Things To Do in Sucre
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Sucre Attractions
Be sure to set aside some time to stroll around Sucre's main Plaza 25 de Mayo. This is the largest and most beautiful square in all of Bolivia, ringed with palm and jacaranda trees.
Sucre Shopping
Sucre and the surrounding area are famous for handicrafts. If you happen to be in town on a Sunday and you're looking for handicrafts, you should head to the market in Tarabuco (about 56km/35 miles from Sucre). Here, you will find thousands of different textiles, hats, gloves, bags, and other hand-woven goodies. The market is one of the best in Bolivia. On Sunday mornings, buses leave from Sucre for Tarabuco from 7 to 9am at the corner of Avenida de la Américas and Manco Capac. The 1 1/2-hour ride costs Bs15 each way. Candelaria Tours, right off the central square at Audiencia 1 (tel. 0104/6461-661; www.candelariatours.com), also organizes day trips to the market and the surrounding area for Bs150 per person.
The gift shop at the Museo de Arte Indígena ASUR/Textile Museum, on San Alberto 413 (near the corner of Potosí), offers the best selection of textiles and handmade crafts in Sucre. Artesanías Sucre, Calle Olañeta 42 at Plazuela Zudáñez, and Artesanías Tesoros del Inca, Calle Camargo 514, also sell local handicrafts. You'll find everything under the sun at the unique Central Market on the corner of Junín and Ravelo. I recommend heading up to the second floor to try the local tojorí drink (boiled corn, cinnamon, and sugar) for breakfast; because of its high protein content, it's called "the cornflakes of the Andes." Para Ti on Arenales (about a third of a block in from the plaza) sells delicious handmade chocolate that come in cute little bamboo or banana tree bark boxes. Some bars include quinoa, while others have Brazil nuts or macadamia nuts.
Sucre Nightlife
Because Sucre is crawling with young university students, there are tons of charming bars near Plaza 25 de Mayo, especially on Calle N. Ortiz leading away from the square. I recommend the Joy Ride Café & Bar, Calle N. Ortiz 14 (tel. 0104/6425-544; www.joyridebol.com), owned by an Italian guy and serving good beer and excellent light meals. This is where many gringos spend the evening and sign up for one of their biking or hiking tours. Next door, Picadilly is another popular bar that also serves Indonesian food. If you fancy mojitos with a Bolivian twist -- coca leaf -- go to Locots, Bolívar 465 (tel. 0104/6915-958). Another good bar with both locals and foreigners is Kultur Café Berlin, Calle Avaroa 326 (tel. 0104/642-4521). If you're looking to dance, try Florín, at Bolívar 567, which is the new "it" spot. They have a traditional bar with tables where they serve their own microbrewed beer, as well as a connecting dance hall that pumps out house music to a mixed crowd. Note that almost everything is eerily quiet during the week; the above bars and clubs, with the exception of Joy Ride, are open only Wednesday through Saturday.
