The lakeside town of Copacabana Bolivia is nestled between two hills facing the world’s highest navigable body of water, Lake Titicaca. Often only used as a stopover for travelers from Puno (Peru) to Bolivia’s capital, La Paz. For the curious traveler, Copacabana is worth more than a couple day’s stop and should be explored.
1. Hike to the hilltop of Cerro Calvario
The Cerro Calvario, or Stations of the Cross, is used for meditation by devout Catholics. The cross, which is visible on the waterfront, sits on top of a hill overlooking the Copacabana waterfront and Lake Titicaca. While it may not look daunting at first, you’ll soon breathe heavily and be grasping onto each molecule of oxygen as you try to make your way up. Lake Titicaca’s surface elevation sits at 12,507 feet (3,812 meters).
The hike up the Cerro Calvario requires a Herculean effort if you haven’t acclimated, but you should be able to manage it. Just take your time and walk at a manageable pace. The views at the top are worthwhile. If you make your way up late you can avoid the crowds and the annoying hawkers and catch a breathtaking sunset.
View From Cerro Calvario
2. Chill at the Waterfront
Lake Titicaca has a vast volume of water spread out in such expanse it feels like you’re in an ocean instead of a lake. The views of the waterfront are stunning and relaxed. Feels like a beach and packed with restaurants, bars, and street various street vendors selling trinkets. In the summer, the water is warm enough for a swim but you can chill at a beachfront bar with a cold Cerveza or pisco sour.
A lot of the restaurants advertise “Free Wi-Fi” but only a few have it. I think it’s a ploy to get customers to go into the restaurant. Test it out before you order something and move on if it doesn’t. If you are traveling with kids in Lake Titicaca, check out my this cool guide from my friends at The Wandering Wagars: What To See At Lake Titicaca With Kids.
Chill At The Waterfront Copacabana
STAY LIKE A LOCAL! |
---|
Do you want to know how to make travel (especially long-term) interesting? Stay like a local! To experience a place like a local rather than a tourist gives a whole new dimension to any adventure. I use Airbnb to rent anything from a room to an entire house. If that's not attractive enough, how about $55 off your first stay via Airbnb?
|
3. Try the Trucha (Salmon Trout)
It’s served at every single restaurant on the waterfront. It’s fished and caught fresh from the lake. Trucha is Spanish for trout and it’s plentiful in Lake Titicaca. There are several versions of the dish. You can have it grilled, fried, or sautéed. My favorite is Trucha à la Diabla. It’s trout sautéed with onions, tomatoes, and spices. The dish comes with fries, rice, and salad. It’s also cheap. You’ll only pay $3 per meal.
4. Visit the Sun (Sol) and Moon (Luna) Islands
There are several tourist sales offices in the center of town where you can book a day or overnight on the Isla Del Sol or Isla de la Luna. The islands are small but full of character. You can hike the entire circumference of each island in less than 4 hours. There are plenty of prehistoric ruins to discover and it’s just plain fun exploring the little islands.
FIND THE BEST FLIGHT DEALS! |
---|
Hey guys, travel is expensive but one of the first things you can save on and be smart about is your flight tickets and hotels. Skyscanner finds me the best deals in flights and sometimes hotels. Click on the button below and set up a price tracker alert to score you the best flight deals and travel more!
|
You’ll need plenty of cash. Several stores and vendors operate in the islands but they close early and have inflated prices. There’s a restaurant at the top of Isla Del Sol, called Las Vellas that offer vegetarian pizza. The views are magnificent and worth checking out.
5. Check out the Basilica
While it’s surrounded by the local market in the center of town, it’s hard to miss the Basilica. There’s a Moorish look to its architecture it feels like it doesn’t belong in the town. Ornate gold and silver accents cover the most elegant structure in all of Copacabana. The Basilica is dedicated to the patron saint of Bolivia, the Virgen de Copacabana.
6. Take a Stroll in the Avenida 6 de Agosto
This is the main street in Copacabana. Here you’ll find Cafes, bars, and restaurant of all sorts. You can’t miss it. It’s not for the faint of heart but still worth the experience. Why? There’s a bunch of aggressive hawkers shoving their restaurant’s menus at your faces trying to usher you into their restaurant. Most of this is in the lower half of the street and it mellows down as you make your way up towards the Cathedral where there are fewer restaurants and more vendors selling fruits and local produce.
Intangibles
It won’t take long before you’ll notice that there’s a lot of trash everywhere. Littering is just something of the ordinary here so don’t let it bother you. There are also a lot of aggressive hawkers, peddlers, and vendors. They’ll get up on your face trying to get you to spend money on something worthless. They’re very aggressive and persistent to where they become annoying. Avoid eye contact and learn to say, “No, gracias!” and move on. Aside from that, Copacabana is a beautiful place.
Can’t find good coffee in Bolivia? You can find it at the El Condor & the Eagle Cafe which is an Irish restaurant owned by an Irish guy who married a Bolivian. It’s the strangest place to find an Irish restaurant but it’s by far one the best restaurant in the Avenida 6 de Agosto.
GETTING TO COPACABANA BOLIVIA
- Take care of your Visa requirements prior to entry to Bolivia. American’s have it harder to get into Bolivia.
- The closest airports are in Juliaca, Peru and El Alto in La Paz.
- From Peru, there are buses from Puno to Copacabana. It takes about 4 hours with about an hour spent sorting out your visa at the border. From La Paz, there’s a bus at the cemetery terminal. It will cross Tiquina Strait on a ferry and takes about 4 hours. Beware, pickpocketing is rampant here. Keep an eye on your valuables at all times.
- The Avenida 6 de Agostofunnels down to the waterfront town’s central square, Plaza 2 de Febrero.
- Brings lots of cash. Credit cards aren’t widely used.
VIEW MAP!
GOING TO COPACABANA BOLIVIA?
- Save money from epic photography gear guides and round-ups
- Discover new destinations near and far
- Learn to travel better and longer from travel tips and resources
- Get free travel photos and other freebies
- We don't like SPAM so you won't get any from us
I had no idea the waterfront was so gorgeous there. Your pictures make the place come alive :)
Oh it’s amazing! The sunsets are out of this world. Aside from the Uyuni salt flat, Copacabana was my favorite spot in Bolivia :)
Bolivia has been one of our favorite destinations to date – we spent the majority of our time in La Paz and did many day trips throughout, though didn’t make it to Copacabana. Did a day kayaking on the lake, so potentially passed through, I’ll have to go through my photos again to check :)
Oh that’s a shame, Copacabana is one of my favorites in Bolivia :)
I’ve love to hike up the Cerro Calvario. I really love seeing views of a city and beautiful sunsets!
It’s a short hike and a must do when in Copacabana, Bolivia!
omg that looks nice – we are going this summer I am SOOO excited! Wish we had more time for this!
Copacabana, Bolivia was a blast! Have fun and good luck!
Great tips! I always find that people are in such a rush to pass through places onto the next big place that they miss out on seeing some real local beauty. The hike up and view of Cerro Calvario is gorgeous! What a beautiful place to hang out for a while.
Oh yeah, Copacabana gets a slight glance then everyone’s off to La Paz! It should be the other way around :)
Everything you suggested sounds like fun! If I had to pick one, I think I would first start with chillin’ at the waterfront. I love sipping on cocktails and enjoying the view of the water :)
The waterfront in Copacabana Bolivia is very chill :)
Really beautiful and colorful photographs!!! The Trucha sounds interesting lol….I have to admit my two least favorite fish are salmon and trout hahaha so it sounds like it would be an adventure in eating for me ;)
Well, the Trucha is unique in the area so it might be different :) But either way, you must visit Copacabana Bolivia!
Copacabana looks really stunning! I had never thought about traveling to Bolivia. I would really like to relax on one of those beaches with a pisco sour. Even if the visa is annoying, I’ve done the Russian and Brazilian visas, so I think I can handle it.
Yeah you have to pay a reciprocity fee going into Copacabana Bolivia unfortunately.
I love that the waterfront looks and feels like a beach even though it’s a lake. The views are gorgeous and I had no idea there was so much fun to have in Bolivia. Is it affordable?
Dannielle, it’s very cheap in Bolivia! Yes very affordable :) I hope you make your way there soon. In fact I’m going back this year!
Copacabana holds the promise of wonderful experiences, for me the best would be the hike up to Cerra Calvario. What spectacular views.
I loved Copacabana Bolivia :) Yes, amazing views up on that hill.
It’s a shame to hear about the litter. That’s something that bothered me a lot in a lot of Southeast Asia and I never got used to it. Glad to hear that you can get past it for the beauty though. The hike to the top of the hill looks especially incredible, as do the Sun and Moon Islands. I’ve only been to Peru in South America, but I think I need to make another trip and do some exploring! Cheers!
Yeah, unfortunately, litter is all over the place, but it shouldn’t detract from the general experience of Copacabana Bolivia :)
I loathe litter! … ughhh! But I love your photos and I definitely want to chill at Lake Titicaca, it looks gorge! Next time I’m back in America, I will definitely plan a trip to Bolivia!
Me too! But hey it is what it is.