Bolivia

Discover Bolivia

Fun Foods

Salteñas, Silpancho, Tucumanas, Llajwa

Bolivia is called "Beggar on a Throne of Gold" because it sits on massive mineral wealth but remains one of South America's poorest countries. That's the kind of contradiction that makes this place fascinating.

Long before the Spanish showed up, the Tiwanaku people built an advanced civilization around Lake Titicaca. Then the Inca Empire rolled in during the 1400s and took over.

The Spanish conquered Bolivia in the 1530s and immediately started mining all that silver. They called it Upper Peru and worked indigenous people to death in the mines for almost 300 years.

In the 1780s, an indigenous leader named Túpac Amaru II tried to kick out the Spanish. He failed, but his rebellion showed that people were done with Spanish rule.

Simón Bolívar led the fight for independence in the 1820s. Bolivia got its name from him when it became its own country in 1825.

Here's the heartbreaker. Bolivia lost its only access to the ocean in the War of the Pacific against Chile in 1879. The country still celebrates a "Day of the Sea" every year, hoping to get their coastline back someday.

Despite this tough history, Bolivia has some of the most incredible landscapes on Earth. Visit the Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flats. When it rains, the flats turn into a giant mirror that reflects the sky. It looks like you're walking on clouds.

La Paz is the world's highest capital city at 3,640 meters above sea level. Take the cable cars across the city for amazing views. The Valle de la Luna has weird rock formations that look like you're on another planet.

Lake Titicaca is the highest lake in the world where boats can sail. You can visit floating islands made entirely of reeds.

Bolivians know how to celebrate their culture. Bolivia's Carnival of Oruro is a UNESCO World Heritage event where 28,000 dancers perform in wild costumes. The main dance is called the Diablada, where people dress as devils and dance for 20 hours straight.

Every January, La Paz holds the Alasitas Fair. People buy tiny versions of things they want, like miniature houses or cars, and give them to Ekeko, the god of abundance. It's like making a wish with props.

After all that dancing and celebrating, you'll be hungry. Salteñas are Bolivia's version of empanadas, filled with beef, potatoes, and a sweet-spicy sauce. Eat them for breakfast like locals do.

Silpancho is a monster meal with breaded beef, rice, potatoes, fried egg, and salsa all on one plate. Anticuchos are grilled beef heart skewers that taste way better than they sound.