La Paz
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La Paz is best understood vertically. The centre lies in the valley, El Alto on the plateau, and the residential districts between them follow the slopes that shape every view and journey.
Mi Teleférico connects these levels and reveals a city that cannot be understood from a single street. Below the gondolas are shops, football pitches, cemeteries, new housing and the dense neighbourhoods around the centre.
History is present in the churches, museums and Plaza Murillo, but present-day La Paz is shaped just as much by markets, dance associations, Aymara organisations, art and food.
The altitude demands a gentler first day. Once the body has had time to adjust, the city reveals its political, cultural and visual complexity.
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Tell us when you would like to travel and what you would like to experience. We help you put together hotels, transport and activities that suit your trip.
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Planning a trip to La Paz?
We help you combine the right hotels, transport and experiences into a well-planned journey.
Mi Teleférico and the city’s extreme topography
The cable-car lines run between the valley and the plateau and form an integral part of public transport. They shorten journeys for commuters while giving an unusually coherent view of the entire metropolitan area.
Read more Show less Plaza Murillo, San Francisco and the historic core
Different lines reveal different environments, from the city centre and residential slopes to the open high plateau of El Alto. In clear weather, Illimani and other peaks appear beyond the city.
The ride is both transport and a way of reading the city, not merely a viewpoint. The stations make it possible to combine several neighbourhoods while avoiding slow traffic on the steep roads.
Plaza Murillo, San Francisco and the historic core
Plaza Murillo brings together government buildings, legislative institutions and the cathedral at the political centre of Bolivia. The square has been the setting for protests, changes of power and public ceremonies.
San Francisco stands in an intensely commercial district where the church’s richly carved façade meets vendors, buses and constant street life. Its architecture shows how local motifs were woven into colonial forms.
A walk between the two squares can also take in Calle Jaén and several smaller museums, placing the city’s history within its present-day life rather than confining it to a district of monuments.
El Alto, markets and an Aymara city
El Alto grew rapidly across the high plateau and is now a major city in its own right, with a strong Aymara character, extensive commerce and considerable political importance. The view back over La Paz makes the geographical contrast immediately clear.
Read more Show less Markets, yatiris and living Andean religion
Its markets sell everything from food and clothing to vehicles, electronics and building materials. Visits are best made with a locally based guide because the areas are vast and their everyday logistics are not organised around tourism.
The colourful cholets function as event halls, commercial buildings and homes. They express economic success and local aesthetics, but are best understood through the people who commission, design and use them rather than simply as fantastical façades.
Markets, yatiris and living Andean religion
Mercado de las Brujas and nearby shops sell herbs, amulets, minerals and objects used in ceremonies. Yatiris work as spiritual specialists and advisers within living Andean traditions.
Offerings to Pachamama and rituals associated with construction, illness or important decisions form part of everyday religion for many people. Objects should not be removed from their context or photographed without respect.
A knowledgeable local guide can explain how Catholic and Andean practices intersect and evolve. This gives the market far more depth than its usual tourist name suggests.
Journeys including La Paz
Gran Poder, masks and the city’s great dance fraternities
Gran Poder fills La Paz with dance groups, brass bands, embroidery and religious devotion. Preparations continue through much of the year and involve substantial economic and social networks.
Read more Show less Museums, contemporary culture and a new food city
Morenada, caporales, diablada and other dances each have their own histories and regional meanings. The costumes involve highly skilled craftsmanship and can be heavy during the long procession.
The festival is both an expression of faith and of urban identity. Rehearsals and smaller events can sometimes provide a more intimate encounter than the main parade day alone.
Museums, contemporary culture and a new food city
Museums in the centre cover textiles, masks, colonial art, modern history and archaeology. Calle Jaén brings together several smaller collections along an unusually well-preserved historic street.
Contemporary art, music and design are developing in both La Paz and El Alto. Galleries and cultural centres reveal a Bolivia that cannot be reduced to traditional dress and colonial history.
Restaurants increasingly work with local high-altitude ingredients and regional techniques. A meal offering a modern interpretation and a simpler market lunch complement each other well.
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Tiwanaku and an ancient centre of highland power
Tiwanaku lies west of La Paz near Lake Titicaca and was a major religious and political centre long before the Inca Empire. Akapana, Kalasasaya, the Semi-Subterranean Temple and Pumapunku represent different phases of construction.
Read more Show less Valle de la Luna, Palca and the geology of the valley
The museum and archaeological site need several hours. A specialist guide can explain the stonework, iconography, agricultural systems and how research has changed our understanding of the society.
The excursion should not be overloaded with too many additional stops. Altitude, wind and distance make a calm full day more rewarding.
Valle de la Luna, Palca and the geology of the valley
South of the centre, erosion has carved narrow spires and ravines into soft sediment. Valle de la Luna is the easiest place to see the formations from marked walkways.
Palca and other valleys provide broader views towards Illimani and a more open geological landscape. Roads and trails require local planning.
These excursions show how quickly the metropolitan area gives way to dry valleys and high mountains. They work particularly well after a couple of days of acclimatisation.
See trips to La Paz
Flights and hotels
Flights and hotels for La Paz can be booked as one coordinated arrangement, with trip length, budget and standard considered together from the outset.
We match the flights to your hotel location and travel dates rather than selecting each element in isolation. This makes planning easier and reduces the risk of poor connections or impractical arrival times.
Where useful, we can also add transfers, extra nights or other practical elements that make the journey smoother.
Book flights and hotels for La Paz as one coordinated arrangement. We match the flights with accommodation that suits your budget, preferred location and trip length. Transfers can also be added.
Flights
For flights to La Paz, we look at more than the lowest fare. Journey times, connections, ticket rules and arrival times often affect the trip more than they first appear to.
This may be a straightforward return journey, but it can also involve flying into one city and home from another or adding stops along the way. For more complex itineraries, we can also assess air-pass and multi-flight options.
A good choice when accommodation is already arranged or when you plan the rest of the journey independently.
We help you find the right flights to La Paz, for both straightforward journeys and more flexible itineraries. A good choice if you want to arrange the rest of the trip yourself.
Hotels
Hotels in La Paz should be chosen on more than price and star rating. Location, neighbourhood, standard and the purpose of the journey often determine whether a property actually works well.
In some places a central hotel is best; elsewhere quiet surroundings, views or character matter more. We therefore suggest options that fit the way the journey is planned.
That can mean good-value mid-range hotels or more distinctive properties where the accommodation becomes part of the experience.
We help you book hotels in La Paz according to neighbourhood, standard and budget. Whether you want to stay centrally or somewhere quieter, we find an option that fits.
Guided tours
Guided tours in La Paz work best when the subject, pace and level of detail reflect what you genuinely want to see and understand. Your focus might be a city, wildlife, culture or a particular practical excursion.
A good guide does more than identify landmarks. They provide context, explain telling details and draw attention to things that are easy to miss when exploring independently.
We help you choose the type and format of tour that best suits your interests.
Discover La Paz with a private tour shaped around your interests. We help choose the right guide, content and format.
Images from La Paz
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10 quick facts about La Paz
- La Paz is Bolivia’s seat of government, while Sucre is the country’s constitutional capital.
- The city centre lies at around 3,600 metres above sea level and El Alto close to 4,000 metres.
- The city was founded in 1548 under the name Nuestra Señora de La Paz.
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- Mi Teleférico is an extensive urban cable-car network linking La Paz and El Alto.
- Illimani rises above 6,400 metres and is one of the city’s defining visual landmarks.
- Gran Poder is a major religious and popular procession involving dance groups from across the metropolitan area.
- El Alto has grown into one of Bolivia’s largest cities and has a strong Aymara identity.
- Calle Jaén is one of the best-preserved colonial streets in the centre and contains several museums.
- Tiwanaku lies on the Altiplano west of La Paz and was a major Andean centre of power before the Inca Empire.
- The elevation difference across the metropolitan area creates noticeable temperature variations between the valley floor and the plateau.