Language · 11 published
Country guide
Peru is 1,285,216 square kilometres arranged in three long bands: an arid Pacific coast, the Andes behind it, and Amazon rainforest east of the mountains. Which band a city sits in decides nearly everything about visiting it — Lima, the capital, is a coastal city under grey winter cloud, Cusco sits high enough in the Andes to cost a first day doing nothing, and Iquitos in the rainforest has no road connecting it to the rest of the country. It is the third largest country in South America. The distances between those three worlds are why itineraries here are counted in flights rather than in bus rides.
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Corminos · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photograph · gertrudis2010 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
100 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Qurikancha
Coricancha, known locally as Qurikancha, was the most important temple in the Inca Empire. Located in Cusco, Peru, it was dedicated primarily to Inti, the sun god.
Museo Central
The Museo del Banco Central de Reserva del Perú, commonly known as Museo Central, is a museum institution located in Lima, Peru. It operates under the auspices of the Central Reserve Bank of Peru, the country's monetary authority.
Casa Aliaga is a historic colonial mansion in Lima, Peru, situated in the city centre near the Plaza de Armas.
Casa O'Higgins is a historic house museum in Lima, Peru, associated with Bernardo O'Higgins, the Chilean independence leader. The building preserves connections to his residence in the city during the independence era.
Museo Numismático del Perú
The Lima Mint, known locally as the Museo Numismático del Perú, is a numismatic museum in Lima, Peru.
Museo Metropolitano de Lima
The Metropolitan Museum of Lima, known locally as the Museo Metropolitano de Lima, is a cultural institution in Lima, Peru. Its Wikidata entry Q20021983 and OpenStreetMap way/174868391 establish its documented identity.
Museo Oro del Perú
The Gold Museum of Peru and Arms of the World is a private museum in Lima housing collections assembled by Miguel Mujica Gallo. It displays pre-Columbian gold and silver artifacts alongside a substantial arms collection from various periods and regions.
Casa Goyeneche is a historic building located in Lima, Peru. The structure holds significance within the architectural and cultural heritage of the city.
Casa de Osambela
Casa de Osambela, known in English as Osambela House, is a historic building located in Lima, Peru. The structure represents an important example of colonial-era architecture in the Peruvian capital.
Museo de Historia Natural (UNMSM)
Museo de la Nación
Museo Nacional del Perú
The Museo Nacional del Perú, commonly known as MUNA, is Peru's flagship national museum. It stands near the Pachacamac archaeological complex southeast of central Lima.
Museo Electoral y de la Democracia
Museo de Neuropatología
Pinacoteca Pancho Fierro
Museo Histórico Regional
The Regional Historical Museum of Cusco, known locally as Museo Histórico Regional del Cusco, occupies the Casa Garcilaso, a key historic residence in the city.
Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Lima
The Museum of Contemporary Art of Lima, known locally as Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Lima or MAC Lima, is Lima's principal purpose-led contemporary-art museum.
Museo Municipal de Chancay
Museo de los Colli
Museo Histórico de Ciencias Físicas (UNMSM)
Museo de Arte Religioso
The Museum of Religious Art occupies the former palace of Inca Roca, a significant noble residence in the Inca imperial capital. The building later passed to colonial religious authorities and was adapted for ecclesiastical use.
Museo de Sitio y Santuario Arqueológico de Pachacámac
Pachacamac Archaeological Sanctuary is a major pre-Columbian archaeological site located southeast of Lima, Peru. The complex was a significant religious and pilgrimage center for multiple Andean cultures over approximately 1,500 years, from around 200 CE through the Inca period.
Museo Litico Pukara
Museo de Sitio Huallamarca
The Amano Pre-Columbian Textile Museum is a specialized museum in Lima dedicated to preserving and exhibiting Andean textile traditions. Founded by Yoshitaro Amano, a Japanese collector who settled in Peru, the institution houses a significant private collection assembled over decades.
San Francisco Church and Convent is a colonial religious complex in Cusco, Peru. Its local name is Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco de Asís.
The Aeronautical Museum of Peru, known locally as Museo Aeronáutico del Perú, is a specialist aviation museum in Lima. It documents Peruvian military and civil aviation history through preserved aircraft, engines, uniforms, and archival materials.
Museo de Arte de San Marcos (UNMSM)
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
Ten to fourteen days can combine Lima, Cusco and the Sacred Valley with one additional region. Altitude adjustment and rail or road transfers need their own time, so compressing the Andes and Amazon into the same short visit is unwise.
Peru’s Migraciones authority publishes admission information. Passport, nationality and permitted-stay rules must be checked for the actual traveller, and any border or immigration form should come from the government service.
Lima is the principal air hub, with domestic services to Cusco, Arequipa and other gateways. Intercity buses cover many routes, and selected tourist trains serve the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu area.
May to September is the broad dry-season window for many Andean routes. Lima’s coastal conditions and Amazon rainfall follow different patterns, so an itinerary spanning regions needs separate forecasts and access checks.
Peru uses the sol (PEN). Current acceptance and withdrawal charges are Not recorded here; confirm whether an operator expects soles, cards or advance payment before leaving a major city.
Peru records 105 for police and 116 for fire services. Type A and C sockets use 220 V; national tap-water guidance is Not recorded, so obtain local advice.
