Witches' Market
Mercado de las Brujas
An Aymara folk market on the steep slopes of the old town. Dried llama fetuses, herbs, and amulets reflect the Andean belief in Mother Earth.
The Witches' Market is located on Calle Linares and Calle Sagárnaga, behind the Church of San Francisco. It is La Paz's most famous tourist district. The vendors are mostly Aymara “witch doctors” (yatiri) and traditional women, selling items used in Andean folk beliefs. These include dried llama fetuses (sullu), which locals bury beneath the foundations of new houses as offerings to Pachamama, Mother Earth, for protection. You will also find herbs, spices, amulets, small figurines representing love and wealth, and colorful sugar tablets (mesa) used in ritual ceremonies. The surrounding area has many handicraft and outdoor-goods shops, where you can buy llama-wool sweaters, scarves, woven tapestries, coca tea, and coca candy. Note that coca leaf products cannot be taken back to China. Next door, the Church of San Francisco was built in the 18th century. Its façade blends Indigenous motifs in “Mestizo Baroque” style, and you can climb to the roof for a view over the square. The Witches' Market is open all day, but daytime visits are recommended. Ask permission before photographing vendors or witch doctors, as some will ask for a tip. The streets are steep, so walk slowly at this altitude.
Opening hours
Open all day (shops approx. 09:00–20:00)
Nearby sights
- Calle Sagárnaga
- Coca Museum
- Basilica of San Francisco
- Mercado Lanza
- Mercado Rodríguez
- National Museum of Ethnography and Folklore (MUSEF)
- Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
- National Museum of Art