Lima
The cornflower-blue Casa de Oquendo is a ramshackle turn-of-the-19th-century house (in its time, the tallest in Lima) with a creaky lookout tower that, on…
Must-see attractions in Peru
Lima
This landmark building is the residence of the Archbishop of Lima, and the administrative headquarters of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lima. No…
Lima
The stately neoclassical Palace of Justice is the seat of the Supreme Court of Peru.
South Coast
A few hundred meters behind the visitor complex on Cerro Colorado are the 5000-year-old remains of a necropolis related to the Paracas culture, which…
Arequipa & Canyon Country
The only civilization between Arequipa and Chivay, save for a few scattered farmsteads, is this fork in the road that acts as a kind of truck/bus stop and…
Cuzco
This simple adobe church is comparatively small, but you can’t help but be awed by the baroque, gold-leaf principal altar. The exquisitely carved pulpit,…
Santuario de El Señor de Luren
Ica
The original republican-era church on this site was badly hit by the 2007 earthquake when the tower fell onto the nave. It was famed for the image of the…
Lima
This 409m-high hill to the northeast of Lima Centro has a mirador (lookout) at its crown, with views of Lima stretching off to the Pacific (in winter…
Lima
Sculpture artist Fredy Luque, a native of southern Peru’s city of Arequipa, helped bring a touch of The Beatles to Lima when his statue of rock legend…
Ica
On the Plaza de Armas, this unsigned museum has an oddball collection of thousands of carved stones and boulders graphically depicting diverse pre…
Lima
Located between Lima Centro and Callao, the zoo covers Peru’s major geographical divisions: coast, mountains and jungle. There are 210 native animals,…
Huaraz
At the trout hatchery, Piscigranja de Truchas, you can see the stages of the trout-hatching process from eggs to adults. By the entrance, the Recreo de…
Lima
Plaza de Acho, Lima’s bullring, was built on this site north of the Río Rímac in 1766. Some of the world’s most famous toreadors passed through here,…
Cuzco
There are sundry moth-bitten archaeological displays interpreting Inca and pre-Inca cultures at this small, mangy, underground archaeological museum,…
Puno
A fairly simple arch jazzed up with adornments makes for a tourist attraction in Puno. El Arco Deustua dates from 1847 and was a tribute to those who…
Trujillo
Worth a flyby is the 17th-century Iglesia de la Merced, which has a striking organ and cupola. Uniquely, an altar here is painted on the wall, an…
South Coast
Named for a local historian born in 1903, this place is more convincing as a cultural center than a museum (though there’s a handful of old photos and an…
Trujillo
This museum is mainly a taxidermic collection of Peruvian animals (many so artificially stuffed they look like nightmarish caricatures of their former…
Lima
East of the plaza, the lovely red Casa de Pilatos is home to offices for the Tribunal Constitucional (Supreme Court). Access is a challenge: groups of…
South Coast
Pisco’s biggest casualty of the 2007 earthquake was the colonial San Clemente Cathedral. A new, modern, red-bricked church has gone up in its place,…
Northern Highlands
The Moyobamba region is famed for its orchids, and you can see these and other exotic plants in a giant geodesic-domed hothouse at the Jardín Botánico San…
South Coast
About an 800m walk south of the train station, a British locomotive built in 1859 and used as a troop train in the War of the Pacific is the centerpiece…
Asociación Museo del Automóvil
Lima
The Asociación Museo del Automóvil has an impressive array of classic cars, some dating back to 1901, from a Ford Model T to a Cadillac Fleetwood used by…
Cuzco
The original version of this baroque church was destroyed by the 1615 earthquake and rebuilt by 1699. Its Renaissance facade is typical of the Cuzco…
South Coast
This bronze statue of José de San Martín is the centerpiece of the the Plaza de Armas, with the independence hero on horseback with his hand raised urging…
The Inca Trail
The Inca Trail leads across an Inca causeway and up a gentle climb through some beautiful cloud forest and this Inca tunnel carved from the rock.
Piura
Miguel María Grau Seminario was a well-known naval hero whose monument in the middle of a major traffic circle is now an urban landmark.
Lima
This house was the home of the Peruvian author Ricardo Palma from 1913 until his death in 1919. A listless tour is included in the price.
Cuzco
This church dating from 1676 belongs to the Carmelite order. Its baroque interior features brick and rough stone and a beautiful dome.
Chiclayo
This pleasant, narrow city park, a short walk south of the main plaza, showcases classical-style statues of mythological figures.
Piura
Monument to the Peruvian military hero Francisco Bolognesi Cervantes (1816–80) in the middle of a busy traffic circle.
Lima
Toward the center of downtown, this traditional casona houses the small Museum of Art & Popular Tradition.
Lima
This handsome, 18th-century mansion features beautiful wooden balconies, an elegant patio and period furnishings.
Trujillo
This baroque central church was constructed in the late 16th century and is notable for its multicolored retable.
Lima
A cliffside lookout set amidst walking and cycling paths, look overhead to see paragliders on clear days.
Aguas Calientes
The Catholic church of Aguas Calientes sits along the main square.
