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Travel Insighter spoke to Mauro Ortiz, otherwise known as the Bolivian Nomad, to create the ultimate guide to his hometown: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.
Mauro is a world traveler who has visited over 90 countries. Having spent so much time on the road, Mauro understands how local insights can change your perspective of a city or country. While travelers may flock to the Salt Flats of Uyuni or the markets of La Paz, little known Santa Cruz often flies under the radar.
From crafts markets to green urban spaces, Mauro takes us through a local’s guide to the best things to do in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Come to Santa Cruz if you’re ready to try some unique traditional food and probably gain a few kilos.
In our opinion, Santa Cruz is the ideal stopover before or after your Bolivian adventures.
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When is the best time of year to visit Santa Cruz, Bolivia?
You’ll want to visit Santa Cruz in the summer, so from November to March. In the winter months the city can be rainy.
How to spend one day in Santa Cruz, Bolivia
I would start by having a salteña with papaya juice for breakfast at Salteñeria Los Castores in the city center. From there, I would stroll around the Centro Historico – you’ll want to make sure you stop past the landmark Plaza 24 de Septiembre and Centro Cultural.
I would then hop in a cab and head to Casa del Camba in Urubo for a traditional Bolivian lunch in a lush green area. After lunch, make your way to La Rinconada Ecoparque (this could be replaced by Güembé, but you probably need more time here). At La Rinconda, you’ll be able to walk around the beautiful botanical park, where you can find the largest lily pads in the world!
I would then go back to the city to have some “cafecito de siesta,” meaning coffee with horneados (baked goods). A light ceviche dinner at Boca Mixtura would be the ideal ending for this foodie and nature day.
For those keen to learn more of our city’s history, a guided tour is one of the best things to do in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Must-visit places
Santa Cruz has no shortage of landmarks. You’ll want to make sure when you’re planning your Santa Cruz itinerary that you include the following must-visit places:
- Plaza 24 de Septiembre
- Bioparque Güembe
- Misiones Jesuitas de Chiquitos
- Las lomas de arena park
- Samaipata
- Parque Amboro
- Casa Cultural Melchor Pinto
- Patio Design Center
- La Rinconada Mercado Nuevo
Beyond the landmarks, I love strolling around Plaza 24 de Septiembre or Equipetrol, a green upscale neighborhood with great restaurants, shops and cafes.
Best place to buy souvenirs
By the Plaza 24 de September, there’s an artisan market with many stands. One of my favorite things to do in Santa Cruz is to look around the unique crafts from around Bolivia. Remember to haggle a bit!
Food and drink
According to Mauro, experiencing the local cuisine and the fusion restaurants are among the top things to do in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Best cafes and restaurants in Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Cafes: L’Arome, Pan Pino, Cornelia, Alexander Coffee
Lunch: El Algibe or Casa del Camba for traditional camba food.
Dinner: Boca Mixtura (an elegant food court with fantastic options – I like their Peruvian fusion option), Sach’a Huaska, El Arriero or Los Hierros for fantastic meat and great desserts, and La Suisse or Miguel Angelo for Italian food. Hito has the best sushi in town.
Best cafes in Santa Cruz, Bolivia
I love going to L’Arome and Pan Pino for cafe vibes.
But if you’re after traditional camba snacks, I would definitely go for salteñas (Los Castores sell my all-time favorites). Better yet, head to Mi Café for afternoon tea “horneados” (baked goods). You’ll want to make sure you try the empanada de queso, tamales, cuñapes and torta de tres leches (if you’re feeling decadent). In case it isn’t yet clear, everything is absolutely delicious here!
Best traditional snack
It has to be salteñas: a baked soup dumpling that will soon become your favorite snack. It is a bit heavy so we also often eat them for lunch or breakfast.
Nightlife in Santa Cruz, Bolivia
For a fun night out, I recommend Burtown and Duda. In particular, Wednesday nights at Duda are my favorite.
Many travelers don’t know that Santa Cruz is home to one of the best carnavals in Latin America. The dates change every year, but for upcoming years you’ll want to mark these dates down:
- 2025: 3 and 4 March
- 2026: 16 and 17 February
- 2027: 8 and 9 February
Keeping safe in Santa Cruz, Bolivia
My advice is to stick to the touristy areas. In general, the dangerous parts of town are generally not areas of interest to tourists. I’ve lived much of my life in Santa Cruz and have personally never experienced anything negative in the city.
If its your first visit, I recommend taking Ubers where possible, as the bus lines are known for not having a fixed schedule and being prone to pickpockets.
Get in touch with Mauro
You can reach Mauro on his Instagram, @boliviannomad.
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