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Bolivia

Bolivia is a beautiful, geographically rich, and multiethnic country in the heart of South America, visited for its stunning mountain landscapes and vibrant indigenous culture.

Regions
Bolivia is structured into the following regions and their departments.

Cities

 * — The administrative capital and seat of the government. Gateway to the highest climbable mountains in Bolivia, Lake Titicaca and the Death Road.
 * — The country's third-largest city, with a pleasant, moderate climate.
 * — Famous for its carnival and a good jumping-off if you intend to head towards Sajama National Park.
 * — A high-altitude mining town, once one of the wealthiest cities in the world due to its silver mines. Popular for its mining tours.
 * — Raunchy and friendly but sleepy mountain village surrounded by high mountains of the Cordillera Quimsa Cruz, with mines, waterfalls, native cloud forest and 31 Aimara indigenous communities.
 * — The second-largest and most affluent city of Bolivia.
 * — Go there for some of the best climbs (Illampu, Ancohuma) and mountain hikes. Similar to Quime but more vibrant and alive with vast hiking opportunities, ranging from 1-day Laguna to 12-day villages hikes.
 * — The constitutional capital and seat of judiciary. Also, a popular tourist magnet with lots to see and do including hiking, partying and seeing dinosaur footprints.
 * — Famous for its wine production and pleasant climate. The Festival of Wine is held annually in Tarija.

Other destinations

 * & Huayna Potosi — the world's highest ski resort and Bolivia's most popular mountain climb
 * — in the south part of Lake Titicaca. A remote island in the middle of the lake. Astonishing landscapes and very old ruins from Inca period make this location a good place to find peace.
 * — six remote towns of the Gran Chaco founded by the Jesuits in the 17th and 18th centuries. The region the towns are in is called Chiquitania and is well worth a visit not just for the Missions, but for the beautiful nature as well.
 * — a few miles north of Apolo, is one of the world's most extensive biodiversity reserves. Its humid tropical climate has spawned one of Bolivia’s richest woodlands.
 * — impossibly remote and even more impossibly beautiful Amazonian park, home to the stunning Cataratas Arcoiris waterfall
 * — beautiful Andean landscapes and Bolivia's highest mountain, Nevada Sajama
 * — the spectacular landscapes along the largest salt flats in the world
 * — ancient ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage site
 * to be reached via bicycle on El Camino de Muerte, the World's Most Dangerous Road, leading through dramatic high altitude cliffside jungle terrain or by walking on El Choro Trek through the climate zones from La Paz to Coroico

Understand
Sometimes referred to as the Tibet of South America, Bolivia is one of the most "remote" countries in the Western Hemisphere; except for the navigable Paraguay River stretching to the distant Atlantic, Bolivia and Paraguay are the only two landlocked nations in the Americas. It is also the most indigenous country in the Americas, with 60% of its population being of pure Native American ancestry.

It shares control of Lake Titicaca (Lago Titicaca), the world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,821 m), with Peru.

Bolivia's geographical composition can be easily divided in three major terrains or regions: Lowlands; valleys; and high plateau or altiplano. Because of this country´s history, from the times when the first humans arrived up until today, population distribution and land surface is inversely proportional in these three regions. The altiplano is the smallest and has the biggest portion of the population, the lowlands occupy more than 1/2 of the country and have about 1/3 of its population. Original natives in all three areas are also of different ethnic origins. All this is explained simply because since colonial times, Bolivia was a mining country in which the economy was based in the mines that were high in the mountains and the valleys fed them. The rest was the frontier.

History
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simón Bolívar, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups. Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 2000s, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and drug use. Current goals include attracting foreign investment, strengthening the hygiene system, and waging an anti-corruption campaign on poor citizens.

The country's recent past is largely inseparable from its former leader, Evo Morales. President Morales, who was the first Native leader to be elected since independence, held a long tenure in office from 2005 to 2019, after being inaugurated at the historical Tiwanaku archaeological sites, and with his Movement for Socialism, crafted a somewhat left governing policy that promoted the welfare of long-neglected Native people. As such, he was very popular with the Native majority, but with those of European descent, who are concentrated in parts of the Tropical Lowlands, not so much. The protesters often shut down streets in La Paz, specifically the area surrounding the Plaza Murillo, and blockades were installed along major inter-city travel routes, often delaying bus schedules by several hours. Sometimes pickets of miners lasted several days between bigger cities further impacting travel.

Since the general election on October 20, 2019, the political climate of Bolivia has been thrown into uncertainty and chaos. The quick count results of the election showed a victory for President Evo Morales, earning him a fourth presidential term. The opposition candidates contested this result, claiming that Morales and his party had rigged the results of the election to bypass the democratic process and assume authoritarian control over the country. The Organization of American States, or OAS, conducted an audit of the results and declared the election fraudulent, though it is often criticized for alleged bias against left-wing governments in Latin America. Protests immediately erupted and intensified over several weeks, until the Bolivian military and police announced that they would no longer support Morales's position as president. After initially supporting new elections, Morales was forced to resign the office and seek asylum in Mexico. In his absence, U.S.-backed opposition senator Jeanine Áñez declared herself the interim president and promised to hold new elections within 90 days, as stipulated by the Bolivian constitution. Morales's supporters, who largely come from the indigenous population, decried this move as a right-wing coup d'etat and began protesting in large numbers, demanding Morales's return. Opponents of Morales claim that the military and interim government are returning Bolivia to democracy, and many have called for Morales's left-wing economic and social reforms to be undone. Demonstrations from both sides of the divide continue to roil the country, causing several deaths and numerous injuries. Fresh polls would only be held a year later on October 18, 2020, which saw the victory of Morales's ally Luis Arce. Áñez was arrested shortly after Arce's victory, and was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment in 2022 for her role in the 2019 coup. Western governments have condemned her arrest and imprisonment as an assault on democratic freedoms.

Culture
Bolivia has a greater percentage of Native people than any other country in the Americas. They are mostly Quechua and Aymara people (the Spaniards wiped out the Incan aristocracy when they conquered the Andes). You may have seen Quechua people in your city selling colorful shawls and sweaters or heard a Quechua ensemble playing traditional music. But while many Andeans have to go abroad to seek a better life, more of them are still here, and their culture continues to live.

Climate
Bolivia's climate remains relatively similar from one climatic zone to another. It ranges from humid and tropical to slightly humid and tropical. In most parts of the country winters are dry and summers are somewhat wet. Despite its tropical latitude, the altitude of cities like La Paz keeps things cool, and warm clothing is advised during the months of April and May. The summer months in Bolivia are November through March. The weather is typically warmer and wetter during these months. April through October, the winter months, are typically colder and drier.

National holidays
When the holiday falls on a Sunday, sometimes the holiday is moved to the following Monday. There are also departmental holidays.
 * January 1 – New Year's Day
 * January 22 – Founding of the Plurinational State Day
 * May 1 – Labor Day
 * June 21 – Willkakuti (official holiday)
 * August 6 – Independence Day
 * November 2 - All Soul's Day
 * December 25 – Christmas

Beyond these holidays, election days in Bolivia are a big deal. Most places will be closed on election day, and there are very few cars on the road, but you can find lively street festivals selling food and drinks. Especially relevant for some travellers, alcohol cannot be sold on election day or the day before.

Get in
Unlike many countries on the continent, citizens of most countries can obtain a visa on arrival or visit the country without having to apply for a visa in advance.

Entry requirements

Citizens of Mercosur member states ― Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru ― enjoy freedom of movement in Bolivia. They can just enter with their National ID card.

Citizens of Mexico, Canada, Turkey, all EU member states, Australia, Japan, Russia, and many others can visit the country without a visa or obtain a visa on arrival. A Bolivian visa on arrival costs US$160. You can get one at one of the country's international airports.

Citizens of Afghanistan, Angola, Bhutan, Cambodia, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Laos, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Timor-Leste, and Yemen are required to obtain a Bolivian visa in advance.

All business travellers and individuals wishing to stay more than 90 days in Bolivia must obtain a visa in advance.

By land
It is common for tourists to travel through a land border at the north-east of Chile and South-West of Bolivia. Bolivia has many land border with its surrounding countries, checkout the border crossings in the following:
 * Guayaramerín from Guajará-Mirim, Brazil
 * Puerto Quijarro from Corumbá, Brazil
 * Puerto Suárez (Paraguay) from Concepción, Paraguay
 * Villazón and La Quiaca from Argentina
 * Bermejo from Argentina
 * Villamontes and Santa Cruz from Asunción, Paraguay
 * La Paz from Arica, Chile
 * Desaguadero from Peru

By plane
The main airports are in La Paz to the western side of the country and in Santa Cruz to the east.

The arrival plan must be based mostly in the purpose of your visit to the country; you have to remember that La Paz receives most of their visitors due to the immense culture and heritage from the Incas and other indigenous cultures from the Andean region, and therefore from La Paz it is easier to move to the Tiwanaku ruins, Oruro’s carnival, Potosí’s mines, Uyuni, Lake Titicaca, Los Yungas valley and the Andes Mountains; since La Paz is the seat of government all the embassies and foreign organizations have their headquarters in the city, which is useful in case of an emergency.

On the other side, Santa Cruz with a warmer weather could become a good location for doing business visit other alternatives in tourism like the Misiones, the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park or visit the eastern cities. There are also some foreign consulates in Santa Cruz.

The cities in the south and central Bolivia, like Cochabamba, Tarija and Sucre also offer a very rich experience; there are several ways to get to these cities from La Paz or Santa Cruz.

From Europe
Regular flights are booked from Madrid (Barajas) to Viru Viru in Santa Cruz service provided by companies like Boliviana de Aviación and Air Europa; the cost could go from €800-1200 to other higher prices depending on the class and duration.

From Latin America
Other airlines that fly into Bolivia from other Latin American countries include LATAM from Santiago via Iquique and from Lima. It is also now possible to fly between Cusco and La Paz with Amaszonas, making circular itineraries possible where you enter Bolivia from Peru across Lake Titicaca and then fly back into Peru. LATAM flies to Lima and Santiago, often via Iquique. Copa Airlines has begun to fly to Santa Cruz from Panama City. Avianca also flies to Lima and Bogotá. Gol Airlines and Aerolineas Argentinas also fly directly to Santa Cruz.

From the USA
There are departures from Miami to Santa Cruz on American Airlines. Once you have your international flight booked, it is far easier and cheaper to organize your internal flights from the point of departure.

By train
In 2014, portions of the Bolivian rail network were acquired by a Chilean company called La Empresa Ferroviaria Andina S.A. (FCA). Many discontinued passenger services appear to have been restarted. Check the FCA website for details.

 * From Brazil, a train connects the Bolivian border town of Puerto Quijarro with Santa Cruz. The fast and slow train takes 13 hr and 17 hr respectively.
 * From Argentina, a train connects the Bolivian border town of Villazón (across from La Quiaca) to Uyuni (9-12 hr). Tupiza is at the midpoint 4 hr from Villazón. The train passes beautiful mountain scenery on the way. As of Feb 2018, the route between Uyuni and Villazon is closed due to flooding. It was expected to reopen in October 2018.

By car
Only about 5% of all the roads in Bolivia are paved. However, most major routes between major cities (e.g., Santa Cruz, La Paz, Cochabamba, Sucre) are paved. A 4x4 is strongly encouraged when traveling off the flatter altiplano. Be aware that in mountainous regions traffic sometimes switches sides of the road. This is to ensure the driver has a better view of the dangerous drops.

An international driver's license is required but most times EU or US driver's licenses will be accepted. There are frequent police controls on the road and tolls to be paid for road use.

By bus
There are many options for traveling from Argentina to Bolivia by bus. There are sites to check times online but as always in Bolivia, it pays to check on the ground in advance as well.

There is a bus that runs from Juliaca and Puno in Peru to Copacabana. Also, more commercial touristy Peruvian bus services connect from Peru to La Paz.

By bus
Bus transportation in Bolivia is a nice cheap way to get to see the beautiful scenery while traveling to your destination. Unfortunately the buses often travel solely at night. Keep in mind that roads are occasionally blocked due to protests, often for several days. So ask several companies at the terminal if you hear about blockades, unless you are willing to spend a few days sleeping on the bus.

Bus travel is usually pretty cheap. Estimate that it will cost you about US$1 for every hour of travel (it's easier to find travel times online than actual price quotes). Prices do change based on supply and demand. Buses generally do not need to be booked ahead, especially for common distances served by many companies. There are great bargains in it for you the shorter you book ahead. Just arriving at the station one hour before the buses leave can often give you a 30-40% discount over bookings several days before. However, as always, shop around and do not go with the first vendor that intercepts you when you arrive at the bus terminal. Hawkers are constantly crying out destinations in the bigger bus stations cajoling potential riders to take their bus line.

If you need to buy a ticket in advance, a good website is: Tickets Bolivia.

Note, that by bus travel anything of the following is meant, which falls into the same category but obviously differs in price and duration: bus (national), minibus (regional), servis (regional van), micro (city bus), trufi (city micro bus with fixed route), and colectivo (city taxis with fixed route and price). Servis' are often 50-100% more expensive than minibuses or buses, but go more often than buses. Buses should be a little cheaper than minibuses, but buses usually cover larger distances.

Contrary to Asia where buses go when full and schedules are unreliable, buses in Bolivia are forced by law to depart at their scheduled times, even if not full. Thus, wherever there is a timetable (or where times are stated somewhere, even if just by word of mouth), you can be pretty sure that the bus will really leave within 5 minutes of the scheduled time (that being said, the bus will not necessarily leave on the dot). Even if the bus has just 5 passengers, you will still pay the same price as if the bus were to be completely full.

By plane
Flying within Bolivia is quick and fairly economical. BoA connects most major cities.

 * Boliviana de Aviación - BoA – the national airline of Bolivia. Provides economical travel between the main cities of Bolivia. You can book your tickets online or at BoA-offices in Santa Cruz, La Paz or Cochabamba. Main office in Cochabamba, Calle Jordán #202 esq. Nataniel Aguirre. email: ventasweb@boa.bo phone: +591 901 10 50 10 fax: +591 4 4116477
 * Ecojet flies the usual major city routes, but it also has flights to Riberalta and Guayaramerin in Bení. Call Center can be reached at phone: +591 901 10 50 55 (not a toll-free call)
 * Ecojet flies the usual major city routes, but it also has flights to Riberalta and Guayaramerin in Bení. Call Center can be reached at phone: +591 901 10 50 55 (not a toll-free call)

By train
On some routes, the roads are in such a dire condition that the train becomes the alternative of choice. Trains are more comfortable than one would expect, having for example reclinable seats. The trip from Oruro to Uyuni is especially beautiful, with the train going literally through an Andean lake on the way. The train is especially good for trips to the Salar de Uyuni and the Pantanal.

Coming from La Paz, you need to take a three-hour bus ride to Oruro to catch the train. It's best to book your tickets a few days before your trip. In La Paz booking office is at Fernando Guachalla No. 494, at the corner with Sánchez Lima (between the Plaza del Estudiante and Plaza Abaroa). Main stops are Uyuni, Tupiza and Villazon, on the Argentine border. Information here:. As of 2018-02-18, the route between Uyuni and Villazon is closed due to flooding. It is expected to reopen in October 2018.

Tickets Bolivia also sells advance train tickets.

Between Santa Cruz and the Pantanal it is more straightfoward to organize a trip. Just go to the Terminal Bimodal in Santa Cruz (see the Santa Cruz page for details), or the train station on the border in Puerto Quijarro. The train is also convenient for trips to the Jesuit Missions. Check the website for timetables.

By taxi
For longer trips between towns and cities that aren't served by bus, shared taxis are common. Shared taxis are not safe for tourists, especially if you are solo female traveller. For taxi travel in cities it is good to have an idea of the expected price, but most (not all) taxi drivers are surprisingly fair and don't overcharge tourists.

On foot and navigation
Bolivia is an excellent place for hiking and trekking, both in the mountains, altiplanicas and the lush jungles, providing many interesting trails. However, due to the often remote nature of these trails, it is important that you are well prepared and have a proper and reliable map with you. In addition, using GPS navigation adds an extra layer of safety, both in cities as well as the countryside. For reliable (offline) maps and comprehensive trails and map information, consult OpenStreetMap, which is also used by this travel guide, and by many mobile Apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz. Or just download the according GPX or KML files through Waymarked Trails for such trails on OpenStreetMap. (Note, you just need to change the OpenStreetMap relation ID to download the GPX or KML files through the same link.)

Talk
Bolivia has 37 official languages, of which Spanish (often called Castellano), Quechua, and Aymara are the main ones. In rural areas, many people do not speak Spanish. Nevertheless, you should be able to get by with some basic Castellano. Bolivia is one of the best places in which to learn or practice your Spanish because of their very clean, deliberate accent. There are many options for studying Spanish in Bolivia, and they are usually very good (often, the program includes a very good homestay component).

See
Bolivia has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In the eastern department of Santa Cruz there are the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, the Inca site El Fuerte in Samaipata and the Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos. Near the capital there is Tiwanaku, an archeological site with the remains of a pre-Incan city. Finally there are Sucre and Potosí, two cities founded by the Spanish in the 16th century.

Furthermore Bolivia has the world's largest salt flat Salar de Uyuni, a portion of Lake Titicaca with Isla del Sol and being located in the middle of the Andes — mountain peaks higher than 6,000m.

Do

 * Yungas Road aka Death Road – From La Cumbre to Coroico. A mountain bike tour of 64 km where you'll be able to see the diversity of Bolivia. Leave from La Cumbre at 5,000 m, in a cold and windy environment, and get to Coroico, in a wet and tropical environment. Parts of the trail can also be hiked, or try the parallel and picturesque 3 day El Choro Trek to Coroico.
 * Explore the Provinces – Bolivia is a place to explore, it is mostly still untouched. The people are friendly in the countryside. There are hundreds of places off the map, mostly out-of-the-guide places to go in Bolivia, and far more exciting than what the tour agencies and guide books offer. In the La Paz department for example you can easily catch transport to places like Pelechuco, Charazani, the east side of Lake Titicaca, Isla del Sol, or Quime, not to mention scores of other villages and small towns. The free government tour agencies at the Plaza Estudiantes or Prado can help you find transport anywhere and tell you about it.

Off the beaten track
Many travellers head to Bolivia ticking off the main and popular todos and sights (like the Salar de Uyuni, chilling in Sucre, the mining tours in Potosí, the Death Road by bicycle, rain forest trekking near Rurrenabaque, and Lake Titicaca) and often leave after only two weeks. However, Bolivia offers much more, often remote and beautiful authentic places with friendly people, and you can easily spend one month or more here between the high altitude mountains and the lowland rainforests. Especially the fact that Bolivia is a great trekking and hiking destination is often neglected when pointing out the attractions of this country, but indeed there are numerous 1-12 day trails all over the country, many do not require a guide, while others are challenging mountain climbs. In the following, the most important destination off the beaten track that you should not miss, or even simply swap for the over-commercialised places mentioned before—except for maybe the Salar de Uyuni tour:
 * Sajama National Park – If you ever just wanted to hike into the Altiplano planes while you where on the Salar de Uyuni tour, this is the place to go. It features the highest Bolivian mountain, mountain climbing, high altitude trekking, geysers and hot-pools, soundless plains, as well as numerous animal species, like viscachas, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, (few) flamingos, horned coots.
 * Sorata – While often Quime is emphasised for authentic and laid-back village life, it might be a little too sleepy too be interesting to the sophisticated traveller. While the mine in Quime is definitely worth a visit while being there, Sorata provides a much more interesting experience with numerous 1-12 day treks (between villages, lagoons or high into the snowy mountains), many able to be done without a guide. The town is much more alive, offers more accommodation options (including real hostels), has a lively Sunday market, and can easily be reached from La Paz Cemetario.
 * Tropical Lowlands – Beyond Rurrenabaque, the Beni department and Santa Cruz department offer many remote, uncrowded and beautiful national parks for relaxing rainforest walks, animal safaris or just huge dunes in the middle of the rainforest. Some parks are private and more expensive, but there are government run and inexpensive alternatives, like Pilon Lajas Biosphere Reserve, Reserva del Biosfera del Beni, Lomas de Arena, and Amboró National Park.
 * Cargo Ferry on Río Mamoré – If you really want to hit the dust and feel the authentic but sometimes burdensome life of the local people, spend some days in a hammock (or cabin) on a busy cargo ferry towards the Brazilian border or just between Santa Cruz and Trinidad.
 * Torotoro National Park – Even though not that untouristy as claimed above, many people do not know about this destination. It is a remote mountain village with a large cave nearby that can be climbed into and many dinosaur footprints in the surrounding rock formations. The latter two attractions can only be done by village organised tour, but the region itself might just provide some interesting and remote trekking opportunities if you are keen exploring them.
 * Maragua (crater and village) – While many travellers take there time hanging around in Sucre not doing much and enjoying the atmosphere, they often forget about the interesting and beautiful surround mountains that offer many trekking opportunities, as the 2-3 day Maragua Trail.
 * Yungas Road – To most people the Death Road is an overpriced one day mountain bike tour. But actually the region offers much more: laid-back Coroico and Chulumani, high waterfalls (like La Jalancha), zip-lining, an interesting Afro-Bolivian community, the historic El Choro Trek, true chocolate, canyoning and many remote accommodation options.
 * Villa Tunari – A hotspot among well informed travellers due to its popular nearby national parks, like Parque Machía and Carrasco National Park, many of which are popular for being supported by international volunteers. Besides that, the region is famous for its pleasant tropical weather.

Money
The national currency is the Boliviano (ISO code: BOB), denoted Bs. (with dot).

Bills come in denominations of Bs. 200, 100, 50, 20, and 10; coins are in Bs. 5, 2, and 1, and 50, 20, and sometimes 10 centavos (1/10 of a Boliviano). Bills larger than Bs. 50 can be hard to break with smaller stores or vendors, other electronic stores or such dealing with larger amounts will be able to change it for you.

Money exchange
Bolivianos can be exchanged for US dollars, euros and most South American currencies at Casa De Cambio agencies or street vendors. However, it can be difficult to change money other than euros and US dollars for a good rate. Expect to negotiate for a favorable exchange rate, as most vendors will try to make money off tourists.

Nevertheless, street agencies (at least in La Paz) have very competitive US dollar (and even euro) exchanges rates with often less than 1% fee included in the rate. Sometimes US dollar rates are actually better than interbank rates, either due to the need of dollars or because the rate lags behind. Either way, check the rates before exchanging money.

Banks are a little less favorable, but of course more secure. Otherwise US dollars are accepted in hotels, tourist shops, and for large purchases, but the rates are generally less favorable then.

ATMs
Using ATMs is the most convenient and effective way to get cash in Bolivia. High fees like in Argentina do not exist.

Banco de Credito (BCP) or "Banco Nacional de Boliva" (BNP) are good banks to get cash from without fees. Mercantil Santa Cruz, Banco Union and Banco Fie do not charge any fee either. Banco Sol charges Bs. 17. BNP ATMs at the main branch in Av. Camacho (La Paz) dispenses US dollar (up to 1000). Many other ATMs claim to dispense US dollars, but most of the time they are out of them.

Tipping
Service charges are included with the bill. Still, a small tip, around 5% or so, is sometimes given, and is considered polite. No tipping necessary for taxi drivers.

Bargaining
Bargaining is not very common when it comes to day to day things. Generally, even as a tourist you will get the fair price. A few might add Bs. 1 here or there, especially in tourist hotspots, but the rip-off that is common in countries like Egypt or Vietnam does not happen in Bolivia. People are generally very fair to each other here. And 90% of the time asking for a lower price at the market or ho(s)tel, you will be out of luck or cause confused faces. However, after a while you will know the usual price and be able to spot outliers. This bargaining situation obviously does not apply to packaged tours—bargain as hard as you can with these.

Stevia
Bolivia is famous for its produce, like Quinoa, Manioc, Avocado, etc. But it also produces high quality Stevia, the best of which is available at pharmacies for around Bs. 40 per 80g. The Stevia sold in tourist markets like the Witch Market in La Paz is crystalline and of poor quality, so do not waste your money on it. The latter is only half price (if you are good at bargaining) compared to the one sold in drug stores, but you need more of it to get the same sweetness.

Repairs
Bolivia is a great place to get stuff repaired, because there are many handymen around, they do a very good job, and it is dirt cheap. So, if your hiking boots, bag or clothes are broken or torn, Bolivia is the place to get it fixed. This applies for getting clothing re-sized too.

Eat
The cuisine of Bolivia might be called the original "meat and potatoes" -- the latter (locally called papas from the Quechua) were first cultivated by the Inca before spreading throughout the world. The most common meat is beef, though chicken and llama are also easily found. Pork is relatively common. Deep frying (chicharron) is a common method of cooking all sorts of meat, and fried chicken is a very popular quick dish; at times the smell permeates the streets of Bolivian cities. Guinea pigs (cuy) and rabbits (conejo) are eaten in rural areas, though you can sometimes find them in urban restaurants as well. A common condiment served with Bolivian meals is ll'ajwa, a spicy sauce similar to Mexican salsa.

Almuerzo is very popular during the mid-day meal and usually consists of an appetizer (entrada), soup, main dish (segundo), and dessert. Walk around many streets around Bolivian cities and you'll see the day's menu for that restaurant. Most have at least 2 main dish options to choose from. Almuerzos run anywhere between Bs. 15-25 depending on the restaurant or 'pension'. Some notable Bolivian dishes:
 * Pique a lo macho – grilled chunks of meat in a slightly spicy sauce with tomatoes and onion, on potatoes
 * Silpancho – beef pounded to a thin, plate-sized patty, served on a bed of rice and potatoes, with a fried egg on top (Similar to wiener schnitzel).
 * Picante de Pollo – the degree of spiciness depends on the cook/chef
 * Fritanga (Bolivian style fried pork)

Street food and snacks:
 * Anticucho – Beef hearts grilled on a skewer, served with potatoes and a spicy peanut sauce
 * Salchipapa – Thinly sliced sausage fried with potatoes
 * Choripan – Chorizo (spicy sausage) sandwich, served with grilled onions and lots of sauce

Mid-Morning snacks typically consists of any of several of meat-filled buns:
 * Salteña – A baked bun filled with meat and potatoes in a slightly sweet or spicy sauce. Be careful when you take a bite, as the sauce will drip all over!
 * Tucumana – Like a salteña but fried
 * Empanada – Similar to a saltena, often filled with cheese as well as meat
 * Cuñape – A small roll filled with cheese, similar to Brazilian pão de queijo. The bread is made from cassava flour.

Many people also start off the day with some concoction involving fruit:

 * Ensalada de frutas – Many different fruits chopped in a bowl of yogurt. Very filling. Some stalls may have honey, nuts or gelatin on top, if you like.

Vegetarians will find decent to very good options in Gringo-places around the country. But also at market places, there are good vegetarian options on offer (usually potatoes, rice, fried egg and salad for about 7Bs.) In bigger cities, there are some (decent to good) fully vegetarian restaurants.

Coca leaves
Coca has been part of Andean culture for centuries, and chewing is still very common (and perfectly legal) in Bolivia. You should be able to buy a big bag of dried leaves at the local market. Coca is a stimulant, and it also suppresses hunger. Chewing a wad of leaves for a few minutes should bring slight numbness to your lips and throat. Remember the slogan (printed on souvenir T-shirts): Coca no es Cocaina ("The coca leaf is not cocaine"). But cocaine most definitely is an illegal drug. Remember this, only chew the leaf; if you eat the coca leaf it will make you sick.

Drink
Juice bars appear at most markets. Shakes (either with water or milk) are 2 Bs. 2-3. Locals can be seen to drink Vitaminico, an egg, beer and sugar concoction, or "Vitima", which includes coca leaves.

 * Licuado – Water or milk blended with your favorite fruit combination. A big spoonful of sugar will be added unless you specifically ask them not to. Try the milk and papaya licuado. You should probably ask whether the water added is from botella (bottle) or from the tap (best avoided).
 * Vitaminico – Don't ask what's in here. Many fruits, milk, sugar, a shot of beer, and, if you wish, a whole egg (with shell).
 * Mocochinchi – A drink made by brewing peaches and spices together in water. Very good but some people are turned off by the shriveled peach which is typically served with each glass.
 * Api – A traditional corn-based drink usually found in the open-air markets. If you didn't know it was corn you'd never guess it though because this stuff is good.

Alcohol
Bolivia's traditional alcoholic drink is chicha, a whitish, sour brew made from fermented corn and drunk from a hemispherical bowl fashioned from a hollowed gourd (round-bottomed so you can't put it down). It's customary to spill a bit of chicha on the ground before and after drinking it as an offering to Pachamama, the Inca earth goddess.

 * Singani is a grape liquor that's mixed with Sprite or ginger ale with lime garnish to make a cocktail called chuflay.
 * There are a number of local beers, the largest being Paceña and its high-end brand Huari. El Inca is a very sweet low-alcohol beer. Orange Cocktails are a popular drink too!

Tarija is located at 1924 meters above sea level, and is known for its wine-making, vast vineyards, and award-winning wines. Hence you can visit and taste wine at its beautiful wineries, such as: Campos De Solana, Kohlberg, Casa Vieja, Valle De Concepción, and Casa Real, where the famous Singani is made.

Sleep
Offering a favorable exchange for Western tourists, lodging can be found at very reasonable prices throughout the country, from hostals to luxury hotels. In simple accommodations WiFi is not common, only if they cater for tourists.

There are not many hostels in the common sense around, except for the typical tourist spots. But even in normal and basic places (often called hostal, hospedaje or alojamientos) you only pay per person (Bs. 30-60) and not per room. So, you might end up paying Bs. 40 for a room with 4 beds, one taken by you.

Outside of large cities, hostel prices are considerably cheaper when walking-in than online. In large cities however, you will find it hard to find a bargain and it is better to reserve online.

Work
Bolivia isn't thought of as a popular work destination.

Stay safe

 * Apply common sense and take precautions that apply elsewhere. All tourists should be careful when selecting a travel guide and never accept medication from unverifiable sources.
 * Female tourists should be cautious when travelling alone.
 * At night try to use radio taxis, as fake cabs are common and robbery and even rape does occur.
 * It is a good idea to register with the consulate of your country of residence upon entry into the country. And it is also helpful learn at least basic Spanish to keep yourself a little safe.
 * When taking an interdepartmental bus (say from La Paz to Cochabamba), do not accept snacks or drinks from nearby passengers. Even though most likely they may just want to be nice, there have been instances that passengers being drugged and robbed during nighttime trips. Say "no, gracias".
 * Always remain cautious and suspicious when approached by someone or get befriended by a stranger in the street. Bolivians are very closed towards foreigners. Even when you do business with them, e.g. buying something, they will rather prefer not to do so. Ask yourself, why would anyone even start a conversation with a tourist when their general mood is often far from friendly and open. There must be something wrong if it is not the owner of your hostel or another Westerner. You are better off to immediately walk away from such a situation, saying Lo siento. There are certainly better ways to find friends in Bolivia.
 * In general, if you travel less touristy routes, you will mostly be safe, apart from general dangers like traffic. Criminals targeting tourists will mostly always be where they can expect a high supply. Waiting in the middle of nowhere for one tourist a month is not what they are looking for. Hence, if you enjoy authentic travel and experience, you will be safe at the same time.
 * There are a lot of dogs on the streets in Bolivia, especially in smaller towns and villages. The dogs are generally friendly; they walk around and "sunbathe" near houses.

The plain-clothed police officer scam
This seems to be rampant (but seldom) in this region and especially in cities like La Paz, Cochabamba and Sucre, basically everywhere where to expect larger amounts of tourists, but especially near plazas and in the center. In remote regions of Bolivia you should be safe from it, because the frequency of tourists to target is too low and travellers to such remote regions are generally more aware and firm with a country and travelling in general.

The scam: Generally, travelers — alone or in pairs — are being targeted for robberies in the centre of town or on a bus. Typically, a young man (an accomplice) will try to start up a conversation about hotels or hostels, and claim to be staying at the same one as the target. Alternatively, he might ask you for directions (to simple destinations), or start any conversation to befriend you. Then an "undercover police officer" (aka plain-clothed police officer) will arrive on the scene because of "passport difficulties" or "drug searches". Then the accomplice will often claim that the same thing happened to them and that it is best to just cooperate with them. If you hand out your passport, the "officer" will use it as ransom to get you into a car/taxi (part of the setup) to do a search at the "police station". At the fake station your luggage will be search and money will mysteriously disappear from it, which you will only notice after the incident when being back on the street. Some people have had all of there possessions stolen this way—including rings off of fingers. Even worse, if it turns out that no money or valuable are in your luggage, the situation might turn even uglier—an Austrian couple was found murdered in 2006 after following false police into a taxi.

Advice:
 * Never show any valuables or give your passport, or anything for that matter that can be used as ransom (e.g. for you to get into a car), to anyone. Always carry a copy and hand the copy out if necessary, even with ho(s)tels. If anyone objects, make a stand and explain that the region is too dangerous to give out your passport and people have been killed doing it. Alternatively, think of a stupid story, you lost it and now have to get a new one.
 * Never get into a taxi with them or someone you do not know for that matter, even if that someone has your passport. This is South America, where taxis are not to be trusted and gun violence exists! If you get into a taxi the guy will not just hold your passport but your life in his hands. Note, a passport can always be replaced at the next embassy, a life cannot.
 * Never bring large amounts of foreign money to countries like Bolivia (Peru, Ecuador or Colombia). Bolivia is very easy with a credit card and ATMs, and there is always Western Union, just in case.
 * Never keep all your money in your backpack. Spread it, also hide it in your pants. However, have a small amount ready to give away just in case, to keep up the façade. By the way, backpacks often have space between layers of textile where usually no one would expect anything to be, e.g. inside where the back bars are. You can leverage these places for money and credit cards.
 * Actual undercover police (aka plain-clothed police officers) are strictly ordered not to hassle tourists. Thus, any such case should immediately ring alarm bells. And even if it were real undercover police, you would not want to get with them into a car either, because if you have to, there is something terribly wrong and it is not going to end up well either way. Express this fear clearly and make a stand as much as you can.
 * If you can, call 110, which is the Bolivian number for emergencies.
 * If necessary, insist on being taken by foot to the next police station before giving them access to your things. Or even walk to nearby crowded places, e.g. a central plaza, and seek the help of uniformed police there. Stay on the main and crowded roads!
 * If you feel secure enough doing so, scream "Policía!" as loud as you can. Most local people will be more than happy to help a stranger.
 * Alternatively, seek help of restaurants, pharmacies, or larger shops if you feel insecure.
 * Or, if confident enough, simply walk away if you feel like you are caught in a dodgy situation.

Note, the way of using an accomplice to befriend you is a recent twist in the scam. Be aware that the future might show other alteration of it, always ending up with you giving your passport to the "officer", entering the car and getting mugged afterwards.

This scam is rare but still exists. If you are suspicious and aware, or the kind of guy/gal not to be messed with, or even just clearly above 30, you are probably safe and do not have to fear these criminals. They usually target travellers they can handle with ease, i.e. youngsters in their 20s, naive and alone in the world for the first time—as sad as it sounds.

Stay healthy
Some parts of Bolivia like La Paz (3,650 m), Potosí (4,010 m), Oruro (3,950 m) and the Lake Titicaca region (3,400 m) are high altitude, so adequate precautions against "sorojchi" altitude sickness should be taken.

At local pharmacies they sell sorojchi pills, that are supposed to help with altitude problems. It has painkillers as well as natural herbs to help cope with the symptoms of "sorojchi". In many parts of the Altiplano you can purchase coca leaves, which are reputed to be useful against soroche. Coca tea ("mate de coca") is available in tea bags in many markets.

However, severe cases of high altitude disease can be treated at the High Altitude Pathology Institute at Clinica IPPA. This clinic has the most advanced technology including a hyperoxic/hypoxic adaptation chamber. In addition, the sun's ultraviolet rays are much stronger, up to 20 times, than at sea level. A sun hat, sunglasses and skin protection (sunblock or long sleeves) are advised.

UV radiation is strong in La Paz and in mountainous areas. The use of high-factor sunscreen is recommended.

Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for those who plan on spending time in the Bolivian Amazon. It must be taken 10 days prior to the your arrival in the country if you plan to visit rural areas.

Malaria prophylaxis is recommended if the visitor plans to visit tropical-rural areas.

As a preventive measure, taking the following vaccines is recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Tetanus, Diphtheria and Measles Booster-Vaccines.

One should not drink tap water. Buy bottled water only.

Stomach problems are possible (dirty food etc.).

Petrol may contain lead. The sort that contains lead (it also stinks on the streets) is called "standard". If you plan a long term visit in Bolivia, you may want to investigate.

Respect
Bolivians, like their counterparts on the continent, have a casual view of time. For example, you can expect your Bolivian counterparts to be a few minutes late for an appointment. This is completely normal. That said, you should be on time for business appointments.

Impatience is perceived poorly in Bolivian culture. Bolivians try to do things in a carefully planned manner. Raising your voice, losing your temper, or constantly following up with people is only going to make you look bad and insensitive.

Show respect and deference to authority figures and those older than you. If you come across someone who is older than you, give up your seat on public transportation for them. If you're waiting for a taxi, allow someone older to take your spot. If someone in a position of authority requests you to do something, do it. It's also customary to address elders with titles like Señor (sir) or Señora (madam).

Do not use the word "indio" in Bolivia to describe indigenous people. It is considered offensive. The term they use is "campesino" (which translates to peasant) or "indígena". A "cholo" is a campesino who moved to the city, and though originally derogatory, has become more of a symbol of indigenous power. Nevertheless, some locals still use the word cholo as a derogatory term.

It's customary to greet strangers and passersby wherever you go, even on the streets. A simple buenos días would do.

Other travellers
You will find many other travellers in South America, often doing the same route as you. It is fun and useful to travel together with others; rent a car together to save money, hike together for a more secure experience, or just share your knowledge on the way about dangers, volunteering, secret gems, or any other valuable information. Relying on this information and help is useful and important, as can be seen with this travel guide.

Facebook, for instance, has many local country groups available, like the Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay Backpacker / Traveler group where you can find other travellers and up-to-date information on the country. Also, hostels often have black boards available where you can sell and find stuff, or contact local travellers. Otherwise, just talk to the people that look like they need help or if you are trying to find help yourself.

Buses and tours
Never book ahead in Bolivia. Many tourists plan their travel (too) far ahead, even organising trips across country borders with one and the same company, so called flexible bus and tour tickets. However, this flexibility is actually just a marketing point of these companies and comes at a hefty price. Travel companies mostly never operate across borders or even across tourism fields. Instead, they leverage other companies to organise and offer their spectrum to tourists and act as the man in the middle. But this adds to your costs and does not give you any bargaining ground whatsoever. Hence, turning up on site and booking short notice does always give you better prices for tours and buses. Also, it gives you more freedom and flexibility of travel time and planning. There are always more than enough tour and bus companies around, since everyone is trying to make money with tourists. A single tourist a week can provide enough income for them to last due to the often large margin they have. Hence, there are always more than enough available to choose from. This will give you the opportunity to fill remaining spaces at a very low price, and companies are happy to book as many people as possible at once, giving you the best bargaining ground ever with discounts of up to 50%. And even if they are fully booked, they will know other companies that have availability and try to book you on these ones, trying to make an additional cut for themselves. Remember, you are the rarity in sea of oversupply, at least along the beaten track.

Examples:
 * Knowing when most (night) buses go from the bus terminal, be there 1 hr before and check out one company after another. Demand the cheapest seat instead of the most comfortable one, they mostly have one kind only anyhow. This way you might get a cama by paying for a semi-cama, which is better than paying a cama while they actually just have semi-camas. (They will boldly lie to you about their seat standards.)
 * Salar de Uyuni tours from Uyuni or San Pedro; you can easily turn up one day (even in the evening) and without issues book a tour for the next day. Even if one does not go, there are 30 more companies down the road. They will be happy about any last minute dollar they can make.
 * Cycling the Death Road; check out the locations of the tour providers (near San Francisco in La Paz) and go from one office to another asking for the best price. Rates easily drop to half (Bs. 300) of what they will tell you when you call them or contact them via email. Demand the best bicycle either way. The have more than enough bicycles and spaces.

Phone

 * Bolivia has three cellphone companies, Entel, Tigo, and Viva. All three have outlets on practically every block in major cities.
 * If you are staying for a while, consider buying SIM cards for your cellphones. They are quite cheap and you get good network coverage in all main cities and towns. Entel sells good-priced international call possibilities for their SIMs, i.e. you can buy 10 mins for Bs. 20 (to be used in one day, disconnects automatically after expiration). You will need to register the SIM card at a local office of the telecom. You will need a photocopy of your passport and the mobile phone that you will use.
 * While traditional payphones still exist, you can also make local calls for Bs. 1 from cellular phones at kiosks.

Internet

 * Internet cafés are becoming less prevalent with the spread of smart phones making internet access more accessible. However, most larger cities are dotted with Internet/Cyber Cafés, weirdly enough in 2018. General rates are around Bs. 1.50-2.50 per hour.
 * Many cafés have free WiFi for customers, although the speed can vary depending on the number of users connected.

title: Bolivia


text:
Bolmsö

Bolmsö is an island in Småland.

See
Lots of lovely walks. Also the church at the northern end of the island is lovely

Sleep
Lots of camping opportunities on the island

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Bolmsö


text:
Bologna

Bologna (Emilian: Bulåggna) is a beautiful and historic city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northeast Italy. It has the oldest university in the Western world, a lively student population, excellent food, a striking brick terracotta-roofed cityscape, and lots to see and do. The city itself has a population just under 395,000 in 2020. Until 2015 it was part of a "Province of Bologna" but this was absorbed into a metropolitan area, population 1,017,000. This page therefore covers the entire metropolis, with the exception of Imola, described separately.

Understand
Bologna is famous for its cuisine (la cucina Bolognese). It is also viewed as a progressive and well-administered city. It has one of the largest and best preserved historic centers among Italian cities. Its architecture is noted for its palette of terracotta reds, burnt oranges, and warm yellows, hence the name of Bologna la rossa (Bologna the red). The extensive town center, characterized by miles of attractive covered walkways, known as "porticos," is one of the best-preserved in Europe.

Bologna is the seat of the oldest university in continental Europe, founded in 1088. A significant portion of its population consists of away-from-home university students. In common with other Italian university towns, it is in parts marred by excessive graffiti on its historic palaces.

History
The strategic location of the city molded its history. Inhabited since the 10th century BC during the Iron Age, it was fortified by the Celts and became a municipality under the Romans. The presence through the centuries of the Huns, Goths, Lombards, Franks, Austrians and French, have each left traces which are still visible on the city today.

Bologna struggled for autonomy, having been dominated by emperors, kings, and the Church. It was ruled by the Pepoli and Bentivoglio families, and was a papal fiefdom. The papal power made it a city of the Guelphs, while many of its residents supported the anti-Papal Ghibellines. Bologna had the first city council in Italy, and was, with the Liber Paradisus law in 1256, one of the first cities in the world to abolish slavery. This political activity was rooted in the lively environment surrounding the Alma Mater, as the university was known.

Bologna was the home of such personalities as Father Martini, a collector, composer and master of counterpoint who was a notable and complex protagonist of European music of the thirteenth century. Among his students were Johann Christian Bach (son of J.S Bach) and the young W.A Mozart. During the 19th century the Philharmonic Academy drew important personalities such as Rossini, Verdi, Brahms, Wagner, Puccini and Liszt.

Bologna was named a Creative City of Music by UNESCO in 2006. Music is performed throughout the city: in the Teatro Comunale (the Opera Theatre), by the Orchestra Mozart youth orchestra, founded and directed by Claudio Abbado, and in clubs and inns where jazz is regularly played. There are open-air concerts and music can be heard at the Conservatory, the Opera School, and hundreds of music associations operating within the territory.

Bologna's scientists have included Galvani and Marconi. Native or visiting painters and artists have included Morandi, Guido Reni, Guercino, the Carraccis, Leonardo (one of the legends about the Mona Lisa tells that this was where he painted his famous masterpiece), Giotto (there was a chapel in Piazza XX Settembre entirely painted a fresco by Giotto which was destroyed when Bologna was fighting against the Pope), Cassini (who made the world’s longest sundial, now located inside Basilica S. Petronio), and Michelangelo (on the arc in Basilica S. Domenico can be found his sculpture of an angel holding a candelabra). Napoleon re-arranged the urban plan of the city and Carlo V was crowned emperor in Bologna's Basilica S. Petronio.

When to visit
Bologna is at its best from March/April to October, when it is warm and there is much outdoor sipping and dining, or just sitting in squares such as Piazza Santo Stefano and Piazza Maggiore. However, during July and August it can be very hot and sticky. In August, as is the case in much of Italy in the summer, many shops and restaurants are closed for the summer vacation.

Winter can be cold, but Bologna is beautiful the two weeks before Christmas. January and February often feature cloudless blue skies, but the clear weather is often the coldest: you will need a coat, scarf, hat and gloves.

By plane
Bologna's airport is approximately 6 km NW from the centre of the city:

Services:
 * WiFI – free, registration required.

Connections to the city:
 * Marconi Express monorail service connects the airport with the Bologna Centrale railway station in 7 minutes. Single fares from €12.80. Waiting time in queue before boarding in rush hour +30 minutes
 * Bus #54 goes towards the west suburbs of Bologna, and will get you on to the other routes. Change to #81 or #91 at the first stop after the airport in Birra
 * Buses #81 and #91 could be taken from the bus stop Birra on other side of the elevated motorway, which is within 10 min. walk distance from the airport. Both buses terminate at the Bologna Centrale station. Bus tickets are valid for 75 minutes travel and cost €1.5. (frequencies every 15 min weekdays, 30 min Saturdays, 60 min Sundays and at night). (Timetable 2022) The tickets can be bought at no extra cost in the Supermarket Carrefour check-out inside the airport. Traveltime Birra to Bologna station 30 min.
 * Taxi – a journey to the city centre could cost approx. €15.

There are also direct bus connections to: Marche, Ravenna, Cervia, Ferrara, Florence, Modena, Rimini.

By train
Bologna's main railway station is north of the historical centre of the city, a moderate walk or a 15-minute bus ride away.

Due to its central location and geography, Bologna has been developed into one of the major railway transport hubs of northern Italy, making it very well-connected with other major Italian centers. Modern high speed railway lines arrive in Bologna from Florence in 37 minutes, from Milan in 65 minutes, from Rome in 2 hr 20 min, from Venice in 2 hours, and from Ferrara in 30 min -1 hour.

There are Eurocity trains from Munich (Germany) and Vienna (Austria), and an overnight sleeper service from Paris Bercy.

While taking the train south from Milan, don't forget to catch a glimpse of the Duomo perched above Bologna in the south. It is especially interesting at sunset.

By bus
Flixbus, Baltour and Marino are the main bus companies.

By car
The most convenient way to get to Bologna is certainly by car. Its strategic position allows you to get here from Milan, Florence, Rome and Naples with the A1 motorway. The city is at the junction of the A1, A14 and A13 highways, and so is easily accessible from anywhere in Italy. Most traffic from Milan would exit the A1 and take the Tangenziale, but beware of this road at rush hour because it is horrendously packed. Expect to use 2 hours from the A1 exit to the Tangenziale to the center at certain peak times over summer busy weekends, especially at the beginning and end of August. To get there from Ferrara, Padua and Venice, take the A13, while as regards the coast, the A14 is also used. The city is also crossed by the Via Emilia which connects Milan with the Adriatic coast.

By bus
TPER manages public transport in Bologna. Their information and ticket centres are available at some central locations in the city, including the railway station Bologna Centrale and Autostazione di Bologna, the intercity bus station. Bus maps are available there (also at the web site). Single tickets and some other types of bus tickets can be also purchased at many other resellers around the city (newspaper sellers, tobacconists, cafés, etc.). With an NFC-capable Android smartphone the official Muver app can also be used to buy and validate tickets by holding the phone to the card reader. ViviBus Bologna is an online route planner.

A single journey ticket costs €1.3 (valid 75 min) or €1.5 if bought on board, a day-pass costs €5, 10-journey pass — €12 (2016). Mi Muovo is an integrated public transport pass for the region: short-stay visitors might use "Mi Muovo Multibus", a 12-trip bus ticket, see Emilia Romagna.

Single-journey tickets may be purchased prior to boarding the bus or on board at a ticket machine. There are 2 types of such machines on a bus, usually painted in red and yellow: red ones sell plain tickets, while yellow ones are used to validate multi-trip or season tickets.

By bicycle
Bikes are most popular among the people of Bologna. They are available for rent on various location around the city (Dynamo, the bicycle parking station, can be found nearby the train station). You can ride on the many bike trails and on the side of the road. Be sure to lock them safely with a good lock, as they get stolen all around town, especially around the University.

There are also the RideMovi bikes that are available for hire through the app 'App RideMovi'. This is a Bologna council scheme and hire is cheap, approximately €1 per 15 minutes or €2 per 15 minutes for the electric-assisted bikes.

On foot
Bologna is a great place around which to travel on foot, as getting around the city is quite easy: the streets are well marked. It is also a great way to find hidden gems which are frequented by locals. Some care has to be taken crossing roads: the city centre swarms with scooters and small motorcycles (cars banned during the day) and they ride them everywhere.

Layout of the city
The iconic leaning towers (Due Torri) provide a useful central landmark. They are marked in the centre of the free map available from the Tourist Information Centre in the main square, Piazza Maggiore. The central area around Piazza Maggiore (including the Due Torri and Piazza Santo Stefano can be thought of as the hub of a wheel, with other roads leading out like spokes to the old city gates (Porte) that stud the Viali—a heavily trafficked beltway that surrounds the historical centre of the town. The northeast quadrant of the map is the university district (an integral part of the town rather than a separate campus). The two southern quadrants of your map are residential sections of the city, and not common tourist areas. However, Bologna's main park, the Giardini Margherita, is just outside the center (across the Viali from Porta Santo Stefano or Porta Castiglione), beneath the surrounding hills. Also to the south, an extended portico (with 666 arches and almost 4 km long) leads out from the Viali (at Porta Saragozza) up to the baroque Sanctuary of San Luca, which provides another iconic landmark.

Around Piazza Maggiore
Large pedestrian square located in the monumental center of the old part of the city, surrounded by a number of grand buildings.

Medieval towers
Towers of the Asinelli are Garisenda the iconic symbols of Bologna.

Arcades
I Portici (arcades) – visitors can walk under the typical arcades of Bologna for a total of 38 km. The arcades were built by order of the town authorities to house temporary visitors. They had to be wide enough that a man could lie down under them to sleep.

Civic museums
Istituzione Bologna Musei is a circle civic museums in the city.

University museums
Sistema Museale di Ateneo (SMA) is a museum system of the University of Bologna. It consists of a number of small but interesting museums which are located at the around via Zamboni. The University of Bologna is the Europe's oldest university, founded over 900 years ago. Plethora of bars and cafés around.

Genus Bononiae museums
Genus Bononiae is yet another circle of museums in the city. It is operated by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio.

Other museums

 * Museo Lamborghini is away out in Sant'agata Bolognese, see below.
 * Museo Lamborghini is away out in Sant'agata Bolognese, see below.
 * Museo Lamborghini is away out in Sant'agata Bolognese, see below.
 * Museo Lamborghini is away out in Sant'agata Bolognese, see below.
 * Museo Lamborghini is away out in Sant'agata Bolognese, see below.
 * Museo Lamborghini is away out in Sant'agata Bolognese, see below.

Parks and gardens
Many parks used to be private gardens of nobility.

Porticoes of Bologna
In 2021, 12 porticoes in and around the city were listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO. A portico is a porch with pillars supporting a roof structure over a building's entrance or a corridor or passageway with an arched ceiling and pillars supporting it.

Further out

 * There's more than enough to see and do in the city itself, but it's just the core of the Metropolis of Bologna (called the Province until 2015).

 * is a small town 15 km east of the city amidst a landscape of orchards. The main sight is the 16th century Bentivoglio castle. There's also an art gallery and the churches of San Domenico del Rosario, San Lorenzo, and Santi Gervasio e Protasio.
 * is a town with pungent thermal springs and a dozen old churches. The Cassero fort, which controlled travel on the Via Emilia, has been turned into a theatre.
 * 27 km south of Bologna has the remains of the Etruscan city of Kainua from 5th century BCE. Outside the modern town hall, a monument commemorates the massacre of 29 Sep 1944, when the Waffen SS killed at least 770 local civilians in reprisal for resistance activity.
 * is a town of just under 70,000 population, 43 km southeast of Bologna. It has lots of accommodation and eating places. You're probably here for the motor-racing, but other sights include the Sforza castle, Tozzoni mansion, cathedral, convent, and the sanctuary and cemetery of Piratello.
 * is a town of just under 70,000 population, 43 km southeast of Bologna. It has lots of accommodation and eating places. You're probably here for the motor-racing, but other sights include the Sforza castle, Tozzoni mansion, cathedral, convent, and the sanctuary and cemetery of Piratello.

Cars
There are many exciting events that are worth taking part of during your stay in lively Bologna. If you plan on spending the onset of the winter holidays in Bologna, you can complete your vacation with a visit to the Motorshow Bologna and to the museums that showcase the automobile masterpieces of Italy.

And just nearby lies the three museums you must visit in order to do this. These are the Ducati Museum, the Lamborghini Museum, and the Ferrari Museum or Galleria Ferrari. To fully appreciate the Ducati Museum you can join guided tours by obtaining advanced reservations. The museum is open daily except on Sundays and holidays. To enter, you will need to join a tour, you can choose from the 11:00 or the 16:00 schedule. The tour of the museum and factory costs €10. Next, you can make your way to the Lamborghini Museum, which is in the area that connects Bologna with neighboring city Modena. It lies at about 21 miles from Bologna and can be easily driven to. The museum was established in 2001 and aims to celebrate one of the most expensive Italian cars in the world. To complete your unique museum-hopping, head over to Ferrari Museum or Galleria Ferrari. The museum is in Maranello, a town just outside Modena and around 55 km (34 miles) from Bologna. Although the museum is part of Ferrari’s headquarters, it has its own building separate from the Ferrari factory. Of the three museums in your itinerary, the Ferrari Museum is the oldest, dating back to 1990. The museum spans an amazing 2,500 m² and is divided into four sections, namely the Formula One collection, the special exhibits, the technological innovation exhibit, and the photo exhibits.

The Formula One collection displays the extraordinary race cars that have played a monumental role in making Ferrari the most famous automobile maker in the world. One of the most remarkable cars is the first Ferrari 125 S that was built in 1947 and won a race in the same year. And to give you a glimpse of what F1I racing is all about, you can check out the Fiorano test track next to the museum where you might even see a Ferrari racing past.

Imola Circuit (Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari) is a motor-racing circuit in the town of Imola. It hosts Formula One and other races.

Music
Bologna is an Italian hub for rock, electronic and alternative music. There are almost a hundred concerts every year by international bands. Unfortunately many of these locations have moved outside the city centre. The main places to check out are Covo Club, Estragon and Link.

Other

 * Football: Bologna FC play soccer in Serie A, Italy's top tier. Their home ground Stadio Renato Dall'Ara (capacity 38,000) is 2 km west of city centre.

Events
There's a great film festival with restored silent and sound films throughout July in Piazza Maggiore. In the past, these have included especially Italian and French film, animation shorts from Annecy, archive footage of Bologna (e.g. of its liberation by British and American troops) and modern classics such as The Third Man, Raging Bull, Apocalypse Now and The Pianist. In November there's a chocolate festival in Piazza Maggiore or Piazza XX Settembre.

Buy
The key to shopping in Italy is to look in every little shop as you walk around, paying attention to price tags. Please take note that the hours listed usually specify a closure in the afternoons. There is no one place to get the perfect pair of shoes or the perfect ties or the perfect anything: you have to look all over, but this is half the fun. If you can't find what you want at the price you want to pay for it, keep looking, chances are you will find something somewhere else that will work perfectly.

Don't miss the chance to buy local food, such as hand-made pastas, gorgeous cheeses and sausages, from any of the hundreds of small vendors and shops to be found in the city. At least half the experience of visiting Bologna is the gastronomic pleasure! The Quadrilatero district, the old market immediately to the west of Piazza Maggiore, is a good place to buy food, or sit down to eat and drink something. Quadrilatero consists of several streets and alleys lined with small stores and eating spots.

If you have money to spend (a lot perhaps...) you have to go in 'Galleria Cavour', near 'Via Farini' with a lot of chic high fashion shops and trendy outlets (Armani, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, etc.)

Another "shop street" is "via San Felice" near "via Ugo Bassi" with a lot of small shops that made artigianal dresses (sugarbabe), artshop (elzapoppin), art galleries and (as usual) shoes and dresses shop.

Eat
There are many choices for where to eat, as Bologna is generally considered to be the gastronomic centre of Italy. For local dishes, try: Da Gianni in Via Clavature, Mariposa in Via Bertiera or Meloncello in Via Sargozza.

For good service, good wine list and fine food at a price try Camminetto D'Oro in Via de Falegnami or Cesarina in Piazza Santo Stefano.

For more contemporary stylish dining try the excellent and good value Casa Monica in Via San Felice.

Via del Pratello has lots of bars and restaurants/osterie for young people. There's lots to choose from here. Walk past, look at the menus. It is located towards the middle of the 'western' part of the map. Fantoni, with its checkered red and white table clothes and scribbled menus, is much frequented by students and serves fantastic fish secondi and an excellent ragù. Via Mascarella/Largo Respighi is another zone with a lot of osterie.

Although many foreigners have heard of spaghetti bolognais or bolognese, the dish is not a traditional dish of Bologna but a French (and subsequently British and American) adaptation, with non-Italian versions of bolognaise sauce bearing little resemblance to the local ragù alla bolognese. The closest local dish is to spaghetti bolognese known as tagliatelle al ragù, which uses a different type of pasta from spaghetti. Besides tagliatelle, ragù alla bolognese is also used to make lasagne alla bolognese.

Central area
These spots are within a few hundred metres of Piazza Maggiore and the Two Towers, joined by Via Francesca Rizzoli. In addition to the listings below, tiny Via Pescherie Vicchie is teeming with restaurants.

West central area
This is the area west of Piazza Maggiore. It includes Via del Pratello, which has lots of bars and restaurants/osterie for young people. There is plenty to choose from here. Walk past, look at the menus.

North central area
This is the area north of Piazza Maggiora, starting a few hundred metres north of the piazza and continuing to the Bologna Centrale train station.

North-east area
This area is north-east of the two towers, east of the Bologna Centrale train station, and in the vicinity of the University. It includes Via Mascarella and Largo Respighi, streets with a lot of Osterie.

East area
This area is starts a few hundred metres east of the two towers, between Via San Vitale and Via Santo Stefano.

Other areas
These are listings for areas not listed above.

Drink
Consider visiting the many pubs and clubs of Via Zamboni (university zone); some, such as "The Irish Pub", popular with students and foreigners, give happy hours on Tuesday/Wednesday. "Al Piccolo" down the road in Piazza Verdi is another famous student haunt, a live DJ playing techno into the early mornings. Otherwise, the Via Pratello has many bars and is the center of the city's alternative scene. Worth a look in particular is "Mutanye", whose owner is reputed to have been part of the Red Brigade in his youth, hence the many soviet posters. Via Mascarella, in the northeast area of the city, has plenty of nightspots, among them two jazz clubs. And, finally, check out the many bars and pubs hosting music contests and concerts, from rock to jazz to "liscio", the traditional folk songs in Emilia-Romagna.

 * Enoteca Italiana (see above, in EAT) has excellent and non pretentious Sommeliers on hand to advise and guide you. Great place for a lovely glass of wine.
 * Enoteca Italiana (see above, in EAT) has excellent and non pretentious Sommeliers on hand to advise and guide you. Great place for a lovely glass of wine.

Sleep
Bologna has always been famous for its hospitality: its welcoming service is very effective and makes Bologna a perfect place for tourists. Bologna cultural heritage as well as its wine and food makes it an ideal destination to spend a weekend or a holiday different times of the year.

Connect
As of Sept 2021, Bologna has 5G from all Italian carriers.

Consulates

 * 🇷🇴 Romania

Go next

 * As Bologna is the regional transport hub, it's easy to travel up or down the valley to Ferrara, Rimini, Ravenna, Faenza, Cesena, Reggio Emilia or Modena.
 * Padua to the north is a well-preserved old city.

title: Bologna


text:
Bolton (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Bolton.

Canada

 * Bolton (Ontario) - a town in Peel County Ontario

United Kingdom

 * Bolton - a town in Greater Manchester

United States of America

 * Bolton (Connecticut) - a town in Connecticut.
 * Bolton (Massachusetts) - a town in Massachusetts.

title: Bolton (disambiguation)


text:
Bolton

Bolton is a large town in Greater Manchester in the North-West of England, 17 miles north of Manchester city centre. It celebrates its industrial heritage of canals, coal, cotton, and railways. The borough includes several small towns, notably Blackrod, Farnworth, Heaton, Horwich, Little Lever and Westhoughton.

Understand

Bolton grew rapidly as a textile and metal-bashing town during the 18th & 19th centuries. The Spinning Mule was invented here: it spun yarn into cotton thread faster and more efficiently than earlier processes, to feed the great hungry looms, and in its heyday there were 50 million Mules in Lancashire alone. A few were still in use for specialist fine yarns until the 1980s, but the Lancashire cotton trade collapsed in the 1950s, unable to compete with cheap imports. Bolton and similar towns slumped.

In 1974 Manchester and its surrounding towns, including Bolton, were separated from Lancashire and became Greater Manchester. Bolton is nowadays mainly a commuter town for the big city. With a population in 2011 of 194,189 Bolton may well be "the biggest town in Britain" but its bids to be recognised as a city itself continue to be rebuffed.

The town's traditional dialect is more "Lanky" (Lancashire) than Mancunian. You're unlikely nowadays to hear "thee / tha / thi" for "you / your" unless ironically, but you might hear "owt" (anything), "nowt" (nothing), "summat" (something) and "reeght" (right). Thus, a trivial matter is dismissed as "summat 'n nowt." Residents of Westhoughton are dubbed Keawyeds - cow heads; there's a bovine legend about this but it's probably from their victory banquet after Waterloo in 1815, when they roasted an ox and paraded the skull as "Old Boney".

 * Visit Bolton tourist information.

Get in
By plane: Manchester Airport has a huge range of flights. An hourly direct train from the airport takes 40 min to Bolton, otherwise change at Manchester Oxford Road.

Trains run to Bolton frequently from Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly, 20 min, with a walk-up single costing less than £5. The train from the airport continues north from Bolton to Horwich Parkway, Preston, Lancaster, Carlisle and Glasgow or Edinburgh. Bolton has two trains per hour from Blackpool via Preston, and two per hour from Wigan.

is central, 5mins walk from the Town Hall.

is next to Bolton Wanderers football ground and Middlebrook retail park.

There are also small station halts at Lostock, Westhoughton, Hindley, Daisy Hill, Blackrod (for Horwich town) and Hall i' th' Wood.

By bus: National Express runs three times a day direct from London Victoria, taking six hours.

From Manchester, Bus 8 runs from Shudehill Interchange every ten min, taking 50 min (don't use Bus 37, which takes 90 min). There are also frequent but slow buses to Bolton from Salford, Bury, Rochdale, Blackburn, Preston, Chorley and Wigan.

The bus station is attached to the north side of the railway station.

By car for town centre exit M60 / M61 onto A666. For the football stadium stay on M61 to jcn 6.

Get around
Bolton is not on the Greater Manchester tram network, so use the bus for outlying places. Bus 525 runs to Hall i' th' Wood. Buses passing near Bolton Wanderers football ground are the 505, 575, 915, 918 and 996, or you can take the train to Horwich Parkway.

See

 * , opened in 1873, is a confident statement of municipal pride, in neoclassical style with a baroque clock tower. Leeds and Portsmouth city halls were built to the same pattern. The elegant Le Mans Crescent behind was added in the 1930s.
 * The famous Fish and Veg Market, the newly developed Market Hall and Churchgate are worth visiting.
 * Bolton Parish Church is Victorian. Samuel Crompton lies in the graveyard.
 * is a four-arched stone aqueduct built in 1793 to carry the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal over the River Irwell. The canal climbed from Manchester over Pendleton to Prestolee where it branched, to Bolton and to Bury. This section is still in water and you can walk along the towpath but it's not navigable: work is under way to partly restore it.
 * is a four-arched stone aqueduct built in 1793 to carry the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal over the River Irwell. The canal climbed from Manchester over Pendleton to Prestolee where it branched, to Bolton and to Bury. This section is still in water and you can walk along the towpath but it's not navigable: work is under way to partly restore it.
 * is a four-arched stone aqueduct built in 1793 to carry the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal over the River Irwell. The canal climbed from Manchester over Pendleton to Prestolee where it branched, to Bolton and to Bury. This section is still in water and you can walk along the towpath but it's not navigable: work is under way to partly restore it.
 * (Anglican) is in Horwich. Consecrated in 1831, it's an example of a "Commissioners' church" (aka a "Waterloo" or "Million Act" church). These were an initiative following the end of the Napoleonic wars to revive the decrepit Church of England, to be a national thank-offering for victory, and by Christian moral teaching to prevent a Jacobin-style revolution in Britain.
 * (Anglican) is in Horwich. Consecrated in 1831, it's an example of a "Commissioners' church" (aka a "Waterloo" or "Million Act" church). These were an initiative following the end of the Napoleonic wars to revive the decrepit Church of England, to be a national thank-offering for victory, and by Christian moral teaching to prevent a Jacobin-style revolution in Britain.

Do

 * Parks and countryside: central in town are Queen's Park and Moss Bank Park.
 * , also known as Crompton Lodges, is on the Farnworth & Little Lever road.
 * in Westhoughton is a small wooded nature reserve on "The Hoskers", a reclaimed colliery site. Also nearby is Cunningham Clough, a bosky gully with lots of scrubs for the dog to fossick in.
 * in Westhoughton is a small wooded nature reserve on "The Hoskers", a reclaimed colliery site. Also nearby is Cunningham Clough, a bosky gully with lots of scrubs for the dog to fossick in.

 * Watch football at . They were promoted in 2021 so they now play soccer in League One, the game's third tier. Their home ground, capacity 28,800, is called the "University of Bolton Stadium" but is better known as the Macron or Reebok. It's on Burnden Way BL6 6JW, next to Middlebrook retail park five miles west of town centre. In 2022 the stadium hosted games in the Rugby League World Cup, postponed from 2021.
 * Walk in the West Pennine Moors. Their most prominent features Rivington Pike and Winter Hill TV mast are across the boundary with Chorley. Great views across the North West - on a clear day you can make out Blackpool Tower and the mountains of Wales.
 * Bolton Food & Drink Festival is held over the August bank holiday weekend. The next is expected to be in Aug 2023.
 * Bolton Food & Drink Festival is held over the August bank holiday weekend. The next is expected to be in Aug 2023.
 * Bolton Food & Drink Festival is held over the August bank holiday weekend. The next is expected to be in Aug 2023.

Buy

 * Town centre retail areas are the Market Place (the former market hall) and Crompton Place (formerly the Arndale Centre). There's also a large Marks & Spencer on Deansgate.
 * The edge-of-town retail park is Middlebrook, near the football stadium towards Horwich.

Bolton

 * A strip of places on Bridge St include Nadii's Diner, Viva La Salsa, Jo's Grill House and Sake Sushi.
 * A strip of places on Bridge St include Nadii's Diner, Viva La Salsa, Jo's Grill House and Sake Sushi.

Horwich

 * Middlebrook retail park by the football stadium has a range of budget chain eateries, including Abacus Chinese, ASK Italian, Frankie & Benny's, and Nando's.
 * Middlebrook retail park by the football stadium has a range of budget chain eateries, including Abacus Chinese, ASK Italian, Frankie & Benny's, and Nando's.
 * Middlebrook retail park by the football stadium has a range of budget chain eateries, including Abacus Chinese, ASK Italian, Frankie & Benny's, and Nando's.
 * Middlebrook retail park by the football stadium has a range of budget chain eateries, including Abacus Chinese, ASK Italian, Frankie & Benny's, and Nando's.
 * Middlebrook retail park by the football stadium has a range of budget chain eateries, including Abacus Chinese, ASK Italian, Frankie & Benny's, and Nando's.

Bolton

 * Bolton is home to an independent brewery, Bank Top. Their ales can be found in many local pubs and off-licences.
 * Other ales from the area include Lees (Middleton), Holts (Manchester), Hydes (Manchester) and Robinsons (Stockport).

Elsewhere

 * Farnworth has the Railway (aka Moses Gate) and Shakespeare.
 * Westhoughton has the White Lion, The Victoria, Wheatsheaf, The Robert Shaw (Weatherspoons), Rose & Crown (formerly Howfener) and White Horse.
 * Wingates has Waggon & Horses and The Royal Oak.
 * Daisy Hill has Rosehill Tavern and Grey Man; and Over Hulton has Red Lion and Hulton Arms.
 * Lostock has Beehive Carvery.
 * Lostock has Beehive Carvery.

Learn
Bolton is home to the University of Bolton (formerly Bolton Institute).

Horwich

 * These are clustered around Bolton Wanderers football ground and Middlebrook retail park, with nothing in Horwich:

 * Premier Inn Bolton West is quarter of a mile east of the stadium on A673 Chorley New Road, with similar prices and quality.
 * Rivington Pike M61 service area west of Horwich has accommodation, but there's no direct access to town.
 * Premier Inn Bolton West is quarter of a mile east of the stadium on A673 Chorley New Road, with similar prices and quality.
 * Rivington Pike M61 service area west of Horwich has accommodation, but there's no direct access to town.
 * Rivington Pike M61 service area west of Horwich has accommodation, but there's no direct access to town.

Connect
As of June 2021, Bolton has 4G from O2 and Three, and 5G from EE and Vodafone.

Stay safe
In an emergency call 999 or 112 for Police, Ambulance, Fire Service or Coastguard. Call 101 to report concerns to the Police that do not require an emergency response.

Go next

 * Manchester is an unmissable lively city, an easy day trip from Bolton.

title: Bolton


text:
Bolu

Bolu is a city in the Western Karadeniz (Black Sea) region of Turkey, with a population of 184,682 in 2021. It's 260 km east of Istanbul and 190 km northwest of Ankara so it might make a stopover. The town itself has a few antiquities but is otherwise modern and humdrum, but around it are forested mountains dotted by lakes, ski resorts, and villages that have preserved their traditional architecture.

Understand
Bolu is astride the main land route between Istanbul and Ankara, so it's long been a stopover plus a centre of civilisation in its own right. The route is formed by the valley of the great North Anatolian Fault, still active with major earthquakes every few decades, so the constructions of Hittites, Bithynians and early Romans have been shaken to bits. The town became known as Claudiopolis after the Roman Emperor Claudius, and in 111 AD was the birthplace of Antonius, gay lover of Hadrian. (He died in mysterious circumstances aged 19, so Hadrian had him deified.) After the Romans' successors the Byzantines were defeated in 1071 it was settled by Turkic tribes from the east who simply called it "polis", the town, which morphed into Bolu. It fell to the Ottomans in 1325 and most of the town's antiquities reflect their 600-year realm.

Bolu stands at 742 m / 2434 ft altitude and the mountains draw the clouds and rain. Summer highs are around 28°C and winter lows -2°C.

Get in
Buses run hourly from Istanbul and take 4-5 hours via Gebze, for a fare in 2024 or 450 TL. From Ankara takes three hours. Bus lines are Metroturizm and Flixbus.

the bus station is off D100, 3 km west of town centre. A dolmuş will take you into town and may be included in your inter-city ticket, check when buying.

By road from Istanbul follow O-7 / E80 east. From Ankara take E89 north onto E80.

Get around
The area of interest in town is very compact and won't take long to walk around.

You need wheels for out-of-town sights, and frankly you'd only bother if driving that way, they're hardly worth a special trip.

See

 * Taşhan is a two-storey traditional market hall on the west flank of Beyazıt Mosque. It was built in 1804 AD and has shops and cafes in the arcades around its courtyard.
 * Saraçhane Mosque faces the museum and Beyazıt Mosque across the main square. It was built by the renowned Mimar Sinan in the 16th century and rebuilt in 1750 AD.
 * Kadi Mosque 100 m west of Saraçhane Mosque is from the 16th century.
 * Yeşil Mosque 100 m north of main square is floodlit green at night just to remind you what yeşil means in Turkish.
 * survives only as banks of seating along Izzet Baysal Cd. More probably lies under the street and buildings.
 * Aslahaddin Mosque is across the street from the stadium seating. It contains the tomb of Hazrat Aslahaddin, killed in battle in 934 AD, but the present structure is a 1967 rebuild.
 * southwest side of town centre was built in 1988 in traditional style. "Siteler" roughly translates as building plots or housing estates.
 * surrounds a lake 11 km west of town, near the university campus - it's a freshwater crater lake enlarged by damming. It's not obvious what the entrance fee (30 TL in 2023) gets you, as there's inadequate parking, toilets, or anything else. Still, it's scenic.
 * is 13 km west of town off E80 and D100. Heyreddin was an early 16th century scholar and preacher in the Khalwati Sufi tradition of Sunni Islam.
 * surrounds a lake 11 km west of town, near the university campus - it's a freshwater crater lake enlarged by damming. It's not obvious what the entrance fee (30 TL in 2023) gets you, as there's inadequate parking, toilets, or anything else. Still, it's scenic.
 * is 13 km west of town off E80 and D100. Heyreddin was an early 16th century scholar and preacher in the Khalwati Sufi tradition of Sunni Islam.

Do

 * Football: Boluspor play soccer in TFF First League, Turkey's second tier. Their home ground Atatürk Stadium (capacity 8500) is 200 m north of the museum and main square.
 * Hamam: Sultan or Aktaş Spa is a traditional Ottoman bathhouse, open daily 09:00-20:00. It's at Süreyya Sk 2, 100 m southeast of the main square.
 * Lunapark is a funfair, enter from Ali Rıza Tekemen Cd just east of Siteler Mosque.
 * Hot springs arise in the town of Karacasu 7 km south of Bolu. There's a cluster of spa hotels and you may be able to pay for non-resident access to their facilities.
 * Ski: Kartalkaya and Sarialan are ski resorts in the Köroğlu Mountains to the south. They have accommodation, but the slopes are easily within a day trip from Bolu.

Buy

 * Lots of downtown convenience stores. The most central is Carrefour on PTT Cd just south of main square, open daily 08:00-22:00.
 * Özdilek is a large supermarket next to the bus station, open daily 10:00-22:00.

Eat

 * In or around main square are Bitur, Taşhan in the old market building, Bolu-Aş Lokantasi, Bayram Usta Et Lokantası and Kubbealti.

Drink

 * Some cafes may serve alcohol.

Sleep

 * Downtown has a dozen small places, including Elit Palace (below), Eskoppremium, Otel 374, Parlak, Bolu Deluxe, Eratay, Matışlar Konağı and Bolu City Otel.

Connect
Bolu and its approach roads have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Jan 2024, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Abant 30 km southwest is a lakeside mountain resort, popular year-round.
 * Yedigöller means "seven lakes". It's a national park 42 km north, especially attractive in autumn.
 * Mudurnu 52 km southwest is a historic town in the mountains, yet its most striking sight is the failed modern resort of Burj Al Babas, now a ghost town: several hundred incomplete identical Disney-like castles.
 * Göynük is an even more attractive village further along that road.

title: Bolu