Santa Cruz to Copacabana and Cochabamba.
They are all so different and have made it into our top five for different reasons, so there’s no way of numbering them. In fact, we may have to write a follow-up blog on the next five soon – turns out choosing isn’t easy with such vibrant and very different city cultures to choose from.
La Paz
Set at 3,300m, La Paz is the beating heart of Bolivia. It can seem incredibly chaotic when you first arrive – and it probably will still seem incredibly chaotic when you depart. But in the chaos lies great beauty. Culture is ever present in La Paz.
It may not compete with Sucre in architectural beauty, but it can certainly compete when it comes to atmosphere. Bustling streets and squares, quirky street vendors and colourful traditional textiles are everywhere. It’s a fantastic place to immerse yourself in Bolivian culture.
La Paz connects well with other Bolivian cities and regions thanks to a good network of domestic flights, including daily flights to Uyuni, the starting point of any tour of the Salt Flats. The Amazon is also only a couple of flight hours away.
City highlights: Take the cable car to El Alto for fantastic views, visit the Witches Market, take a city tour behind the scenes, visit Moon Valley and witness Cholitas wrestling.
Day / overnight trips: Visit the Tiwanaku ruins and head to Lake Titicaca for an overnight stay. Climb Huayna Potosi or trek in the Condoriri mountain range.
Sucre
Sucre, Bolivia’s official capital, is Bolivia’s most picturesque city with beautiful UNESCO World Heritage architecture, narrow cobbled streets and charming plazas.
It’s a city of students and of eternal spring. The weather is pleasant, the people relaxed, and the city is full of white-washed buildings, grand churches and excellent museums.
City highlights: Stroll through the historic centre, visit Casa de la Libertad and eat the local chocolate.
Day / overnight trips: Take a day trip to see dinosaur footprints at Cal Orck’o and on Sundays visit the traditional Tarabuco market, two hours from Sucre.
Santa Cruz
Bolivia’s biggest city is mostly off the tourist radar and few travellers venture here. Located in the east of the country, Santa Cruz is Bolivia’s most modern and wealthiest city.
Give it a chance and you will discover a laid-back city with a small-town feel. At just 416m above sea level, it enjoys warm temperatures and is a great point of entry for travellers wishing to acclimatise slowly.
City highlights: Watch local life unfold at the main plaza and spot sloths at the Botanical Gardens.
Day / overnight trips: Visit the archaeological site at Samaipata or head to the national parks of Amboró and Noel Kempff. You can also travel to see the Jesuit Missions.
Copacabana
Lying on the shores of Lake Titicaca, Copacabana is a small, welcoming town that gave its name to the more famous Copacabana in Brazil.
The town’s main attraction is the Basilica of the Virgin of Copacabana, with its distinctive Moorish features. It remains an important pilgrimage site and a wonderful base for exploring Bolivian Lake Titicaca.
City highlights: Visit the Basilica and hike up Calvary Hill for sweeping lake views.
Day / overnight trips: Explore Lake Titicaca or stay overnight on Isla del Sol.
Cochabamba
Cochabamba is known as the “Garden City” or the “City of Eternal Spring” and is considered Bolivia’s gastronomic capital.
Enjoy a slower pace of life, take a cable car up to the statue of Cristo de la Concordia and explore the surrounding countryside. It’s also an excellent base for Spanish lessons and adventure activities.
City highlights: Ride the cable car to Cristo de la Concordia and take a cooking course.
Day / overnight trips: A three-day trip to Torotoro National Park, climb Pico Tunari (5,033m) or visit the Incallajta ruins.
