Introducing La Paz
La Paz is dizzying in every respect, not only for its well-publicized altitude (3660m), but for its quirky beauty. Most travelers enter this extraordinary city via the flat sparse plains of the sprawling city of El Alto, an approach that hides the sensational surprises of the valley below. The first glimpse of La Paz will, literally, take your breath away. The city’s buildings cling to the sides of the canyon and spill spectacularly downwards. On a clear day, the imposing showy, snowy Mt Illimani (6402m) looms in the background.
Although Sucre remains the judicial capital, La Paz – Bolivia’s largest city and centre for commerce, finance and industry – is the governmental (some say ‘de facto’) capital. Meanwhile, El Alto is the Aymará capital of the world. Although in reality an extension of urban La Paz, El Alto’s ongoing influx of immigrants – mostly looking for work – means it has morphed into one of Latin America’s fastest growing cities.
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Indian parent and child on Plaza Pedro de Murillo.
- Uros Ravbar
- Lonely Planet photographer
