The Witches Market - Mercado de las Brujas

Probably one of the strangest things you'll see in Bolivia is the Witches Market, also known as El Mercado de las Brujas in Spanish.

The Witches Market located in downtown La Paz, Bolivia on Calle Linares, hosts a crowded line of bizarre shops. It is like something out of a Harry Potter book where you'll find magic spells, sorcery, potions and see real life witches.

You'll see many witches in dresses and wearing bowler hats, selling unusual items such as ingredients for folk medicine remedies and herbal treatments for various ailments. You can buy potions, crafted jewelery, dried frogs, owl feathers and many other unusual items.

At the Witches Market you can get whatever charm, candle or potion you might need to bring health, love, money, fertility, safe travels, etc.

At these shops one of the most popular items is the Llama fetus,which is a symbol of luck and is buried into the foundations of a new home or business, these Llama sacrifices are offered to encourage the spirits so that they protect the home and the people from illness and fatal accidents. When buried within the foundations of a place of business it is meant to bring good business, wealth and abundance to all the employees.

In a back booth you might catch a glimpse of a sorcerer using black or white magic, such as casting a spell for its customer to put a hex on one of their enemies or to help attract a mysterious love.

The witches market has it all. Need a physic reading? The typical card reading is not used, instead you'll find your future can be read by using the coca leaves.

Another particular shop had a variety of odd items that could be bought, such as:

Once a market for local Bolivians, it now has become a popular tourists attraction. People from all over the world have come to experience the Witches Market.