Tarija

Bolivia: A Local's Guide to a Country You Have to See to Believe · Juan Flores, our Bolivian friend, on the salt flats, La Paz, Sucre, Lake Titicaca and Santa Cruz — with the hotels and tours we'd book.

Where should I stay?

Mercado Central · Centro · Bolivian market food: The central market is the place for cheap breakfasts and lunches of local dishes like saice, sopa de maní and fresh pastries.
Taberna Gattopardo · Plaza Luis de Fuentes · International and Bolivian: A long-running restaurant-bar on the main plaza serving pizza, grills and local wine, good for people-watching.
El Fogón del Gringo · Centro · Steakhouse: A well-known parrilla for grilled beef and a salad bar, paired with Tarija's own wines.
Casa Vieja · Valle de la Concepción · Tarija country cooking: A historic winery in the countryside known for weekend lunches of traditional dishes with its own wine.

Plaza Luis de Fuentes y Vargas · Centro: Tarija's palm-shaded main square, surrounded by colonial buildings and cafés, is the heart of town life.
Casa Dorada · Centro: An ornate early-1900s merchant's mansion, now the city's house of culture, with period rooms open to visitors.
Museo Nacional Paleontológico y Arqueológico · Centro: This university museum displays Ice Age megafauna fossils found around the Tarija valley.
Loma de San Juan · Centro: A hilltop park a short walk from downtown with views over the city and valley, best at sunset.
San Lorenzo · San Lorenzo: A colonial village 15 km north with whitewashed streets and the house of independence hero Moto Méndez.
Coimata · Coimata: A countryside spot with natural pools and a waterfall trail, popular with locals for weekend swims.
Wine and singani tour · Valle de la Concepción: Tour the high-altitude vineyards and distilleries around Tarija to taste local wine and singani, Bolivia's grape brandy.