Information On City of Copacabana, Bolivia

Department of La Paz, City of Copacabana

History

Copacabana is a small town located on the Bolivian shore of Lake Titicaca. Situated relatively close to the capital of La Paz, it's a popular resort destination for foreign travellers and locals alike.

This is the original Copacabana -- actually lending its name to the beach in Rio (and yes, the Barry Manilow song). The name derives from the Aymara kota kawana, meaning "view of the lake", and the region was revered by the Inca even before the Spaniards built their chapel of the Virgin and turned it into a Catholic pilgrimage site.

The town's central square is Plaza 2 de Febrero, and from there Avenida 6 de Agosto slides down to the lakeside. It's packed with souvenir shops, hostels, and restaurants, largely catering to foreign tourists. Avenida Jaregui one block north has a more local feel, with street markets and grocery stores.

How to Get There

By land:

Buses leave from La Paz' cemetery bus terminal; the fare is around Bs16 and travel time is 3-1/2 hours. At the Tiquina Strait, you get off the bus and take a quick ferry ride (Bs1.50) to pick up the bus (which is ferried across by barge) on the other side. Buses arrive in Copacabana at Plaza 2 de Febrero and leave from Plaza Sucre.

Buses also leave from Puno in Peru, and take roughly the same 3-1/2 hours to arrive in Copacabana; half an hour is typically spent at the border, just 5 miles south of Copacabana.

Vans and/or shared cabs leave for the Peruvian border from Plaza Sucre as soon as they fill up. 3 Bs, 30 minutes. From the border to the Peruvian town of Yungani its about 2 km, 1 Sol by van. From Yungani to Puno buses and vans leave several times every hour, 5 Soles. This way is somewhat slower and less comfortable, but cheaper, than direct buses.

It is possible to get to/from Sorata without going back to La Paz. Get on a La Paz bound bus/minibus/micro from either town, tell the driver you wish to go to Sorata/Copacabana and you will be dropped off at the small lakeside town of Huarina (2 hours from La Paz). Cross the road and wait for a Sorata/Copacabana bound bus/minibus with space to pass. They should honk their horn if they have space and see people waiting, but it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out and flag one down if you see it first. Best to get started early as you may have a bit of a wait at Huarina - it should still be quicker than going all the way to La Paz then 2 hours back in the same direction though.

Main Attractions

• Copacabana Cathedral, completed in 1619, is one of the oldest churches in Bolivia and is a fine example of Moorish style architecture. (The current structure dates to 1805.) It houses the statue of La Virgen de la Candelaria (also called the "Dark Virgin"), reputed to have miraculous healing powers. The original statue was carved from cactus in 1583 by Francisco Tito Yupanqui, nephew of Inca emperor Huayna Capac. It has made the church Bolivia's most revered pilgrimage site, and its reputation traveled far and wide in its time, even leading someone to create a replica and build a chapel for it on a beach in Brazil...
• The imposing hill of Cerro Calvario overlooks the town from the north end of the beach, and it's a moderately strenous 30-minute climb. There are fourteen stations of the cross along the way, where you may want to stop and pray for stronger legs and lungs. The best time to go is around sunset, and hope the weather cooperates.
  On the other end of the shore are two hills with ancient Inca ruins.
• There's hardly any point in going to Copacabana without a trip to Isla del Sol. Boats leave around 8:30 for full day tours with stops at the north and south of the island. Half day tours are also available in the afternoons, typically visiting just the south.
• Walk all the way to Yampupata. It's about 17 kilometres or 4-5 hours, along a dirt road with a few ups and downs and very little traffic. The scenery on the way is superb. If you don't want to continue to Isla del Sol, it can be kind of hard to arrange transport back. A better option is probably to go there by car/bus/truck and return on foot. This also brings the advantage of walking with the sun mostly in your back.

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