Tarija travel guide

History

Former home to the Tomatas, Churumatas, Juries and Chichas peoples, the Spanish city of Tarija was founded on 4 July 1574 by Luis de Fuentes y Vargas. The settlement was considered of strategic importance in order to protect the Crown Colony of Charcas (Sucre), and its riches, from the hostile Guaraní natives of El Chaco. In addition, it served as a more direct route to Tucumán.

Tarija boasts a long history of autonomous rule. Never thoroughly subju- gated by the Spanish, the inhabitants declared their independence from Spain as early as 1807, in the process becoming the first region in all of Latin America to do so. A decade later, on 15 April 1817, at the Battle of La Tablada on the outskirts of the city, a local militia under José Eustaquio Méndez defeated a superior Spanish force and made good its declaration of independence. Although coveted by Argentina, Tarija and its environs opted to join the newly declared Republic of Bolivia in 1825, ending the area’s short period of independence.

Although no longer independent, Tarija’s remote location forced it to remain self sufficient over the ensuing years, its economy based on wine and fruit production as well as cattle ranching. As a result of the War of the Pacific (1878-1880), the city gained importance as a trade centre en-route to Argentine ports. This fuelled Tarija´s growth and some of the grand mansions in the city date to that era.

Tarija was always a forgotten corner of the Republic until its natural resources became evident. Although petroleum extraction started in 1924, it is in the late 1990s, that attention turns to this region with the exploitation of the country’s largest natural gas fields. This has led to an influx of people from other regions and a change in Tarija’s former tranquil lifestyle.

Getting around

Streets are narrow and can get congested with vehicular traffic at peak hours. All blocks west of Calle Colón have a letter O (oeste) before the number; and all blocks east have an E (este) before the number; blocks are numbered from Colón outwards. All streets north of Avenida Las Américas (nearly all on our map) are preceded by N (norte). Avenida Las Américas or Victor Paz Estenssoro is an important artery that follows the north bank of the Río Gudalquivir. It has three lanes and is not obvious in which direction traffic runs. Three bridges span the river connecting with the suburbs to the south. Puente San Martín is to the west, where Avenida Belgrano meets Avenida Las Américas, Puente del Peregrino is a pedestrian bridge by Complejo Agreda, a sports complex on the north shore, and Puente Bolívar, is to the east, at the bottom of Calle Padilla, near the bus terminal. Micros (city buses) cost US$0.20, taxis US$0.45 per person within the city.

Ins and outs

Getting there

Tariija is connected via mostly unpaved roads northwest to Potosí, southwest to Villazón, east to Entre Ríos and Villamontes (the latter on the paved Santa Cruz–Yacuiba road) and via a paved road south to Bermejo, on the Argentine border.

Tarija

Air

AeroSur flies daily to either La Paz (US$120) or Cochabamba (US$85). TAM to either La Paz, Sucre, Santa Cruz or Yacuiba, depending on the day of the week.

Airline offices

AeroSur, 15 de Abril entre Daniel Campos y Colón, T04-663 0894. TAM, La Madrid O-0470 entre General Trigo y Campero, T04-664 2734.

Bus

The open-air bus terminal is located east of the centre, information T04-666 7701. Most long-distance departures are in the evening. Regional buses leave from the Parada del

Chaco, further east along Av Las Américas (take micro ’A’ or a cab).

To La Paz, US$14, 17 hrs; several companies at 0700-0800 and 1700; 935 km via Potosí and Oruro (US$12.50). Check which company operates the best buses. To Potosí, several additional departures 1630-1800, US$10, 10 hrs. To Sucre, at 1630 and 1800, US$12.50, 14 hrs. To Santa Cruz via Villamontes, several companies all at 1830, US$14, 17 hrs. To Cochabamba, departures 1630-1700, US$15.50, 17 hrs. To Tupiza, with Diamante at 1930 and Juárez at 2030, US$8.50, 10 hrs. To Villazón, 1930-2030, several companies, US$5.50, 8 hrs, beautiful scenery but all overnight. To Camargo with 23 de Marzo and Camargo, alternating at 0700 and 1630, 5-6 hrs, US$5.50.

To Yacuiba via Caraparí, several companies, most in the evening, US$7, 9 hrs. To Bermejo, frequent buses throughout the day, US$3, 4 hrs on a fully paved road; also shared taxis leave when full across the street from the bus station, US$5.50, 3 hrs.

International

To Salta (Argentina). Dragón Rojo, at the Chifa, Sucre N-0235,

T04-666 5014, runs private vans daily at 0700, US$27, 8-9 hrs. Also several agencies at the bus terminal sell tickets for Salta and other Argentine cities, but you travel on a Bolivian bus to Yacuiba and change there. It is cheaper to buy your own ticket once in Argentina.

Car

Barron’s, Ingavi E-339, T04-663 6853, http://www.rentacarbolivia.com.

Banks

Bisa, General Trigo y 15 de Abril, ATM, changes US$ cash and Tcs, cash advances on Visa only. Also BCP, General Trigo y Bolívar, ATM and US$ cash. Many casas de cambio on Bolívar between Campos and Sucre, change US$ and Argentine pesos, cash only.

Consulates

Argentina, Ballivián N-0699 y Bolívar, T04-664 4273, Mon-Fri, 0830-1230. Germany, honorary consul, Sucre N-O665, T04-664 2062.

Immigration

Ingavi O-0789, T04-664 3450, Mon-Fri 0830-1230, 1430-1830. Visa renewals in 48 hrs.

Internet

Many places, US$0.25-0.50 per hr.

Language classes

Julia Gutíerrez Márquez, Abaroa y Daniel Campos, T04-663 2857, charges US$3.50 per hr.

Post office

V Lema y Sucre, Mon-Fri 0800-2000, Sat 0800-1800, Sun 0900-1200 and bus terminal.