Posts about Sightseeing
Visiting Arequipa Peru
Visiting Arequipa is a must in Peru. Located in the Peruvian Andes, Arequipa is a great gateway to exploring the surrounding area.
Arequipa sightseeing highlights include the Santa Catalina Monastery and the Santuarios Andinos Museum, where lies the frozen princess of Ampato.
If you have extra time when visiting Arequipa, you can take a bus tour to the countryside. Buses depart from the main plaza and the trip takes half a day.
From Arequipa you can also go trekking in Colca Canyon. Two and three day trekking tours are popular with many people visiting Arequipa. The views and natural surroundings are stunning. You can see condors and other Peruvian wildlife, and visit traditional towns like Cabanaconde.
If you still have time while visiting Arequipa, you can also visit Misti and Chachani Mountains on a two or three day trek.
Top 10 Things to Do in Lima
Many people visiting Peru rush through Lima on their way to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail.
Lima is worth a visit, though, and here is a list of the top 10 things to do in Lima:
1. Visit the Gold Museum, or Museo de Oro, in Lima.
2. Go to the Miraflores area to wander through Kennedy Park and Love Park, and go shopping at Larcomar and Jockey Plaza. Speaking of shopping, don’t miss the boutiques of the San Isidro district. Conquistadores street is particularly good, and there are great restaurants there as well.
3. Visit the Barranco district to see the Puente de los Suspiros bridge and walk through the Municipal Park.
4. Visit the attractions in the Lima city center. Don’t miss the Plaza San Martin, Lima Cathedral, Santo Domingo Church, La Merced Church, the Church of Saint Francis with its great catacombs and museum, the Congress building, San Marcos House, Riva Aguero House, Torre Tagle Palace, and Casa Aliaga.
5. Get a Piscosour at the historic Bolivar Hotel.
6. Watch the illuminated water fountain show at Circuito magico del agua from Wednesday through Sunday evenings.
7. Explore the Callao district with its 17th century fortress, the Fotaleza del Real Felipe.
8. Get up early to take a tour of the San Lorenzo, Fronton, Cavinzas and Palomino Islands.
9. Take a day trip to the Pachacamac Santuary on the Pan-South American Highway.
10. Navigate the newly discovered ruins of Caral, the oldest city in the Americas. It’s just a few hours’ drive from Lima and only recently opened for visits.
If you don’t want to walk all over the city, you can take a city sightseeing bus in Lima. Mirabus Peru and City Sightseeing both offer hop on, hop off bus tours of Lima.