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Travel Peru in Christmas: Between Cusco Markets and Black Christmas in Chincha
Those who love to travel know that there is always something new to discover. Visiting Peru at Christmas? Why not? From September to December it is spring in Peru and during those months there is a much more pleasant warm climate. You can also visit Machu Picchu with more peace of mind because there are fewer tourists. Spending the end of the year holidays in Peru will be a wonderful experience.
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What to see in Peru, advice for a perfect trip
The most amazing places to visit in Peru: costa, sierra y selva! From the Inca ruins to the enigmatic Nasca Lines passing through the immense Amazon: Welcome to Peru, a country of a thousand adventures!
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Juanita Mummy
The Juanita Mummy is in the Santuarios Andinos Museum in the city of Arequipa, specially created to exhibit the artefacts associated with the discovery of mummies in the homonymous region.
Juanita was a young Inca teenager sacrificed to the gods between 1440 and 1450, at the age of 12-15 years. Her body was discovered in 1995 on Monte Ampato still intact thanks to the low temperatures in which it has been preserved for more than 500 years. The discovery of the Juanita Mummy marked a real turning point for Peruvian archaeology and is one of the best preserved mummies in the world. Even her clothing is still intact.
Once inside the Santuarios Andinos Museum, visitors are accompanied to a room to watch a video lasting about twenty minutes which provides information about Juanita's discovery and the Inca culture. After the viewing, the tour ends by admiring the Mummy's body in a foetal position wrapped in the clothes she wore on her last day alive. -
World heritage sites in Peru
In Peru there is a long list of World Heritage Sites declared by Unesco. The lost Inca citadel, Machu Picchu, is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World characterized by an eternal charm that makes this place unique in the world.
The city of Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, has been a World Heritage Site since 1983. The Huascarán National Park is a real paradise for mountaineering. For archeology lovers, it is a must to visit the archaeological site of ChavÃn and the archaeological area of Chan Chan, capital of the Chimú civilization.
Other World Heritage Sites located in Peru are: the holy city of Caral, located in the Supe valley; the historic center of the city of Arequipa, also known as "The White City"; the mysterious hieroglyphics of Nazca and Pampas de Jumana; the historic center of the cosmopolitan capital Lima; the RÃo Abiseo National Park and the Manu National Park, located in the lush Peruvian Amazon region, Madre de Dios. -
The discovery of Machu Picchu
"In the variety of its charms and the power of its spell, I know of no place in the world which can compare with it. Not only has it great snow peaks looming above the clouds more than two miles overhead, gigantic precipices of many-colored granite rising sheer for thousands of feet above the foaming, glistening, roaring rapids; it has also, in striking contrast, orchids and tree ferns, the delectable beauty of luxurious vegetation, and the mysterious witchery of the jungle.".
These were the first words spoken by Hiram Bingham on the day he discovered Machu Picchu, on July 24th 1911.
It is a must to visit the Inca archaeological site of one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World at least once in a lifetime, to experience unique emotions and admire the beauties of this Unesco Heritage expertly described by Hiram Bingham.
Why not book a trip to Peru today that will make your year unforgettable? -
Inti Raymi
Inti Raymi, in Quechua Sun Festival, is the most important Inca religious ceremony in honor of the Inti divinity, the Sun god. Since 1944. it takes place in Cusco on 24 June, date that corresponds to the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere, the shortest day of the year. The Incas, great connoisseurs of astronomy, practiced this ritual to bring the Sun closer to the Earth.
The Inti Raymi dates back to around 1430, but it was prohibited during the Spanish occupation, because considered not in line with the Catholic religion. The Sun Festival is celebrated in three historical sites of the city : the Temple of the Sun or Coricancha, the Plaza de Armas and the fortress of Sacsayhuaman located a few kilometers from Cusco.
Participating in this ceremony is like reliving the traditions, dances, customs and values of the glorious Inca Empire: a real blast from the past. -
Easter in Peru
What could be more magical than spending Easter immersed in local Peruvian traditions?
Each region of Peru celebrates Holy Week in a different way. Ayacucho, Omate, Surco, Catacaos, Cajamarca, Trujillo, Arequipa, Huaraz, Cusco and Chachapoyas are just some of the main places to visit this time of year.
If you spend Easter in Arequipa you must taste the chupe de camarones, a traditional dish usually eaten on Good Friday, mazamorra morada, a delicious dessert, and sopa de siete carnes (or sopa de Pascua) to be tasted on Easter Sunday.
Holy Week in Omate, in the Moquegua region, is one of the most important in the country. On Thursday and Friday, devotees prepare seven giant altars, each measuring between 18 and 20 meters in height. An Easter trip to Peru is a perfect combination of ancestral traditions and distinctive flavours typical of the country's famous cuisine. -
Marinera National Festival
The city of Trujillo, located in northern Peru, is not only famous for its immense archaeological heritage but also for the Marinera National Festival which takes place every January. The Marinera is an elegant dance that recalls the courtship between man and woman, who dance using handkerchiefs. This dance, internationally recognized, is one of the most popular traditional dances that fully represents Peruvian multiculturalism . Although numerous accounts exist on the origins of the Marinera, without doubt this dance represents the combination of different rhythmic influences. What fascinates travellers from all over the world who visit Peru is to discover the secrets of the numerous populations that have influenced, and still influence, Peruvian culture.
The best way to immerse yourself in the multiculturalism of Peru? Dancing the Marinera in the city of Trujillo!
