Monday, February 12, 2024
Travel

Reasons to Visit Peru You Should Know

an affordable experience

Whether you are looking for a family vacation or a solo backpacking voyage, there are many reasons to visit Peru, a nation blessed with tourist attractions, interesting activities, and unique culture. Read on to explore them!

Reasons to Visit Peru

1. Experience its ancient ruins and culture

reasons to visit Peru: ancient ruins in Peru

 

There is an incredible amount of interesting history easily accessible to any traveler.

Whether it is through visiting a museum, wandering around a town or village, or hiking to one of the hidden Inca ruins, you will always be surrounded by the strong presence of history and of their cultural influences.

The ancient Inca ruins are considered to be some of the most beautiful and mysterious sites in the world. You’ll find some of their most impressive ruins in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu; which are best experienced when hiking the Inca Trail.

But the Inca ruins are not the only remains of ancient civilizations. On the north, you can find ancient civilizations in the city of Chan Chan, while at the south you can find interesting evidence of ancient cultures at the Lake Titicaca, the city of Puno and at the Nazca Lines.

2. Indulge in its cuisine

Peru has been chosen as the World’s Best Culinary Destination at the World Travel Awards for the last five years in a row. Besides, Peruvian cuisine was awarded the “Cultural Heritage of the Americas for the World” by the Organization of American States, being the first cultural expression in the region having earned this distinction. With this information, you may have a better idea about the popularity and privileged position of Peruvian cuisine. Learning the culture, the history, the traditions and the knowledge linked to local gastronomy will enable you enjoy the foods in a more evocative way. Peruvian cuisine is in great diversity which is benefits from the cultural exchange between the Spanish, Africans, Chinese, Japanese and Italians, among others, and also the diverse range of agricultural products: more than 4,000 varieties of potato, 2,000 of sweet potato, 35 types of corn, 15 species of tomato, 600 species of native fruit, etc. It is a paradise for gastronome to enjoy everything its cuisine has to offer. You can discover the country through its gastronomy and know it in the most delicious way.

3. Meet the people

reasons to visit Peru: Meet the people

 

Peru is a multiethnic country formed by the combination of different groups. The people are always welcoming, incredibly attentive to visitors, with their varied food and many celebrations. They are ingenious, good at sing and dance, and passionate about various activities. Usually you can see wonderful performances in plazas and streets at weekends, from which you can feel their amusements.

4. Take part in vibrant cultural festivals

The Peruvian year is dotted with colorful festivals. During Semana Santa, the week leading up to Easter Sunday, religious processions block the streets with a fascinating blend of colonial and indigenous traditions.

Cusco celebrates the great Inca festival of Inti Raymi on June 24, making it a popular time to visit Peru and Machu Picchu. In the jungle, the same day marks the Festival of San Juan, a day of beer, wine, juanes, and relaxation along the riverbanks followed by an epic night of dancing.

Don’t forget Peru’s Independence Day on July 28. Military parades march through the streets by day, while raucous parties and endless fireworks ensure a long and lively night.

5. Enjoy their handcrafts

Enjoy their handcrafts

 

Where can you find Peruvian history, culture, art, and exceptional skills all into one? The answer is; in their handicrafts.

Textiles are some of the most famous handcrafts you’ll find in any part of Peru. You can see the women weaving those exquisite patterns that make up a decorative wall carpet, scarf, jumper, or anything in between.

Other great artisanal crafts are found in the form of instruments, wood carvings, canvas paintings, jewelry, and more.

Not only do these make great souvenirs and travel mementos, but by buying them you are helping to support their traditions and are giving the opportunity of decent living to a family.

6. Diverse scenery

You can see the stunning vistas from high in the Andes at Cusco and Machu Picchu.  You can see the subtle beauty of the desert while exploring the Nazca Lines.  You can see the dense Amazon rain forest.  You can see the Paracas Candelabra, a prehistoric geoglyph, while cruising off the coast of Peru in Pisco Bay.

7. An affordable experience

an affordable experience

 

One of the compelling reasons to visit Peru is that budget backpackers can visit Peru on the cheap, taking advantage of the low prices. With set lunches for less than ~$2 (USD), hostels for ~$10 (USD) a night and cheap long distance bus travel, you can easily stretch your budget from the coastal strip to the depths of the Amazon jungle.