Things to Do in Copacabana

A 16th-century Andean Baroque church housing the dark-skinned Virgen de la Candelaria, the patron saint of Bolivia. Pilgrims come year-round to bless new vehicles and offer thanks in the courtyard.

🕐 Daily 7:00-12:00, 14:00-18:00; mass at 11:00 Sun

💡 Visit on a Sunday morning to see local Aymara dancers in feathered costumes performing in the square outside.

A pre-Columbian stone arch carved from a single rock, once used as an astronomical observatory by the Inca. It aligns precisely with the June solstice sunrise.

🕐 Open access 24 hours; best visited 6:00-9:00

💡 The walk up is unshaded—go early morning before 10am. No signage on site, so download the 'Atlas Obscura' offline entry beforehand.

A small museum inside the basilica complex displaying colonial silverwork, textiles, and ritual objects used in the annual Fiesta de la Candelaria.

🕐 Mon-Sat 9:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00; Sun 14:00-17:00

💡 Ask the caretaker to open the locked display case with the gold-and-silver model of the lake—he will if you're polite.

The main square with a tiled fountain, manicured shrubs, and benches under palm trees. Local women sell freshly made api (purple corn drink) and pasteles (sweet pastries) from handcarts.

🕐 Open access 24 hours

💡 Buy a paper cone of tostado (roasted corn with salt) from any vendor—costs under a dollar and is the best snack in town.

A steep hill dotted with 14 white crosses marking the Stations of the Cross. The 20-minute climb ends with panoramic views across Lake Titicaca to the Island of the Sun.

🕐 Open access 24 hours

💡 Go at sunset for best light; bring water and wear trainers. Locals sell coca leaves at the base to leave as offerings at the summit.