Discover La Paz : The districts of La Paz

Descending from the Altiplano, where the airport is located, you suddenly discover the enormous basin that shelters this teeming metropolis of over 1.5 million souls, at the foot of the snow-capped peaks of the Andes, over 6,000 m high. Founded by the Spaniard Alonzo de Mendoza in 1548, to serve as a link between the wealthy cities of Cuzco and Potosí, La Paz gradually left this role to supplant Sucre, the constitutional capital, and establish itself around 1890 as the political center of the young nation. Today, La Paz is an intriguing city where modern and ancient, Hispanic and indigenous, intermingle, sometimes violently. Two different worlds coexist 200 m apart, linked by cable car. Casco Viejo is the historic center with the most monuments, as touristy as Sopocachi and Zona Sur, the three main areas you'll discover in La Paz during your trip.

Casco Viejo and San Pedro

The old town of La Paz is concentrated around two well-defined tourist hubs: Sagárnaga and Linares streets, where backpackers from all over the world flock, where you can find cheap accommodation, buy handicrafts galore and find tours all over Bolivia, with the market not far away. And Calle Jaén, with Plaza Murillo, home to the most historic and picturesque buildings.

In any case, the bus terminal is not far away. The San Francisco church is an excellent landmark between these two areas. These areas are not the safest at night, so always be on the lookout and opt for the inexpensive cab (radio cab without hesitation).

Sopocachi and Miraflores

The Sopocachi district is the lungs of the city. Here you'll find luxury hotels, international and local restaurants, bars, travel agencies, stores, private residences and more. It's a pleasant place to stroll, especially in the pasaje Medinacelli, a small alleyway that became pedestrianized in early 2021 and boasts several first-rate establishments (restaurants, bars, cafés). There aren't really any tourist attractions here, apart from the viewpoints that offer great vistas over the city. The adjacent Miraflores district is more residential.

Zona Sur and El Alto

El Alto is where all air travellers disembark, as the international airport is located there. El Alto isn't exactly a place to linger: a sprawling megalopolis in the making, it's home to more people than La Paz, having become the country's most populous city! Constantly under construction, chaotic and crowded thoroughfares, excessive honking and barely breathable air (we're at an altitude of 4,060 m!): it's quite an astonishing experience at first sight!

El Alto is home to more than 80 indigenous families a day, and concentrates the entire Andean population, who have come here in search of a little paradise with the idea of ending up in La Paz... although this doesn't happen very often. For lovers of urban surrealism, El Alto is a destination of choice: the Thursday and Sunday mercados are among the biggest in the world. Every week, El Alto hosts wrestling shows with sharp, determined cholitas... It's also a dangerous city, to be avoided at night; during the day, always take precautions, and if possible, have someone accompany you.

Connected by a cable car since 2014, El Alto is separated from La Paz by a highway, which can be accessed via the "La Ceja" toll booth. Most buses and trufis running between the two cities pass through here. You can also reach La Paz via the picturesque Antenas road(some minibuses also pass through here).

The "southern zone" of La Paz, situated well below the center (so it's warmer and the air is more breathable), is concentrated around the districts of Obrajes, San Andrés, Calacoto and Mallasa. These are the most upscale neighborhoods, once purely residential, and now home to restaurants, bars, nightclubs, stores, supermarkets and a few luxury hotels (especially in Calacoto). To get there from the center or Sopocachi, take a trufi (the green number 1) which will take you there for 3 Bs per person (get off on Calle Ballivián, Calacoto's main thoroughfare, at Calle 15 or 17, for example). A private cab often charges a foreigner 50 Bs, but the local fare is 20 Bs to 25 Bs at most.