Sucre (map) is the official capital of the country, though most of the government is based in *La Paz. Its center is a UNESCO world heritage site, and it is a pretty city with welcoming people and a peaceful atmosphere.

Sucre is generally known as a great city to kick back in. While the city centre can be seen in a day (add another day or two if you like museums, churches, cafes, or moving slowly), the surrounding countryside is rich in other attractions, from traditional villages to trekking through the mountains of the Cordillera de las Frailes.

Although Sucre can be considered a “colonial” city, its architecture is more an example of later, neo-classical style. The dishevelled, crooked streets of Potosí better reflect the chaotic urban planning of early colonialism and the silver rush, while orderly, elegant Sucre is a result of the wealth later spawned by the silver trade.

November to March are the rainiest months. May to August see virtually no rain at all, though this is also the coldest time of the year.

Sucre is a small city and the center is very walkable. For the most part, you won’t need to move more than five blocks from Plaza 25 de Mayo (map), the main square.

*Cal Orck’o (Parque Cretácico, map). A collection of dinosaur footprints imprinted on a 70 degree sloping wall of a limestone quarry, which used to be a lake floor.

Plaza 25 de Mayo (map). The heart of Sucre, surrounded by the cathedral (map), the office of prefecture, the town hall, the historic Casa de la Libertad, as well as a swag of restaurants and bars.

La Recoleta (map). Walk up Calle Dalence (“Pantaleón Dalence”), Grau, or Calvo (“Daniel Calvo”) from the central plaza to La Recoleta, a spot up on a hill with a plaza and old buildings. Although there are often events here, as well as a monastery (Convento de la Recoleta), church and museum, the main attraction is definitely the view of Sucre. At the entry to La Recoleta there is a small but rich market where native people sell weawings and handicraft.

Maragua (map). One of the most popular destinations outside of Sucre is Maragua crater, a region of unusual rock formations. The crater is not volcanic (contrary to what some say), but was formed by erosion. (Maragua Trail (green). Distance: 30.5 km, hilly. Duration: 2 days.)

If you need to buy a ticket in advance, a good website is ⇒ Tickets Bolivia.

BUS: Sucre Bus Terminal (The terminal is about 2 km from the city centre, map). Bus transportation in Bolivia is a nice cheap way to get to see the beautiful scenery while traveling to your destination. Unfortunately the buses often travel solely at night. Buses generally do not need to be booked ahead, especially for common distances served by many companies.

TRAIN: On some routes, the roads are in such a dire condition that the train becomes the alternative of choice. Trains are more comfortable than one would expect, having for example reclinable seats. The trip from *Oruro to *Uyuni is especially beautiful, with the train going literally through an Andean lake on the way. The train is especially good for trips to the Salar de Uyuni and the Pantanal.

AIRPORT: The main airports are in La Paz to the western side of the country and in Santa Cruz to the east ⇒ www.sabsa.aero.

Bolivia was my favorite country while backpacking South America and our first stop was in Sucre. So what is there to do here or why should you visit?

This budget travel friendly country is home to so many amazing things to do, and Sucre is home to one of the world’s largest collections of Dinosaur footprints! Seeing where these giants once roamed was an amazing experience.

Bolivia also ticks all the boxes for being an adventure and budget friendly destination, so hit subscribe and learn more about all of the beautiful places here including Uyuni and the Amazon.

⇒ video source: Life by Linda /youtube.com/

• Carnival of Oruro
• City of Potosi
• City of Sucre
• Salar de Uyuni