La Paz Travel Guide
At 3,650 meters (11,975 ft) above sea level, Bolivia's capital La Paz is the world's highest administrative capital and tourists need make sure to acclimatize gradually to the city's high altitude. Originally named Nuestra Senora de la Paz (Our Lady of Peace), La Paz lies in a very large canyon in the mountains, with the triple-peaked Mount Illimani, 6,438 meters (21,122 ft), looming in the background.
La Paz is one of South America's fastest growing cities and the center for industry, finance and commerce, in Bolivia. Moreover, tacked on to La Paz, to the west of the canyon, is the satellite city of El Alto, with a population of 650,000. El Alto International Airport is the highest international airport in the world (13,325 feet above mean sea level).
There are plenty of historical sights and museums as La Paz is an important cultural center of Bolivia.
The city hosts several cathedrals belonging to the colonial times, such as the San Francisco Cathedral, founded in 1548, and the Metropolitan Cathedral, built in 1835. The Metropolitan Cathedral is located on Murillo Square, which is home of the administrative and political power of Bolivia. Hundreds of different museums can be found across the city, the most notable ones are on Jaén Street. Tourists can visit the National Museum of Archeology, the Gold Museum, the Natural History Museum, the National Art Museum or the “Museo de la Coca”.
Formerly a big tourist attraction, La Paz's San Pedro Prison is one of the world's most bizarre jails, very different from most correctional facilities. The prisoners work to pay for their cells, some of which are extremely luxurious; they have unions, they elect their leaders, and they often live with their families.