Mercado de las Brujas, La Paz
Tucked along Calle Linares in the heart of La Paz, the Mercado de las Brujas — Witches' Market — is where Aymara tradition and everyday commerce collide in the most fascinating way. Stalls overflow with dried llama foetuses, herbal remedies, amulets and incense used in offerings to Pachamama, the earth goddess.
What the Stalls Actually Sell
Beyond the theatrical dried llama foetuses (buried under new buildings as offerings for good luck), vendors sell colourful woven textiles, hand-carved wooden idols, coca leaves, and mysterious powders used in ritual ceremonies called ch'allas. The yatiris — traditional healers — can be consulted right here on the street.
Alpaca wool jumpers, cholita bowler hats and hand-embroidered bags make excellent, fairly priced souvenirs. Unlike tourist-trap markets elsewhere, this one genuinely serves the local Aymara community, so the atmosphere is authentic and unhurried.
The Surrounding Neighbourhood
The market bleeds into the bohemian neighbourhood of Calle Sagárnaga, La Paz's main backpacker drag, lined with artisan shops, travel agencies and cheap restaurants serving set lunches (almuerzos) for under USD 2. Walk uphill and you reach Plaza San Francisco, anchored by its 16th-century baroque church — one of the finest colonial facades in the Andes.
Nearby Calle Jaén is a beautifully preserved colonial street housing four small but excellent museums in restored mansions, including the Museo del Litoral Boliviano, all open Tuesday–Sunday.
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