Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [170]
Hotel Ambassador (862-2216; Jáuregui on Plaza Sucre; r per person from B$35) Shabby, gaudy Hotel Ambassador has an altar in the entrance and a playground on the second story. Dark, drafty and echoey, it nevertheless oozes eccentric charm. Pure mad Bolivia.
Hotel Chasqui del Sol (862-2011; www.chasquidelsol.com; Costanera 55; r per person with breakfast B$80) Head-scratching design: 1970s suburban fake-ranch bungalow meets neoclassical dollhouse, right here on Copacabana’s lakefront. The untoppable location, dizzying architecture, fabulously hot showers and friendly staff make this place a winner.
Hotel La Cúpula (862-2029; www.hotelcupula.com; Michel Pérez 1-3; s/d/tr B$80/112/196) This romantic retreat hides away on a shady, hammock-equipped hillside overlooking the lake. There’s a restaurant, a TV/video room and shared kitchen and laundry facilities. Charming, comfortable and correspondingly popular – reservations are essential.
Hotel Rosario del Lago (862-2141; www.hotelrosario.com/lago; cnr Costanera & Rigoberto Paredes; s/d/tr with buffet breakfast B$360/440/600; ) Copacabana’s finest. Though some of the lovely rooms are smallish, many have French doors looking out onto the lake and all have satellite TV and hot showers. Ask for an upper-floor room for the best views and the quietest night’s sleep.
EATING & DRINKING
Tourist-focused restaurants line the bottom block of Calle 6 de Agosto, but varied and exciting food is not a feature of Copacabana. The local specialty is trucha (trout) farmed on Lake Titicaca. Competitive stalls along the beachfront serve it in every style imaginable (B$18). On a cold morning, head to the market for a cup of api – a hot, sweet, purple-corn drink.
Mankha Uta (Calle 6 de Agosto s/n; menús B$18-25) A cozy, inviting favorite. Offers unbelievably filling set meals, good vegetarian options, board games and a video room.
Sudna Wasi (862-2271; Jáuregui 127; mains from B$25; 8am-8pm) A convivial courtyard set back from the hectic market streets. The home-cooked menu includes hearty breakfasts, a dozen different salads and a few Bolivian specialties. The cutest abuela (grandmother) in the universe is sometimes sighted here.
Café Bistrot (cnr Zapana & Calle 6 de Agosto; mains from B$25; 7:30am-9pm) European cool kids hang out here while chain-smoking, drinking espresso and forking into anything from Thai seafood curries to creative vegetarian fare. Service is slow, but nobody seems to mind.
Nemo’s (Calle 6 de Agosto s/n; from 5pm daily) offers no-frills decor, cool music, a short list of food and a looong list of beer.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Most buses arrive and depart from Plaza Sucre. Buy tickets at any of the travel agencies around the Sucre.
Buses leave for La Paz (B$25, 3½ hours) at 1:30pm daily. Micros leave for La Paz (B$20, 4½ hours) every hour from 7am to 6pm, but leave you in the slightly dodgy cemetery neighborhood there, rather than in the center.
The trip includes a memorable crossing over the 800m-wide Estrecho de Tiquina. You transfer to a passenger boat while your overloaded bus gets shipped across on a rickety barge – loads of fun!
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Islas del Sol y de la Luna
The most famous island on Lake Titicaca is Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun), the legendary birthplace of Manco Cápac and his sister-wife Mama Ocllo, and indeed the sun itself. Both Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna (Island of the Moon) have Inca ruins, reached by delightful walking trails through spectacular scenery dotted with traditional villages – there are no cars on the islands. Sunshine and altitude can take their toll, so bring extra water, food and sunblock. You can visit the main sights in a day, but staying overnight is far more rejuvenating.
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Isla del Sol’s Inca remains include the Chincana labyrinth complex in the north, and fortresslike Pilkokayna and the verdant, gorgeous Inca Stairway in the south. The Chincana is the