A metropolis that touches the sky, quite literally. La Paz, the highest capital of all in the world, sits at the forefront of the snow-capped peaks of Illimani, within the Bolivian Altiplano. It is a land of rich history, but also a city of the extraordinary. Visit its Witches' Market and you'll understand.

History

The Ciudad de Nuestra Señora de La Paz, conquered by the Spanish in 1548, initially occupied the territory of Laja on the route to Tiwanaku, before being relocated to the valley of the Rio Choqueyapu. On October 5, 1548, Captain Alonzo de Mendoza officially declared the founding of La Paz as a city; Juan de Vargas became its first mayor. The Spanish immediately seized the surrounding gold deposits. Over the years, unions formed between Spanish men and indigenous Bolivian women, gradually composing a mixed-race population.

Bolivia gained its independence on August 6, 1825. In 1898, the national government chose La Paz as the seat of executive and legislative power, replacing Sucre, which remained the judicial capital of the country.

La Paz Today

La Paz, the administrative capital of Bolivia, sprawls across a basin surrounded by the Altiplano, between 3,000 and 4,100 m in altitude. It is a city anchored in its traditions, yet equally open to modernism. Each neighbourhood has its own character, at every turn offering surprises.

Discovering La Paz at a leisurely pace

Built around Murillo Square, the Casco Urbano Central forms the historic heart of La Paz. Don't miss a photo at the foot of the Catedral Basilica Nuestra Señora de La Paz, surrounded by pigeons. Then stroll along the shopping street Potosi, discovering shops, restaurants and affordable hostels in La Paz. As you climb the narrow winding paths, seek out the Costumbrista Juan de Vargas Museum, which offers insight into La Paz's past through old photographs, colonial artefacts and miniatures illustrating the city's founding. You eventually emerge onto Calle Jaén, a pedestrian street with a strong Spanish colonial character. Stop by the Museo de Litoral Boliviano, which traces the War of the Pacific (1879–1884), and the Museo del Charango, dedicated to typical musical instruments. South of downtown, the Parque Urbano Central provides a green space for La Paz and leads to the upscale Sopocachi neighbourhood.

Extraordinary Attractions Await

A visit that will appeal to adventurers, San Pedro Prison sits between downtown La Paz and Sopocachi. Nothing suggests that freedom is limited within this neighbourhood where life appears perfectly normal. There are restaurants and a variety of shops, frequented by both civilians and inmates – it's sometimes difficult to tell them apart. Rest assured, rather than robbing you, prisoners dignify themselves by working as tour guides or trinket sellers to pay for their cells…

The Witches' Market of La Paz is equally surprising. Aymara Indians display a series of unusual products to cure diseases, ward off curses and serve as offerings to Pachamama, the earth mother goddess. Magical powders, incense smoke, mummified llama foetuses and dried frogs imbue the place with a mystical aura. Here, all superstitions are permitted.

On Sunday afternoons, inhabitants gather at the Centro Multifuncional del Alto to witness a curious spectacle: the Cholitas fights. Indeed, Bolivian peasant women, ordinarily dressed in colourful skirts and bowler hats, can also be wrestlers!

Climate

Although the topography permits different climates in the region, generally speaking, it is cool in La Paz year-round. The city at high altitude experiences two seasons. In winter – summer in the Northern Hemisphere – precipitation cools temperatures considerably, ranging from 17 °C to 20 °C. Snow is likely during this season. Weather is dry and sunny in summer (winter in the Northern Hemisphere), with temperatures oscillating between –5 °C and 20 °C. Still, be careful not to expose yourself too long to the sun.

The best periods for a stay in La Paz are the months of April, October and November.

By Air

El Alto La Paz Airport previously welcomed European routes, before Santa Cruz de la Sierra became Bolivia's economic hub. Its connections nowadays are limited, outside domestic flights, to a few South American cities (Colombia, Peru and Chile) and Miami in the United States. You will therefore need to plan several stopovers to fly to La Paz.

By Road

The La Paz Bus Terminal is located just over a kilometre north-west of Murillo Square, at the confluence of Avenida Perú and Avenida Uruguay. From here, buses depart and arrive from Sucre, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and Potosi, as well as from Chile, Peru and Argentina.

Steep streets can tire you over time if you visit La Paz on foot. Fortunately, there are various transport solutions which, despite frequent traffic jams, will ease your travels. Besides private services such as taxis or car rentals, you can take a bus or micro for short distances.

For longer journeys, you have the option of taking the cable car. La Paz currently has three lines (red, blue and yellow) that allow you to travel fairly quickly and without traffic jams to the heights in El Alto or to the upscale neighbourhoods in the south of the city.

What to Do in La Paz?

• Visit the Catedral Basilica Nuestra Señora de La Paz in the historic city centre of La Paz
• Discover the ceramic figurines at the Costumbrista Juan de Vargas Museum
• Consult the yatiris – the indigenous fortune tellers – at the Witches' Market of La Paz
• Explore the open-air prison of San Pedro
• Join the ranks of Cholitas supporters at their Sunday fights, and more