Whatever bus you take in Bolivia, you are sure to hear the screams of “Potosi, Potosi, Potosiii” from the ticket touts. The call rings through the crowded terminals and chaotic streets to bring people to the right bus.
The reason for hopping on the bus to Potosi is to visit the city famous for two things: it is the world’s highest elevated city with more than 10,000 inhabitants and formerly the home to one of the most important yielding silver mines during the Spanish rule.
Having planned on staying for 1 night, we ended up spending 5 days in the city and discovered the sad and frightening history of the mines, tasted the delicious food and witnessed the incredible hospitality of the locals during the Aymara New Year.
Here are all the great things you can do in Potosi, where to eat and where to stay.
History of Potosi
Potosi was founded in the 1500s as a Spanish mining town. Local indigenous people from Bolivia and Peru, as well as African slaves, were brought to Potosi to mine Cerro Rico for Silver. The mines produced so much silver for the Spanish that the term “worth a Potosi” was used to describe something of high value and Potosi was considered the richest city in the world at the time.
The abuse of the mines and the miners left tens of thousands of people dead from many causes. Lung infections are one of the main reasons which reduced, and still reduces, the life expectancy of the miners to between 40-50 years. Child labourers were also very common, and some say they still are.
By the time Bolivia received its independence the mines were empty of all value. These days the government has stopped funding the mines, but about a thousand miners still work as part of a cooperative. They look for less profitable metals such as lead, zinc and copper, with the hopes of maybe finding silver. However, with no health care and dangerous conditions, the miners know their faith but have no other options to earn a living wage in the city.
Tourists now come to Potosi to take guided tours of the mines, one of the best Bolivia adventures you cannot miss!
Silver mines of Cerro Rico
The towering Cerro Rico dominates the city. For centuries the mountain provided wealth and security, but these days nothing more than hope keeps the mines open. Men venture into the depths of the “Rich Mountain” to earn a measly salary. However, some of the mines have been opened to tourism with tours entering the tunnels every day to show travellers the workers conditions and how to mine precious metals.
We came to Potosi for the mines, but after reading plenty on the topic we were unsure of the ethics of such tours. The descriptions of the working conditions, the wages, the health issues that almost certainly affect all who enter were enough to make us think twice. Steven decided to join a tour and to make up his own mind while Jenny, stood by her principles and stayed at the hostel eating plenty of Salteñas.
Most tours start around 7 am. You are being collected by van from your accommodation or tourist agency and brought to a safety briefing. Comes then the fun part of dressing up and trying sexy overalls and helmets. Once ready, the tour starts with a visit to a market in order to pick up “gifts” for the miners. At this market, you can buy anything from coca leaves to soda or dynamite and 96% alcohol…
During the tour, you will meet miners who will share their stories and will explain how to look for metal. You will go through small tunnels where the oxygen already quite rare at this altitude, feels even more sparse and dusty. Not activity for people suffering from claustrophobia. It takes about 2 to 3 hours to complete the tour.
Film/documentary to watch prior to visiting the mines
- The Devil’s Miner
- Vice – Bolivia’s Child Labourers
Booking a tour to visit the Cerro Rico’s mines
The tours tend to be cheaper with bigger groups, depending on negotiation skills which is why Steven joined forces with a group of French. We booked our tour with Koala Tours, which hires former miners as guides. They also have a hostel and a vegetarian café in town.
Climb San Francisco church for a bird-eye view
For the best views of Cerro Rico and the city, you can climb the steps to the roof of San Francisco Church. The red-tiled roof is a great place to relax in the mid-day sun and take in the city without the sounds and pollution of the buses below.
You can take a tour to visit the museum and the rooftop for 20 bolivianos. If you can’t make it, you can still ask permission for the rooftop access for only 10 Bs. Someone will show you the way and will let you enjoy the view for about 20 to 30 min before asking you to get back down.
You can also climb to the tower of la Compañía de Jesús for 10 Bs or the church of San Lorenzo de Carangas for more or less 10 Bs too. Just make sure to pop by these 3 places to check the timetable. They are indeed often closed to the public.
Join the Aymara New year festivities
Originally planning on meeting friends in Peru for the Inti Raymi festival, we instead found ourselves in Bolivia in the lead up to the important Andean New Year. While Uyuni and Tiwuanacu are famous places to witness celebrations of the new sun, many smaller and local celebrations can be found in every Bolivian town.
We were lucky enough to be invited to the local celebrations just outside of Potosi.
The Aymara New Year is a celebration welcoming the sun, therefore the party starts very early in the morning to be sure to see the sunrise. At 4 am, we gathered on top of a mountain with locals dressed in traditional clothing and preparing 96% alcohol cocktails.
During the 4 hours on top of the mountain; we danced, took part in Aymaran sacrifices to Pachamama, witnessed the slaughtering of a Llama and drank pure alcohol. An incredible experience that is unlikely to be forgotten.
READ MORE: THE AYMARA NEW YEAR PHOTO GALLERY
What else can you do in Potosi?
Plaza 10 de Noviembre
Being at altitude means two things, you will be fatigued and the nights will be very cold. But the good news is that the days are warm, which is a great excuse to sit around the central square relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere. Take in the shoe shiners, the photographers using ancient cameras, the zebras directing traffic and the Cholitas.
Casa Nacional de la Moneda
While under Spanish rule Potosi was home to the Spanish Colonial Mint where silver coins for use around the empire were produced. The Casa Nacional de la Moneda is the place to learn more about the history of silver production and use.
Mercado Central
As Casa Blanca hostel had a kitchen, we ventured down to Mercado central to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. For those who like to know where their food comes from, visit the meat section. There you will find everything from whole sheep carcasses to lungs hanging from poles, bowls our hearts and every piece of meat imaginable. Outside, meet the zebras directing traffic or the ladies selling goats cheese.
Where to eat in Potosi?
Salteñas is a type of Empañada that can be found in the northern part of Argentina (region of Salta) and in the whole country of Bolivia. Filled with chicken or meat, and vegetables, the Salteñas are sweet with a little bit of spice. Pure Perfection!
In our opinion, the best Salteñas in all of Bolivia can be found in Potosi. The unmarked Salteña shop – on 48 Linares, Potosi – is only open from 11 am, but expect queues of locals to start gathering at 10.30. That has to be a good sign. The Salteñas here are smaller than others we have tried, but that’s ok because they sell them by the half dozen. To find the shop, search for “C66X+55 Potosi, Bolivia” on Google and you will find it.
Otherwise, Potosi isn’t a culinary hub, but it does have many delicious fried chicken shops and a small but decent central market to pick up fresh fruit and veg or a cheap menu del dia. Try the chicken, chips and juice combo or take a seat in a cafe to get your Coca Tea fix, essential while in Potosi.
Be aware of the high altitude
Disembarking from any bus and the first thing that will hit you is how difficult it is to just walk around. At 4,100 meters above sea level, even walking the small inclines seemed like trekking a mountain.
The 2 minutes walk from the main square to our hostel left us huffing and puffing so a visit to the local market to pick up some coca leaves was our first stop, the rest of the day was spent acclimatizing to the high altitude.
Where to stay in Potosi?
Recommended by many backpackers while in Sucre, the Hostel Casa Blanca is a hit. (As of 2024, this hostel seems to be unfortunately closed) – A bit more expensive than the average stay in Bolivia, but the hostel has a nice vibe and is a good place to meet people. We will forever recommend this hostel because the owner was so nice to invite us to the new year celebrations just as we were thinking of leaving. Best to check availability online as they tend to be fully booked.
For those who don’t want to stay in a shared bedroom, have a look at the Hostal Colonial Potosi. They have a few rooms with single, double beds. Perfect for couples looking for tranquillity.
Best Hostels in Bolivia!
Looking for budget accommodations in Bolivia? Check out this complete guide to find the best selection of cheap hostels in the main Bolivian cities – Copacabana, La Paz, Sucre, Santa Cruz, Samaipata, and more!
Cost and Useful information
Exchange rate (avg. June-August 2017) : €1 = 7.82 Bs
Transport
Bus Sucre – Potosi: Bs 10 (€1.28) pp
Local bus from the terminal to main square: Bs 1.50 (€0.20) pp
Bus Potosi – Uyuni: Bs 25 (€3.20) pp
Leasure
Tour of the mines: Bs 100 (€14.29) pp
Gifts for the miners: Bs 19 (€2.71)
San Francisco Convent Entrance: Bs 20 (€2.55) pp
Accommodation
Hostel Casa Blanca – private room: Bs 140 (€17.90) pn
Hostel Casa Blanca – dorm room: Bs 58 (€3.51) pp/pn
Food
6 Salteñas: Bs 15 (€2.14)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jen – Owner, writer & photographer – has lived for the past 10 years across Oceania and Ireland while also travelling long-term in Latin America, North America and Europe. She has visited more than 60 countries and set foot on every continent in the world!
>> Favourite countries: New Zealand, Bolivia, Iceland.
>> Wishlist: Svalbard, Japan, Botswana, Alaska.
>> Philosophy: “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.
Jen is a coffee nerd, passionate about photography, wildlife and outdoor activities. Her organisation and curiosity make her a great travel companion always looking for DIY and off-the-grid adventures. For more info, check out the About page.
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How can you talk about the best salteñas and not let us know where to find them! We need to taste them, where are they in Potosi!?
Hi Erik!! Good point 🙂 I had to go on Google street map and even 2 years later I remembered where it was. Yeah!! – It’s on 48 Linares, Potosi
Look for “C66X+55 Potosi, Bolivia” on Google and you will find the spot. I think they are only opened in the morning. Can you send me half a dozen via the post? 😉
Thank you very much for such patient insight… I’m going to buy dynamites and coca leaves with my boyfriend this year!!! Yas!