Getting to Potosi had been a dream of mine ever after having visited some of the silver mines of Mexico. Potosi was the largest silver mine of the Spanish empire and its crown jewel. To this day "Vale un Potosi" is a standing expression in Spanish for "worth a fortune".

The Potosi mine was a gruesome place. The high altitude of the mine at 4000m made the already terrible working conditions of a 16th century mine even worse. Similar to other parts of the Americas they tried using African slaves, but they tended to die off too quickly in the high altitude. So the work was mostly done by the local native Americans.

To this day the Potosi mines are a pretty dangerous places for miners. And for visitors. So you should consider if you want to join a tour. I decided against it and spent my time visiting the old town. The most notable structure in town is the royal mint, the casa de la moneda. I would recommend joining a tour to get a feeling for the site and the silver processing.

Personally, I enjoyed the Mexican silver towns better. Potosi is a historically important site and deserves inscription. It just isn't the nicest example of the type of town. And it lacks the quirkiness of my personal highlight, Guanjuato.

Getting There

I came by bus from Uyuni having also ticked off Pulancayo (T). If you are in the area a visit to the Salar de Uyuni is a must. I left by shared cab to Sucre.