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Guide to Santa Cruz, Bolivia
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Santa Cruz
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Santa CruzNear the edge of the center circle of cities making up Bolivia's innermost regions, Santa Cruz sits, showcasing a wide variety of pricey hotels, beautiful views, congestion up the wazoo, and the largest metropolitan area in the country. Though its surroundings may belie its true nature as a city upon a plateau, Santa Cruz has only blotches of steel and concrete megaliths to shield it from the uncertain weather which all too often arrives in glorious excess, if only to vanish days later with just small traces of ever having been present overhead. Many like to refer to Santa Cruz as the least Bolivian of the countries cities, but the truth is that it has tapped into the soul of the people ever so well, making locals' dreams come to fruition, even success, and leaving only more well off citizens in its wake. If you look past the shiny glass edifices and - pardon the burgeoning term - blinged-out vehicles, you'll come to know a city that has everything going for it, is not the least bit standoffish or discriminatory, and brings oh so many things together as one. Wouldn't you say that's a collage worth noting - even celebrating? Much different than the nation's capital, Santa Cruz is both a hub and an attraction. Many visitors don't even have time to visit all of its delights, let alone the accessories which abound beyond its border. Whether you're one to enjoy a sizable foreign national park (not so foreign inside its own country, of course) or exercising the cables and pulleys of the city's skyscrapers' lifts, you'll know that there's truly something to please everyone here. Some consider it a bit too much to handle, but, on occasion, the more the better.
When to go:
If you've ever known the atmosphere of Brasilia or taken a trip to northern Paraguay, you'll be familiar with the blessing known as the climate of central South America. Santa Cruz, though miles from any grande rivers, is, like many of its brethren, a hotbed for, well, hot weather. Often dubbed 'temperate,' the Santa Cruz environment proves to be very suitable for outdoor travel, but there are limits to one's enjoyment. If it rains, find yourself a good, insulated home to stay dry in; only hours (sometimes days) after the droplets cease to fall and sunshine breaks through the clouds should you depart to the streets again.
Getting there and around:
Daily flights are available to fellow Bolivian locales, as well as a number of international locations. Important note: The further one stands from Santa Cruz, the lower the chance of an encounter with a terminal hosting frequent connections. Yep, that's you, Europe and Asia. If you can't find a connection to Santa Cruz, try flying to La Paz or Sucre. A flat sphere since it has had its metropolitan and cosmopolitan status documented, Santa Cruz follows a simple circular street pattern in which, rather than getting dizzy, one can travel to sites around the city will relative ease. Be sure to combine buses and taxis if you're looking to achieve any sort of efficiency in your getting about.
Attractions:
The single greatest architectural achievement Santa Cruz has to show for itself is hardly new. The Cathedral, as its known by all who live within and around the city, occupies a sizeable portion of one's day, especially if you plan to visit the connected museum as well. We suggest reserving your first afternoon for this attraction. Both the Museo Etnofolklorico Municipal and the Museo de Historia y Archivo Regional de Santa Cruz de la Sierra are hardly close by to one another, but complement the other just as well. The first specializes in handcrafts and historical musical instruments; the latter opts to showcase ceramics and photography. Each hosts a number of temporary exhibits throughout the year.
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