Shopping and stores
Most shops and shopping centers are open from 9:00 to 20:00 seven days a week. Some supermarkets in the capital are open until 22:00 or work around the clock. In small towns, shops have their own schedule. Bargaining is always a must at local markets.
According to allcitycodes.com, Peru usually brings jewelry made of gold, silver and copper, pullovers and other products made of alpaca wool, llama wool wall hangings, traditional wood or stone carvings, dried gourd souvenirs, pottery, furs, musical instruments and leather drums. You can and should bargain at local markets.
In some supermarkets in Lima, two prices are stamped on the cash receipt: in salt and in dollars. Such a check can be paid in dollars, but the change will be given in salts at the bank rate.
- What to bring from Peru
Cuisine and restaurants in Peru
The national cuisine of Peru was strongly influenced by European traditions, but at the same time it remained very diverse and original. In different parts of the country, culinary traditions differ, but the common thing is the abundance of pepper, garlic, potatoes, yams (a type of root crop), corn and vegetables.
Almost any meat is for the future – from beef and lamb to guinea pigs, the only exception is alpacas, similar to llamas, which are bred only for wool.
Fish and seafood rule the coast and in the Amazon Valley. A popular local dish is fresh fish thoroughly marinated in lemon juice and spices. As for potato dishes, they are popular everywhere in Peru – this is the usual boiled potatoes with sauce, and potato pancakes with meat filling “papa rellena”, and “causa” – a puff pie made from mashed potatoes and spicy salad with chicken or tuna. In addition, the hallmark of the local cuisine is a variety of fruits – these are the usual oranges, papaya, peaches and bananas, and exotics like cherimoya, lucuma or prickly pear.
Peruvian desserts are very sweet, and you need to try them with caution so as not to get a hyperglycemic shock. “Lim meringue” suspiro Limeno is famous for its special sweetness, which you can only lick without fear.
In the country, it is worth trying “saltado” – a stew of vegetables with various seasonings, rice in a pot “in Peruvian style”, soups from lentils, beans and other legumes, “arros-con-choclo” – porridge made from rice or cereals, “carapulcra” – dried potatoes with pork, chicken and sunflower seeds. As well as a very spicy “soupa a la creola” of beef with noodles, egg, milk and vegetables, assorted pachamancu meats (fried in a sealed container on hot stones), puno alpaca meat steaks and the traditional local delicacy “kui” is a stewed or fried whole guinea pig, a very tasty dish that you should definitely try “ceviche” is a special way of marinated fish or seafood.
On the coast and in the Amazon Valley, fish and seafood are widely used. In addition, the hallmark of the local cuisine is a variety of fruits – these are the usual oranges, papaya, peaches, bananas, and more exotic options – chirimoya, lucuma, tuna.
Of the national drinks, one can distinguish pisco (pisco) – distilled grape alcohol, from which Pisco Sour is made here. Peru also has a wide variety of juices, herbal teas, and, of course, coffee. It is worth trying “chicha morada” – a refreshing drink brewed from corn kernels with the addition of sugar and spices.
- What are the best Peruvian dishes?
Entertainment and attractions in Peru
The sights of Peru can be divided into two categories: the heritage of ancient civilizations (known and unknown) and natural beauty, carefully preserved in the expanses of national parks.
Pisac is a city and ancient fortress of the Incas, located 33 km from Cusco in the Sacred Valley of the Incas near the Urubamba River. In the vicinity of Pisak, you can visit the ruins of an ancient fortification that protected the entrance to the river valley. In addition, the pyramid city of Ollantaytambo and the village of Chinchero are interesting in the Sacred Valley.
Desert Nazca, one of the tourist “pearls” of the country, is located in the south of Peru between the rivers Ingenio and Nazca. It is an almost square stone plateau, dotted with enigmatic drawings of huge sizes visible only from the air and made by one continuous line carved in stone. The drawings depict human figures, as well as birds and animals, many of which, oddly enough, are not found in the Nazca region. It is assumed that the date of creation of these “mega-drawings” is 350-700 BC. e. Also of interest in this region is the Chauchilla necropolis (1st century AD)
Arequipa is the most beautiful city in the country, located in the very south of Peru at an altitude of 2335 m above sea level. Main attractions: the Convento de Santa Catalina convent, the cathedral, the Jesuit church of La Campania, the central square of Plaza de Armas, the former mint of Casa de la Moneda, the Casa Moral mansion. And 180 km from Arequipa there is a unique natural site – the Colca Canyon, which is considered the deepest in the world.
Before visiting the Amazon basin, you should be vaccinated against yellow fever (at least 10 days before the trip), take care of malaria pills, repellents and sunscreen.
Costa is the Pacific coast of the country. There you can visit the Paracas National Marine Reserve, the sand dunes of Huacachina, the oases around the “capital of winemakers” Ica, the Huascaran National Park and the Huaylas Valley, the ancient clay city of Chan Chan and the pre-Inca cities of Sipan and Tucume.
Trujillo is the capital of Costa, founded in the 16th century. and preserved to this day the style of the colonial era. It is worth seeing the main square of the city, Plaza de Armas, the town hall, the Bishop’s Palace, the cathedral, the Archaeological Museum and the Cassinella Museum, the art gallery in the Casa Ganos building, as well as numerous monasteries. There are also many interesting things in the vicinity of Trujillo – these are the ruins of ancient cities, and temple-fortresses, and the ecological reserve in Batan Grande.
Selva is the eastern part of the country. The main thing that attracts tourists here is the unique flora and fauna: mahogany, rubber trees, sarsaparilla, vanilla tree and a great variety of exotic tropical flowers grow in the jungle. On the Amazon, you can watch pink dolphins, caimans and other reptiles, as well as many endemic birds. In addition, purebred Indian tribes live here, and numerous monuments of ancient cultures are lost in the jungle.
5 things to do in Peru
- Get to the annual October religious holiday – El Senor de los Milagros, held on the main square of Lima, Plaza de armas.
- Take a look at the Allaga House (Casa de Aliaga) in Lima, the oldest house of the colonial era, within the walls of which the descendants of Allaga in the 16th generation still live, so you can view the house for 30 PEN, if you agree with the owners.
- Personally attend a meeting with a local shaman in the jungle, who will initiate you into an ayahuasca ritual, smell a bottle of magical liquid, and at the same time replenish the first-aid kit with the famous “7 roots” remedy that heals all diseases.
- Walk through the Olive Grove in the San Isidro area, where about 1500 trees grow.
- Visit the only red sand beach in Peru, which is located in the Paracasa National Park.
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