The island of the sun paradise in Copacabana

During your trip through Bolivia; a necessary stop is in the city of Copacabana, which can be arrived in a private vehicle that will take you through the plateau and the Andes mountain range. Copacabana is a city that has stopped in time due to its adherence to ancient traditions on the shores of Lake Titicaca, considered to be the highest lake in the world at about 3800 meters above sea level. In Copacabana, Lake Titicaca has a very quiet place that is quite worth visiting, we are talking about the Island of the Sun. This island actually explains and allows us to understand the origin of the word Copacabana, which comes from the Aymara word Kota kawana, meaning “view of the lake”.

In the town of Copacabana there are different places for activities that can be found while walking through its quiet streets. One of the stops is the Basilica of the Virgen de la Candelaria de Copacabana, which is a building of Moorish style, originally of Renaissance style, which was built in 1550 and rebuilt between 1610 and 1651, with part of its structures still being very well preserved today.

This religious sanctuary dazzles travelers with its beautiful white hue, accompanied by colorful ceramics that adorn its domes, making it an ideal place to witness the religious acts such as the holy week pilgrimage.

The cathedral houses one of the most famous sculptures whose worship has spread to various parts of the South American region; this is the famous Virgen Morena.

The Virgen Morena or the Virgin of Candelaria of Copacabana has one of the largest and oldest devotions to the Virgin Mary in all of South America along with the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico. Continuing along with the experience, you will find The Titicaca Lake, where you must take a small boat that will take you through the waters of the lake to reach the largest island “La Isla del Sol”. It is important to know that the lake has different islets, but among them stands out La Isla del Sol and La Isla de la Luna, where you can see several archaeological sites, such as the “Sacred Rock” or Rock of the origins, which according to the chronicles was the birthplace of the Inca Empire and here would be where Viracocha would be born, the Sun God, which would be responsible for sending Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo to found the city of Cuzco.

Lake Titicaca is also very rich in regards to nature; great animal richness, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and small invertebrates. After approximately one hour’s journey through the lake, you will arrive at the long-awaited destination of La Isla del Sol, where you can take leisurely walks or visit important archaeological sites. In order to enjoy all the activities on the island it, is advisable to do everything calmly as it accompanies the enjoyment of travelers. Before continuing with the tour, people cannot miss the local cuisine, for this you can go to Huacani to enjoy an apthapi, which is a lunch consisting of a typical practice of the local place.

The aftapi is an ancient practice that seeks the connection between all participants, as well as to create a peaceful atmosphere to enjoy the gastronomic delights. During this practice, it is common to share the food among all; between the ingredients that cannot be missed are the different tubers such as potato, oca, caya, etc.

This practice seeks to have visitors not only enjoy delighting themselves with the delicacies found, but also value the dialogue among all, allowing a perfect opportunity for cultural exchange. Once this traditional meal is finished, the trip continues to the Inca temple of Pilkokaina, also called Temple of the Sun. This archaeological site is one of the most outstanding in the Island of the Sun, and for the Incas, it was the resting place of the deity Inti.

To end the day, you can go to a resting place, which can give you the opportunity to enjoy the scenery of Lake Titicaca.

One of the ways to make this journey through the Island of the Sun and Copacabana is in the Bolivia 360º Tour offered by Voyagers Travel Specialists.