The Quitapenas is a unique and moving tradition in La Paz. It is a cinnamon and sugar ice cream that is frozen using manual machines with wooden drums.
Although cinnamon ice cream is widely consumed in Bolivia as a traditional dessert, it has a different connotation when sold near cemeteries because after leaving flowers on a loved one’s grave, there is the phrase “we’re going for a Quitapenas”, that little cinnamon ice cream found near the Cementerio General which mourners have adopted as a comfort for their loss and as a comforting family bond after a sad moment.
The best way to reach the “caseritas del quitapenas” and the cheese empanadas is by cable car, enjoying the unique views that La Paz has from the Yellow Station (half a block from Hotel Casa Fusión), then the silver one and then the red one at the cemetery station. Enter through the back of the cemetery, cross the entire cemetery seeing the artwork of muralists and La Paz’s funeral traditions, exit through the main gate, cross the entire flower market, and there are the famous “caseritas del quitapenas.” You can visit them from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the ice cream costs between 5 to 10 bolivianos (¡less than a dollar!). Don’t miss it!
To make the most of your visit to Quitapenas, we give you the following recommendations:
- The best time to visit is on Sundays from noon until the afternoon.
- The best month to take photos is the Day of the Dead (November 2), as the cemetery comes alive with celebrations, music, and flowers.
- Bring cash and loose change:
- Wear comfortable clothes and a coat: La Paz can be cold, even during the day, so bring a light jacket.
