Things to do in Nor Yungas Province

Get an insight into the world of Aymara witchcraft and medicine at the lively Mercado de Hechicería or Mercado de las Brujas (Witches’ Market) in La Paz. Browse the collection of intriguing stalls for anything from amulets and herbal remedies to clothing and handicrafts from the Andes Mountains. The Aymara culture has its origins in the highlands of Bolivia and Chile.

Visit the La Paz Cathedral (Catedral Nuestra Señora de La Paz), also called Cathedral Murillo, to admire its 19th-century architecture and collection of stained-glass windows. The cathedral contains the tomb of a former Bolivian president. Work began on this impressive building in the 1830s. The cathedral dominates Plaza Murillo, La Paz’s central public square.

Visit Plaza Murillo to spot some of La Paz’s finest colonial buildings then see an impressive collection of colonial and modern art. Since the colonial years, this leafy square has been the city’s historic center and today it remains the focal point of political life in Bolivia. It takes its name from Pedro Domingo Murillo, who was an important figure in the war of independence.

Architectural masterpieces and street performers, handicraft vendors and a food market make Plaza San Francisco one of the most animated public squares in La Paz. The square marks the point where the city’s colonial quarter bordered with the Aymara indigenous districts.

The Valle de la Luna is an unusual geological terrain comprising clay spires and troughs. Erosion has worn down a mountain, creating a colorful and moon-like topography. Admire the reds, violets and browns of this fascinating landscape just outside of La Paz.

The beating heart of Coroico is its Main Square. Wander beneath the tall, leafy trees or take a seat and meet some of the locals who congregate in the plaza. Enjoy a hearty Bolivian meal in the open air and step into a cool church in the buildings the surround the square.