Things to do in Cochabamba
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AndesXtremo
Offers climbing, rafting, canyoning, trekking, and paragliding excursions.
reviewed
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Cristo de la Concordia
This immense statue stands atop Cerro de San Pedro behind Cochabamba. It's a few centimeters higher than the famous Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro, which stands 33m high, or one meter for each year of Christ's life. Cochabambinos justify the one-upmanship by claiming that Christ actually lived 33 años y un poquito (33 years and a bit).
There's a footpath from the base of the mountain (1250 steps) but several robberies have been reported, particularly around sunset. Safer and sweatless is the teleférico (cable car). On Sunday, you can climb right to the top of the statue and get an even better overview of the city.
The closest public transportation access is on micro L…
reviewed
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Mercado Cancha Calatayud
Cochabamba is Bolivia's biggest market town. The main market is the enormous La Cancha, which is one of the most crowded, chaotic, claustrophobic and exhilarating spots in the country. Around the markets you'll find just about everything imaginable, but keep an eye out for pickpockets.
The largest and most accessible area is Mercado Cancha Calatayud, which sprawls across a wide area along Av Aroma and south toward the former railway station. Here is your best opportunity to see local dress, which differs strikingly from that of the Altiplano.
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Sole Mio
The best pizzas in Cochabamba are to be found here. The owners, encouragingly, are from Napoli and import the ingredients for their robust brick-oven, wood-fired pizzas – thin crust, light on the sauce. Soft opera music, rich Italian wines and excellent service make this a comfortable place to linger a while over a meal. They also serve a range of meat and pasta entrées.
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Páprika
One of the ‘in’ spots, this is a block removed from the roar of Av Ballivián, and is a quiet leafy place popular for its food – both Bolivian and international, including tasty baked potatoes and fondues. After dark it becomes a trendy spot for a late drink and is also a good place to meet up with young Bolivians.
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Tunari
With the distinction of being the oldest restaurant in the city, this local favorite specializes in the sort of things you either love or hate: grilled kidneys (a patent local hangover cure), tripe and tasty chorizo. But if innards aren’t your thing, there are other typical Cochabamba plates.
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Escuela Runawasí
The Escuela Runawasí offers a recommended program that involves linguistic and cultural immersion. It also includes a trip to a relaxing Chapare rainforest hideout.
reviewed
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Markets
Cochabamba is Bolivia's biggest market town. The main market is the enormous La Cancha, which is one of the most crowded, chaotic, claustrophobic, and exhilarating spots in the country. You'll find it near Plaza 14 de Septiembre. Around the town's markets you'll find just about everything imaginable, but keep an eye out for pickpockets.
The largest and most accessible area is Mercado Cancha Calatayud, which sprawls across a wide area along Av Aroma and south toward the former railway station. Here is your best opportunity to see local dress, which differs strikingly from that of the Altiplano.
The Mercado Incallacta and Mercado de Ferias spill out around the old railway st…
reviewed
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Museo Arqueológico
The Museo Arqueológico has an excellent overview of Bolivia’s various indigenous cultures. The collection is split into three sections: the archaeological collection, the ethnographic collection and the paleontological collection. The first deals primarily with indigenous culture from the Cochabamba region. Look out for the Tiwanaku section; their shamans used to snort lines of hallucinogenic powder through elegant bone tubes. The ethnographic collection provides material from Amazonian and Chaco cultures including examples of non-alphabetized writing, which is from the 18th century and was used to bring Christianity to the illiterate Indians. The paleontological collect…
reviewed
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Convento de Santa Teresa
The most interesting building in town is the noble, timeworn Convento de Santa Teresa. Visits to this timeless and gracefully decaying complex are by guided tour only and provide a snapshot of the extraordinary lives led by the cloistered nuns that inhabit it. You see the peaceful cloister, fine altarpieces and sculptures (from Spanish and Potosí schools), the convent church, and even get to ascend to the roof for a glorious view over the city. The convent was founded in 1760, then destroyed in an earthquake; the new church was built with an excess of ambition, and was too big to be domed. The existing church was built inside it in 1790. There’s still a Carmelite communit…
reviewed
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Villa Albina
In the village of Pairumani you can visit Villa Albina and tour the home the tin baron - Simon Patino, actually occupied. This enormous white mansion was named for his wife. Albina was presumably as fussy as her husband when it came to the finer things in life, and the elegant French decor of the main house and the Carrara-marble mausoleum seem typical of royalty anywhere in the world. There’s a formal garden, complete with topiary and the family mausoleum in which the Don and his wife were finally laid to rest.
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Cochalita
There's tasty street food and snacks all over Cochabamba, with the papas rellenas (potatoes filled with meat or cheese) at the corner of Achá and Villazón particularly delicious. Great salteñas and empanadas are ubiquitous; for the latter, try Cochalita, which has a range of delicious fillings and also does ice creams. Locals swear by the anticuchos (beef-heart shish kebabs) that sizzle all night at the corner of Av Villaroel and Av América.
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Iglesia & Convento de San Francisco
Constructed in 1581, the Iglesia & Convento de San Francisco is Cochabamba’s second-oldest church. Major revisions and renovation occurred in 1782 and 1925, however, and little of the original structure remains. The attached convent and cloister were added in the 1600s. The cloister was constructed of wood rather than the stone that was customary at the time. The pulpit displays good examples of mestizo design, and there’s a fine gold retable.
reviewed
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Spanish Courses
Cochabamba is a popular place to hole up for a few weeks of Spanish or Quechua lessons. Several cultural centers offer courses.
There are plenty of private teachers who offer instruction but not all are experienced. You may have to try several before finding one that brings out the best of your abilities. The Centro Boliviano-Americano has a list of recommended teachers.
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Cochabamba Cathedral
This cathedral is the valley's oldest religious structure, begun in 1571. Later additions and renovations have removed some character, but it preserves a fine eastern portal. Inside it is light and airy, with various ceiling paintings. There are statues of several saints, a gilded altarpiece and a grotto for the Inmaculada (Virgin of the Immaculate Conception).
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La Estancia
One of a knot of spacious restaurants just across the river in Recoleta, this Argentine-style grill is a fine place. There are thick, juicy steaks (it’s worth upgrading to the Argentine meat), ribs and kidneys, as well as fish and chicken, all sizzled on the blazing grill in the middle. There’s also a decent salad bar and very good service.
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Uno’s
Tasty and remarkably cheap, with vegetarian buffet fare served on plastic, prison-style trays. They also do good fruit salads and soy burgers, but there’s no alcohol served. Blink and you’ll miss it, though – there is no sign outside and it’s barely larger than a walk-in closet.
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Casa de Campo
A Cochabamba classic, this loud and cheerful partly open-air restaurant is a traditional spot to meet, eat, and play cacho (dice). There’s a big range of Bolivian dishes and grilled meats; the food is fine (and piled high on the plates), but the lively, unpretentious atmosphere is better.
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Búfalo’s Rodizio
This all-you-can-eat Brazilian-style grill has smart waiters bringing huge hunks of delicious meat to your table faster than you can pick up your fork. There’s a large salad bar, but, let’s face it, it’s designed for the carnivore. It’s on the 2nd floor of a shopping arcade; take the lift.
reviewed
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Casablanca
Both restaurant and bar, this spot is popular with both locals and visitors and always has a busy buzz. As one might expect, there are dodgy Bogart murals on the walls. The place also offers a large range of international dishes, and drinks until late. Service is very poor.
reviewed
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Espresso Café Bar
Just behind the cathedral, this wins the ‘best coffee in town’ award. It’s an attractive, traditional-looking place with pleasant staff. It also serves good juices. A word of advice – don’t order a ‘large’ espresso unless caffeine is more of a compulsion than a pleasure.
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Iglesia de Santo Domingo
The rococo Iglesia de Santo Domingo was founded in 1612 but construction didn’t begin until 1778. The intriguing main facade is made of stone, with anthropomorphic columns. The interior, with a much-revered Trinity, is less interesting.
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Mercado de Ganado
The fascinating Mercado de Ganado livestock market operates Wednesdays and Sundays at the end of Avenida Panaméricana, far to the south of the center; it's worth taking a taxi out there to see it in operation. As always, it pays to get there early-ish.
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Brazilian Coffee Bar
This Brazilian chain spot does a weird mixture of coffee, sushi and alcohol. The sushi reminds you why the Brazilian’s aren’t famed for it, but the coffee and booze are passable. It claims to be open 24 hours.
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Marka
This tucked-away bar set back off Calle Ecuador next to La Republika is a fine, relaxed spot to enjoy low-key music, friendly service, and good mixed drinks. There's live music - jazz and blues - every now and then.
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