Copacabana
A pilgrimage town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. Its white cathedral in the Moorish style houses Bolivia's patron saint, and it is the port for boats to Isla del Sol.
Copacabana sits on a peninsula jutting into the southern shore of Lake Titicaca, only about 8 km from the Peruvian border. It is the base for lake tours on the Bolivian side. (Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro is named after this town's Virgin.) The Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana in the town center was built in the 17th century. It has white walls, colorful tiled domes and Moorish influences. The 'black-faced' image of the Virgin of Copacabana, which it houses, is Bolivia's national patron saint. Every morning, especially on weekends, a blessing ceremony for new cars takes place in front of the basilica. The cars are decorated with flowers and ribbons and sprinkled with beer and holy water, and the scene is lively. On Cerro Calvario north of town, 14 Stations of the Cross lead up in about 30-40 minutes to the summit at about 3,960 m, the best place to watch the sunset over Lake Titicaca. Boats leave the lakeside pier each morning for Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna, and the lakeside restaurants recommend grilled or fried trout (trucha). Getting there: buses from the Cementerio district of La Paz take about 3.5-4 hours. On the way, passengers cross the Strait of Tiquina by small boat, while the bus is ferried separately. To Puno in Peru takes about 3 hours, including the border crossing. The town sits at about 3,840 m, so nights are cold. Confirm that your accommodation has hot water and heating.
Opening hours
Open all day (cathedral open during the day)
Nearby sights
- Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana
- Copacabana Lakefront
- Horca del Inca
- Cerro Calvario
- Baño del Inca (Kusijata)
- Sampaya
- Isla de la Luna (Koati)
- Pilko Kaina