Chuquisaca Department · Bolivia
Sucre travel guide
Sucre is a city in Chuquisaca Department, Bolivia, home to about 361,000 people.
- Best months
- April to November
- Nearest airport
- SRE25 km · Alcantarí International Airport
- Currency
- BOBboliviano
- Time zone
- America/La Paz
- Language
- Aymara, Guarani, Quechua
About
About Sucre
Sucre, officially La Ilustre y Heroica Sucre ("The Illustrious and Heroic Sucre") is the de jure capital city of Bolivia, the capital of the Chuquisaca Department and the sixth most populous city in Bolivia. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of 2,790 m (9,150 ft), making it the second-highest capital city in the world after Quito.
Famed throughout Bolivia for its pretty, well-kept centre, and for its agreeable climate, la ciudad blanca ("the white city") is probably the most tranquil city in Bolivia (or perhaps South America). While it offers specific attractions in the form of historic buildings and renowned theatre as well as indigenous culture and prehistoric sites in the surrounding towns and countryside, the highlight of Sucre might be its relaxed atmosphere, which detains many travellers for far longer than expected. Sucre's history has always been closely tied to that of Potosí.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Sucre
See
- Cal Orck'o
- Casa de la Libertad
- Plaza 25 de Mayo
- Glorieta Castle
- National Military History Museum
- Museo del Tesoro
- Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Basílica de San Francisco
- Fuente del Bicentenario
- Iglesia de San Lázaro
- Cementerio General
- Iglesia de la Merced
Do
Sucre is generally known as a great city to kick back in. It is a popular place for people to study Spanish or volunteer, and many who visit end up staying for far longer than expected. While the city centre can be seen in a day (add another day or two if you like museums, churches, cafes, or moving slowly), the surrounding countryside is rich in other attractions, from traditional villages to dinosaur footprints to trekking through the mountains of the Cordillera de las Frailes.
- La Recoleta
- Parque Simón Bolívar
- Independence Day
- International Human Rights Film Festival
- 7 Cascadas
- Maragua (crater and village)
- Centro Ecológico San Antonio de Aritumayu (Resort)
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Sucre
2 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Casa Verde B&B | 0.6 km | |
| Mi Pueblo Samary | 0.5 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Sucre
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Sucre are April to November. October is the warmest month, with average highs of 23 °C; January is the wettest, with about 124 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Sucre: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Alcantarí International Airport (SRE), about 25 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
Some of the attractions outside of Sucre, such as Tarabuco market and the dinosaur footprints, can be visited by guided tour, tourist bus or public transport. Sucre is a small city and the center is very walkable. For the most part, you won't need to move more than five blocks from Plaza 25 de Mayo, the main square. Outside of the city there are many hiking and walking opportunities, as explained below. For reliable trails and GPS navigation in this region, consult OpenStreetMap, which is used by many mobile Apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
SRE · Alcantarí International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Sucre
Eat
Sucre offers a wide range of eateries from street vendors and stalls in the markets to elegant restaurants. The large numbers of students mean there are many interesting but inexpensive places to get a filling meal. Probably the cheapest lunches are had upstairs in the market (from Bs. 8). Salteñas, a type of large empanada, usually filled with meat, that's popular in Bolivia, can be found easily. Several small salteña eateries are at the lower end of Calle San Alberto. Sucre is also famous for its chocolates.
Drink
Most places on the main square, and down the first block of Calle Nicolas Ortiz, are heavily gringofied, -for better or worse. Sunday is by far the slowest night. In the market there are many stalls selling all kinds of fruit juices and salads. Particularly recommended is the multi-vitaminico, a mix of basically everything in the stall - cereales, fruits, vegetables, and sometimes egg, beer, honey etc. - which is a great pre-hike breakfast or a great post-drinking pick-me-up.
Stay safe
The plain-clothed police officer scam seems to be popular (but seldom) in Sucre, especially targeting women travelers. Read all about it under Bolivia and be aware. If you are near the central plaza and this happens to you, walk there, as there are usually uniformed police there.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Sucre: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Sucre?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Sucre are April to November. October is the warmest month, with average highs of 23 °C; January is the wettest, with about 124 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Sucre?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Alcantarí International Airport (SRE), about 25 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Sucre?
boliviano (BOB).
Nearby
Destinations near Sucre
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.