Stories · Bolivia
A weekend in La Paz
Told the way I’d tell a friend, step by step.
You don’t visit La Paz; it takes you in. Here is how I’d spend 2 days there without rushing, leaving room for the things you can’t plan.
Day 1 · Fresh air
In the morning, meet me at Valle de la Luna. Go late in the afternoon: the heat drops, the light softens and the photos take themselves. Practical: the public-transport route, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your tickets or compare on Tiqets.
Around noon, it’s Parque Bartolina Sisa. Bring water, shoes that hold, and no watch. To get organised: here is the route by public transport; skip-the-line get your tickets in advance, otherwise also check Tiqets.
For lunch, La Paz is full of options: trust the rooms full of locals rather than the menus translated into six languages.
After lunch, head to Valle del Sol Park. This is the breath of the trip. Even one hour changes the day. To get organised: how to get there; skip-the-line book your visit, otherwise go through Tiqets.
To end the day, I make my way to Plaza Alexander von Humboldt. Take the time to walk all the way around it; the best views are rarely at the entrance. To get organised: here is the route by public transport; skip-the-line book your tickets, otherwise go through Tiqets.
In the evening, let go: a terrace, a walk, and La Paz does the rest.
Day 2 · Museums and culture
Early in the morning, I make my way to National Museum of Ethnography and Folklore. Give it a good two hours, and leave before you are full: that is the secret to wanting to come back. 4.6 out of 5 across 1,215 reviews: few places are this unanimous. To get organised: here is the route by public transport; skip-the-line book your visit, otherwise go through Tiqets.
Late morning, meet me at Plaza Murillo. Go late in the afternoon: the heat drops, the light softens and the photos take themselves. Practical: here is the route by public transport · travellers’ reviews.
At lunchtime, stay around La Paz: a noisy room, a dish of the day, and you’ve understood everything.
In the afternoon, meet me at Plaza Mayor de San Francisco. You’ve seen it a hundred times in pictures; in person it is bigger, closer, more alive. Practical: here is the route by public transport, and if you’d rather skip the queue, get your tickets in advance or compare on Tiqets.
In the evening, it’s Museum of Musical Instruments. I always pick two or three rooms rather than seeing everything. You walk out light. Practical: the public-transport route, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your visit or also check Tiqets.
Keep the evening free. La Paz is a city that tells itself better at night.
If you’re still hungry
Other places I wish I could have fitted in: Serranías del Valle De Las Animas, Basilica of Saint Francis, La Calle de Los Paraguas L.A.M. Bolivia, Crazy Dave Tour, Montículo and Mirador Killi Killi. Slip them in wherever a day feels light.
My advice
Walk. Then take public transport: that is where you see the city live.
Book the busiest places the day before: queues have ruined more than one morning.
Keep a little local cash: the best addresses are often the least equipped.
There. The rest is yours: the detours, the encounters, the café that becomes your own.
A Triovol story · written by someone who would go back tomorrow
Opening hours, prices and closures change: a quick look at the venue’s website before you go avoids bad surprises.