Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Bolivia's largest city and gateway to the east, with a tropical-feeling main square and cathedral. It is the departure point for Amboró, Samaipata and the Jesuit missions of Chiquitos.

Santa Cruz de la Sierra is Bolivia's most populous city and economic centre. It lies in the tropical lowlands on the edge of the Amazon, at about 400 m above sea level, in sharp contrast to the highland cities of La Paz and Sucre. The climate is humid, the pace is relaxed, and locals speak with a warm 'camba' accent. The city spreads outward in concentric ring roads from its central plaza, and the old town still has low arcaded buildings with red-tiled roofs.

There are three areas to explore. (1) The old town: 24 de Septiembre Plaza, the bell tower of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, Los Pozos market, El Arenal Park and Monseñor Rivero Avenue. (2) Nature on the city outskirts: the Guembe Butterfly Ecological Park, and the municipal botanical garden and zoo, where you can see sloths and macaws. (3) Day trips: the dunes park to the south, Espejillos Falls at the foothills of the Amboró mountains, the pilgrimage town of Cotoca, and the village of Porongo. Samaipata and Amboró National Park, about 120 km to the west, and the Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos to the east usually require an overnight stay.

The climate is tropical. May to September is the drier, cooler season, though occasional cold air from the south, known as the 'surazo', can drop temperatures to around 10°C. November to March is hot and rainy. Carnival in February and March is one of the most lively in the country.

Viru Viru International Airport has flights to La Paz, Lima, São Paulo and Madrid. The Bimodal Terminal has long-distance buses and trains to the Brazilian border. Taxis in town are cheap, but ride-hailing apps are recommended. Allow two to three days. Avoid walking alone in quiet neighbourhoods at night.

Top sights

• Plaza 24 de Septiembre – The main square at the heart of the city, with sloths resting in its tropical trees, and a cathedral, colonnaded colonial buildings and mus…
• Cathedral Basilica of St. Lawrence – A red-brick cathedral on the south side of the main square, completed in 1915, with a bell tower for views over the square and red-tiled ro…
• Biocentro Güembé – An eco-resort on the far bank of the Piraí River west of the city, with one of South America's largest butterfly houses, an orchid garden…
• Lomas de Arena Regional Park – Vast white sand dunes that suddenly appear in the tropical forest south of the city, where you can sandboard and hike, and rainwater forms…
• Santa Cruz Botanical Garden – A large botanic garden on the road east of the city toward Cotoca, where sloths, monkeys and birds are often seen along the tropical forest…
• Mercado Los Pozos – A large traditional market east of the old town, where tropical fruit, juice stalls and local snacks come together. It offers the most auth…
• Sanctuary of Cotoca – A pilgrimage town about 20 km east of the city, home to the shrine of the Virgin, patron of Santa Cruz, and known for handmade pottery and…
• Noel Kempff Mercado Municipal Zoo – A city zoo that houses only South American animals, where you can see jaguars, spectacled bears, macaws and sloths. It is Bolivia's most im…
• Los Espejillos – A group of natural swimming pools and small waterfalls at the foot of the Amboró hills, where the river has polished the rocks to a mirror-…
• Porongo – A quiet village across the Piraí River, with a church in the style of the Jesuit missions that has wooden columns, where traditional countr…
• Noel Kempff Mercado Natural History Museum – The natural history museum of Gabriel René Moreno Autonomous University, displaying eastern lowland animal specimens, insects and fossils.
• Parque El Arenal – A lakeside park north of the old town. An island in the lake carries a large relief mural by Lorgio Vaca, and a craft market is nearby.
• Cristo Redentor – A statue of Christ at the roundabout where the Second Ring Road meets Monseñor Rivero Avenue. It is a city landmark, surrounded by a dining…
• Parque Urbano Central – A large park on the southeast side of the old town, with lakes, walking trails and the 'Cross of Cruceñidad' sculpture. It is a place for c…

Where to eat

• La Casa del Camba – A long-established restaurant serving traditional eastern lowlands dishes since 1986. The place to try majao and locro.
• El Aljibe Traditional Restaurant – A 'restaurant museum' in a century-old house in the old town, recreating traditional Cruceño recipes. It is among TripA…
• Los Hierros – A well-known Argentine-style grill in Equipetrol, where diners can watch the grill master through glass. Portions are g…