Choose from 137 Fun Things to Do in Peru
Mario Testino Museum (Museo Mario Testino MATE)
- The Mario Testino Museum is suitable for art and photography lovers of all ages.
- The museum is completely wheelchair accessible.
- Find a cafe and gift shop on site.
- Admission is free for children with a paid adult.
Larco Museum (Museo Larco)
The museum is structured in a series of galleries, and its highlight is the fine collection of Inca gold and silver jewelry and artifacts, studded with prized lapis lazuli, turquoise and amethyst. Painted pottery vases and tools are also displayed, along with elaborately fashioned metal ware, cotton and feather textiles. A unique feature of the museum is that visitors are granted access to the storage area, where 45,000 objects are arranged and cataloged.
If you’re looking for high-quality souvenirs, the gift shop sells a selection of reproduction pre-Colombian ceramics, textiles and 18 carat jewelry, as well as luxury alpaca clothing.
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National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History
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Larcomar Shopping Center
Shopaholics will be in their element at Larcomar, but along with over 160 shops and boutiques, the shopping center is also home to a multiplex cinema, bowling alley, and amusement arcade, as well as a number of hip bars and discotheques. For those missing home, this is also the place to find a range of international cuisine, including popular chains like Starbucks, Hard Rock Café, Tony Romas and T.G.I Fridays.
Iglesia de Santo Domingo
The church was completed in 1599, though it’s been rebuilt over the centuries following several earthquakes.
The grand church has three naves, several altars, chapels and shrines, and Peru’s oldest choir stalls. Paintings and Seville tiles decorate the main cloisters surrounding the tranquil central gardens.
Many visitors make the pilgrimage to the Iglesia de Santo Domingo to pay their respects to the Americas’ first black saint, San Martin de Porres. Santa Rosa de Lima also has a chapel in Santo Domingo.
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Iglesia and Museo de San Francisco
One of the best preserved churches in Lima, the Convent of San Francis of Assisi also has a remarkable library of antique texts and a tranquil cloistered garden.
A guided visit to the Museum and Convent takes you through the buildings’ history and architecture, before venturing into the underground passages lined with the bones of 25,000 Lima citizens from over 200 years of burials.
Bones were interred here until 1808, when Lima’s cemetery was established, and the catacombs lay undiscovered until 1943. A visit is not for the fainthearted, but those who do make the journey will be surprised to see the various skulls and thigh bones arranged in decorative patterns.
On the tour you’ll also visit the library of antique books, the pretty cloister, the museum of religious paintings and artifacts, the carved choir stalls and the Moorish-domed church.
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Huallamarca (Pan de Azucar)
Lima Art Museum (Museo de Arte de Lima MALI)
- A visit to Lima Art Museum is suitable for solo travelers, couples, families, and art lovers of all ages.
- No flash photography is allowed in the museum.
- Visitor facilities include a cafe, free Wi-Fi, and elevator access for travelers with limited mobility.
- Many displays are in both English and Spanish.
- While no large bags are allowed in the museum, they can be checked free of charge.
- The museum is free Thursday from 3pm and 7pm and the first Friday of each month between 5pm and 10pm.
Huaca Rajada
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Manatee Rescue Center
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Nanay River
National University of Trujillo Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History
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Peruvian Amazon
The sprawling Peruvian Amazon covers more land than most people think, making up over half of Peru and running from east of the Andes Mountain all the way to the borders of Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Colombia. With rain forest activities to embark on (think riverboat adventures, nature treks, and canoe trips) and tons of exotic wildlife to see, there are dozens of reasons to venture into the Amazon jungle on an adventure tour.
The Basics
A vast wilderness of lush rain forest and indigenous lands, the Amazon is an ideal destination for adventurous travelers who like to explore nature, often for days at a time. The area is most often visited on a multi-day Amazon cruise that takes visitors into some of South America’s greatest wilderness, or on a three- or four-day tour that includes overnight stays at a jungle eco lodge and a short trip down the river. Airport transport and an expert guide are often included.
What to Do and See in the Peruvian Amazon
Many multi-day tours from Iquitos offer adventures into the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve and river activities such as canoeing, piranha fishing, and swimming alongside pink river dolphins or giant otters. Travelers to the southern region can embark on guided hikes through Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, the Tambopata National Reserve, or the UNESCO-listed Manu National Park. The Amazon is also prime ground for wildlife spotting—expect to see a colorful array of bird life and everything from howler monkeys to tapir prowling through the jungle.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Although dry season (May to October) is known as the best time to visit the jungle due to fewer rainy days, the rain forest is warm year round. Expect high humidity levels.
- Before visiting the Amazon Basin, check with your doctor about possible recommended vaccinations.
- Guided jungle tours are recommended, as tours guides are knowledgeable when it comes to navigation, general safety, and the local tribes.
- You’re going to want to carry insect repellent.
How to Get There
Pedro de Osma Museum (Museo Pedro de Osma)
Huaca Pucllana
Magic Water Circuit
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Maras Salt Pools
Salt has been collected here since before the time of the Inca, rising to the surface from a subterranean stream and evaporating in the Andean sunshine.
You can gather your own handful of salt or buy some packaged to take home from Maras’ gift store.
The terraced saltwork pools dotting the Andean hillsides look quite stunning, glittering like bright white snow in the sunshine, so bring your camera.
The town of Maras was quite important in colonial times, and you’ll see some out-of-place ornate Spanish homes and the mud-brick colonial church.