About La Paz

City of La Paz
We recommend to download an excellent app about La Paz, including maps, public transportation, museums, etc. City guide for android and iphone or ipad

La Paz, located in west-central Bolivia 68 km southeast of Lake Titicaca, is set in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River. It is located in a bowl-like depression surrounded by the high mountains of the Altiplano. Overlooking the city is the towering, triple-peaked Illimani. Its peaks are always snow covered and can be seen from many parts of the city. At an elevation of roughly 3,650 m (11,975 ft) above sea level, La Paz is the highest capital city in the world. Due to its altitude, La Paz has an unusual subtropical highland climate, with rainy summers and dry winters. Hopefully we have a spring climate for the LAWNP in October, with mild temperatures, and without rain.
La Paz Photomontage V1
La Paz has a high variety of altitude, from 3,200 m asl for the lowest part of the city, called "Zona Sur" (South Zone), till 4,000 m asl for the upper part near El Alto and the airport, on the Altiplano plateau. The historic Center is situated at around 3,600 m asl (Plaza Murillo, Plaza San Francisco).

As the seat of the government of Bolivia, La Paz is the site of the Palacio Quemado, the presidential palace. It is also the seat of the Bolivian legislature, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, and numerous government departments and agencies. The constitutional capital of Bolivia, Sucre, retains the judicial power. The city hosts all the foreign embassies as well as international missions in the country. La Paz is the political and financial center of Bolivia; it generates 27% of Bolivia's Gross Domestic Product and serves as the headquarters for numerous Bolivian companies and industries.

La Paz is also an important cultural center of Latin America, as it hosts several landmarks belonging to the colonial times, such as the San Francisco Church, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Plaza Murillo and the Jaén Street. The city is renowned for its unique markets, particularly the Witches' Market, and for its vibrant nightlife. Its unusual topography offers unique views of the city and the surrounding mountains of the Cordillera Real from numerous natural viewing points. La Paz is also home to the longest, highest and most modern urban cable car network in the world. In May 2015, it was officially recognized as one of the New 7 Wonders Cities together with Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur and Vigan. La Paz is listed on the Global Cities Index 2015, and is considered a global city type "Gamma" by Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC).
Information taken from wikipedia.
Tourism

La Paz is an important cultural center of Bolivia. The city hosts several cathedrals belonging to the colonial times, such as the San Francisco Cathedral and the Metropolitan Cathedral, this last one located on Murillo Square, which is also home of the political and administrative power of the country. Hundreds of different museums can be found across the city, the most notable ones on Jaén Street, which street design has been preserved from the Spanish days and is home of 10 different museums.

The home of the Bolivian government is located on Murillo Square and is known as "Palacio Quemado" (Burnt Palace) as it has been on fire several times. The palace has been restored many times since, but the name has remained untouched.

MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL CENTERS

MAIN CHURCHES AND CATHEDRALS CURIOSITIES

Visiting Bolivia

CITIES
The main cities in Bolivia are the capitals of each department. The most interesting in an historical and architectural point of view are Sucre and Potosi. Sucre is the constitutional capital of Bolivia, the capital of the Chuquisaca Department and the 6th most populated city in Bolivia. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of 2,810 meters (9,214 feet). This relatively high altitude gives the city a cool temperate climate year-round. Potosí is one of the highest cities in the world at a nominal 4,090 metres (13,420 ft). For centuries, it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint. Potosí lies at the foot of the Cerro de Potosí, sometimes referred to as the Cerro Rico ("rich mountain"), a mountain popularly conceived of as being "made of" silver ore that dominates the city. The Cerro Rico is the reason for Potosí's historical importance since it was the major supply of silver for Spanish Empire until Guanajuato in Mexico surpassed it in the 18th century. The silver was taken by llama and mule train to the Pacific coast, shipped north to Panama City, and carried by mule train across the isthmus of Panama to Nombre de Dios or Portobelo, whence it was taken to Spain on the Spanish treasure fleets. Some of the silver also made its way east to Buenos Aires, via the Rio de la Plata. From La Paz, you can go to Sucre and Potosi by bus (~14 hours to Sucre, ~10 hours to Potosi) or by plane. You can go easily by bus between Potosi and Sucre (~2-3 hours).

NATURAL SITES