Mercado de Las Brujas
Spend a few hours down at the Witches Market in La Paz where you will find all manner of strange and wonderful things.
Goods for sale at La Paz witches market, Bolivia
© RGelder,Shutterstock
Take a guided tour or explore on your own
Whether you are exploring under your own steam or taking a guided tour, the weird and wonderful Witches Market, or Mercado de Las Brujas is not to be missed.
The stunning colourful array of products laid out before you is a feast for sore eyes, a pleasant assault on your senses and your curiosity will be aroused. There’s everything here from lotions, potions, clothing, fresh produce – take your time and take it all in.
Tourists mingle with the locals at the Witches Market. If you are curious about shamanic rituals and powders and potions, then this is the place. People come here to buy ingredients for various important rituals.
- Browse the stalls laden with interesting products
- Have your coca leaves read
- Everything from amulets to textiles to fresh products
- Learn about Bolivian culture and their beliefs
- Do ask before taking photographs
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Plenty to see here
Apart from the variety of interesting amulets and medicines this is also a good place to look for alpaca products, if it’s an alpaca wool jumper or hat you are after, prices at the Witches Market are good.
© Shutterstock
Colourful products and colourful people
You’ll see local women in traditional dress minding their stalls, people from all walks of life shopping for good luck charms; owls represent wisdom, condors safe travel and tortoises represent good health to name a few. If you’re game you can have your fortune read with cocoa leaves.
© GQMarks
© GQMarks
From Alpacas to Amulets
There are many, many things on sale at the Witches Market. One unusual item you will see hanging in many shop doorways are dried llama foetuses. Whilst this may seem unusual to us, as with everything on sale here there is a tradition or belief associated with it. In this case it is believed that if you bury the foetus in the foundations of a newly built house it will bring good fortune and ward off evil spirits. The market is a great place to find unusual gifts to take home though perhaps this and llama toenails (see photo) are not one of them.
You will come across a variety of amulets, wax figures etc. These items all have a purpose and are important to Bolivians and their traditional beliefs, so whilst things may seem a little strange to you, treat it all with respect, it’s a privilege to be allowed to shop here.
