Sucre Map

Facts About Sucre

About Sucre city :

Sucre is beautiful, serene and probably the loveliest city of Bolivia or even of South America. The constitution recognizes Sucre as the capital though the seat of the government and treasury are at La Paz. In prehistoric times, this area was known as Charcas. On November 30, 1538, this city was founded by Pedro de Anzures, Marques de Campo Redondo under the name, the city of La Plata.

In 1559, it was made the seat of the Audiencia de Charcas (Royal Court of Charcas) with the authority to rule over the vast surrounding area by the Spanish king. It was declared as the provisional capital during the freedom struggle of Bolivia and was named Chuquisaca. Finally, in 1825, the new republic of Bolivia was born and on 11th August, the name of the city was changed to Sucre in honor of Mariscal Antonio Jose de Sucre who fought against the Spanish along with Bolivar.

The city was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO on 13th December, 1991. It had an approximate population of 300,000 in 2011.

Geography :

Sucre is located at an altitude of 2790 meters above the sea level. It lies 420 kms to the southeast of La Paz, on a small fertile basin located high in the Andes. It is located in the south central part of the country. The Cachimayo River runs across the fertile valley where Sucre is located.

The city has a subtropical highland climate. It is mild and warm throughout the year. Rainfall is moderate and mostly concentrated between the months of December to March. Clear blue skies and pure air are the hallmarks of the climate of Sucre.

How to reach (transport) :

Sucre is served by the Juana Azurduy de Padilla International Airport whose single runway is located at an altitude of 9528 ft. However, a new airport is under construction and the former one is frequently closed due to hazardous weather conditions.

Land routes are vastly preferred in order to reach Sucre. Buses and shared taxis are the most common means of transport, though the standard of the roads are often hazardous. You can reach Sucre from Cochabamba (366 Km) by rubble road, From Tarija (480 Km) by rubble road, From Oruro (349 Km) by asphalt and rubble roads and From Potosí (164 Km) by asphalt road, or by train

When to visit :

The mild and comfortable climate means you can visit Sucre at any time of the year. The best time to visit is from April to September.

Culture (fairs and festiva ls) and traditions :

It is the pleasant and laid back culture of Sucre which lures many travelers to spend more than their scheduled days at the city. The local culture is strongly influenced by the Spanish roots. The colonial architecture and abundance of churches and museums attest to the fact. The people are friendly and welcoming and most tourists end up participating in activities like volunteering or learning a Spanish course in the city.

Several festivals are held in the city of Sucre. These are :

• Achocalla is celebrated during the first week of January. It features the local dancers dancing the Tarqueda dance to request good climatic conditions for the maturing of the potato crops.
• On 25th May, Ephemeredes of Chuquisaca is celebrated in Sucre with a fair on Bolivian culture and tourism. The tourism industry is promoted by tour operators, hotels and travel agencies who take part in the festival. The day also commemorates General Sucre’s cry for independence against Spanish rule. Local dances are performed and local handicrafts sold in the fair.
• On 16th July, the anniversary of the Department of La Paz is celebrated with processions and dance competitions at various cities including Sucre.
• On 8th September, Virgen de Guadalupe is celebrated with solemn religious procession to honor the Virgin of Guadoloup. The festival is celebrated with folk music and dance, bullfights, food and drink.
• Sometimes in October (dates vary), the international culture festival takes place in Sucre. Painting, music, literature, ethnic art, pop culture, theatre and cinema are all showcased. Artists come from many different countries.
• Christmas is also celebrated with lots of festivities in the city.

Points of interest (places to visit) :

In addition to strolling around the historic streets of the city, there are a number of interesting sights in Sucre. These are as follows :

• The Cal Orck’o is a very interesting site where you can see a nearly vertical mudstone bearing the impression of dinosaur footprints, numbering almost 6000.

The Museo de la Catedral holds the best collection of religious relicts in Bolivia. Paintings and gold and silver chalices are on display, but the crowning exhibit is the Capella de la virgin de Guadolupe. This is a painting of the patron virgin of the city, subsequently coated with highlights of gold and silver and adorned with precious stones like diamonds and amethysts.

• The Museo de charcas contains three mini museums housing an impressive collection of colonial art, modern art and ethnography and folk collection.
• The Museum of indigenous art contains a detailed collection indigenous art. The textile of Jalq’a and Candeleria cultures are beautifully preserved here.

In addition, there are a number of churches and monasteries which have their own collections to lure the tourists.

Accommodation :

Sucre offers a variety of accommodation so that you may find yourself more time in the city than you originally planned. You can opt for home stay in the whitewashed colonial buildings which can give you a unique taste of the culture. There are five star hotels like Parador Santa Maria La Real and several four star hotels like Real Audiencia, Capital Plaza, Monasterio, San Marino Royal, Glorietta and Independencia. You can also choose from 3 and 3.5 star hotels like Colonia Real, Santa Cecilia, De Su Mercd etc. For budget accommodation, check out 2 and 2.5 star hotels like Hostal Cas Arte Tacubamba, Bicentenario, Hostal Patrimonio Sucre etc.