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Sucre
Situated in Bolivia’s rolling valleys, the constitutional capital of Sucre enjoys a spring-like climate and laidback vibe. The white city’s beautifully restored center, with whitewashed walls and red roofs, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and contains grand colonial buildings and churches and feels like a piece of living history. The third oldest university in South America was founded here, and Bolivia’s drive for independence began here in the early 19th century.
On top of its historic buildings, Sucre has some great museums hidden among its cobbled streets, including the excellent ASUR museum of indigenous art, which documents the important local custom of weaving. In fact, the valleys surrounding Sucre are full of traditional weaving communities, whose way of life hasn’t changed in years. Treks in the unique landscape of nearby Cordillera de los Frailes can bring you in contact with these communities, where you can learn about local customs. The Sunday market at Tarabuco is where many locals come to sell their wares and has become a popular tourist spot.
Other popular tourist attractions include the dinosaur prints at Cal Orck’o, the elegant 19th century cemetery, the Glorieta Palace, the cave paintings at Incamachay and Pumamachay and horseback or mountain bike trips in the surrounding countryside.
Sucrenses spend their free time wandering around the parks and plaza, such as Parque Simón BolÃvar and Plaza 25 de Mayo. The city has some excellent eateries and the whole city comes out to sit in the restaurants’ garden terraces on a Sunday. Sucre is now well connected to the rest of Bolivia and can be reached by road or air from major towns and cities around the country. It’s situated in the centre of the country, 740 kilometers southeast of La Paz and just over 600 kilometers southwest of Santa Cruz
The city was founded under the name La Plata by Pedro de Anzures in 1538, although the area was known as Charcas before the building of the colonial city. Due to its proximity to the silver spoils in nearby PotosÃ, the city rapidly grew in importance and in 1559 was declared the seat of the Audiencia de Charcas by the king of Spain, Phillip II. The Audiencia de Charcas was part of the Viceroyalty de Peru and incorporated an area including northern Chile and Argentina, Paraguay, some parts of Peru and most of modern day Bolivia.
The University of San Xavier was founded in 1624, making it not only one of the first Universities in South America, but the whole world. The city gradually became a centre of liberal thinking, and many of the leaders of the Latin American revolutions of the early 19th century studied Law in the city – which by this time was now known as Chuquisaca. In fact, it is believed that the first rumblings of Latin American independence began in the city – with the ringing of the liberty bell in 1809.
After a failed uprising in the same year, Bolivia finally gained independence on the 6th August 1825. The city of Chuquisaca was later renamed Sucre, after the revolutionary leader Antonio José de Sucre. These frequent name changes have earned the city the moniker ‘The city of four names’. Sucre was made capital of Bolivia in 1839, only to lose the legislative and executive branches to La Paz at the end of the 19th century.
Modern day Sucre has remained pivotal in Bolivian politics. In 2006 the city was chosen to host the constituent assembly, a committee elected to rewrite the Bolivian constitution. Proceedings were suspended in August 2007 when there were large demonstrations by protesters demanding the relocation of the legislative and executive branches of government to Sucre, to make Sucre Bolivia’s lone capital city. They did not win that battle, but passionate Sucrenses stand up for their beliefs and are proud of their city. With a mix of lifestyles from both the east and west of the country, Sucre lies at both the geographical and spiritual heart of Bolivia.
Neighborhoods in Sucre: Town Center, Recoleta,
Other places nearby Sucre: Parque Nacional Torotoro, Cochabamba, Around Cochabamba, Tarapaya, Quillacolo, PotosÃ, Tarabuco and Cordillera de los Frailes.
View Sucre's Best Hotels
Hotel Real Audiencia
Hotel Real Audiencia feels like a resort hotel in the middle of the city. There are some massive rooms here with lots of furniture and big beds. Some of the quarters have been neglected in the ...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Hotel Kolping
Hotel Kolping offers 27 rooms set around green landscaped gardens with great views of the surrounding area. The rooms are bright and inviting and most have windows overlooking the city. Hotel Kolping ...Sucre, Bolivia
La Posada Hostal
Housed in a restored colonial house, La Posada offers rooms with all the modern comforts that you will need, but which still manage to retain a rustic charm. The bathrooms are big, with good showers, ...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Hostal Colonial
Right on the main plaza, Hostal Colonial offers single, double, triple bedrooms and suites on two floors, set around a courtyard. Twenty-five years ago, when the hotel opened, it must have been quite ...Sucre, Bolivia
Albergue San Marcos
Clean, budget rooms are what are on offer at Albergue San Marcos. Beds cost from $5 per person with shared bathroom in this friendly family-run hostel. Some quarters are nicer than others so be ...Sucre, Bolivia
Hotel Independencia
The Independencia can be found half a block from Plaza 25 de Mayo in an interesting historical building. They offer 31 rooms and four suites around sunny patio areas. The quarters come with a comfy ...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Parador Santa Maria La Real
This beautifully renovated former palace gets glowing reports from those who stay here. Parador Santa Maria La Real has been meticulously renovated, with tremendous attention to detail, and every ...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Hostal de Su Merced
Hostal de Su Merced is housed in a carefully renovated colonial building and is filled with plants and creeping vines. There are three spacious terraces that are perfect for curling up with a book or ...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Hostal Charcas
Budget rooms with shared or private bathrooms are on offer at Hostal Charcas. The hostel is basic, but all the rooms come with a table and chair, wardrobe and a bedside table with a lamp. The ...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Las Torres Hostal
Las Torres Hostal can be found a block from the main plaza above a few artisan stores. The establishment offers clean, nicely decorated rooms with good beds and sparkling, tiled bathrooms with nice ...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Hostal San Francisco
The communal areas of Hostal San Francisco are bright and summery, such as a lovely patio covered in greenery, with tiled floors and large ornate archways. The rooms, however, are a lot more basic ...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Things To Do in Sucre
BasÃlica de San Francisco
This 16th century church houses the ‘Liberty Bell’ in one of its towers. The bell was used to rally the population to join the independence movement in 1809, believed to be the first thrust for
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Cathedral Metropolitana, Cathedral Museum and Capilla de la Virgin de Guadalupe
The building of this Sucre landmark began in 1551 but was not finally completed until 1712. It was built in a Renaissance style with Baroque and Neoclassical additions made over the years. There’s
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Monasterio y Templo de Santa Clara and Museo
This working monastery was founded in the 17th century and took 18 years to build. The temple houses two large rooms containing 17th- and 18th-century artwork and religious pieces, which you will be
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
The Churches of Sucre
Sucre has scores of churches and religious buildings dating back to colonial times. Many of these still maintain their original features and have unique histories. Most of the churches are in regular
...Sucre, Bolivia
Templo y Convento de San Felipe Neri
The Neoclassical temple and convent of San Felipe Neri was founded by monks in the late 18th century and was built by slaves using stones from the local hills. The San Felipe monks were forced out of
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Casa de la Libertad
It was here, on the 6th of August 1925, that Bolivia’s independence act was signed. At the time the Casa de Libertad was being used as a Jesuit chapel and was part of the San Francisco Xavier
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Nuestra Señora de la Merced
Nuestra Señora de la Merced has an impressive Baroque style interior, including a beautiful carved cedar wood alter covered in gold leaf, and smaller alters along the sides. There’s also some
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Mountain Biking
There are lots of mountain biking options around Sucre, from downhill jaunts to more challenging off-road trips. Many of the tours involve stretches on main roads where the drivers are not always ...Sucre, Bolivia
Horseback Riding
The scenery around Sucre is perfect to don some spurs and jump on a horse. The most popular treks are half or full-day rides that start just 10 to 15 minutes from the town center. You’ll normally ...Sucre, Bolivia
Cultural centers
Sucre has a number of cultural centers that organize special cultural events, show movies, run language classes, and have music exhibitions and a range of other activities. The Alliance Française ...Sucre, Bolivia
Adventure tour to Icla
fun adventure two days !lots to see and although easy enough still pretty exhausting but glad we did ...Sucre, Bolivia
Sucre's Most Stunning Buildings
Cathedral Metropolitana, Cathedral Museum and Capilla de la Virgin de Guadalupe
The building of this Sucre landmark began in 1551 but was not finally completed until 1712. It was built in a Renaissance style with Baroque and Neoclassical additions made over the years. There’s
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Monasterio y Templo de Santa Clara and Museo
This working monastery was founded in the 17th century and took 18 years to build. The temple houses two large rooms containing 17th- and 18th-century artwork and religious pieces, which you will be
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
The Churches of Sucre
Sucre has scores of churches and religious buildings dating back to colonial times. Many of these still maintain their original features and have unique histories. Most of the churches are in regular
...Sucre, Bolivia
Templo y Convento de San Felipe Neri
The Neoclassical temple and convent of San Felipe Neri was founded by monks in the late 18th century and was built by slaves using stones from the local hills. The San Felipe monks were forced out of
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
BasÃlica de San Francisco
This 16th century church houses the ‘Liberty Bell’ in one of its towers. The bell was used to rally the population to join the independence movement in 1809, believed to be the first thrust for
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
Nuestra Señora de la Merced
Nuestra Señora de la Merced has an impressive Baroque style interior, including a beautiful carved cedar wood alter covered in gold leaf, and smaller alters along the sides. There’s also some
...Town Center, Sucre, Bolivia
El Castillo de la Glorieta
El Castillo de la Glorieta was built in the late 18th century for Prince Francisco Aggandoña. The Prince and his wife wanted their home to reflect the style of buildings in Europe at the time, so ...Sucre, Bolivia
Cementerio General
Billed as the most beautiful cemetery in Bolivia, Sucre’s 19th century Cementerio General is the resting place of some of Bolivia’s most important historical figures, including former presidents ...Sucre, Bolivia
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