Bolivia: Cities from A to R

Camiri
This traffic hub in south-eastern Bolivia offers regular bus connections to Paraguay and Argentina. Camiri has approximately 40,000 residents, most of whom work in the local oil industry. The city is located at 830 meters (2700 ft.) above sea level. With a lack of well-known attractions, Camiri is seldom visited by tourists.


Cocchabamba
Bolivia's third largest city is located near the country's breadbasket, a region of mild climate and year-round grain production. Situated at 2,558 meters (8,392 ft.) above sea level, it makes a good resting spot for those heading to the Andes; spending a few days in Cochabamba is an ideal way of acclimating to the thinner mountain air. In spite of the town's vibrant atmosphere and central location, few tourists visit Cochabamba. Nevertheless, the city does boast several sites worth seeing: the Condor pillar at the Plaza de Armas, the impressive cathedral and convent of San Francisco and the museum of the tin baron Simón Patiño, who used his fortune to build a mansion, borrowing liberally from the Sistine Chapel and the Moorish Alhambra. In the center of the city, up a 1227-step staircase, stands the world's tallest statue of Jesus Christ. The statue, with its commanding vista of the city and surrounding mountains, is certainly worth a visit; a cable car is available for those unable to climb the 1200-plus stairs. If you are staying overnight in Cochabamba, be sure to check out the local night life, especially the lively scenes in the areas around Calle España, Calle Venezuela and Calle Ecuador. Also worth a visit: the souvenir market located in the alley between the Av. Ayacocho and the Bautista, near the city's post office. During the summer months of August and September, water is scarce in the region, and it is generally not possible to take showers after noon.

The Fiesta del Virgen de Urkupina, which takes place in Quillacolla on August 15, is a real specialty of the region. This festival is a good occasion to observe the coming together of Christianity and the indigenous religious beliefs of Bolivia. For instance, an open-air mass takes place with 5,000 visitors, whereas at the same time, just a few meters further, one can see the ceremony with people making traditional offerings of beer to pachamama, the Earth-mother. It is a local tradition for people to break off small stones from big rocks during this festival and worship them at home throughout the whole year until the next Fiesta del Virgen. Other worshippers buy sacks of stones and carry them to their homes, believing that doing so will serve as penance for their sins.

Conception
Beside its impressive houses, the city also offers the most beautiful cathedral in Bolivia, originally constructed in 1756 and completely restored to its original glory in 1982. In addition to its cultural offerings, Concepción is the birthplace of Hugo Banzer, one of Bolivia's presidents. Concepción's geographical location, nestled in the middle of the lowlands, makes the town ideal as a starting point for unforgettable trips to the primeval forests nearby, or simply for enjoying a magnificent view of the lowlands stretching out before you.


Coppacabana
Situated on a peninsula jutting out into Lake Titicaca, the small town of Copacabana is an ideal starting point for a trip to the Isla del Sol, the cradle of the Incan Empire, with its famous Rock of the Puma. From the Cerro del Calvario in Copacabana, you can enjoy an impressive sunset over Lake Titicaca. The black Virgen de Candelario who is also the patron of the well-known beach in Rio de Janeiro can be visited in the white Moorish-style cathedral. The statue looks towards Bolivia at the weekend and towards Peru during the week. Another highlight is the daily blessing of cars in front of the cathedral that attracts many Peruvians as well.


Coroico
This sleepy, small tourist destination in the heart of the Yungas is situated at an altitude of 1350 meters and can be reached from La Paz only via the "World's Most Dangerous Road", which is just wide enough for one vehicle; yet, it is used by trucks, buses, cars and every kind of vehicle you can think of. As this unpaved road winds along a steep and rocky mountainside, it is not surprising that you see a cross along the roadside every few meters indicating that a vehicle has gone over the edge there. A gravestone marks one bend in the road, reminding travellers of the presidential candidate who went over the edge. From Coroico, you can take trips into the Yungas and visit a university that has its own coffee plantation. The people in the villages nearby grow coca plants.


La Paz
The unofficial capital of Bolivia, where a quarter of the country's population lives, extends over a difference in altitude of about one thousand meters. The lower areas, with a milder climate and gated suburbs are where the wealthy people live, whereas the poor districts can be found at an higher altitude and on the altiplano at 4,000 meters. Tourists should visit the Mercado de Hechicería (witches' market) behind the basilica of San Francisco, the Coca museum and the Valle de la Luna (valley of the moon). The latter is characterized by its bizarre rock formations and is reminiscent of the landscape on the moon. In San Pedro prison, guided tours with arbitrarily changing prices are also offered in English by inmates. In fact, this is not a prison like any other; it is a city within a city with businesses, restaurants and bars. Some prisoners even live here with their families.


Oruro
When crossing the border from Chile by bus, you will inevitably come to Oruro. Situated at an altitude of 3,700 meters, it is the main transportation junction in the west of Bolivia. The only working passenger train goes through Oruro. However, it is not worth staying here for a long time as there are no other tourist attractions apart from a mining museum and a statue of Christ.


Potosi
The world's highest town at an altitude of 3,900 meters flourished during its economic boom after silver was discovered nearby. This is why you can find numerous beautiful colonial buildings from the times of Spanish rule. The silver mined in the Cerro Rico de Potosí (the rich mountain of Potosí) was minted in the Casa de la Moneda which was turned into a museum and is really worth a visit. During the apogee of silver mining, about eight million indigenous people died in the mines, from which approximately 46,000 tons of silver have been extracted to this day. Potosí also has a statue of Christ that is the tallest in the world. The city's drinking water comes from the 40 idyllic lagoons in the surrounding area.
 

Rurrenbaque
Besides rafting, boat and jungle trips, this small tourist destination in the Yungas rainforest is one of the best starting points for organized trips to track and watch alligators.