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Location: Potosí lies 540km southeast of La Paz, which has the nearest international airport. There’s also a domestic airport 155km northeast of the city in Sucre, Bolivia’s constitutional capital. Potosí has bus, minibus and shared-taxi links to La Paz, Sucre, Oruro (a useful hub) and sites such as the Salar de Uyuni. Given the distances involved and the rough roads in the altiplano, it is sensible to stay at least a couple of nights.

Getting around: Central Potosí is compact and easy to explore on foot. The altitude can be challenging, though, so don’t push yourself and allow adequate time to acclimatise.

Accommodation: There are several good guesthouses, hostels and hotels in Potosí, usually in historical buildings. Try the Hostal Colonial (hostalcolonialpotosi.com.bo; doubles from £65) or the atmospheric Hotel Museo Cayara (hotelmuseocayara. com; doubles from £120), which lies a short drive from the city.

Further information: Shafik’s book, Crossed off the Map: Travels in Bolivia (Latin America Bureau, 2022), explores the history of Potosí in detail, as does the Rough Guide to Bolivia (2018), which he co-authored.

Back in central Potosí, the architectural highlight is the Casa Real de la Moneda, the heavily fortified former royal mint, which covers an entire city block. Now a museum, its evocative halls and smelting rooms contain an array of art and artefacts, coins and machinery from the city’s heyday, including the mesmerising Mestizo-Baroque painting ‘La Virgen del Cerro’ (The Virgin of the Mountain). The artist who painted it is unknown, yet it remains one of the most significant pieces of art in Bolivia, with the Virgin Mary at its centre representing both Pachamama (Mother Earth) and Cerro Rico.

Above the Casa Real de la Moneda’s entrance hangs El Mascarón, a symbol of the city. At first glance, the unsettling face is often taken to be the Roman god Bacchus, but like everything in Potosí this 19th-century creation is open to interpretation. Some claim it is llama herder Diego Huallpa; others argue it is a caricature of the director of the mint or was built to cover up the Spanish royal coat of arms after Bolivia won its independence. If you look closely, you will notice El Mascarón is not entirely symmetrical: one side smiles, the other grimaces. Given Potosí’s tumultuous history, that feels appropriate.

Built to last (this page; top–bottom) By the 16th century the area around Potosí was one of the world’s largest industrial complexes, and its riches became more evident in the grand MestizoBaroque buildings that filled its streets, setting the artistic tone for the Andean region; the Casa Real de la Moneda was built to replace the city’s original mint in the mid-1700s and churned out silver coins marked with the letter ‘P’, known as potosís – now the building serves as one of the finest museums in the region