Visiting Peñas....

Visiting a Peña while being in Bolivia is a must, especially if you have a stop in La Paz. It is a place where you can feel the enthusiasm and pride of Bolivians for their music and dances.

A Peña is a place where you go for a drink, dance and listen to folkloric-traditional music. When you go there, you can find a wide range of people, people from all ages, Cholitas and their partners, young and old Bolivians, and generally it’s common to see a group of foreign looking at the dance and drinking beer. Some folk music’s are very unique, and only found in the region, so your best bet as a foreign is to copy the steps from your neighbor.

All the time you are at a Peña, you will be listening to folk music all the time. In many, they have live music and performances. You can learn about music there, most Bolivians from middle-class know the names of the music and type of dances.

One of the most famous ones is the Ojo de Agua, Jamuy, Gota de Agua, among others. Most of them are located around downtown area. There is an approx. of 10-30 bolivianos for cover, depending on the demand for the night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHhn5ARp6rI