What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit La Paz, Bolivia.
Photo: Nair Cristopher Sánchez Muñoz / Pexels
La Paz is the capital of Bolivia and home to 755,732 people. It is a city of markets, museums and viewpoints. Plaza Murillo in Centro and Calle Jaén in Casco Viejo hold much of its history. Sopocachi suits food lovers and nightlife, and Rosario suits first-timers on a budget. In El Alto, the 16 de Julio Market and Cholita Wrestling show local life. The best months to visit are May, June, July and August.
Most central sights in Centro and Casco Viejo take 1–2 hours each. Add half a day for the 16 de Julio Market, 2–3 hours for Cholita Wrestling and 1–2 hours for Valle de la Luna.
Mallasa
Wind and rain have worn the clay hills here into tall spires and deep gullies. Short marked paths take you through the formations, and it is a quick trip from the southern part of the city.
Centro
The main square is the political centre of Bolivia, with the Metropolitan Cathedral, the government palace and the Legislative Palace around it. Sit on a bench, watch the pigeons and the guards, and take in the colonial and republican buildings.
Centro
This colonial church has a carved stone front that mixes Spanish and Andean designs. A guided visit through the attached convent museum usually takes you up onto the roof for views over Plaza San Francisco.
Casco Viejo
A short, steep cobbled street with colourful colonial houses, now home to a group of small museums. It is one of the best-kept parts of the old town and is pleasant to walk even if you skip the museums.
Centro
The museum covers the cultures of Bolivia through textiles, masks, featherwork and ceramics. The festival mask and weaving collections help explain the costumes you see in the city's parades.
Villa Pabón
This viewpoint on a hill above the centre gives a wide view of the city, El Alto on the rim above and the mountains behind. It is popular at sunset and after dark, when the city lights fill the valley.
El Alto
A huge open-air street market that sells almost everything, from car parts and used clothes to food and furniture. Reach it by cable car and keep a close eye on your belongings in the crowds.
El Alto
Women wrestlers in traditional Aymara skirts and bowler hats take on opponents in a show that mixes sport, comedy and theatre. Many visitors go with an organised tour that includes transport up to El Alto.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16°C / 6°C | 22 days (124 mm) | 10.7 h/day | 5.8/10 |
| February | 15°C / 6°C | 20 days (127 mm) | 10.2 h/day | 5.7/10 |
| March | 15°C / 6°C | 21 days (112 mm) | 10.4 h/day | 5.7/10 |
| April | 16°C / 5°C | 12 days (51 mm) | 10.6 h/day | 6.4/10 |
| Best month: May | 16°C / 3°C | 6 days (25 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 7.9/10 |
| Best month: June | 15°C / 1°C | 3 days (9 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 8.0/10 |
| Best month: July | 16°C / 1°C | 2 days (9 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 8.4/10 |
| Best month: August | 16°C / 2°C | 4 days (16 mm) | 11.0 h/day | 8.4/10 |
| September | 17°C / 3°C | 9 days (36 mm) | 11.2 h/day | 7.7/10 |
| October | 18°C / 5°C | 13 days (57 mm) | 11.6 h/day | 7.2/10 |
| November | 18°C / 6°C | 13 days (60 mm) | 11.6 h/day | 7.5/10 |
| December | 17°C / 6°C | 19 days (106 mm) | 10.7 h/day | 6.3/10 |
Wet season. Highs of 15.6°C and rain on 21.5 days, with 124 mm in total. Expect showers most days. Verdict: ok, with a score of 5.8.
The wettest month, with 127 mm of rain over 19.5 days. Highs reach 15.4°C. Verdict: ok, with a score of 5.7.
Still wet, with rain on 20.5 days and 112 mm in total. Highs of 15.3°C and lows of 5.7°C. Verdict: ok, with a score of 5.7.
The rain eases to 12.2 days and 51 mm. Highs of 15.6°C, and nights get cooler at 4.6°C. Verdict: good, with a score of 6.4.
The dry season starts. Rain falls on only 5.5 days. Highs of 15.9°C, but nights drop to 2.8°C. Verdict: best, with a score of 7.9.
Dry, with rain on 3 days and only 9 mm. Highs of 15.2°C. Nights are cold at 1.1°C, so pack warm layers. Verdict: best, score 8.
The driest month, with rain on 2 days. Highs of 15.6°C and very cold nights of 1°C. Verdict: best, with a top score of 8.4.
Dry and sunny, with 11 hours of sun and rain on 3.7 days. Highs of 16.2°C, lows of 1.6°C. Verdict: best, score 8.4.
Warmer, with highs of 16.9°C and nights of 3.4°C. Rain returns on 8.8 days. Verdict: best, with a score of 7.7.
Highs of 17.6°C and 11.6 hours of sun. Rain falls on 12.8 days, with 57 mm in total. Verdict: good, with a score of 7.2.
The warmest month, with highs of 18°C. Rain falls on 12.5 days, with 60 mm in total. Verdict: best, with a score of 7.5.
The wet season returns, with rain on 19.4 days and 106 mm in total. Highs of 16.5°C. Verdict: good, with a score of 6.3.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Bolivia →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, backpackers, budget
This is the traveller hub around Calle Sagárnaga and the Witches' Market, just above San Francisco church, with tour agencies, cafés and craft shops all close together. It is the easiest base for booking day trips and walking to the main sights. The streets are very steep, traffic is loud, and pickpockets work the busy areas.
Good for history lovers, museums, sightseeing
The old colonial centre around Plaza Murillo and Calle Jaén has government buildings, churches and small museums within walking distance. You can see most of the historic core on foot from your door. Some streets get quiet after dark, and protest marches sometimes close roads near the plaza.
Good for food lovers, nightlife, longer stays
A leafy, mostly residential area south of the centre with good restaurants, bars and small parks, popular with local professionals and artists. It feels calmer and more local than the backpacker streets, but still close to the centre. Walking back up to the old town is a steep climb, and some bars are noisy late at night.
Good for budget travellers, local life, markets
A working neighbourhood around Plaza San Pedro and its covered market, with cheap places to eat and everyday street life. It is close to the centre and gives a less touristy view of the city. It is less polished, with fewer travel services, and some side streets feel empty at night.
Good for families, quiet, comfort
The southern suburbs such as Calacoto and San Miguel sit lower in the valley, so the air feels slightly warmer and less thin than in the centre. Streets are calmer, with modern shopping centres and restaurants. It is far from the old town, and road traffic can be slow, though the cable car lines help.
Typical journey times and fares from the airport and other cities.
| Route | By | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Paz → Copacabana Operators: Manco Kapac, Trans Titicaca and Vicuña Travel, from the La Paz bus terminal. Fares come from aggregator listings in USD; I couldn't find a Bs fare. Local buses take about 3 h and run hourly. Timetabled coaches take about 4 h (Busbud lists departures from 7:00). The trip includes a short boat crossing at the Strait of Tiquina. A traveller blog says tourist double-decker buses cost about Bs 50, run twice a day and should be booked ahead. | bus | 3 h | 4–7 USD ↗ |
| La Paz → Uyuni Overnight bus taking about 9–12 h. Bolivia Hop recommends Todo Turismo, which offers semi-cama and cama seats with blankets, a meal and a toilet. Fares start at about USD 43 (Bs fare not found). VIP seats cost extra. Another option is a bus to Oruro (about 4 h), then a train to Uyuni (about 7 h). | bus | 9 h | 43 USD ↗ |
Baked pastries filled with a juicy, slightly sweet stew of meat, potato and egg. Locals eat them as a mid-morning snack, usually before noon, from bakeries and street sellers.
Api is a thick, hot drink made from purple corn and spices. It is often paired with a fried cheese pastel and eaten for breakfast at markets on cold mornings.
A bread roll filled with roast pork, pickled vegetables and chilli sauce. It is a La Paz classic, sold at street stalls and often eaten as a filling snack.
Grilled skewers of beef heart served with potatoes and a peanut and chilli sauce. They are typical street food in the evening, cooked at stalls on the pavement.
A hearty soup from the Andes made with chuño (freeze-dried potato), meat, vegetables and grains. Families in La Paz eat it as a warming lunch dish.
A simple local plate of large-kernel corn, broad beans, potato and fried cheese, sometimes with meat. It is often eaten at lunch in local restaurants and markets.
May to September is the best time to visit La Paz. This is the dry season. July and August score highest at 8.4. July has only 2 rain days and 9 mm of rain. Days stay mild, with highs of 15 to 17°C. Nights are cold, though, dropping to about 1°C in June and July.
January is an ok month for La Paz, but it is the wettest part of the year. It has 21.5 rain days and 124 mm of rain, and it scores 5.8. Highs are still mild at about 16°C, and nights are warmer than in winter at about 6°C. December to March is the rainy season, with 19 to 22 rain days each month.
Nights in La Paz are cold all year and coldest from June to August. Lows drop to 1°C in July and 1.1°C in June. Daytime highs barely change across the year and stay between 15 and 18°C. Pack warm layers for evenings, especially in the dry season.
Yes, November is a good month for La Paz, with a score of 7.5. It is the warmest month, with highs of 18°C and lows near 6°C. It also gets about 11.6 hours of sun a day. Rain is starting to return, with 12.5 rain days and 60 mm, so expect some wet afternoons.
A short stay covers the main sights, because most take only 1 to 2 hours each. Plaza Murillo and Mirador Killi Killi need about 1 hour. Valle de la Luna, Calle Jaén and the Basilica of San Francisco take 1 to 2 hours. Add more time for El Alto: the 16 de Julio Market takes half a day and Cholita Wrestling 2 to 3 hours.
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