Peru is one of the most visited countries in South America. It’s no wonder, as it has all the elements that make a trip unforgettable. From modern and cosmopolitan cities such as Lima, to remote places invaded by nature where you can get to know another very different culture, although always part of the Peruvian one, such as the islands of Uros, Taquile and Amantan in Lake Titicaca and, of course, the breathtaking Machu Picchu. We invite you to get to know what things to do in Peru.
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What to see in Lima, the capital of Peru
Replete with interesting places and neighbourhoods to wander through, Lima is a beautiful city where folklore and cosmopolitanism merge in the same territory.
The Plaza de Armas is probably the most emblematic spot in Lima. This square, in addition to its beauty, is a historically important place for Peruvians and Limeans as it is the exact spot where the city was founded in 1535 and where the Independence of Peru was proclaimed in 1821. It is also home to the main buildings that no tourist should miss: The Cathedral, the Palacio de Gobierno del Perú where you can see the changing of the guard every day at 12 a.m., Desamparados Station, the Church of El Sagrario, the Municipality of Lima and the Archbishop’s Palace.
The Miraflores neighbourhood stands out as one of the most beautiful and safest in Lima. Its streets are full of shops, restaurants, casinos, gardens and parks that make your visit a non-stop. Located in this neighbourhood is Huaca Pucllana, an archaeological site with vestiges of the Lima people, a pre-Inca civilisation.
Barranco is the favourite neighbourhood of many in Lima. Formerly the capital’s fishing district, it has, over time, become the trendy bohemian quarter and one of the most beautiful to see on your trip to Peru. Its streets are covered with impressive urban art murals that bathe the neighbourhood in colour and joy. Barranco’s busiest stop is the Puente de los Suspiros, a former meeting place for Peruvian poets.
These are just a few places in the capital, continue to discover it in Things to do in Lima Peru
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
Peru travel: Machu Picchu
There is little to say about Machu Picchu that anyone interested in Peru doesn’t already know. These large and impressive blocks of stone joined together without any amalgamation make up one of the most important religious, political and cultural centres of the Inca empire and the country’s greatest emblem.
Discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, the Inca City is divided into two main sectors: the agricultural, with a vast network of terraces or artificial terraces, and the urban, with beautiful buildings such as the Temple of the Sun.
What things to do in Cusco Peru
The ancient capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco is a city steeped in history. At almost 3400 metres above sea level and situated in the southern Andes of Peru.
The Plaza de Armas is the tourist centre of Cusco. In it stand out the monumental architectures of the Church of the Company of Jesus and the Cathedral. All around you can visit small handicraft shops, restaurants, bars and lodgings. A few steps from the Plaza de Armas is the San Pedro Market. This is one of the most picturesque places in the city of Cusco. You can’t miss a great opportunity to learn a little more about the culture of the place.
The San Blas neighbourhood is the heart of the city of Cusco. It is famous for its concentration of handicraft shops as well as the workshops of Cusco’s most famous artisans. In San Blas there are also many restaurants and bars. There you can eat, drink and enjoy great music and the company of people from all parts and cultures of the world.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas, so called because it was the main food supplier of the Inca Empire. It lies on the banks of the Urubamba River and is one of the most important destinations in South America. It is home to beautiful traditional villages that have been settled since colonial times, such as the community of Maras.
In the vicinity of Cusco is Vinicunca, or the rainbow mountain, one of the major tourist attractions in the land of the Incas.
Get an in-depth look at the ancient capital of the Inca Empire at Things to do and see on your travel to Cusco, Peru
What to see in Iquitos during your Peru vacations
Located at the confluence of the Amazon River and the Nanay River, Iquitos is the largest city in the Amazon in Peru. It is the gateway to the Amazon rainforest, as well as one of the most visited cities by tourists and locals alike.
The Barrio de Belén shows the real face of the city. It is a very humble area. Here tourists get attracted by its “floating houses” – constructions built on the water that serve as shops, homes and even nightclubs.
Monkey Island is a refuge located on the banks of the Amazon River, where around 50 monkeys of more than 10 different species live. Here they receive primates that are rescued from endangered areas or that have suffered some kind of problem and have to be rehabilitated. Once they are recovered, they are returned to their natural habitat.
Near Iquitos is the birth of the Amazon. From the pier of Nauta there are boats that take you to the confluence of the Ucayali and the Marañon. There you can see the place where the river officially begins to be called Amazon.
Peru’s tourism: What to see in Arequipa
Known for being the Legal Capital of Peru, as well as for being the city of that country with the second-largest number of inhabitants. Furthermore, Arequipa lies in the shadow of three volcanoes. Among them there is the Misti, an active volcano 5,820 metres high, which gives a unique image of this city.
The Plaza de Armas is the central square of Arequipa. Unlike what happens in Lima, it does not stand out either for its buildings or its fountain; but for being the place where many of the Arequipa people sit to talk and enjoy the day. It is worth sitting down and, like them, observing the life of the city from there.
The Cathedral is one of those responsible for Arequipa being known as “the white city” as it is built with ignimbrite, the stone of volcanic origin that gives colour to the city. Another place of religious worship not to be missed on your trip to Peru is the Convent of Santa Catalina. This convent is more like a city within a city. The reason is that for four centuries a citadel lived isolated from the rest of the world by its high walls. Today, the few remaining nuns live in a small area and the rest can be visited. So, we can get to know it.
But Arequipa is not only a city. It also has some impressive natural sites such as the Canteras de sillar, the Petroglyphs of Toro Muerto and the Cañón del Colca.
We invite you to learn more about this wonderful city in Things to do in Arequipa Peru
Nazca Lines
Another visit that could be considered a truly supernatural phenomenon is the Nazca Lines. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. They are geoglyphs, figures drawn on the slopes of hills with mosaic-shaped stones, located in the pampas of Jumana, in the Nazca desert, 450 km south of Lima.
These 1st-century Nazca tracings extend over a territory of up to 800 kilometres and decorate the land with their animal and geometric figures.
To see them, you can go up to a lookout point for 2 soles (€0.5). Or take a 30-minute trip in a light aircraft for around €90 that will show you the lines in all their splendour. If you want to indulge yourself, we assure you it will be one of the experiences you’ll never forget on your trip to Peru.
Lake Titicaca, a natural and cultural wonder
In the Central Andes, at an altitude of almost 4000 metres, lies Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world and one of the most beautiful and authentic places to see in Peru.
On the Peruvian side of this enormous lake, you can visit some beautiful islands, Uros, Taquile and Amantaní. Local people protect them from mass tourism. That is to say, you won’t find hotels or flats there. If you want to spend the night on one of these islands, you’ll have to stay directly in the homes of the locals. There, you can get to know and experience the fantastic Peruvian culture at first hand.
Trujillo, a city of the Chimu culture
Trujillo is a beautiful city in northern Peru in the department of La Libertad. It is not surprising that it is located in this region, since it was the first city to complete the process of independence from Spain.
The Plaza de Armas is the heart of the city of Trujillo, where the beautiful Cathedral, the Municipal Palace and the Monument to Liberty are located, as well as beautiful and colourful colonial buildings. Other historical monuments in Trujillo include the Casa Urquiaga, a colonial house where Simón Bolívar once resided, and La Casa Ganoza Chopitea or Casa de los Leones, a baroque-style colonial house adored by tourists and locals alike (both free of charge).
In addition to these fantastic stops around the city, the surrounding area is also home to pre-Hispanic wonders. An example of this is the city of Chan Chan, 6 kilometres from the centre of Trujillo. It is the well-preserved ruins of the world’s largest adobe city of the Chimú culture. The place was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Admission to the ruins costs 11 soles (€2.40). Another example is the Huacas del Sol y la Luna. The temples of the Sun and the Moon are remnants of the Mochica culture, 9 km from the centre (10 soles, €2.18).
Tips for your trip to Peru
- Take comfortable shoes on your excursions.
- Be very well-informed before your trip about the so-called “altitude sickness”. In some areas of Peru, it is common to suffer from it.
- Carry your money exchanged into Peruvian soles beforehand. Currency exchanges at airports are very expensive.
- Do not drink tap water in Peru, always drink bottled water and avoid ice.
- Avoid eating food from street food stalls to avoid food poisoning.
- Be careful with your personal belongings, especially in tourist areas.
- Always carry a copy of your documentation in case of unforeseen circumstances.
- Carry travel insurance to cover possible medical expenses.
- Before you travel, make sure you’re going to areas where vaccinations are required.
- The best time to see Peru is between September and May. However, the most touristy months are June to August, so prices are higher and tourist sites are more crowded.
- The worst time to travel to Peru is from December to February. It coincides with the rainy season in the Altiplano area.
- As for plugs, three types of plugs are used in Peru: A, B and C.
How to organise what things to do in Peru
Register or download the Passporter App and discover all its possibilities.
- Get inspired by the experiences of other travellers.
- Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
- Add the stops that interest you most. Don’t forget about the restaurants and bars where you want to eat.
- Organise your itinerary by route days according to their location on the map (you can take inspiration from the routes we present in the post)
- Check the travel budget that the app calculates according to your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make the modifications you need, and you’ll be all set for your trip.
- Share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you have visited on your trip to the app and recommend to other travellers what to see in Peru.
If you have any doubts about how to do it, you can check our post: How to create a travel itinerary in Passporter.
Frequently asked questions about your trip to Peru
If you want to see all of Peru, we recommend staying at least 3 weeks.
Of course, it all depends on the time you have available, as well as your budget and the routes you want to take. That said, due to the long distances, many visitors to the country often opt to fly, but it’s worth noting that there are no low-cost airlines, so travel can be expensive, especially if you’re looking to improvise.
The most common way to travel is by bus, both for the connections between cities and for the price (train fares for tourists are very expensive), and it’s not advisable to use a car, especially during the rainy season, when many roads are cut.
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