OUR DESTINATIONS
Let us help you find your perfect holiday by phoning us on
We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
Alternatively, check out some of our holiday offers below.
- Destinations
- South America
- Bolivia
- Potosi
Potosi
UNESCO declared this a World Heritage Site because of its rich
history and Spanish architecture. Potosi is known as the Imperial
City and is situated at the foot of Cerro Rico (Rich Mountain)
famed for its mineral wealth. The Spanish created one of the most
important and populous cities on the continent, after the discovery
of the silver-rich mountain in 1545. Situated at an altitude of
more than 13,123ft (4,000m), it is also the highest city in the
world although not quite the thriving metropolis that it once was,
though there is still a Spanish saying:
valer un Potosi(to be worth a Potosi), meaning to be worth
a fortune.
The architecture is its main attraction with a distinct Spanish
influence evident in the houses and beautiful churches. There are
an astounding 80 colonial churches in the city filled with art and
artefacts from their history, notably the Convent of San Francisco
and the Convent of Santa Teresa.
A visit to the city would be amiss without a trip to the mines
of Cerro Rico where miners, working in appalling conditions, chip
away at the rock walls in the hope of riches to come.
Information & Facts
Climate
Being the highest city in the world, Potosi is a very chilly
place for most of the time. Temperatures are consistently low all
year round, and bouts of icy rain are common. Snow falls during
winter.
Getting Around
Taxis are generally cheap and plentiful around Potosi. It is
recommended to check the fare or negotiate a price before you leave
as some charge per person, which could cause arguments when it
comes to paying.
Language
Spanish is the official language, but only 60 to 70% of
the people actually speak it, and then often only as a second
language. The other main languages are Quechua and
Aymar.
Money
The official currency is the Boliviano (BOB), which is divided
into 100 centavos, and is tied to the US Dollar. Money can be
exchanged at exchange bureaux called
casio de cambiosin the main centres, at banks and hotels.
Banking facilities are good in the main cities and ATMs cater for
Visa, Cirrus and MasterCard. Many hotels and other tourist-oriented
institutions accept US Dollars. Major credit cards, including
MasterCard, Diners, Visa and American Express, are accepted in the
bigger hotels, restaurants and shops. Travellers cheques can be
exchanged in
casio de cambiosin the major cities and are best taken in
US Dollars to avoid additional charges.
Time