Cities and Towns of Peru

Aguas Calientes

Aguas Calientes Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Town, is a small town tucked into the Urubamba River valley that serves as the chief gateway to Machu-Picchu. Tourists and locals alike take the train here from Cuzco or Ollantaytambo before proceeding to the ruins, which are a 30-minute bus ride away.

Not surprisingly, the economy of this former railroad worker's camp is grounded in tourism and visitors will find plenty of hotels and restaurants to choose from, not to mention souvenir shops. Staying overnight in Aguas Calientes gives you the advantage of getting to Machu Picchu before the trainloads of tourists arrive, and in your time away from the ruins you can soak in natural thermal baths or hike up to Putucusi.

The outdoor thermal baths are a 15 minute's walk out of town and are said to have medicinal properties. It is after these natural springs that the town was named (Aguas Calientes is Spanish for hot waters) and they're a wonderful place to relax. There are a few different pools of varied size and temperature and it's best to go earlier in the day when they're at their cleanest.

Further uphill past the baths there are a few beautiful waterfalls for bathing in and fearless climbers can hike the trail to Putucusi, the mountain just across the river from Machu Picchu. This trail was blazed by the Incas and involves scaling some vertical ladders but the breathtaking views of Machu Picchu from the summit are worth the effort.

Arequipa

Street Market 7,800 feet (2380 meter) above sea level in the scenic lap of the El Misti volcano rests Peru's second-largest city. Capital of the southern region of the same name, Arequipa has over 900,000 inhabitants and possesses a rich colonial history. The glistening white volcanic stone buildings of its historic center, declared a UNESCO world heritage site, have earned it the nickname of La Ciudad Blanca (The White City) and, coupled with its numerous other attractions, lure over one million visitors to the city each year. It's also known as the City of the Eternal Blue Sky thanks to its dry, sunny climate with only moderate rainfall January to March and temperatures between 50°F (10 °C)and 77°F (25 °C).

Arequipa was founded on the 15th of August, 1540 by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro's emissary Garcí Manuel de Carbajal, but archaeological evidence shows that the fertile valley was inhabited as early as 6000 BC by Aymara Indians who were later conquered by the Incas. Thanks to its agricultural products and its position along the route of the silver-laden caravans journeying from Potosí, Bolivia, to the port of Quilca, the city became an important trade center and would later be a stronghold of nationalism during Peru's fight for independence in the early 1800s. Nearly leveled in 1868 by an earthquake, Arequipa nevertheless survived and has produced many of the country's most significant intellectual, political and religious figures. Today it is Peru's second most industrialized city and continues to function as a leading center of commerce.

Cathedral and Plaza de Armas Arequipa's impressive colonial architecture, beautiful countryside and delectable cuisine have transformed it into the third most-visited city of Peru. Its ornate colonial churches, religious convents and mansions are a lovely expression of the unique cultural fusion of European and Andean traditions that took place here, and which can best be appreciated in the elaborate Cathedral, the Santa Catalina Convent's miniature walled town, and the sumptuous interior of the Church of the Compañía. Arequipa's rural outskirts are equally charming with their pre-Columbian agricultural terraces, well-preserved colonial buildings, natural hot springs, and mouthwatering picanterías (restaurants serving traditional food). It is also possible to climb El Misti and the two other volcanoes whose peaks dominate the landscape, Chachani and Pichu Pichu, and a visit to the spectacular Colca Canyon, one of the deepest in the world, will take your breath away.

Asia

No sooner does the summer sun chase away the last of Lima's dreary winter clouds than the city's residents collectively drop everything and make a beeline for the beach. And if there's one beach resort coveted above all the rest, it's Asia. Sixty miles (96.5 km) south of the capital in the Cañete Province, Asia is a hotspot for vacationers looking to recharge their batteries with the perfect mix of beachside R&R and sizzling nightlife. It's all the rage with Lima's upper and middle classes, who settle in to their exclusive seafront bungalows and flip-flop down to their private beaches.

From December to April the town is a bustling paradise for beachgoers with its own open-air shopping mall, 18-hole golf course, sports facilities, restaurants serving a wide array of foods and, of course, a vast selection of trendy nightclubs, bars and discotheques. Cinemas, department stores, supermarkets and clothing shops are all right here. Once in a while the town will also host concerts and important sports events, but the real draw is the town's miles and miles of beautiful sandy beach basking in the rays of a flaming tropical sun.

Ayacucho

Each year during Holy Week the attractive colonial city of Ayacucho is roused from its tranquil repose as crowds of tourists converge on it to participate in vibrant religious celebrations. Hijacked by Shining Path terrorists in the 1980's and cut off from the outside world for the better part of two decades, Ayacucho now welcomes visitors to explore the 33 churches that have made it famous as well as the area's many archaeological sites. The Huari culture once established its capital here, and the decisive battle in Peru's fight for independence against Spain took place nearby.

Cajamarca

The principal city of Peru's northern highlands was once the scene of Pizarro's capture and execution of Atahualpa. Fringed by lush green farmland and rolling mountains, Cajamarca is a traditional and unpretentious place where handsome colonial churches and mansions still stand and the ruins of ancient civilizations pepper the countryside. Clear blue skies and springlike temperatures are the city's companion for most of the year, and a visit wouldn't be complete without sampling the delicious dairy products for which it is famous.

Chiclayo

Known as Peru's Friendship Capital for the warm hospitality of its people, the city of Chiclayo finds itself in the midst of an archaeological zone so rich in pre-Inca treasures that it's second only to Cuzco as the country's premier archaeological tourism destination. Thanks to its strategic location at the crossroads of transportation routes linking the northern coast with the Andes and Amazon, it's also a major commercial and economic center. Chiclayo was founded as an Indian reduction in colonial times and lies in a fertile agricultural valley that receives warm sunshine year round and virtually no rainfall.

The city boasts handsome architecture and plazas, including the neoclassical cathedral, republican-style municipal palace and La Verónica chapel. A fascinating place to explore is the central market place, where special herbs and concoctions used in shamanic rituals are sold. Also worth a visit are the picturesque villages that pepper the surrounding countryside, including Monsefú with its exquisite handwoven and embroidered goods, the viceregal ghost town of Zaña, and Pimentel with its prime surfing waves and traditional caballitos de totora boats. The nearby Chaparrí Reserve protects dry forest habitat and endangered animals like the spectacled bear and white-winged guan.

The Lambayeque, Sicán, Mochica and Chimú cultures left behind impressive ruins in the surrounding area, some of the most famous being those at Batán Grande, the pyramids of Túcume and the Huaca Rajada. Many of the spectacular archaeological treasures unearthed here can be viewed at the Royal Tombs of Sipán Museum, National Sicán Museum and the Brüning Archaeological Museum located in nearby Lambayeque and Ferreñafe.

Cuzco

Church in the historic center Legendary capital of the great Inca Empire, plundered and rebuilt by the Spanish, Cuzco (also spelled Cusco) is the archaeological capital of the Americas and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Western Hemisphere. Popularly known as "the navel of the world" for its place at the very center of Tawantinsuyu, Cuzco has traded its bygone imperial dominance for renewed fame as the "Tourism Capital of Peru". Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, the city receives almost a million visitors every year drawn by its fascinating history, Inca ruins and Spanish colonial architecture.

Legend has it that Manco Capac, the first Inca ruler, was instructed by his father Inti, the sun god, to build a temple of the sun in the place where he could thrust a golden staff into the earth. So it happened that Manco Capac founded the city of Cuzco in the 11th or 12th century; however, the city's glorious transformation into the grand capital of the Inca Empire would take place later on under the ninth Inca ruler named Pachacuti. Pachacuti expanded the empire by means of ambitious military campaigns and developed Cuzco into a structured urban center with specific religious and administrative functions. He constructed some of the city's finest buildings, including the Coricancha temple and a palace adjacent to the Plaza de Armas, and designed the city in the shape of a puma. The city had four districts, representing the four provinces of Tawantinsuyu, each with a road that led out to its respective realm. Each local leader built a house in the quarter of the city corresponding to their province of residence, as they were required to do, and lived there part of the year.

In 1533 Francisco Pizarro discovered the city, captured it and plundered its wealth of silver and gold. He established a municipal government in 1534, but the following year moved his capital to Lima on the coast, which led to Cuzco's decline in importance. The city was later besieged in 1536 by Manco Inca, the puppet emperor Pizarro had crowned a few years prior, in an attempt to drive the Spanish out with an army of over one hundred thousand Inca soldiers. The Spanish were very nearly wiped out, but managed to force Manco Inca to retreat, recapture Cuzco and settle it once again. A new Spanish city was then built on Cuzco's old Inca foundations and many Inca temples and palaces were torn down to make way for churches and mansions. During the colony Cuzco thrived on agriculture, cattle farming, mining and trade with Spain, and many new buildings were constructed, including a cathedral, numerous churches and convents, a university and an archbishopric. In the years that followed the city became a hub of artistic production and suffered two major earthquakes in 1650 and 1950. But it was the rediscovery of Machu Picchu in 1911 that transformed the city more than any other event since the arrival of the Spanish, leading to its rebirth as Peru's leading tourist destination.

Indigenous children wearing traditional clothing Cuzco boasts a number of architecturally significant structures, the most prominent of these being the Coricancha and Sacsayhuamán. An Inca temple dedicated to the sun and creator deities, Inti and Viracocha, the Coricancha was built on sacred ground in the center of an astronomical observatory. True to its name, which means "golden courtyard" in Quechua, the Coricancha was encrusted with hundreds of gold and silver sheets and the Inca ruler would ceremonially plant golden corn stalk statuettes in its terraced gardens. The temple is said to have been "fabulous beyond belief" but much of its gold was confiscated in order to provide Atahualpa's ransom. The Spanish built the cathedral of Santo Domingo on the foundations of this temple and some of the original Inca stone walls can still be appreciated. The Incas were master stonemasons and their mortarless walls of closely-fitted irregularly cut stones have survived devastating earthquakes unlike many colonial buildings. A famous example of this is the twelve-angled stone in a wall on Hatun Rumiyoc street.

Sacsayhuamán is another prime example of Inca stone work. A gargantuan fortress built on a hill overlooking Cuzco, it is said to form the head and jaws of the city's puma design. Many of the stones in its massive walls and battlements are huge boulders and it remains a mystery as to how the Incas transported them. It contains a network of underground passages and a throne of solid carved stone where the Inca rulers once sat.

Aside from the cathedral, Cuzco has three other fascinating colonial churches for the visitor to explore. El Triunfo church, next to the cathedral, was built on top of the Inca armoury where the Spanish took refuge during Manco Inca's siege and were miraculously saved when the fire in the thatched roof went out. Along the southeastern perimeter of the Plaza de Armas, where the Amaru Cancha once stood, lies La Compañía de Jesús church with its grand baroque façade and bell towers. One block down the street at La Merced church, burial place of Gonzalo Pizarro and the two Almagros, visitors can get a glimpse of a solid gold monstrance adorned with jewels and view a collection of religious paintings.

The famous twelve-sided stone Today, Cuzco is the heart of a populous agricultural region where grains and potatoes are grown and sheep, alpacas and llamas are grazed. It lies in a broad Andean valley in southeastern Peru over 11,000 feet above sea level and has a cool, dry climate. While its principal industries include the production of cloth, rugs, tapestries, fine metalwork and beer, city life almost entirely revolves around tourism. It's a vibrant city full of open markets, adobe houses and cobblestone streets where many people still speak Quechua, the language of the Incas. Numerous festivals are celebrated throughout the year, the most important of these being the Inti Raymi, the weeklong Festival of the Sun that is now the second largest festival in South America.

Huancayo

The modern city of Huancayo offers its visitors a generous dose of Andean charm in its colorful markets, colonial churches and traditional festivals. The cultural and commercial heart of the central highlands as well as an important agricultural area, Huancayo may be big but its quaint little shops and restaurants give it a small town feel. Set atop a wide expanse of altiplano (high plateau) within the fertile Mantaro Valley, the city is a great base for outdoor activities such as mountain biking and trekking. It was once the seat of the warlike Huanca culture.

Ica

Capital of Peru's most fruitful vinicultural region, Ica produces an immense variety of superior wines and piscos. Its bodegas, set in the lush fields surrounding the busy commercial city, receive flocks of tourists in early March during the annual wine harvest festival—one of Ica's many rollicking yearly celebrations. The city is also known for its pecans and Paso horses. Irrigated by the Ica River and sunny almost year-round, it's no wonder that the Nasca people chose Ica for their capital between AD 300 and 800. The present city was founded by the Spanish in 1536 and it still retains a colonial aspect in spite of the devastating earthquake that destroyed many buildings in August 2007.

Iquitos

Peru's principal Amazonian port and largest jungle town, Iquitos is a gateway to exploring the country's northern rainforests. Founded as a Jesuit mission in the 1750s and once among the leading rubber boom towns of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the city is so remote it's accessible only by air or river.

Iquitos is an excellent point of departure for touring the region's pristine nature reserves, staying at a lodge deep in the rainforest, or visiting local indigenous communities. The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Peru's largest, lies 114 miles from the city and is home to abundant wildlife including the endangered Amazon river dolphin, Arrau turtle, Amazonian manatee and brown woolly monkey. Just 12 miles from the city is the Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve, an Eden of bird life where new species previously unknown to science continue to be discovered. Native Bora and Cocama Cocamilla communities live nearby and there are numerous lakes and rivers in the area ideal for swimming, fishing and canoeing.

Attractions within the city limits include the historic Iron House and Hotel Palace, built according to the extravagant tastes of local rubber barons, and the rustic floating houses and open-air market of the Belén neighborhood. A great time to visit Iquitos is during its Tourist Week and San Juan Festival, both celebrated in late June.

Lima

Cathedral in the old city Peru's capital and largest city is much more than the vast polluted, traffic-choked, overpopulated metropolis that first meets the eye. Founded by the Spanish on a site once inhabited by various Amerindian groups on the arid Pacific coast, Lima was formerly the continent's richest and most important town. Grand colonial buildings still bear witness to its former glory, just as numerous pre-Hispanic ruins remind us of the alluvial plain's more ancient past. Riddled with exciting dining, entertainment and shopping establishments, this sprawling cosmopolitan city nevertheless has its feet firmly planted in the 21st century. It may take on a dreary aspect most of the year thanks to a thick veil of clouds and coastal fog, but the Limeneans' friendliness and conviviality more than make up for the weather, and during the sunny summer season everyone makes a beeline to the long stretches of beach that hug the city's coastline to the north and south.

The city of Lima occupies approximately 310 square miles of mostly flat terrain in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers along Peru's central coast. It forms a contiguous metropolitan area with the port of Callao and consists of thirty densely-populated districts centered around the historic city center, which lies 9.3 miles inland along the Rímac River. The district of San Isidro is the city's financial hub, Miraflores is known for its upscale hotels, shops and restaurants and Barranco for its bohemian character and nightlife. The less affluent northern and southern zones of the city were settled by Andean immigrants in the mid- and late twentieth century. Its subtropical desert climate is mild and humid year-round, falling to a low of 54°F (12 °C) in the wintertime (May-November) and rising to a high of 84°F (29 °C) in the summer (December-April). Winter days are predictably overcast and accompanied by mist or drizzle, while summer days are consistently sunny. The city receives almost no rain.

Parque del Amor in Miraflores Lima is the nucleus of Peru's political power, economic and financial activity, and institutions of higher education. With some eight million inhabitants (Callao included), it accounts for approximately one-third of the country's entire population and nearly half of its GDP. The country's largest and most important airport is located in Callao, as is its most important sea port, and its network of highways links Lima to each of Peru's neighboring countries.

The dry desert lands where Lima now stands were originally inhabited by various Amerindian groups that were conquered by the Incas in the 15th century. Two years after the Spanish invasion, Francisco Pizarro founded the city on January 18, 1535 as the City of Kings, and it soon developed into the flourishing capital of a Spanish vice-royalty and extensive trade network. In 1687 and 1746 Lima suffered devastating earthquakes and the independence of Peru was declared by General José de San Martín on the city's main square on July 28, 1821. As the capital of Peru, Lima was looted by Chileans during the 1879-1883 War of the Pacific and later underwent a period of expansion and industrialization that sparked an unprecedented upsurge in the population in the 1920s.

Over the centuries, Lima has received immigrants from around the globe and is now a complex mix of racial and ethnic groups. While the majority of its inhabitants are mestizo, of mixed Amerindian and European descent, there are also many Amerindians, Europeans, Asians, Jews, Middle Easterners and Afro-Peruvians. This mingling of cultures has given rise to gastronomical traditions so unique and diverse that the city is now known as the Gastronomical Capital of the Americas. A visit to Lima wouldn't be complete without sampling the tempting fare of its abundant criolla (creole) restaurants, chifas (Sino-Peruvian restaurants), cevicherías (restaurants featuring ceviche, a dish of raw seafood marinated in lime juice) and pollerías (restaurants featuring rotisserie chicken).

Lima's Costa Verde Lima's historic center, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, boasts some remarkable gems of colonial architecture, such as the Monastery of San Francisco, the Cathedral, the Convent of Santo Domingo, the Palace of Torre Tagle, the House of Aliaga, and the House of Goyeneche or Rada. The city's Plaza de Armas, or main square, lies at the heart of this area, right in front of the Government Palace where the president lives. Downtown Lima also features a number of attractive parks and squares, including the Park of the Reserve (home to the world's largest fountain complex), Park of the Exposition, Campo de Marte, University Park and Plaza San Martín. South of downtown Lima you'll find the Villa Swamps ecological park as well as the city's most impressive pre-Hispanic ruins at Pachacamac. The finest museums in all of Peru are located within the city and are devoted to subjects like art, pre-Columbian cultures, natural history, science and religion. The Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Antropología e Historia del Perú, Museo de Oro del Perú, Museo Larco and Museo de la Nación are among the most fascinating.

Thanks to the city's attractions and its close proximity to the country's principal international airport, the Jorge Chávez International Airport, Lima receives an immense number of tourists every year. As a result, tourist-oriented hotels, shops, entertainment venues and restaurants have proliferated. Most of these hotels are located in central Lima, Miraflores and Barranco, with the latter two offering the best and liveliest nightlife. Some of the country's best handicraft markets can also be found in Lima.

Machu Picchu

Llamas grazing among the Machu Picchu ruins Known as The Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu is Peru's most popular tourist attraction and one of South America's most important archaeological sites. Built by the Incas in the 15th century on a secluded mountain ridge 50 miles northwest of Cuzco, it is an awe-inspiring masterpiece of urban architecture that was so well-hidden it was spared destruction and plunder at the hands of the Spanish conquistadors. For centuries the citadel remained abandoned and almost entirely unknown until the American historian Hiram Bingham rediscovered it in 1911, placing it in the international spotlight. Subsequently designated a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, Machu Picchu is now a cherished cultural icon and sacred place for many.

Built by the emperor Pachacuti on a practically impregnable site flanked by the steep Urubamba river valley and treacherous mountain slopes, Machu Picchu boasts prime examples of classic Inca architecture. The Incas were among the world's most accomplished stonemasons and the junctions in many of their mortarless ashlar structures are so perfect that not even a blade of grass will fit between them. The Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Three Windows, two of the site's most famous structures, provide beautiful examples of this. Sun rituals were held at the former, which was built on top of a huge rock with a cave inside it used as a mausoleum, and the second is unique in that its three-window design rarely features in Inca architecture. Another of the citadel's best-known structures is the Intihuatana, a ritual stone known as The Hitching Post of the Sun. The stone was designed to hitch the sun at the time of the two equinoxes, at which time the sun shines directly over its pillar and creates no shadow. Along with palaces, dwellings and storehouses, these structures are located in Machu Picchu's urban sector, which is surrounded by the terraced fields of the agricultural sector. The Incas built terraces in order to flatten the land and conserve the thin soil to make it suitable for cultivating maize, coca, fruit and root vegetables like yucca and sweet potatoes.

Machu Picchu, window in stone wall The ridge upon which this ancient settlement was built sits like a saddle between two mountain peaks, Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu. The former is a sharp peak, leading the Incas to name it young peak in Quechua, while the latter was given the name of old peak for its hunchbacked appearance. The citadel itself was originally known simply as peak or Picchu. Huayna Picchu forms the backdrop for most panoramic photos of the site and there is a trail leading to the summit, where the high priest and local virgins are said to have lived. Clinging to the slopes of this mountain are other archaeological sites of interest and visitors brave enough to hike to the top are rewarded with stunning views of the ruins below and the sacred snowy peak of Salcantay in the distance. Even the murmur of the Urubamba River rushing through the canyon far below can be heard from these heights as it meanders its way to the Amazon.

The ruins straddle the humid but temperate highland jungle and yunga zones of the Andean plateau and afford spectacular views of the surrounding rugged mountains draped in lush tropical vegetation. During the wet season, October through April, it receives abundant rain and it is thought that most of the Incas who resided there only remained during the drier winter months. The sanctuary boasts high species diversity, including numerous species of orchids and over 400 bird species, and is prime habitat for the endangered spectacled bear.

In the time of Pachacuti, Machu Picchu was linked to the rest of the Inca Empire by a series of roads or trails. Centuries later visitors can walk along these same trails to reach some nearby sites of interest. To the west there is a path to Intipata and another leads to the river and San Miguel Mountain. The best-known trail, however, is the one to the south that tens of thousands of tourists traverse each year: the Inca Trail. This trail was the principal access route to Machu Picchu towards the end of the 15th century and is a two- to four-day hike that commences in the Urubamba Valley and passes a number of Inca ruins on its way. The closest town to Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes, is less than four miles away in the valley and there is one hotel located right next to the ruins, called the Sanctuary Lodge.

Pacarama offers the biggest choice of hotels near Machu Picchu. Below you find the list with accommodations, you can read guest reviews and book Machu Picchu hotels at the best rates.

Mancora

Sunset over the shore Blessed with gorgeous sandy beaches, warm turquoise waves and perennially sunny skies, it is little wonder this small fishing town is one of Northern Peru's premier tourist destinations. Coveted by surfers and sunbathers alike, Máncora lies at the northernmost edge of the Piura region at a point along the Pacific coast where the cold Humboldt Current and warm Niño Current commingle. It enjoys a pleasant dry tropical climate with sizzling summers from December through April and breezy, cooler weather the rest of the year. Temperatures can climb to 100°F (38 °C) in the summertime, when light evening rainfall is common, and winter nighttime temperatures drop no lower than 60°F (16 °C). The ocean water is warm almost year-round, oscillating between 76°F (25 °C) and 83°F (28 °C).

Máncora's beaches, with their six-foot waves, are great for surfing any time of year and beginners can take advantage of the smaller early morning waves. Underwater diving and horseback riding are also popular. The Las Pocitas beach immediately south of town is known for its gentle waves and small pools (or pocitas, hence its name) that form at low tide as well as its diverse marine life. Visitors can also check out the nearby Cerros de Amotape National Park and the Poza de Barro hot springs.

Bubbling over with surf schools, bars, restaurants and nightclubs, Máncora is well-prepared to receive the hundreds of thousands of tourists who flock to its sunny shores each year. Ceviche is the prized dish here, where menus are centered around local fishermen's harvests, and people are known for being friendly and down-to-earth. As far as transportation goes, getting here from Lima (700 miles to the south) is easy enough by bus or car, given that the Pan-American Highway is the main road passing through town, but some go by plane in order to reduce transit time from 17 hours to about four.

Pisco

The city of Pisco lies in the midst of a vast sandy desert on Peru's central coast 180 miles southeast of Lima. Beautiful pristine beaches line its Pacific shore and the city's proximity to natural and historic attractions have transformed it into a base of tourism. The Paracas National Reserve and the Ballestas Islands, right on Pisco's doorstep to the south, are replete with marine and bird life which visitors can view up close, including the Humboldt penguin and seals. In the reserve one can also get a glimpse of the mysterious geoglyph known as El Candelabro (The Candelabra). A short distance inland of Pisco you'll find the ruins of Tambo Colorado, an Incan urban center dating back to 1450 which affords panoramic views of the fertile coastal valley.

It's no accident that the city shares its name with Peru's national drink. Pisco, which lies within territory occupied by the prehispanic Paracas and Nazca cultures, was inhabited by a group of skilled ceramists who produced amphoras known as piskos. The piskos were used to store the grape brandy that, over time, came to be called by the same name. Pisco is also famous as the place where the famous liberator José de San Martín created Peru's first flag and in 2007 it suffered a devastating earthquake that leveled 70% of the city.

Piura

A major center of economic development in northern Peru and one of the country's largest cities, Piura is a placid metropolis full of cultural and historic attractions that welcomes visitors with genuine hospitality. Capital of the Piura region adjacent to the Ecuadorian border, it was the first city founded by Francisco Pizarro on his conquest expeditions through Peru. However, the scorching desert plain where the city now lies was not its original home. During Piura's early years a prolonged spate of bad luck in the form of disease, catastrophic rains and pirate attacks forced its citizens to relocate three times within six decades.

Piura's Plaza de Armas is one of Peru's oldest and most attractive, its colonial Cathedral boasts a gold-leaf altar and the city has a wealth of museums and art galleries devoted to religious art, pre-Columbian ceramics and paintings by famous Piuran artists. The birthplace and childhood home of Miguel Grau, Peru's greatest naval hero, is also open to visitors. Just outside the city lies the town of Catacaos, known for its exquisite restaurants and skilled artisans who produce articles made of woven straw and cotton as well as gold and silver filigree. Also nearby are the pre-Inca adobe ruins of Narihualá built by the Tallán people and the large reservoir and natural area of Los Ejidos inhabited by iguanas, herons and other aquatic birds. The city hosts multiple religious celebrations throughout the year, as well as events celebrating local identity such as Piura Tourist Week in September and the Jubilee Festival in October.

Puno

Some of Peru's most vivacious festivals are celebrated a breathless 12,566 feet above sea level on the windswept shores of Lake Titicaca. Puno, in spite of its unforgivingly dry, cold climate and austere appearance, hosts exuberant folklore extravaganzas featuring music, dancing and street parties that have earned it the title of Folklore Capital of Peru. Currently, Puno is Peru's third most popular destination for foreign tourists, thousands of whom converge on the city each February to witness the country's largest festival: Virgen de la Candelaria.

Tourists also visit the city due to its being home to handsome exemplars of Republican-era architecture and the port of departure for exploring the lake's floating reed islands, island communities and surrounding archaeological sites. Many visitors choose to lodge in hotels near Puno's Plaza de Armas, where the magnificent cathedral stands in close proximity to historic mansions, including that of Viceroy Conde de Lemos who founded Puno and built his home in 1668.

Tacna

Capital of Peru's southernmost department of the same name, the city of Tacna lies on an arid coastal plain at the foot of the Andes. Bestowed the title of "Heroic City" for the stalwart patriotism of its citizens, Tacna is a thriving hub of commerce abounding with historic and cultural attractions. It enjoys a mild subtropical desert climate and offers visitors exquisite local culinary specialties inspired in the region's agricultural bounty.

Among Tacna's historic landmarks commemorating Peruvian independence and the War of the Pacific are the Parabolic Arch, the Casa Jurídica, the home of Francisco Antonio de Zela, and the History Museum which gives a full account of both events and other milestones in national history. Its Railway Museum is among the city's most unique and fascinating attractions, and in Locomotive Park the locomotive that transported Peruvian troops to Arica during the War of the Pacific is on display. Art and culture enthusiasts will be captivated by Tacna's imposing Cathedral, the classical Greek statues of its Ornamental Fountain, and the Baroque ceiling paintings and portraits of illustrious people at the Municipal Theater. Just outside the city you'll find the ancient Miculla petroglyphs, the thermo medicinal springs of Calientes, the beautiful sunny countryside and fine traditional restaurants of Valle Viejo, and the Alto de la Alianza battleground and museum.

Tacna's most important celebration is Tacna Week, an outpouring of patriotism in late August, and the city's principal religious festivals, Cruces de Mayo and the Virgin of Copacabana, are syncretic blends of Catholic devotion and Aymara rituals. The city's tourist week and wine festival are other excellent times to visit.

Tarapoto

In the highland jungles of northeastern Peru on the banks of the Shilcayo River lies one of the country's principal centers of Amazonian tourism and commerce. Also known as the "City of Palm Trees", Tarapoto is the largest city of the San Martín department and serves as a regional transportation hub. The city has a great deal to offer travelers, including excellent hotels, delicious Amazonian cuisine, exciting nightlife and a plethora of natural attractions.

The lush rainforests surrounding Tarapoto are bejeweled with idyllic waterfalls and lagoons, hot springs, river rapids and ancient petroglyphs. There are abundant opportunities for wildlife observation, swimming, boating, hiking, whitewater rafting, camping and fishing. The city is also a gateway to the ruins of Kuélap in the neighboring Amazonas department.

Some of the best times of year to visit Tarapoto are during its yearly festivals. Come for the Fiesta de San Juan on June 24 in honor of Saint John the Baptist when everyone flocks to nearby rivers and feasts on traditional juanes, folkloric dance competitions are held and a Miss San Juan is crowned. Or stop by during Tarapoto's Tourist Week from July 8-19 when open-air concerts, musical shows and parades are held in honor of the Holy Cross of the Motilones. Carnival and the Anniversary of Tarapoto on August 20 are also celebrated with jubilant dancing, music and parades.

Trujillo

Trujillo is a city for history buffs and vacationers alike. Founded by Pizarro in 1534 in the fruitful Moche Valley along Peru's northern coast, it became the first Peruvian city to declare independence from Spain and has been known for its rebellious bent ever since. The extravagant and beautifully-preserved colonial buildings that line Trujillo's streets betray its wealth of old and now house some excellent hotels, restaurants and cafés. Nearby lie the ancient Chimú capital of Chan Chan, once the world's largest adobe city, Moche temples of the sun and moon and the sandy beaches of Huanchaco where traditional caballitos de totora (reed watercrafts) still ride the waves. Its pleasantly warm, dry climate is free of the scorching heat found farther north as well as Lima's fog.

Urubamba

Gateway in the fortification wall In the verdant Sacred Valley of the Incas beneath the watchful eye of snow-capped peaks lies the friendly town of Urubamba. Endowed with good restaurants and tourist facilities, it's a great base for exploring the surrounding mountains with their spectacular scenery and Inca ruins. The town serves as a transportation hub, thanks to its location in the center of the valley, and is an hour's journey from Cuzco. The Urubamba River flows past it to the south.

Urubamba is the valley's largest town and it boasts a handsome main square, colonial church and sizable non-tourist weekend market. At the workshop of the famous ceramicist Pablo Seminario you can buy pre-Columbian-inspired pottery and if you happen to visit in the first week of June you'll see the town come alive during the El Señor de Torrechayoc festival. There are some Inca ruins nearby as well as the traditional village of Chichubamba where visitors can participate in agrotourism.

The mountains overlooking Urubamba hold some stunning Inca sites and reward hikers, bikers and horseback riders with magnificent views of the Chicón glacier. Heading south of the river you'll first come to the village of Maras, half an hour's walk from the Inca ruins at Moray. Moray consists of terraced sinkholes reminiscent of Greek amphitheaters that the Incas built as an agricultural laboratory. Further on there is an Inca salt mine called Salinas, where a salty spring was diverted to flow into thousands of shallow salt pools. The pools are white with salt deposits and form a dramatic contrast with the surrounding landscape.

Yucay

Market at the town square In the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas northwest of Cuzco lies the small Peruvian village of Yucay. In the midst of fertile fields and stunning mountain scenery along the banks of the Urubamba River, it's such a pleasant place that the Inca ruler Huayna Cápac decided to build an estate here. As the story goes, midway through the 15th century the emperor was so taken with Yucay's natural beauty and mild climate that he put local and mitimae laborers to work, building and maintaining palaces, terraced gardens and maize fields here.

The village houses a collection of Spanish colonial buildings and Inca structures, the most prominent of these being the Santiago Apóstol church and the Palacio de la Ñusta or Palace of the Princess. The remains of Inca Sayri Túpac's palace are adjacent to one of the two main squares and there are numerous ruins scattered across the valley, including the Incas' cultivation terraces. Those up for an all-day hike can follow the steep trail up to Lago Negro, next to the snowy peak of San Juan, and there are also biking opportunities.

Some of Yucay's charming colonial buildings have been converted into hotels and make for a very pleasant night's stay. Urubamba is the nearest town, 15 minutes away to the west, and a bus ride to Cuzco takes about 75 minutes.

Yurimaguas

The Huallaga River Capital of the Alto Amazonas Province in the Loreto Region of northeastern Peru, Yurimaguas is a prosperous rainforest port town situated at the confluence of the Huallaga and Paranapura Rivers. The last urban outpost linked by paved road to points west in the Andes, this city of 64,000 people serves as a gateway to Iquitos and the wonders of the Amazon. It's a culturally diverse town with a friendly, laid-back feel known as the Perla del Huallaga (Pearl of the Huallaga) for the beauty of its natural lowland jungle setting where rainfall is abundant and the average annual temperature is 79°F (26 °C). Yurimaguas is also the principal port of the Lower Huallaga and an important economic center, where hardwoods and petroleum are traded and farmers sell sugar cane, bananas, cotton, tobacco and manioc.

The town is said to have gotten its name from the Yuri and Omagua tribes from Brazil who first settled here and were later proselytized by Jesuit priest José Jiménez, who in 1710 built the first church. Following the country's victorious struggle for independence in the early 1800s, floods of immigrants came pouring into Yurimaguas from Tarapoto, Lamas, Rioja, Moyobamba and Chachapoyas, leading to the town's growth into a city known as the Historic Capital of the Peruvian Amazon.

Today Yurimaguas is an attractive tourist destination where visitors can get a taste of Amazonian culture and explore the beauty of the rainforest. The most popular time to visit is during the annual Catholic festival of the Assumption, August 5th through the 15th, when neighboring villages converge on the city and it erupts in music, dance, fireworks, craft fairs, sports events and parties. But a visit wouldn't be complete without sampling native cuisine and immersing oneself in the splendor of its surrounding lakes and forests. Regular boat service also makes it easy to get to places further downstream, such as the Pacaya-Samiria National Park and Iquitos.