Sucre and Potosi holidays
Sucre and Potosi holidays at a glance
These two cities tell the story of colonial Bolivia between them, and they could hardly feel more different. Sucre is the country’s constitutional capital and its most graceful city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of whitewashed walls, red-tiled roofs and baroque churches, sitting at a comfortable 2,800m. It’s a university town, young and easy-going, best enjoyed by wandering the plazas, ducking into a courtyard café and visiting the Casa de la Libertad, where Bolivia’s declaration of independence was signed in 1825.
A few hours south and much higher, at over 4,000m, Potosí is a harder, more haunting place. Silver was found in its mountain, Cerro Rico, in 1545, and the city that grew beneath it became one of the largest and wealthiest on earth, minting the coins that funded the Spanish crown. That wealth came at a terrible human cost, and the city today is a UNESCO site that wears its past openly, its grand churches and mansions rising from streets still shadowed by the mountain.
Together they make a rewarding pair, and the surrounding highlands add another layer. At Tarabuco, a couple of hours from Sucre, one of Bolivia’s finest indigenous markets fills with weavers from the villages around, their intricate textiles among the best in the Andes.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Sucre and Potosi
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
It’s the more comfortable city to sleep in at altitude, and the drive up to Potosí is a fine one in its own right. Try to catch the Tarabuco market if you’re there on a Sunday.
When to visit Sucre and Potosi
Both cities sit high in the southern altiplano, so expect strong sun by day and cold nights year-round, with Potosí colder for its greater altitude. The year divides into a drier and a wetter season.
This is the driest time of year in both cities, with the least rain falling between May – Aug. Temperatures can be chilly, particularly in Jun – Jul, and nights are very cold in high altitude Potosí. In general you should see plenty of sunshine and blue skies, and there are many exciting cultural events which make this the perfect time to visit. An exhilarating car rally begins and ends in Sucre in May, both cities host a fortnight of events for the Festival International de la Cultura in Oct – Nov, and in September there is singing and poetry in celebration of the Virgen de Guadalupe in Sucre.
There is less sunshine and increased rainfall from Dec – Mar. However, this is still a good time to visit for local festivities: the Carnival Minero in Potosí falls between February and March, involving miners dancing down the Cerro Rico hill carrying the effigy of their underground god El Tio. There is also a fortnight of cultural events for the Festival International de la Cultura from October – November.
Top Things to do in Sucre and Potosi
This is a region for wandering colonial streets and delving into Bolivia’s past. Here’s what we recommend.
Haggle for souvenirs at the colourful market of Tarabuco, where locals in traditional Yampara costume come to trade every Sunday.
Visit the historic mint that once overflowed with the wealth of South America’s richest city.
Accommodation in Sucre and Potosi
Accommodation here plays to the cities’ colonial character, and we hand-pick each one for setting and comfort. In Sucre, our favourites include converted colonial mansions around the old centre, full of character yet walkable to the plazas and markets. In and around Potosí, choices are simpler and more historic, from restored townhouses to a former hacienda in the hills outside the city.
Well-located hotel in central Potosí with comfortable rooms and an indoor pool.
Delightful rural accommodation on a dairy farm with a museum and chapel close to Potosí.
Small and elegant colonial hotel in the centre of Sucre, decorated in a style befitting its history but with nods to contemporary interior design.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Holidays to Sucre and Potosi
Group Sucre and Potosi Tours
Our group tours follow expertly designed, well-planned routes with an experienced local guide throughout. Prefer to keep it to your own party? Book the same trips privately for four or more.
Hummingbird: Ocean to ocean
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Iguazu Falls – Argentinian side · Buenos Aires · Sucre and Potosi · La Paz and the altiplano · Lake Titicaca – Bolivian side · Lake Titicaca – Peruvian side · Cusco · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Lima
21 days from £5,861
Tailor-Made Sucre and Potosi Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Discover Bolivia and northwest Argentina
Places visited: Buenos Aires · Salta · Uyuni salt flats · Sucre and Potosi · La Paz and the altiplano
14 days from £4,800
Signature Bolivia: The final frontier
Places visited: La Paz and the altiplano · Uyuni salt flats · Sucre and Potosi · Santa Cruz and the Oriente
15 days from £4,800
FAQs about visiting Sucre and Potosi
Sucre and Potosi is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- When's the best time to visit Sucre and Potosi?
Most rain falls Dec-Mar in both cities: there is a little less sunshine in this period in what are otherwise sunny cities. Potosí is at a higher altitude and can be very cold at night, especially in Jun-Jul.
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- What's the official language of Sucre and Potosi?
Spanish.
- What's the time difference between Sucre, Potosi and UK?
GMT -4 hours.
- What places combine well with Sucre and Potosi?
La Paz, (416km) Bolivia’s capital city accessible by air in 1hr; the salt lakes of Uyuni, close to the Chilean border; Santa Cruz in the eastern lowlands (260km), close to interesting Jesuit missions and bio-diverse Ambor National Park, 30 mins by air.
- How do I get to Sucre and Potosi?
Fly to Sucre from La Paz (1hr) or Santa Cruz 30mins), Potosí is accessible by road from La Paz (11hrs), Uyuni (7hrs) and Sucre (2-3hrs).
- What are the festivals and cultural events in Sucre and Potosi?
Carnival Minero (Potosí): Feb or Mar, 2 weeks before the Oruro Carnival. Miners dance down from the Cerro Rico, mineral-rich hill dominating the town, carrying the effigy of their god El Tio who normally resides underground.
End May: An exciting car rally begins and ends in Sucre.
Virgin de Guadalupe: 7-8 Sept in Sucre, fiesta singing and poetry, with traditional (is not an English word) dancing in costumes from all over the country.
Festival International de la Cultura: Oct-Nov, Sucre and Potosí: a fortnight of events.
- How do I get local currency in Sucre and Potosi?
Peso boliviano. Notes in local currency can be withdrawn from several ATMs in central Sucre and Potosí. There are also money exchanges (casas de cambio), shops and banks which exchange US dollars. (a few may accept euros or sterling but the rate may be poor).
Ready to start planning?
Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.