What to do and see in Peru, Peru: The Best Historic Walking Areas

July 30, 2021 Elouise Mccaul

Coordinates: 10°S 76°W / 10°S 76°W / -10; -76
Restaurants in Peru

1. Qosqo Ayllu

Ollantaytambo Peru 204030
Excellent
93%
Good
7%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 14 reviews

Qosqo Ayllu

Reviewed By S1871UZluciem

This town is still as the Incas had played it out... the straight cobblestone streets with canals allowing for the water to run down the slope - and the houses' foundations that still date from the Inca empire. Enchanting.

2. Chavin De Huantar

Huari Peru
Excellent
75%
Good
25%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 4 reviews

Chavin De Huantar

3. Choquequirao Inca Citadel

Choquequirao, Santa Rosa Camino a Choquequirao, Cusco 08000 Peru
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1 reviews

Choquequirao Inca Citadel

4. San Isidro

Lima 15073 Peru +51 1 5139000 [email protected] http://msi.gob.pe/portal/nuestro-distrito/turismo-distrital/
Excellent
50%
Good
38%
Satisfactory
11%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,036 reviews

San Isidro

Elegant and charming residential neighborhood located north of Lima features neo-classic architecture, cobblestone streets, excellent dining, good shopping and the Huaca Hallamarma, a restored pre-Inca pyramid that now serves as a small museum of Indian artifacts.

Reviewed By Chinapjs - Washington DC, United States

Half of the foreign embassies are located here and some of Lima's best restaurants and sports clubs. One of the tonier neighborhoods to live in. One of South America's oldest golf clubs is located right in the middle plus two famous churches, a museum or two and a great park full of hundred year old and older Oliver Trees.

5. San Blas

Cusco Peru
Excellent
52%
Good
38%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 4,205 reviews

San Blas

This traditional old quarter of Cusco is the city's most picturesque district characterized by narrow and steep streets, colonial houses built with walls of Incan stone and numerous art workshops.

Reviewed By FarAway25489

So interesting to walk the narrow streets, observe the Incan stones providing support for the buildings. Great local restaurants. Be prepared for street vendors to follw you with their wares. Have a firm “no thank you” or Sols ready as they are persistent.

6. Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus

Plaza de Armas, Arequipa Peru +51 54 212141 http://jesuitasaqp.pe/
Excellent
54%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 590 reviews

Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus

7. Centro Historico de Lima

Plaza de Armas, Lima 15001 Peru
Excellent
53%
Good
37%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 5,021 reviews

Centro Historico de Lima

Lima's downtown center, with its breathtaking architecture and rich history, makes it clear why it deserves to be a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Reviewed By RGSOUNDF - Mercerville, United States

Lima is a huge city. The greater Lima's population exceeds the one of New York City, by a couple million people. However, if you are an average typical visitor to the city, the chances are that you will be staying either in Miraflores or Barranco, and if you came to Lima for business you may be staying in the upscale San-Isidro district (the latter is the home of the famed haute-cuisine restaurant Astrid y Gaston). For a great architecture and interwoven layers of history, you got to head to the Historical Center of Lima. The "centro historico" of Lima is great for a sightseeing tour, anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. It is about 8 city blocks wide and 8 to 9 city blocks long. In the north it ends by Rimac river, next to the Palacio de Gobierno del Perú; in the south it is Plaza San-Martin, Monserrate neighborhood to the west and Barrios Altos in the east. Outside of the confines of the Historical Center, there is not that much to do nor see, these are definitely not "tourist areas" with many if not most of the buildings demonstrating neglect, urban decay or even abject poverty. Particularly exercise prudence and caution when venturing to the east of Plazuela San-Francisco; crossing Avenida Abancay will take you to Barrios Altos, not a neighborhood best-suited for solo walks, especially after sunset. We would recommend you start your tour with Plaza San-Martin (equestrian statue of General San-Martin, the Liberator of Peru and historic Hotel Bolivar) and take a pedestrian shopping street Jirón de la Unión. The shopping per se might not be alluring to a visitor from the US or European countries, for most of the stores look like dollar stores, but there are beautiful colonial-looking houses with their Moorish ornate wooden carved balconies, beautiful Republican buildings (built after Peru gained its independence in 1826) of Beaux-Arts or even Art-Nouveau styles (the latter represented by Casa E. Courret), centuries-old churches and historical monuments. While walking up Jirón de la Unión towards Plaza Mayor, don't miss the Iglesia de la Merced, with some of its parts dating back to the first half of the XVIth century, and the monument to Ramon Castilla, three-times president of Peru in the XIXth century, across from the Iglesia de la Merced, in front of the very interesting building now housing Oechsle electronic store. Next, Plaza Mayor (alternatively known by its previous name Plaza de Armas) offers a concentration of main landmarks of downtown Lima, some are several centuries old and some are stylized in the 1930s and 1940s to look like colonial buildings, such as Palacio de la Unión, Palacio Municipal de Lima, Archbishop's Palace of Lima, Cathedral Basilica of Lima, and Palacio de Gobierno del Perú. From the latter, take a look at Rimac river (or rather what is left of it; nowadays it resembles a half dried up creek with muddy waters). The sort of embankment along it, on the Historical Center side, Alameda Chabuca Granda features many a souvenir shop. Heading back south, don't miss a fantastic covered arcade, with respective entrances on either Jirón Camaná or Jirón de la Unión, surprisingly reminiscent of Parisian passages couverts. We believe it is called (or referred to) as Casa de Correos y Telegrafos Covered Arcade. The area surrounding Plaza Mayor, to the north, presents another pedestrian shopping street Jirón Ancash. We stopped by the wonderful tiny URQU Coffee Shop offering 100% famous Peruvian coffee. Generally speaking, most of the food outlets in the area are definitely not the fine dining establishments LIma is so famous for; they are either fast food or quite down-to-earth eateries. Jirón Ancash starts with Casa de la Literatura Peruana (Peru numbers many great writers, among them a Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa) and opens on the amazing Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís with its famous catacombs and picturesque Plazuela San Francisco. The area to the east of Plaza Mayor includes the shopping streets Jirón Camaná, Jirón Callao, and Jirón Conde de Superunda; the latter offers yet another beautiful cathedral, the pinkish-colored imposing Convento de Santo Domingo. Walking back south down Jirón Camaná don't miss the Convent of San Agustin de Lima with its fantastic facade. Now, of course, there is so much more to the Historical Center of Lima, museums, distinguished houses (XVIth century Casa de Aliaga, on the corner of Alameda Chabuca Granda and Jirón de la Unión, Casa Mendoza on Jirón Ancash, and magnificent Casa de Osambela on Jirón Conde de Superunda, among others) and other worthy points of sightseeing interest, however, to see it all will mandate a dedicated tour of downtown of 2 days or more. To sum it all up: the Historical Center of Lima should be on your top list of priorities when visiting this unparalleled City of Kings.

8. El Aspero

Calle Del Destino Cruzando la plaza Grau - Supe Puerto, Barranca Peru http://www.zonacaral.gob.pe/aspero/aspero-2/mundo/index.html
Excellent
47%
Good
42%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
6%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 19 reviews

El Aspero

9. Camposanto de Yungay

Yungay 02103 Peru http://www.mincetur.gob.pe/TURISMO/OTROS/inventario%20turistico/Ficha.asp?cod_Ficha=569
Excellent
58%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 24 reviews

Camposanto de Yungay

10. Huaycan de Cieneguilla

Cieneguilla A uns 10 Km de Cieneguilla, Lima Peru http://qhapaqnan.cultura.pe/proyectosdesitio/proyecto-integral-huayc%C3%A1n-de-cieneguilla
Excellent
55%
Good
36%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 11 reviews

Huaycan de Cieneguilla

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