Things To Do in La Paz, Bolivia
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La Paz, Bolivia Attractions
- Religious Site
Iglesia de San Francisco
The intricately stone-carved facade of the San Francisco church is one of the finest examples of baroque-mestizo architecture in the Americas. Look closely and you'll see a wealth of indigenous symbols -- from masked figures to snakes, dragons, and tropical birds. The cornerstone for… - Natural Attraction
Mirador Laikakota
From the lower points of La Paz, you may have noticed that, in the near distance, there is a large hill with a funky blue tower on top of it. This is the Mirador Laikakota, a good lookout point, offering a 360-degree view of La Paz. The Mirador isn't simply a mirador (view point) --… - Neighborhood
Plaza Murillo
Plaza Murillo is the historical center of La Paz. During colonial times, Plaza Murillo was on the Spanish side of the Prado, and it became the center of the action because it was the main water source in town. In its glory days, the plaza was surrounded by eucalyptus trees and a…
La Paz, Bolivia Shopping
At times, it feels as though La Paz is one big shopping center. The streets teem with vendors peddling everything you can imagine. The city is a mecca for handmade arts-and-crafts products. Calle Sagárnaga is shopper's central, with thousands of stores all packed to the gills with local handicrafts. In general, most of the quality is mediocre, but the variety and uniqueness of the goods sold here is impressive. Some of the more popular items include alpaca sweaters (usually about Bs62-Bs77 each), hand-woven shoulder bags, leather bags, wool hats, textiles, and gloves. ComArt, Calle Linares 958, is the only association of organized workers in La Paz. When you buy something here, your money goes directly to the workers, not the shopkeepers. If you're trying to find some differences between all the stores in the area, here's a tip: The best quality alpaca sweaters in town can be found at Walisuma, Av. Mariscal Santa Cruz 938. On the other side of town, you'll find beautiful silver jewelry at Kuka Pradel, Av. 6 de Agosto 2190. For highly intricate handcrafted Andean festival masks, don't miss Mama Coca, Pasaje Jimenez 872, between Santa Cruz and Linares. For maps of every type -- city, hiking, trekking, and road maps -- hit up the Way Maker Map Shop, Calle Illampu 897 near Sagarnaga. The city's Black Market is a few blocks uphill from the heart of Sagárnaga, past Max Paredes; you'll find a lot of action around Calle La Gasca and Eloy Salmón.
The Witches' Market -- Venture off Calle Sagárnaga onto Calle Linares and you'll find yourself in the appropriately named Witches' Market, which runs during daylight hours. Here, you can buy a ghoulish variety of charms, spices, and magic potions to help cast a positive spell on your future. Llama fetuses are one of the most popular items for sale here. If you're looking for luck, here's a list to help you decode the meaning of all the amulets on display: Frogs are said to bring good fortune; turtles are the symbol of long life; owls bring knowledge; snakes are a sign of progression (or moving in the right direction); koa -- a dried plant made with molasses -- is supposed to help your harvest; and pumas will help you achieve victory over your enemy.
La Paz, Bolivia Nightlife
Once the sun sets in La Paz, the temperature drops dramatically. Instead of going home (often to unheated apartments), many locals seek the warmth of bars and pubs. The nightlife scene in La Paz can hardly compare to New York or even Buenos Aires, but there are some funky places in the heart of the city where you can relax and kick back with a few drinks. Peñas, bars with live music, provide a place for visitors to experience traditional folk music and dance, although they tend to be very touristy. Note: Most bars (except in hotels) are open only Wednesday through Saturday.
Bars & Pubs -- The best hotel bar in La Paz is at the Radisson; they have a happy hour nightly from 6:30 to 8:30pm offering two-for-one drinks, and it's very popular with expatriates and tourists alike. One of the most popular British-style watering holes in the city is Mongo's, Hermanos Manchego 2444 (near the corner of Pedro Salazar, half a block up from Av. 6 de Agosto). It has a cozy feel and a wood-burning fireplace. Get here early, as the place fills up late at night; the food here is also surprisingly good. Diesel Nacional, Av. 20 de Octubre 2271, is a self-proclaimed industrial pub, which means the decor is on par with a junkyard: recycled car parts, railroad ties, and transmissions. Surprisingly, it lures a trendier-than-average crowd.
Dance Clubs -- Pa'Goza (tel. 0102/2342-787), down from 6 de Agosto on Rosendo Gutiérrez, is one of the best dance clubs in La Paz; salsa is the specialty here. Also popular are Forum, Sanjinés 2908, with eclectic music but a strict dress code and Bs40 cover charge (which includes drink coupons), and Ram Jam on Calle Medina 2421. In general, the cover charge for clubs in La Paz is about Bs10.
Penas & Live Music -- These days, it's hard to find an authentic peña that caters to locals. Fortunately, for the most part, you'll hear authentic Andean music and watch folk dancers wearing unique but traditional costumes. Restaurant Peña Marka Tambo, Calle Jaén 710 near the corner of Indaburo, puts on a good show Thursday through Saturday nights. The cover is Bs25. The show starts at 9:30pm. Casa de Corregidor, Calle Murillo 1040 (tel. 0102/2363-633), is a similar venue -- it has typical Bolivian food and music but feels a bit more laid back than Marka Tambo. Boca y Sapo, Indaburo 654 (corner of Jaén), attracts locals as well as tourists; there's no dinner here, only live music, which makes it feel a bit more authentic.
For live jazz, try Thelonious Jazz Bar, Av. 20 de Octubre 2172. A lot of the bands that play here are from the United States.
