Potosí is a department in southern Bolivia, South America, and a destination shaped above all by its mining past. Its name is tied to Cerro Rico, the silver mountain that once supplied great wealth to the Spanish Empire during the colonial period.
What the visit offers
A trip here is, first of all, a journey into history. The landscape and the old town speak of the centuries when silver was extracted on a large scale, and the mountain still dominates the view. Visitors come to understand how that wealth was made, and at what cost to the people who worked the mines.
- Cerro Rico: the silver mountain at the heart of the department's story, visible from much of the surrounding area.
- Colonial mining history: the department's identity rests on the era when its silver reached far beyond Bolivia.
- Highland setting: the region's scenery and high-altitude character make the surroundings as memorable as the sites themselves.
Planning your trip
Potosí suits travellers interested in history, mining heritage and the wider Andean highlands of Bolivia. Because the department is a large administrative area, it helps to decide early which places you want to see, and to allow time to move between them. Going at a relaxed pace gives you room to take in both the historic character of the city and the mountain that gave it its fame.
