Bolivia

THE FOOTBALL

At 3,600 metres above sea level, La Paz plays host to the world’s highest derby – Bolivar versus The Strongest – which also explains why Bolivia are particularly strong at home.

Football offers a welcome escape from politics and poverty but also gives fans a chance to vent their anger. However, if you do want to risk Bolivian football at its barmiest, getting tickets is rarely a problem. Despite a modest capacity of 42,000 at La Paz’s crumbling Olympic Stadium, many fans can’t afford to go.

THE PLACE

The country that inspired Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World has much to offer, despite unrest that has brought about 185 political coups since 1825. With democracy established in 1982, the capital La Paz is now a vibrant, growing city, but remains the poorest and one of the most dangerous in South America.

Bolivia’s real charm lies in its natural beauty. Titicaca, an hour from La Paz, is South America’s largest freshwater lake and the spiritual centre of the Andean world, with ancient ruins, Inca traditions and the spectacular contrast of sunshine and snow-capped mountains during the crisp, dry winters (May to October).

North of La Paz, the highway to Coroico is the world’s most dangerous road, but with the landscape changing from mountains to valleys to rainforest, it is also one of the most spectacular.