POTOSI: located  at 4 070 masl.(13 350 ft.) Capital of the region with the same name Potosí is the highest city in the world. Founded in 1545, the city enjoyed a period of time where it thrived thanks to exploration, discovery, and exploitation (partly by the Spanish) from the "Cerro Rico de Potosí" (Rich Hill of Potosí), a mountain made of silver that provided for the city and the Spanish royalty. This caused Potosi to become the largest city in the Americas. In 1553, the city received the title of Imperial City under Carlos V, King of Spain, and was visited by architects and artists that transformed the city into a symbol of riches, luxury, and splendour. Its main plaza, "10th of November," is without a doubt the soul of the city's history. It was named Plaza del Regocijo (Plaza of Joy) because in 1890, it was there that they celebrated the "Carnival and Parties of the Homeland", and the town enjoyed taking part in the Toreo or Bullfights of the Plaza. Taking a ride around the city, you will find buildings that served a very important function during the colonisation. The buildings that were in the Plaza Mayor were the Cajas Reales (today the Municipal Government), and the first house of money (today the superior court) on the south side; la Iglesia Mayor or Major Church (today replaced by a cathedral) on its north side; the Cabildo (town hall) until 1850 (currently the police headquarters of the region) on the west side, and El Empedradillo on the east side. All of this has become a paradise for colonial and religious architecture lovers. Many churches and private houses have been or are being restored thanks to international co-operation and private initiatives.  In 1987, Potosí was declared a Patrimonio de la Humanidad (Patrimony of Humanity) by UNESCO, a high distinction for a city. This city was created by miners and still continues to be a miners city.  Here important  places  to  visit:

*CERRO RICO,  "Do not take silver out of this hill, it will be for another person", was prophesised by the spirit of the majestic mountain to the men of the Inca Huayna Capac, that were looking for the mineral. Years later, the Spaniards arrived to Potosi. The adage was fulfilled. The conquerors began to get rich with the silver and tin of Cerro Rico. Eternal guardian of the city, Cerro Rico is crossed by 5,000 mine entrances and tunnels, many of which are interconnected, forming intricate labyrinths.

*CASA REAL DE LA MONEDA,  This mansion -considered a national monument- occupies a square and stores valuable samples of paintings and sculptures; besides furniture and other objects of historical interest. In many specialists  opinion, it is the most important building in the colonial architecture of South America. Its construction began in 1750 and concluded in 1773. The works were in charge of the manufacturer and architect Salvador de Vila.
The biggest attractions in this house -turn into a museum- are the lamination machinery used to wedge coins, the main oven for silver foundry and the collection of dies for coining money. A picturesque detail is the smiling polychrome mask that is at the entrance and that would have been placed at the beginning of the War of Independence, with the intention of covering a royal plate.

*LA TORRE DE LA COMPAÑÍA, this Convent is, together with the Cerro Rico and the Casa de la Moneda, a symbol of the most splendours of Potosi. It constitutes the main religious monument of the XVIII century in Bolivia. Its construction was figured out as an arch of triumph with 5 openings, 32 columns and 3 domes of half an orange. It is an ostensible expression of the epoch as to catholic religion refers.

· SANTA TERESA MUSEUM, built in 1 761. It keeps a beautiful collection of pictures and religious objects. Its women dwellers know how to make delicious marzipan sweets.

· SAN FRANCISCO CHURCH, it was the first church that was built in Potosi. In its interior one can find an exhibit of pictures of the colony.

· SAN BENITO CHURCH, it is a beautiful expression of the morisc art covered with nine stones domes.

· SAN LORENZO CHURCH, This church presents a sculpted gate with the most representative images of the half-caste art and it is the most significant example of the American Architecture.
*UYUNI SALT LAKE, With a surface area of some 12,000 sq. km. (7,500 sq. mi.) and situated to the Southwest of Bolivia, the Uyuni Salt Flat is the largest salt bed in the world. It covers almost the entire Province of Daniel Campos. It is comprised of approximately 11 layers, each one varying in thickness from 2 to 10 meters (6.5 and 32.8 ft). The crust on the surface is 10 meters thick, and it is estimated that the amount of salt that exists weighs about 64 billion tons. Additionally, the salt flat is situated on a major Lithium reserve and it contains significant quantities of potassium, boron, and magnesium. The Salt Bed is located at an altitude of 3,700 m (12,136 ft), in the western part of Uyuni, and it forms an enormous, completely flat, white plain. This infinite extension is what remains of a sea that filled the entire high plateau up to Lake Titicaca, and over the course of millions of years, the sea disappeared. Today, Lake Titicaca, Lake Poopó, and the Coipasa and Uyuni Salt Flats are what is left of that sea. To get to the Salt Flat, the busiest route is the one that begins in the city of Uyuni, located in the center of the Potosí district, and it heads Northeast toward the Uyuni Salt Flat until it arrives to Colchani, a population dedicated to the artisan development of the salt. 10 km (6.25 mi) further west of Colchani is the Salt Hotel, where everything is made of salt: chairs, beds, tables, walls. Also on the way, you will find Isla de Pescado (Fish Island), a 10-hour trip from Colchani. It is considered the largest "oasis" in a salt flat presented by such an isolated ecosystem. The island is populated by a number of cacti more than 8 m (26 ft) tall. One can enjoy the landscape that is similar to those of polar regions where blues and whites merge together, and whose reflections generate images of inverted and horizontal saline hills over the horizon. These images make for one of the best tourist sites for photography aficionados.

*DEL PESCADO ISLAND (FISH ISLAND),  this island has the shape of a fish. Its historical name is Inka Wasi. It is located at the centre of the Uyuni salt pan. Nature has bestowed a singular type of flora on this place. The surface rocks contain fossils of marine algae. This is the largest island in the group that forms an isolated oasis-type ecosystem within the salt pan; the landscape against the background of the salt pans that extend to the horizon makes it an ideal place for photography fans

*COLORADA LAGOON (RED LAGOON), Its area is 60 km2, and it is at 4,278 meters above sea level. It is characterised by the red tone of its waters. It is inhabited by flocks of flamingos of three species: tokoko, with red plumage; chururu, with whitish plumage, and jututu, with pink plumage. The scenery is exceptionally beautiful at these heights, set off by the impressive redness of the Lagoon.
This is considered to be the most important flamingo watching site in the region, and is specially interesting because of the colouring of the water; here is where one can find all three species of flamingos together, including the greatest population of the "Parina" type and the typical mammals of the area, such as vicuña, vizcacha and llama. There are tourist lodging places near the lagoon.

*SOL DE MAÑANA (MORNING SUN), Geysers,  fumaroles and volcanic craters form a spectacular combination in this one square kilometer area. It is an hour away from Colorada Lagoon, on the way to Chalviri Salt Pan. It features intense volcanic and fumarole activity. The crater bottoms display intensely boiling lava; additionally, the fumaroles emit spouts of mixed water and superheated steam reaching 80 to 100 meters in height; the above described phenomena display a landscape dating from the beginning of the Earth's history. Colorada Lagoon's volcanic craters contain boiling lava and mud. This geothermal field is located at 4.900 meters above sea level.

*VERDE LAGOON (GREEN LAGOON),  The intensely green colouring of its waters is due to their high magnesium content. The special brightness of the green waters of the lake in the afternoon is dazzling. Its water surface has the appearance of a giant emerald. From here one can see the impressive beauty of Licancahur Volcano, at 5,865 meters above sea level.