Bolivia's de facto capital of La Paz spreads from its wealthy suburbs and animated centre at 3,600 metres in the depth of the canyon of Río Choqueyapu up to the dwellings of El Alto at 4,000 metres around the rim of the canyon. La Paz is best explored on foot because there is something to see on every corner, although when short of breath it is cheap and easy to catch a cab or minibus to move from one marvellous sight to the next.
Stroll La Paz' best markets
La Paz is a city abounding with markets and street vendors selling everything from cheap snacks and popcorn to magazines and newspapers. In El Alto large markets are held on Thursdays and Sundays [9am-3pm]. The crowded Mercado Negro [Black Market] on the west side of the city offers an amalgam of products such as CDs, household appliances and electronics. The most extraordinary market in La Paz is without doubt the witch market.
The Mercado de Hechicería, or Mercado de Brujas, is located in the most touristy district around Sagárnaga Street. Among the souvenir stalls with colourful bags, clothes, pouches and other tourist knick-knacks, there are also stalls piled high with everything needed to ensure luck, money or prosperity in the lives of Bolivians.
There are large selections of herbs and folk remedies, but also sugary miniatures representing money, cars and other material wishes – the latter play an important role during the Alasitas Festival. Among the Pachamama statues lie ceramic images of frogs, turtles, snakes but also dried lizards, frogs and the Bolivians' most popular offering: dried llama foetuses.
Admire colonial churches
The Spaniards, who founded La Paz, used Catholicism to dominate the region and, as in many South American cities, churches are abundant in La Paz. Many are unremarkable structures, hidden in the crowded neighbourhoods but two churches stand out. The neoclassical Cathedral on Plaza Murillo is impressive for its immensity and contrastingly small but beautiful stained glass windows.
The San Francisco Church is by far and large the most beautiful church in La Paz. This large, neoclassical basilica is a prime example of mestizo-baroque, a hybrid style of European and pre-Columbian elements. The church is an amalgam of gilded cedarwood altars and shrines. Andean figurines feature in the dome while Pachamama – mother earth – is prominent on the façade.
Visit museums on art, folklore, culture and history
La Paz has many museums, the biggest tourist attraction without doubt being the informative Coca Museum [Calle Linares, opening hours: Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, entrance fee 10 bolivianos / 1.35 US dollars]. Other museums vary from small but well set-up museums in the colonial street "Calle Jaen" to some excellent museums where one can easily spend several hours. Currently under renovation but expected to reopen in April 2010 is La Paz' Archeological Museum.
The Ethnographic and Folklore Museum in the colonial mansion of Marquéz de Villaverde. The museum has an extensive display of ancient textiles, impressive masks and a collection of ceramics [Ingavi at Sanjinés, opening hours: daily 9.30am-12.30pm / 3-7pm, free of charge].
Museo San Francisco is integrated into the choir and former friary of the San Francisco Church. The museum displays beautiful, large paintings of the Virgin Mary, silver chalices and monstrances. It is possible to climb up the roof and to visit the wine cellar, while the cloisters host temporary exhibits. The ticket is also valid for the crypt – this is not always open, check at the ticket office of the museum [Plaza San Francisco, opening hours: Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, entrance fee 20 bolivianos, which includes a guide – not mandatory].
Museo Nacional del Arte is set up in the former palace of a local aristocrat. The first floor is dedicated to religious art and the second to modern art. What stand out are the excellent explanatory panels [Spanish only] and the unique paintings of angels and virgins in which the mixture of European and Andean styles is visible [Corner Comercia and Socabaya streets, opening hours: Tue-Fri 09.30am-4.30pm / Sat 10am-17.30pm / Sun 10am-1.30pm, entrance fee 10 bolivianos].
Karin-Marijke Vis - Karin-Marijke Vis is a bilingual writer (Dutch-English) who has been traveling in Asia and South America since 2003.
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