Cochabamba

Busy, buzzy Cochabamba is one of Bolivia’s boom cities and has a distinct, almost Mediterranean vitality that perhaps owes something to its clement climate. The spacious, ever-expanding new-town avenues have a wide choice of restaurants, eagerly grazed by the food-crazy cochabambinos, and the bar scene is lively, driven by students and young professionals. It's also the base for outdoor adventures further afield, including trips to Parque Torotoro. You could easily find yourself staying a lot longer than planned.

The city’s name is derived from the Quechua khocha pampa, meaning 'swampy plain.' Cochabamba lies in a fertile green bowl, 15.5 miles (25km) long by 6.2 miles (10km) wide, set in a landscape of fields and low hills. To the northwest rises Cerro Tunari (16,568ft (5050m)), the highest peak in central Bolivia.

Explore Cochabamba

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Cochabamba.

  • Palace

    Palacio Portales

    Nothing symbolizes Bolivia's gilded mineral age like tin baron Simón Patiño's European-style Palacio Portales. Though he never actually inhabited this…

  • Landmark

    Cristo de la Concordia

    This immense Christ statue standing atop Cerro de San Pedro (2800m) behind Cochabamba is the second largest of its kind in the world. It's 44cm higher…

  • Convent

    Convento de Santa Teresa

    The noble, timeworn Convento de Santa Teresa is straight out of a Gabriel García Márquez novel. Guided tours (around 45 minutes) of this gracefully…

  • House

    Villa Albina

    If you haven’t already had your fill of Simón Patiño’s legacy in Oruro and Cochabamba, you can visit Villa Albina in the village of Pairumani and tour the…

  • Market

    La Cancha

    Sprawling, chaotic and claustrophobic, Cochabamba's main market, while lacking an attractive mise-en-scène, is nevertheless a colorful place to wander…

  • Museum

    Museo Arqueológico de la UMSS

    The Museo Arqueológico provides an excellent overview of Bolivia’s various indigenous cultures. The collection is split into three sections: the…

  • Lake

    La Angostura

    This artificial lake on the ever-expanding southern outskirts of Cochabamba is a popular spot for cochabambinos. However, the lake itself is not an…

  • Church

    Catedral Metropolitana

    On the arcaded Plaza 14 de Septiembre, Cochabamba's cathedral is the valley’s oldest religious building, begun in 1542 as a tiny stone-and-adobe structure…

  • Church

    Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco

    Constructed in 1581, the Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco is Cochabamba’s second-oldest church. However, major revisions and renovations occurred in…

  • Church

    Iglesia de Santo Domingo

    This rococo church was founded in 1612, but construction didn’t begin until 1778. Its intriguing main facade is made of stone, with anthropomorphic…

  • Church

    Iglesia de la Recoleta

    North of the river, the baroque Iglesia de la Recoleta (construction began in 1654) houses the attractive wooden Cristo de la Recoleta.

  • Landmark

    Templo Santa Clara

    This church and its accompanying convent of the same name were built in the early 20th century in an unadorned Gothic style.

  • Church

    Iglesia del Hospicio

    This church, built in 1875, combines neoclassical, baroque and Byzantine elements.

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Cochabamba.

  • Activities