Cafeography
La Paz · El Prado & San Pedro

Cafés in El Prado & San Pedro

Avenida 16 de Julio from Plaza del Estudiante: Aliño open until 22:00, Ancestro from 07:30 and San Pedro’s side streets.

Photo: Julia Volk, Pexels License

El Prado is the promenade down the middle of Avenida 16 de Julio, the main axis of central La Paz. Governor Juan Sánchez Lima began it in 1817 as an alameda (tree-lined walk) across fields and two mills, and it opened at the end of that year to celebrate the wedding of Fernando VII.1 A 1909 reform halved the number of trees and gave it roughly its present form.1

Its southern end faces the Plaza del Estudiante, officially Plaza Franz Tamayo, which takes its everyday name from the nearby Universidad Mayor de San Andrés; an equestrian statue of Antonio José de Sucre has stood there since 1926.2 Next to the Prado lies San Pedro, home to the largest prison in La Paz.4

Local tip: Aliño posts its daily set lunch to a WhatsApp group; ask to join at the counter on Calle Colombia if you plan to eat there more than once.3

At a glance

14Cafés listed
3With opening hours
07:00Earliest opening
22:00Latest closing
  • Opens earliest: Aliño Café Resto Pub, from 07:00 (Mon–Sat 07:00–22:00 · Sun 15:00–21:00).
  • Most common features: wi-fi (29%), card payment (14%), smoke-free indoors (14%).

Ancestro

  • Calle Otero de la Vega 258
  • Daily 07:30–20:30
  • 70526920
  • Wi-Fi
  • Indoor seating
  • Card payment
  • Smoke-free indoors
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Coffee chains in El Prado & San Pedro

Cafés on Avenida 16 de Julio

Cacique Siñani is at 16 de Julio 1604, with Wi-Fi, and La Terraza Coffee at 1611 serves vegan dishes. La Paz Coffe is in the Edificio San Pablo at 1472, and La Gabriela is also on the avenue.

The promenade has changed shape over two centuries: a stone portico was added at its southern end in 1828, and in 1855 the berenguela fountain was moved here from the main square; both were removed in the 1909 reform.1 Monuments still mark the walk: Columbus faces the Pasaje Cabrera, an allegory of the motherland stands opposite Calle Bueno, and Simón Bolívar closes the Prado at Plaza Venezuela.1 The Carrara-marble Neptune fountain that once stood at the end facing Plaza del Estudiante is now on the Montículo in Sopocachi.1

Aliño and Ancestro, a block off the avenue

Aliño Café Resto Pub, at Calle Colombia 257, opens 07:00–22:00 Monday to Saturday and 15:00–21:00 on Sunday. It serves organic coffee with house-made breads and pastries, and also hosts cultural events.3

Ancestro, at Calle Otero de la Vega 258, opens 07:30–20:30 every day and takes cards. Cafeteria NS on Calle México keeps 08:00–18:00 from Monday to Saturday.

Around the Plaza del Estudiante stand the Ministry of Health, the municipal library and the Salesian block of the Cine 16 de Julio, the Colegio Don Bosco and the María Auxiliadora church. The square is a common setting for marches and protests.2

San Pedro and its prison

The Penal de San Pedro was built for 600 inmates and now holds nearly 3,000. Inmates work inside, buy or rent their cells, and often live with their wives and children.4

Away from the avenue are Caffeto Miel at Calle Corneta Mamani 1913, Cocco’s Café Restaurante at Federico Zuazo 1653, Cafetería popular on Avenida Landaeta and Stop coffe pub on Avenida Villazón. Felices is a cafetería y pastelería (café and pastry shop).

Getting here by teleférico

The Línea Celeste opened in July 2018 as the first teleférico line to reach the city center. It is 2.6 km long with four stations, and the full ride takes 11.8 minutes.5 Cabins run until 22:30 from Monday to Saturday and until 21:00 on Sunday.6

Chains have branches here too: Alexander Coffee at 16 de Julio 1804, Typica on Calle Batallón Colorados and Juan Valdez on Federico Zuazo.

Sources

  1. Paseo del Prado (La Paz), Wikipedia (Spanish), accessed October 2026
  2. Plaza del Estudiante, Wikipedia (Spanish), accessed October 2026
  3. Aliño Café: inicio, Aliño Café, accessed October 2026
  4. San Pedro prison, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  5. Inauguran la Línea Celeste, la más rápida del teleférico en La Paz, Los Tiempos (July 14, 2018), accessed October 2026
  6. ¿El teleférico de La Paz y el tren de Cochabamba operan en el feriado de Año Nuevo?, eju.tv (January 1, 2026), accessed October 2026
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In El Prado & San Pedro, also browse: Wi-Fi Bakery cafés Vegetarian & vegan Open late

FAQ

El Prado & San Pedro cafés: questions

What is El Prado in La Paz?

El Prado is the promenade down the middle of Avenida 16 de Julio in central La Paz. It was begun in 1817 by Governor Juan Sánchez Lima and opened that year for the wedding of Fernando VII. It runs to Plaza Venezuela at one end and faces the Plaza del Estudiante at the other.

Which cafés near El Prado in La Paz open early?

Aliño Café Resto Pub on Calle Colombia opens at 07:00 Monday to Saturday, Ancestro on Calle Otero de la Vega at 07:30 every day, and Cafeteria NS on Calle México at 08:00 Monday to Saturday. Aliño also opens on Sunday from 15:00 to 21:00.

How do you reach El Prado in La Paz by teleférico?

The Línea Celeste, opened in July 2018, was the first teleférico line to reach the city center. It is 2.6 km long with four stations, and the full ride takes about 12 minutes. Cabins run until 22:30 from Monday to Saturday and until 21:00 on Sunday.

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