Peñas

One of the most recognizable aspects of Andean culture is its folk music, which you can enjoy at a number of peñas, or music clubs.

• Huari, Calle Sagarnaga 329. Its location makes it the convenient choice for foreign tourists, so be prepared for extreme tourist prices and slightly tacky decor. (The ancient Incas probably didn't have black lighting.) Nonetheless, the music and dance performances are excellent.
• Marka Tambo Calle Jaen 710. Considered among the best for serious fans of the music.

Cinemas

• Try Monje Campero at the beginning of Av.16 de julio.
• Also you can go to 16 de Julio near to Plaza del Estudiante.
• Despite the best efforts to censor it Cine Azul (Latin America's premier underground bluey showhouse) is still up and running at the beginning of Av.16 de julio. The steam is literally dripping off the walls! (Amongst other things)

Internet

Internet cafés are on each street corner in La Paz. Current standard fare is 2-4 Bs. per hour. There are four internet cafés around Plaz Mendoza at this price, all with good connection.

If you have a laptop computer you can find Wi-Fi access at the Sol Y Luna cafe on Calle Cochabamba and at the near by Oliver's Travel Bar.

• Sagarnaga Street, just south of Plaza San Francisco, is La Paz' main tourist strip. It's mainly a market street with artesano and souvenir stores, but you'll also find budget hostels, tour and travel agencies, cafes, and lots and lots of backpackers. Don't be suckered by the roving sellers of "trilobite-in-a-rock".
• The Witches' Market (Mercado de Hechiceria or Mercado de las Brujas) is on Calle Linares between Sagarnaga and Santa Cruz. Vendors sell llama fetuses and dried frogs for Aymara rituals, as well as soapstone figurines and aphrodisiac formulas. This street is also the best place to pick up a charango or other Bolivian musical instrument.
• The Mercado Negro ("Black Market"), though not very clandestine, is quite comprehensive, selling clothing, household items, liquor, and other products in its many blocks.
• Eloy Salmon Shops on this street sell cheap electronics.
• Calle Jaen is one of the few places in the city with preserved colonial buildings, currently housing several interesting museums.
• Plaza Murillo contains government buildings and the city cathedral.
• The Valle de La Luna - surreal, weathered rock. Just outside the city. Take a local bus, or join a tour.

Museums

• Museum San Francisco [1], Plaza San Francisco. This restored religious complex has housed some of Bolivia's most important historical moments, including the birth of the Independence Revolution of 1809. Also, one can climb the church tower to get a panoramic view of both the indigenous and Mestiza quarters. Displays are in Spanish and English along with personal guides.
• Tiwanaku Museum
• Museum of Contemporary Art (Museo de Arte Contemporaneo), Av. 16 de Julio 1698 (Prado). The permanent collection upstairs (Bs10 admission) contain many works by renowned Aymara painter Mamani Mamani. The downstairs gallery containing work by students and up-and-comers is free.
• Coca Museum [2], Calle Linares 906. A favorite of foreign tourists, this small museum details the history and significance of the coca plant, including the effect of the U.S. War on Drugs. The displays are in Spanish, but booklets of complete translations in other languages are provided. According to the museum, crack cocaine is the greatest epidemic since the Plague in the Middle-Ages. And yes, there are free samples of coca leaf for visitors.
• Musical Instrument Museum (Museo de Instrumentos Musicales de Bolivia), Calle Jaen 711. Displays a huge collection of sound-producing devices from Bolivia and beyond, some of which you can play yourself. The museum was founded by charango master and inventor Ernesto Cavour, and some of his creations on display (such as multi-bodied guitars) are downright bizarre.
• Museum of Precious Metals (Museo de Metales Preciosos Precolombinos), Calle Jaen 777. Pre-Columbian treasures in silver and gold.
• Submerged Museum (Museo Subterraneo), in front of the city stadium. Hardly deserving the name "museum", it's essentially a small outdoor plaza sunk into the ground with a huge replica Tiwanaku monolith in the middle of it.

Views

La Paz is a city which can be a sight in itself, and there are several viewing places or miradores offering impressive panoramas.

• Parque Laikacota, at the top of Av. Ejercito west of the city center. The best panorama from within the bowl, with clear views of the city and the rugged terrain to the east, all the way to Mt. Illimani. Admission is Bs 3.5.
• Mirador Monticulo, next to Plaza España. This small park (free entry) has a church and lots of trees which block much of the city, but the clear view of Illimani makes it an evening hotspot for couples.
• In the heart of downtown, Av. Camacho points straight to Illimani, and from the intersection with the Prado it's framed by skyscrapers in an interesting juxtaposition.

By air

El Alto International Airport (El Alto. This is the world's highest international airport; at 13,313 feet/4,058 meters above sea level, it's almost half as high as a jetliner's cruising altitude,!! and takeoffs take a bit longer due to the thin air. There is an airport departure tax of $24 for international flights, Bs14 for domestic flights.

Most South American airlines (TAM, LAN, TACA, etc.) serve El Alto Airport as well local airline Aerosur. Most international flights will make a stop over in Santa Cruz to pick up or drop off passengers. American Airlines is currently the only U.S. carrier serving Bolivia, with one daily flight to Miami.

Aerosur (a newer, private airline) also serves major domestic destinations. LAB (Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano) was Bolivia's national airline until April 2007, when services were suspended by the Bolivian government due to financial problems.

From the airport, the official rate for a taxi into central La Paz is Bs 50 (about USD 6). Shared vans cost about Bs 4 (USD 0,50).

By bus

The main bus terminal is located on Av. Ismael Montes, near the upper end of the Prado. Note that buses arriving from Lake Titicaca (the route for entering overland from Puno, Peru) terminate at a plaza near the city cemetery (Cementerio) farther to the west.

Buses leaving La Paz usually stop in El Alto to pick up more passengers. It sometimes takes almost an hour until you really leave the city.

Seven or eight hours by bus from Cochabamba.

Three hours by bus from Oruro.

By bus

There are three types of shared public transportation in La Paz: regular buses or "micros"; shared vans, called "mini buses", and shared taxis running set routes advertised on the windshield, called "trufis". The former cost Bs 1,30 while the second are Bs 1,50-2,30 depending on duration. A trufi will generally cost you Bs 3. All types have their routes indicated on the windshield, but mini buses have the bonus of fare collectors hanging out the side, yelling out routes in a rapid, auctioneer-like manner. You can hail a bus or mini bus anywhere; to get off, just yell out "¡voy a bajar!"

By taxi

The easiest way to get around is by taxi. They aren't metered, so agree on a fare before boarding; a ride within downtown should be about Bs 6-8. If you want to go further, ask two or more taxi drivers before boarding. A normal ride by taxi from downtown to a place within the city won't cost more than 20 Bs.

By foot

If you ever find yourself to be lost, in general the easiest thing is to simply walk downhill. You will eventually find yourself on the Prado or another main avenue, then You'll be able to take a taxi to the downtown, if you are on the southside of the city (Zona sur)

Handicrafts

Fair trade shop - 958 Calle Linares: Check out the amazing value weavings upstairs, much better quality than the stuff on the street and not that much more expensive (sometimes cheaper even!) Also very nicely mounted with wood panels and ready for hanging. To quote their mission statement "... for the generation of economic revenues that contribute to the improvement of life quality of (the weavers´) families".. So by buying here you also support a good cause! Searching for high quality handicrafts - try visit 'A Manos' which is found on Calle Bravo 299.

Maps

La Paz is a good place for buying maps of the country, but be aware that Bolivian maps have a reputation of containing errors. Topographical maps are available in 1:50 000, 1:100 000 and 1:250 000. The most popular maps, including the 1:250 000 version of Cordillera Real and the 1:50 000 version of Volcan Sajama are sold by street vendors that roam Calle Sagarnaga and from stalls along el Prado. But the best place to buy maps is the "Instituto Geografico Militar", IGM. The instituto has two offices in town, listed below.

• Edificio Murillo No. 100, Calle Juan XXIII Parallell to Calle Murillo at the end of Calle Rodríguez. This office is likely to be closest to where you stay and sometimes has as map or two on offer, but most often asks you to come back mañana when they still don't have the map you want. It's has a nice atmosphere though, and makes a nice visit for mapophiles needing that fix of fresh map air.
• Oficina Central, Estado Mayor General, Av. Saavedra No. 2303. This is the place to go, but a little out of the way. It is said to be open afternoons, but it's best to visit between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Closed if there's a soccer game in the nearby Stadium. Take a micro marked "E. Mayor" from Plaza San Fransisco. The unmarked entrance is 20 m down Av. Saavedra from the main car entrance to the Estado Mayor. Surrender your passport in the window marked IGM, get a number tag to hang around you neck and walk down the road and to the left. Many maps are only available in copies for 30 Bs a sheet. An original is 40 Bs.

Most of the fancier restaurants in La Paz are at the bottom of the Prado, around the vicinity of Plaza Isabel La Catolica and Plaza Avaroa.

• El Consulado, Calle Bravo 299 (Behind Hotel Plaza(Prado)). New place in La Paz. Best brunch in town, gourmet food in beautiful surroundings. Wifi and garden. Working with the "New Andean Kitchen" and organic coffee.
• Utama, top floor of Plaza Hotel, Av. 16 de Julio 1789 (Prado). With its fabulous view of the city, the Utama has served the likes of Fidel Castro and Alberto Fujimori (embattled former President of Peru), yet the main dishes (Bolivian and international, in portions ample for two) are only around Bs 50 (USD 6.50).
• Angelo Colonial, Calle Linares 922. A dark, bohemian cafe set in an old mansion decorated with scads of antiques. Serving Bolivian food and the best drip coffee in La Paz. Slow service.
• Tambo Colonial, in Hotel Rosario. Lavish breakfast buffet for Bs 20 (USD 2.50), great international and local food at night. Try the Lake Titicaca trout with Beni almonds: one of the best dishes I've had in Bolivia. Not open for lunch.
• Naira, Calle Sagarnaga 161. Catering mostly to travelers (and guests of the hotel -- see below), but a good sampling of Bolivian dishes. Expensive.
• Alo Cubano, Av. Aniceto de Arce. Best place to pretend you're back in the fifties plotting a pan-American revolution with Fidel and Che.
• Contigo Peru, second floor of Edificio Alameda (on the Prado). Good ceviche and other seafood.
• Eli's New York Deli, on the Prado. Try ordering with a thick New York accent and see what you get. Prices gone sky high this year.
• Sultan, San Miguel, Zona Sur. Great Arabic fastfood in a tiny setting. Try the falafel for 7 Bs. Order a "super" for 10 Bs if you're hungry and be there for lunch when the boss isn't around (bigger portions).
• There's a string of inexpensive pizza and hamburger joints on the west side of Avenida 6 de Agosto south of Plaza del Estudiante. Sergio's is considered the best, and is good for checking upcoming music venues.
• Pizzeria Italia, Calle Ilampu 809, serves nice breakfasts with a friendly smile.
• La Mia Pizzeria, Calle Ilampu, below one of the two "Pizzeria Italia" branches on Calle Ilampu. Cheaper than "Italia" with more american style pizzas. Take-away available.
• Al amir, Murillo 824, has nice Arabic food.
• 100% Natural, Calle Sagarnaga 95. The cheapest and most popular backpacker café on Sagarnaga. Often full, especially around 11 a.m., but serves huge sandwiches and great vegetarian burgers in a cosy atmosphere.
• The Star of India, Curry House / Take-Away can be found practically next door to Sol y Luna on calle Cochabamba - The best curry in La Paz some might say (and also can deliver to your hostel). Open from 12pm mid-day for lunch. Good veggie options. Tito, the owners dog can be quite amusing.
• Cafe Mediterraneo, Avenida Jaimes Freyre, Sopocachi. Italian pasta, fresh salmon & seafood, rabbit, salads, all good quality and well priced. Gringo owned by Zach and Andreas. Caters to mixed crowd.
• Café Ciudad, Plaza Estudiantes (Lower end of the Prado). Open 24 hours!!! Burgers 15-20 Bs, main courses 30-40 Bs.  edit

Local law prohibits serving alcohol after 4 AM. There are a number of speakeasies defying this.

Cafes

• Alexander The Great, Av. 16 de Julio 1832 and other locations. Many thought the legendary Macedonian slayer had long since died. Not so infact, although he is considerably tamer after a rough encounter with a fiery cholita.
• Blueberries, Av. 20 de Octubre 2475. This café serves af very delicious coffee, and also has a very appealing breakfast menu. The café is situated at the east end of Plaza Avaroa, where you may also find an "Alexanders Coffee".
• Pepe's Coffee Bar, Jimenez 894. Decent coffee and a nice calm getaway close to the tourist ghetto. Sandwiches are disappointingly small, but tasty. The "Trekker´s Breakfast" is huge and delicious.

Bars

• Oliver's Travels, Calle Murillo (opposite Sol y Luna) is a Northern English owned backpackers bar serving standard English fare at mid-range prices. (In)Famous for it's dishevelled proprietor Oli, whose colourful antics range from the drunken pathetic to the drunken obnoxious. Has wi-fi and tv for most sporting events and a GREAT book exchange (best in south america). Wednesday Nights are Theme orientated with fancy dress.
• Sol Y Luna, Calle Murillo, is a Dutch owned & managed traveller's hangout serving a good menu and mid-range prices. Good atmosphere, different areas, live music, free wi-fi zone, television, large screen for important football games, and a Pool Table.
• Irish, on Plaza Avoroa, pathetically named Irish themed bar. Under new ownership now that the argie benders have departed. Food is overpriced but good, and the cocktails are reasonable, though behind the above mentioned bars. Mostly frequented by Bolivians and should be scorned by real Oirish people.
• Traffic, in San Jorge is a bar with a good atmosphere and fairly good music. There is a large dance floor and a comfortable bar. Owner Asher has taken 6 steps back from managing the place.
• Antique Pub, at Pichincha 662 has recorded rock music, and all sorts of old things including fob watches, photographs, a kid's tricycle and a six shooter to keep you amused. They serve food too.

Clubbing

• Mongo's, Hermanos Manchego 2444, is one of the popular places for travellers with a good mix of locals but a few too many Israelis. Gringo males will have no problem getting their bone smooched at this little gem of a place. Live music. Open nightly till around 3:30 AM. Good mix of food, well priced.
• Ram Jam Presbitero Medina 2124, near Plaza Avaroa , is another popular place, Less gringos than Mongos. Serves Saya beer from Adventurebrew hostel. Occasional live gigs. 0,6 l beer 18 Bs. Saturday cover charge 10 Bs.
• Forum, Near Plaza Espana is a mostly Bolivian hangout though is La Paz's only proper disco venue. Upper class Bolivians frequent the establishment very dressed up. Worth a look if you're missing a big club with big pretensions.
• Gitanas, Zona Sur, Calle 8 de Calacoto, is a bar/club hangout for upper class youth of La Paz's South Zone.
• Hentai, Zona Sur, Coto Coto, is a pretty hip club in La Paz's rich South Zone that's slightly on the right side of pretentious. Good alternative to Mongo's or RamJam if you're sick of bumping into Gringos all the time. Dress well.
• Orange Club, Av. 6 de Agosto, Sopocachi, is a new club which boasts two dance areas, one techno the other typical dance music. Co-owned by Rick of 'Sol y Luna' and 'The Star of India' fame and Pablo of "Thunderbirds" fame. Good mix of locals and gringos.