Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The small
Plaza de la Libertad
is lined with palm trees and centred on an obelisk donated
by the city of Buenos Aires to commemorate the 1809 Declaration of Independence. On the
southwest side of the square stands the elegant Renaissance facade of the
Hospital Santa
Bárbara
, built between 1554 and 1563 and still functioning as a health centre. Set back from
the northwest side of the square is the grandiose facade of the
Teatro Gran Mariscal
, one
of several buildings in this part of town built in French Neoclassical style at the start of the
twentieth century.
Parque Símon Bolívar
One block northwest of the Teatro Gran Mariscal, just off Calle Kilometro 7
Kilometro 7 runs from the right-hand side of the Teatro Gran Mariscal to
Parque Símon
Bolívar
, a peaceful park neatly laid out in a French style - there's even a model of the Eiffel
Tower at its centre. Looking over the park from its south end stands the grandiose
Corte Su-
prema de Justicia
, completed in 1945 in opulent French Neoclassical style. This is the only
branch of government still based in Sucre, and as such the only real justification for the city's
continuing status as constitutional capital of Bolivia.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: SUCRE
By plane
The airport ( 04 6454445) is about 8km northwest of the city; Micros I and F
run from there into the centre of town along Av Siles (30-45min); alternatively, a taxi costs
about Bs35. There are regular flights to La Paz and Santa Cruz, and less frequent services
to Cochabamba and Tarija. The domestic departure tax is Bs11; for international flights it is
Bs175.
By train
A single-carriage service to Potosí (Mon, Wed & Fri 8am; 6hr) departs from the El
Tejar station, 1km south of the centre on the road to Potosí. It's a pleasant journey, but con-
siderably slower than travelling by road.
By bus
All long-distance buses arrive at and depart from the bus terminal ( 04 6456732),
about 3km northeast of the city centre on Av Ostria Gutiérrez. From here it's a short taxi ride
(around Bs10) into central Sucre, or you can catch Micro A, which runs down to the Mercado
Central, a block north of the main Plaza 25 de Mayo. Numerous buses leave for Cochabamba
(10-12hr)intheearlyeveningandforSantaCruz(14-16hr)fromthelateafternoononwards;
some of the latter travel via Samaipata. Frequent buses leave for Potosí (3hr) throughout the
day, and there are several evening services to La Paz (15hr) and Oruro (11hr). When the
road is passable, usually only in the dry season, buses also head via Camiri to Villamontes
(20-25hr) and Yacuiba (21-26hr), an arduous but exceptionally scenic journey down from
the Andes into the Chaco lowlands.
By taxi
Collectivo
taxis from Potosí will drop you off outside your hotel or anywhere else in
the centre of town; heading in the opposite direction, they can be caught from the bus station
or organized via your hotel. Regular taxis for journeys around town generally cost Bs5-10.
