6 Best Sights in Southern Bolivia, Bolivia

The showpiece of Potosí is the Royal Mint, built in 1773 at a cost of $10 million USD. This massive stone structure, where coins were once minted with silver from nearby Cerro Rico, takes up an entire city block. It now holds Bolivia's largest and most important museum. On display are huge wooden presses that fashioned the strips of silver from which the coins were pressed, as well as an extensive collection of the coins minted here until 1953. There's also an exhibit of paintings, including works by Bolivia's celebrated 20th-century artist, Cecilio Guzmán de Rojas. A guard accompanies all tours to unlock each room as it's visited. The building is cool, so bring along a sweater. To see everything will take about three hours. There is an extra charge for photography or video.

Started in 1559, this neoclassical cathedral is famous for its statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is adorned with diamonds, gold, emeralds, and pearls donated during the 17th century by mining barons.

The Convent and Museum of St. Theresa displays a strange mix of religious artifacts. In one room there are sharp iron instruments once used to inflict pain on penitent nuns, as well as a blouse embroidered with wire mesh and prongs meant to prick the flesh. Other rooms contain works by renowned colonial painters, including Melchor Pérez Holguín. There is an extra charge for photography or video.

The most popular exhibits at the Charcas Museum are mummified bodies discovered outside of Sucre in the 1960s. Curators believe the centuries-old mummies were entombed as human sacrifices. Also featured at this university-run museum are galleries of colonial paintings and textiles.

The Indigenous Art Museum has moved from its previous home in the Caserón de la Capellanía, to a smaller but well-designed space near the Recoleta. The museum preserves the 4,000-year-old weavings and tapestry art of the Andean world, especially communities around Tarabuco. The tour in English is interesting and the elaborate textile work—including a display of costumes showcasing regional fiesta garb—is truly impressive; there are also loom demonstrations. The onsite shop is very expensive; there are better options in town for buying.

Founded in 1601 by Franciscan monks, the Museum of the Retreat displays colonial religious works in a setting of serene gardens known as the "Courtyard of the Orange Trees." Equally noteworthy is the restored chapel with its intricately carved choir stalls, many of which are 1,000 years old. The tours (Spanish only) last 30 minutes. Make sure to take the time afterwards to visit the viewpoint, Cafe Mirador just below, and the nearby textile museum.