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Local Traditions Cusco
11 Reviews There are little ceramic bulls on all the rooftops in the Sacred Valley. They are supposed to bring good luck, and fertility, to the household. Many roofs had a cross between the bulls. Some roofs...
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Information / Sources Machu Picchu
12 Reviews You probably have read this again and again in the Peru travel guides, but it's true --- Burping publicly is considered very offensive, disrespectful and rude when in Peru. Here in USA, one of my...
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Local Food Cusco
7 Reviews We had to try some and it did taste like a cross between chicken and pork. It's a delicacy and is usually the most expensive thing on the menu. Even though it tasted rgood especially the crispy...
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Llamas Machu Picchu
7 Reviews There are 16 llamas in Machu Picchu, with colorful pompoms on their ear tags—I think they serve as lawn mowers on the terraces. They limit the llamas to 16—if a baby is born, the oldest or sickest one...
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Local Drinks Cusco
9 Reviews A Pisco Sour is a cocktail containing pisco (8 parts), lemon or lime juice (4 parts), egg whites 1, simple syrup (3 parts), and bitters 1 dash. All but the bitters are shaken vigorously and the...
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Local Culture Cusco
7 Reviews The woman in this picture is selling garbage bags fill of coca. The thoght of that was at first strange but then I unamericanized my feelings a bit and it was more normal. Coca is lardly made to make...
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Local Festivities: Others Cusco
4 Reviews Christmas is essentially a religious celebration in Cusco. But for the visitor, there are some special traditions that make this a magical time to visit the ancient city. You won´t see the massive...
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Local Festivities: Inti Raimi Cusco
1 Review In Cusco several big celebrations take place, as well christian festivities as also festivities based on Inca traditions. One important christian celebration is the christ holiday "Feast of Corpus...
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In Peru women wear traditionally hats, while most men wear just caps or nothing.The most common hats are a kind of bowler hats, I guess they come from some old caps wore by europeans here in 19th century. These are common in Bolivia too.
There were many times that Peru reminded me of Ireland (that's odd, isn't it?). But one of the most striking similarities is in the poularity and richness of the indigenous music. It is very easy to find an establishment highlighting a local artist playing traditional Andean tunes. Songs like "El Condor Pasa" have even been appropriated by American pop stars. Music that westerners know as New Age often has its roots in the Andes. Whether or not you know it, you have heard Peruvian music. One of our favorite musical experiences occurred after our horseback ride. The owner of our ranch sat down, played his guitar and sang for us while we worked out the soreness from 9 hours on the saddle. He was excellent, surprising us. When we complimented him in our best Spanish, he brought out record album covers from the 1960's showing that he played in a band -- and even toured Mexico! It just goes...
Outside of Lima, it is very common to see women carrying their young children on their back, wrapped in a colorful shawl. It seems that children are never far from their mothers in rural Peru. In Lima, we saw a lot more "modern" methods of baby transport, including carriages and carriers. From an aethetic point of view, we found the colored shawl method much more appealing.
Catholic church is very strong in Peru where commited two crimes against humanity (yet not processed by an international court): the systematic destruction of Inka culture and the Peruvian Inquisition.
I had read about Inca Kola, the hilariously named Peruvian soda. I couldn't wait to try it.So I ordered one the first chance I got, in the old 727 of Aerocontinente over the Andes.From the color, I expected something lemony, but the flavor was bubble-gum, and very sweet. No wonder Peruvian smiles often flash with gold!
The national drink of Peru is a white grape brandy called Pisco. You see it all over the place and you will be most likely offered it somewhere. It is commonly severed as the drink Pisco Sour or Pisco Cocoa. The brand pictured is supposedly one of the better brands made in Peru.
Every Sunday in February, the locals throw buckets of water at anyone and everyone for Carnival. Sometimes they even use water guns or start throwing water from buses or cars as early as Saturday night. I just found out the hard way!!!! Have fun.
Inca Kola is probably the second national drink of Peru, after the Pisco Sour. They were omnipresent, and not just the tourists were drinking them. Some describe the taste as reminiscent of bubble gum. I think it looked like Mountain Dew, but tasted like cream soda. It's available in Diet, but both do contain caffeine.Inca Kola had been bought by Coca-Cola, although apparently some pre-Coke bottles are still around. One of the ultimate tourist souvenirs seemed to be an Inca Kola T-shirt. Happy to say, we didn't buy one.
VIRGEN DEL CARMEN (Paucartambo): The tiny, remote Andean colonial village of Paucartambo is about 4 hours from Cusco, but it hosts one of Peru's wildest festivals. Its 3 days of dance, revelry, drinking, and outlandish, scary costumes pack in thousands who camp all over town (there's almost nowhere to stay) and then wind up at the cemetery.VIRGEN DE LA CANDELARIA(Puno): Puno, perhaps the epicenter of Peruvian folklore, imbues its festivals with a unique vibrancy. Candlemas (or Virgen de la Candelaria), which is spread over 2 weeks, is one of the greatest folk religious festivals in South America, with an explosion of music, dance, and some of the most fantastic costumes and masks seen anywhere.PUNO WEEK (Puno): Puno, the fiesta capital of Peru, rises to the occasion for a full week every November to mark its Amerindian roots. A huge procession from Lake Titicaca into town remembers the...
Fiesta de la Cruz (across Peru): The Festival of the Cross isn't as solemnly Catholic as it might sound. Best in Lima, Cusco, and Ica, the festival does features cross processions (although the decorated crosses are vibrant), but it also displays a surfeit of folk music and dance, the highlight being the daring "scissors dancers," who once performed on top of churches.El Señor de los Milagros (Lima): The Artist Once Again Known as Prince would love this highly religious procession, with tens of thousands of participants all clad in bright purple. The Lord of Miracles, the largest procession in South America, lasts a full 24 hours. It venerates a miraculous painting of Jesus Christ, which was created by an Angolan slave and survived the devastating 1746 earthquake, even though almost everything around it was felled.Inti Raymi (Cusco): The Festival of the Sun, one of the greatest pageants...
7 Reviews and 251 Opinions We did not stay here, but it was pointed out to us as the hotel used for some of the VIPs that came...
Hostal Rumi Punku Cusco
7 Reviews and 486 Opinions Very nice hotel including all amenities, even wi-fi. Recommend the tours booked via Sergio at the...
Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel Machu Picchu
303 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Peru attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Peru sightseeing.
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Q: We will be traveling in Dec. can only spend about 6 days in Peru. Would appreciate any suggestions on how to best use our time. ...
A: Firstly, if you stay on the coast, be prepared for heat and humidity. If you go inland, be prepared for altitude. I imagine you will be arriving first off in Lima? Six...
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