Bolivia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 199

guides, while there's also an InfoTur o ce on Dalence,
at Argentina (Mon-Fri 8am-noon & 2-6pm, weekends
9am-noon & 3-6pm).

the town and strewn with deckchairs. Come for Italian chef
Marco Castiglion's home-made pasta (from B$40) as much
as the views - the alfredo sauce is decadent, while the ragù
bolognese is also delicious. Breakfast served 9.30-11.30am
(muesli, fruit and yoghurt B$25. Daily 9am-8pm.
La Casona Ortiz 70. A good central churrasquería for
barbecued meat and local dishes, from the diet-busting
mound that is pique a lo macho to the cow's tongue and
spicy pork dish ( mondongo chuquisaqueño ), with an
appropriately rugged interior of hefty wooden tables.
Mains from B$40. Mon-Sat 10am-8pm.
Ì Churrasquería Cumaná Plaza Cumaná, Barrio
Petrolero. Take a taxi to this steak specialist a little way out
of the city centre, with just about your only choice being
between different cuts and cooking times. Solo diners
might find that the portions, which start at 500g for
around B$90, are just too big. The meat comes with salad,
chips, pickles and hot sauce ( llajwa ). Tues-Fri 6-11pm,
Sat 11.30am-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm.
Ì Flavour Plaza Cochabamba. Owners Geke and
Maaike are breakfast specialists and serve up portions of
a generosity rare in Bolivia. Sit inside or at one of the little
tables overlooking pleasant Plaza Cochabamba. Try the
“Americano” with scrambled eggs and bacon with a great
slab of baguette, jam, fresh OJ and well-made coffee for
just B$22. Excellent cakes (brownies, banana bread) from
B$8. Mon-Sat 8.30am-7.30/8pm.
Kultur Café Berlin Avaroa 326. A winning German-
South American fusion, with sauerkraut and sausages,
papa rellena (mashed potato stuffed with a filling then
fried), German beers and cheap almuerzos . Daily 8am-
midnight (later at weekends).
Pizzeria Napolitana Plaza 25 de Mayo 30. It's a little
gloomy inside, but Sucre's longest-established Italian
restaurant serves tasty pizza and pasta, home-made ice
cream, strong coffee and a daily choice of different set
lunches (B$30). Daily except Tues 9am-9pm.
La Taverne Arce 35. Alliance Française-backed restaurant
serving classic dishes like coq au vin , boeuf bourguignon and
rabbit with a level of presentation uncommon in Bolivia.
Quite pricey (mains around B$60), so consider coming for
their generous four-course almuerzo (B$45) rather than
dinner. Mon-Sat 9am-10.30pm, Sun 7-10.30pm.

ACCOMMODATION
Sucre has a pretty good range of accommodation, almost all
of it conveniently located in the heart of the old city centre.
Alojamiento La Plata Ravelo 32 T 04 6452102. It's
really looking dog-eared now, but it's as cheap as the
market opposite. Doubles B$55
Casa de Huéspedes San Marco Arce 233 T 04
6462087. Set back a little from the street, there's a really
peaceful atmosphere here, augmented by the plentiful
flowers and greenery. It's spick and span and there's a
choice of shared or en-suite bathrooms, plus apar tmen ts
with a kitchen and small additional room. Doubles B$80
Hostal Charcas Ravelo 62 T 04 6453972. A little
gloomy-looking but the friendly welcome reall y goe s a
long way to endearing this place to you. Doubles B$80
Ì La Dolce Vita C Urcullo 342 T 04 6912014, W dolcevita
sucre.com. Central guesthouse run by a friendly, informative
Franco-Swiss family with good views fro m a rela xed terrace
and big, nicely decorated rooms. Doubles B$100
La Escondida C Junín 445 T 04 6435792. The name
means “hideaway” and you'll be glad that it is, as it's
located down a little passageway that runs off one of the
city's most bustling streets. Rooms are smart and peace-
fully set around a sunny courty ard where you can enjoy the
free breakfast. Doubles B$170
Hostal San Francisco Arce 191 T 04 6462693. The pale
yellow and peach colour scheme, as well as bountiful net
curtains, creates a sickly sweet look, but it's very well kept,
with a p leasant central courtyard. Breakfast not included.
Doubles B$120
Hostal Wasi Masi C. Urcullo 233 T 04 6457463, W wasi
-masi.com. A sociable option with an excellent book
exchange and basic rooms set around a leafy outdoor
space. Doubles B$100

2

EATING
Sucre is home to an excellent variety of restaurants where
you can try everything from the spicy local cuisine to
authentic French, Italian and vegetarian food, at reasonable
prices. The markets are great places to find cheap, filling
lunches: try the second floor of Mercado Central on C Zabelo
and the food hall in Mercado Negro on C Junín. Don't miss
the huge fresh fruit salads in Mercado Central.
Abi's Café Plaza 25 de Mayo 32. Come to this popular
café on the square for two things dear to the traveller
far from home - a decent cup of coffee and strong wi-fi.
Daily 8.30am-10pm.
Café Gourmet Mirador Pasaje Iturricha 297, Plaza de la
Recoleta T 04 6452330. A B$10 taxi ride from the centre
brings you to this shady, dusty length of garden overlooking

DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
A high student population and a stream of party-loving
backpackers means Sucre has a good range of bars and clubs.
Amsterdam Café Bar C Bolívar 426. This intimate, two-
roomed place is heavy on the timber and red brick - the
perfect surroundings for their regular live music. Drinks
promotions 9-10pm, while food is of the snack variety
(panini from B$15, Dutch meatballs B$18), though there's
often a daily hot dish. Daily 2pm until late (from 3.30pm
weekends).