Hotel Europa 

The beautiful mountainous Bolivia is breathtaking at first glace.From the steamy jungles to the snow-capped peaks, there is a vast range of aura to be taken in. The country is also rich with superlatives, serving as the host of the world’s highest capital, La Paz and Titicaca Lake.

The most important meal to Bolivians is lunch and most workers will travel home during the work week to eat on their breaks. Traditional Bolivian lunch consists of soup, a main course, and a possible dessert.

The potato is the prized dish in the Bolivian cuisine and it is common for some variation of it to be served with every meal. Pasta and rice are also close favourites. In terms of meat, the Bolivians eat a lot of pork, even more than those in the United States and Canada. Chicken and beef are available as well and so are exotic foods such as goat and llama.

Bolivia is known widely for its festivals that run all throughout the year. The best known festival, the Carnaval de Oruro, is a colourful display of Bolivian culture. Achocalla is a smaller scale festival that celebrates heritage through traditional music and folklore.

Religion is also very important to Bolivians. The Semana Santa in April is celebrated with diligence and fervour.
 

Visas are not required for UK visitors and those from other continental countries include the US and Canada. A valid passport is required and a receipt for return ticket is advised.

The electric current in Bolivia is 220 volts at 50 cycles per minute. However in La Paz there are certain areas which use both 220 volts and 110 volts. The majority of plugs are two-pronged with round pins.

It is recommended that you check with your hotel to find out whether you need an adapter or converter before arriving.

The safety instructions for travelling to Bolivia are the same as any other foreign country: Be aware of your surroundings and use common sense.

Travellers are discouraged from joining protests, which are common in cities such as Santa Cruz where coca farmers often march for more rights.  Female travellers should not take tours along and try to go with large groups when possible.

Always ask for official identification before paying for guided tours. Travellers are also warned to look out for wild threats such as Anacondas which inhabit the Amazon and grass areas of certain cities.
 

The best time to visit the highland region is between April and October because the cool winter months make it dry. The summer season often causes trouble travelling to the highlands so this is the recommended time to visit the east lowlands which will be warm and sunny.

It is recommended that travellers ensure their Tetanus and Polio shots are up to date.  In addition, it is suggested that those travelling to Bolivia get both Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccines.
 

There are no direct flights from the UK to Bolivia at this time but there are various options available. The most popular option is to fly from London to Miami, and then from Miami to La Paz directly. Other options include flying from London to Bolivia via Argentina.

The main language of Bolivia is Spanish. There are over 39 other languages used throughout various regions include Aymara, Chiquitano, and Guyara.

The national currency of Bolivia is called the Boliviano. Also termed the BOB, it is divided into 100 subunits, named centavos. Coins are in circulation as 1, 2, and 5 bolivianos and banknotes are in 10,20,50,100,and 200 increments. 

The time difference from the UK is GMT -4.

Most Bolivians are Roman Catholics, although the church system has been fairly localised by the interaction of folklore and regional customs. The family is considered the axis of social life and overall structure and families are very tight knit.