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District · La Paz

Sagárnaga and San FranciscoSagárnaga y San Francisco

Busy, steep and noisy; the hostel and tour-agency area.

sleepshopeat

Key facts

Suits
Budget stays, tours, market shopping
Room prices
$$
price band of 5
Sights here
2

What it's like

Feels:
Tour shops, markets and hostels on a steep street
Suits:
Budget stays, tours, market shopping
Best time:
Late morning
Watch out for:
Rush hour and steep uphill walks on day 1.
In short:
Busy, steep and noisy; the hostel and tour-agency area.

About these names

Zona Sur (Calacoto and San Miguel) is the wealthy lower district, warmer and 300–400 m lower.

The centre is a strip along the canyon floor: the old town and Plaza Murillo at the top, El Prado in the middle and Sopocachi on the west slope. El Alto is above the rim.

Where exactly

This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.

Sagárnaga and San Francisco on the La Paz mapTap an area for what it is like and who it suits. Shapes follow this guide’s walking areas and places, not official boundaries.
Plaza San Francisco hot… · $$Sopocachi hotels · $$

Sagárnaga and San FranciscoSagárnaga y San Francisco

sleepshopeatPrice $$

Busy, steep and noisy; the hostel and tour-agency area.

Suits: Budget stays, tours, market shopping

On the map: San Francisco Basilica and museum

District guideWalk: Sagárnaga & San FranciscoSleep: Plaza San Francisco hotelsIn the districts table

Off the map: El Alto International Airport (LPB) (35–60 min by the usual route).

Not drawn yet (no coordinates in this guide): Zona Sur (Calacoto). See the table above.

Where’s what, as a list:

  • Plaza Murillo and Casco Viejo (Plaza Murillo y casco viejo): Steep cobbled streets and colonial houses. Suits: First visit, museums and government buildings.
  • Sagárnaga and San Francisco (Sagárnaga y San Francisco): Busy, steep and noisy; the hostel and tour-agency area. Suits: Budget stays, tours, market shopping. Price band $$.
  • El Prado (El Prado): The main avenue; flatter and easier for slow starts. Suits: Flat walks and larger hotels.
  • Sopocachi (Sopocachi): A leafy district with restaurants and Plaza Abaroa. Suits: Cafés, quiet evenings, couples. Price band $$.
  • Zona Sur (Calacoto) (Zona Sur): Twenty minutes by car; embassies and malls. Suits: Warmer, lower, calmer.
  • Sleep area Plaza San Francisco hotels: suits Budget stays, tours, market shopping, price band $$.
  • Sleep area Sopocachi hotels: suits Cafés, quiet evenings, couples, price band $$.
  • El Alto International Airport (LPB), 35–60 min by the usual route.

Stay here?

How this district's sleep area scores for five kinds of traveler, ranked against the other La Paz districts that have scores. Scores are this guide's 1–5 judgements.

  • First visit

    best of 2

    Basilica, Witches' Market and Plaza Murillo on foot.

  • Families

    2nd of 2

    Steep streets and crowds.

    Better for this: Sopocachi

  • Light sleepers

    2nd of 2

    Traffic and marches near the plaza.

    Better for this: Sopocachi

  • Night owls

    best of 2

    Bars and traditional peñas nearby.

  • On a budget

    best of 2

    The widest range of hostels and cheap hotels.

See

Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.

  • Mercado de las Brujas (Witches' Market)Go

    The market of herbs, amulets and llama fetuses on Calle Linares and Sagárnaga: 30–45 minutes; ask before photographing sellers.

    Entry:
    Free
  • San Francisco Basilica and museumGo

    A colonial Andean-baroque church on the plaza next to your bed, with a museum and a rooftop terrace: 45 minutes, done slowly on day 1 or 2; check the museum hours.

    Hours:
    Check hours; services close the nave.(check)
    Entry:
    Bs20–40 (2026 estimate)

Sleep

  • Plaza San Francisco hotels$$

    First-timers: a hotel near San Francisco with a staffed desk and a street-level door a taxi can reach; you sleep at 3,600 m, lower than the airport.

    Rooms: Bs60–120 dorm bed · Bs150–300 double (check)

    Skip this if: Steep streets behind the plaza.

    5–8 min walk to Sagárnaga & San Francisco · 12–17 min walk to Plaza Murillo & Calle Jaén · 20–27 min walk to El Prado & Plaza del Estudiante

Shopping

Markets and shopping streets from the La Paz buying guide that name this district.

  • Calle Sagárnaga · Alpaca knitwear, textiles, souvenirs · Daytime · haggling: mediumCheck for real alpaca: cheap items are often acrylic.
  • Alpaca knitwear and blankets · Sagárnaga and nearby shops · About 09:30–19:00Check tags and touch: real alpaca is soft and warm.

Getting there and around

Where to get off

  • Walk to Plaza San Francisco, on the bottom of the Sagárnaga slope · for San Francisco Basilica and museum
  • Calle Linares, off Sagárnaga · for Mercado de las Brujas (Witches' Market)

Walks inside the district

  • Mercado de las Brujas (Witches' Market) → San Francisco Basilica and museum: 6–8 min on foot (Walk down to Plaza San Francisco)

On to the next area

Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.

Photo and sunset spots

Streets in this district

Street names that appear in the addresses of this district’s places and eats: useful to type into a map or show a driver.

  • Calle Linares

Safety at night and noise

  • Sagárnaga and Witches' Marketday: oknight: caution

    Bag snatching and distraction thefts.

  • Quiet nights

    Traffic and marches near the plaza.

  • Nightlife

    Bars and traditional peñas nearby.

  • Late arrival

    Reception hours vary; confirm a late check-in.

Nearby districts

Built from this guide’s La Paz districts table, place, eat and sleep pages, route graph and city notes. Hours, prices and rules change: anything marked (check) is typical, not verified. checked: 2026-09.