Bolivia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 194

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By train The airport ( T 04 6642195) is on the outskirts
of town a few kilometres further east along Av Las
Américas. A taxi into the town centre from here should cost
about B$27, and there are also frequent micros . There are
regular flights to domestic destinations, with tickets
available from Amaszonas (Trigo, at Lema T 04 6676800,
W amaszonas.com) and TAM (Madrid, at Trigo T 04
6642734, W tam.bo). BoA (Trigo 327 between Lema and
Carpio T 04 6111389, W boa.bo) serve domestic desti-
nations, as well as Buenos Aires and São Paulo.
By bus The bus terminal is ten blocks or so southeast of
the city centre on Av Las Américas; it's about 20min into
the city centre on foot from here, or a short taxi ride (B$6-
8). Alternatively, catch one of the frequent micros that run
along Av Las Américas from the stop opposite the terminal.
Destinations La Paz (1-2 daily between 7-8am; 24hr);
Oruro (nightly; 20hr); Potosí (3-4 daily; 12hr); Tupiza
(2 nightly; 10hr); Villazón (nightly; 10hr). There are also
daily services to destinations in Argentina and Chile;
the closest border crossing into Argentina is at Bermejo
(10 daily; 7hr).

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Tarija's tree-lined avenues and temperate
climate give the city a laidback ambience.
The two main squares, Plaza Luis de
Fuentes and Plaza Sucre, are lined with
excellent restaurants and cafés - perfect
for a glass of the region's increasingly
well-known wine. At nightfall, the streets
around the Mercado Central, at the
corner of Sucre and Bolívar, transform
into a bustling street market, and are
perfect for picking up bargain food and
clothes prior to a trip to the salt flats.

2

Plazas Luis de Fuentes and Sucre
The centre of town is the tranquil,
palm-lined Plaza Luis de Fuentes ,
named after the city's founder, whose
statue stands in the middle. The small,
charming Plaza Sucre , two blocks
southeast of the main plaza, is
surrounded by restaurants and coffee
bars, and is the centre for much of the
town's nightlife.

INFORMAT ION AND TOURS
Tourist information There are two tourist information
o ces in Tarija: the Oficina Departamental de Turismo
(Mon-Fri 8am-noon & 2.30-6.30pm; T 04 6672633) and
the Oficina Municipal de Turismo (Mon-Fri 8am-noon &
2.30-6.30pm, Sat 8am-noon; T 04 6633581) on Bolívar,
at Sucre. Alternatively, speak to Viva Tours (see below).
Tour operators Viva Tours, Bolívar 251 between Campos
and Sucre ( T 04 6638325, W vivatourstarijabolivia.com),
run one-day tours of the city and around the vineyards
and bodegas of the Tarija Valley with experienced English-
speaking guides. Sur Bike, on Ballivián, at Ingavi ( T 07
6194200), organizes cycling tours and rents bikes and
equipment.

Museo Paleontológico
A block south of the plaza on the corner
of Virginio Lema and Trigo, the Museo
Paleontológico (Mon-Fri 8am-noon &
3-6pm, Sat 9am-noon & 3-6pm; free)
offers a fantastic collection of fossils and
skeletons from the Tarija Valley. Most
of the specimens on display are of
mammals from the Pleistocene era,
between a million and 250,000 years ago,
many of them from species similar to
ones that still exist today, such as horses,
bears and llamas.

ACCOMMODAT ION
Tarija has a good range of accommodation, almost all in
the very centre of town, with a cluster of places around the
bus terminal.
Hostal Bolívar Bolívar 256 T 04 6642741. Quiet, clean
option set around a pretty courtyard, with reasonable
rooms (all have private bath, but those with cable TV are
newer and much nicer) a nd a co mmunal living room.
Breakfast included. Doubles B$140
Hosteria España Alejandro Corrado 546 T 04 6641790,
E [e-mail]. A relaxed place that's popular
with backpackers. It's very simple and the bathrooms could
do with a good scrub, but there's an amiable atmosphere
and a kitchen. Rooms with pr ivate b ath also come with
cable TV. Dorms B$40 , doubles B$140

Casa Dorada
On the corner of Ingavi and Trigo is the
Casa Dorada (Mon-Fri 8.30am-noon &
2.30-6pm; B$5; W casadelaculturatarija
.com), also known as Casa de la Cultura.
Built in the nineteenth century in the
Art Nouveau style by a wealthy merchant,
the house has been restored and declared
a national monument. You can wander
through its rooms with photo displays
depicting the history of Tarija, or check
out one of the many cultural events
hosted here, including concerts and
dance performances.