La Paz Stunningly situated in a high mountain valley (12,000 ft/3,700 m above sea level), Bolivia's capital and largest city is home to about 1,500,000 Pacenos, as its residents are called. If you are flying in, we cannot emphasize strongly enough the necessity of spending a full day or two there to adjust to the altitude. Actually, you may need some time to recover from the flight itself: The approach to the airport is one of the scariest in the world because of a narrow mountain pass. The city resembles a large stadium, with the main avenue and wealthy homes located on the "playing field" and the less-well-off citizens residing high up on the surrounding bowl of "bleachers." The area around La Paz is surprisingly arid, with deserts and cacti, but snowcapped Mt. Illimani offers an impressive backdrop to the city's skyscrapers on a clear day. (One of the best ways to get a good view of the city is from the rooftop bars at high-rise hotels.) Hotels in La Paz |
ROOMS BOLIVIA
