COLONIAL AND MODERN CITY
The visit to the old city downtown starts in the main square (Plaza
de Armas), now called Plaza Mayor, the center of the city designed
and built by Francisco Pizarro. Here one may visit the Cathedral,
which was founded the same 18th of January and which in spite
of the multiple transformations caused by earthquakes in 1609
and 1746 still maintains its original monumentality. Forming part
of the Plaza Mayor is also the old Palacio de los Virreyes (Viceroy's
Palace) now occupied by the Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace),
also reconstructed 3 times after earthquakes and fires. There
is also the Palacio Arzobispal (Archbishop's Palace), which together
with the Cathedral display a Baroque Facade and finally the Palacio
Municipal (Town Hall) decorated by beautiful colonial balconies,
carved in wood.
From the Plaza Mayor we go to the Convent of San Francisco,
the most beautiful architectural complex in the city. The construction
was started in 1542. Here one can visit the Cloister, the Catacombs,
and the Museum of Religious Art. However when there is a visit
to Colonial Lima combined with a museum, the visit to San Francisco
is replaced by a visit to Santo Domingo due to lack of time.
Beyond the Plaza San Martín, into the Paseo de la República
where you can see the Palace of Justice, the Plaza Grau dedicated
to the memory of Miguel Grau, a hero from the 1879 Battle of the
Pacific, along Avenida 28 de Julio and finally into Avenida Arequipa
you may reach the residential suburbs of San Isidro and Miraflores.
Here you will be able to visit El Olivar, El Parque del Amor and
El Mirador of the Pacific Ocean. For customers staying in Miraflores
this visit will be done inversely.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
Situated on the Plaza Bolivar in the district of Pueblo Libre,
it is the main museum in Peru, founded in 1945 by the archaeologist
Julio C. Tello. Its exhibit showcases around 85.000 pieces, which
makes it the largest and most varied collection of pottery lithic
pieces and textiles in the country. On the left of the main lobby
there are scale models of the dwellings and working instruments
of the first inhabitants of the regions of Paiján, Ancón,
Toquepala, Junín and Ayacucho (22.000 – 10.000 bC).
At the far end of "Formative Peruvian" is the Raimondi
Stele, a stone carved with Chavín motifs, discovered by
the scholar during one of his many travels. In this room one may
also find pre-ceramic objects found in Kotosh, where it is worth
noting the "Crossed Hands", made of baked mud found
in a ceremonial chamber and of an antiquity of 1800 bC. Outstanding
are also the Paracas Textiles whose patterns and colors have remained
unaltered for many centuries.
Following this chronology one can appreciate the monoliths of
the Pucará culture; the room dedicated to the pottery
of the Nasca culture; the room of the Moche culture whose pottery
is an ethnographic document, which speaks of their world. Finally,
after visiting the rooms dedicated to the Tiahuanaco, Huari,
Recuay and Chimú cultures, we reach the last hall dedicated
to the Inca culture.
It also contains findings of the pre-independence period and
pieces of the colonial and the early Republican periods.
DE LA NACIÓN MUSEUM
This museum has been recently inaugurated and contains a great
collection of archaeological pieces, which show the development
of native cultures from the first dwellers up to the Inca Period
(Incanato). It contains ceramics, lithic objects, textiles, graphics,
murals and photography. The scale models of the main ceremonial
centers and ruins in the country are of special interest. It is
worth mentioning the room, which contains the medical instruments
used in diverse operations and also the one, which exhibits clothing
of many periods.
RAFAEL LARCO HERRERA MUSEUM
It is the greatest collection of pre - Columbian ceramics in the
country, with an emphasis on the Northern Cultures of Vicus, Mochica
and Chimú. Amongst the 50.000 pieces there are clothes
belonging to mummies, gold pieces and it is worth noting one important
and unique room where erotic pottery is shown, representing the
sexual customs of the ancient Peruvians.
GOLD MUSEUM
"Worth a Peru" is a phrase still used in Spain, when
referring to something of great value or special characteristic.
The phrase goes back to the XVI century when the conquerors reached
American lands and marveled at the wealth of gold and silver found
both in Mexico and Peru. These metals have been well known to
Peruvian man as far back as the first settlements and archaeologists
have found gold hammered in such thin sheets that they seem laminated
paper. Then more of these sheets can be found, in greater quantity
but less elaborated as part of funerary dowry in tombs in the
region of Lambayeque. The precious metal is therefore not only
associated to cult and ornamentation but as a symbol of social
distinction. During the Inca Period, the nobility and priests
used gold and silver while the army and ordinary people wore copper
and bronze objects.
The Gold Museum is the most important private collection and
exhibits more than 15.000 objects and pieces of jewelry of pre-Columbian
times, where pieces in gold, silver and precious stones prevail.
Its owner, Mr. Miguel Mujica Gallo, has put these objects together
after many meticulous searches in distant places of the country.
It is impressive to see in these great works of arts the ability
to create true miniature jewels without yet knowing the processes
of welding. On the first floor there is an important exhibition
of weapons of all types, dress and uniforms of Incas, Spaniards
and even some Oriental cultures.
ENRICO POLI MUSEUM
In this museum there are ceramic pieces and unique jewel, which
date back from the dawn of history in Peru to Colonial times.
Mr. Enrico Poli personally will guide the tour and will instill
his passion of a true collector, describing and narrating the
history of each object.
NICOLINI CAR MUSEUM
In this museum is possible to appreciate 64 old cars from 1901
to 1973. The oldest cars are a 1901 Boyer, a 1903 Clement and
a 1915 Wanderer, last Sport Tandem model. From the ’30 there
are 1928 Studz (the only one in the world), a 1934 Pierce Arrow
V12 Cabriolet and a 1935 Auburn Speedster. From the 50’s,
it is a remarkable Cadillac Fleetwood, which transported the presidents
De Gaulle, Nixon and Akihito, when they visited Peru. Finally,
there are numerous sport cars such as: a 1950 Allard K2, a 1966
Corvette Stingray and a 1965 Mustang Shelby.
PACHACAMAC RUINS
The ancient sanctuary of the God Pachacamac and a former religious
city of pilgrimage are located on the right bank of the Lurín
River 30 km south of Lima. The main monuments were built between
the years 800 - 900 bC, using small, pressed adobe bricks lain
vertically, the same system used in other buildings around Lima.
The religious city itself consisted of a complex of pyramids with
common characteristics: a great esplanade at the entrance, a central
body whose access to the top was along a ramp and great storage
chambers at the back. On the top of the main temple is a chapel,
which housed a wooden idol with two carved characters, back to
back. This idol was worshipped and respected by the inhabitants
of the coast and highlands and was considered an oracle.
BALLESTAS ISLANDS AND FLIGHT OVER THE
NASCA LINES
At dawn in a comfortable tourist car, you will set out en route
to Paracas (250 km south of Lima, approximately 3 hours by car),
where you will embark on a 2 hour trip in a light vessel to visit
the Ballestas Islands. Return to the hotel dock and to Pisco or
Ica airport to take an hour and half flight over the Pampa de
Nasca (Nasca Plains). After lunch, return to Lima in a private
car.
THE HIGHEST RAILWAY IN THE WORLD
Lima / Huancayo / Lima
GUARANTEED DEPARTURES
Month
Departure
Return
April
Thursday
8
Sunday
11
June
Saturday
26
Tuesday 29
July
Wednesday
28
Saturday 31
August
Saturday
28
Monday 30
October
Friday 8
Saturday 10
TIMETABLE
FROM LIMA
Departure
Arrival
Lima – La Oroya
07.00am
15.00pm
La Oroya –
Huancayo
15.00pm
19.00pm
FROM HUANCAYO
Huancayo –
La Oroya
07.00am
11.00am
La Oroya –
Lima
12.00m
20.00pm
Begin the journey at Desamparados Station in Lima, right behind
the Presidential Palace: we will pass some stations and cross
61 bridges and 68 tunnels before reaching our first stop, at Anticona
also known as Ticlio, which is the spot that gives its fame to
the railway as it is here it becomes the highest Standard gauge
railway in the world at 4.829 meters above sea level in the heart
of the Andes. Glaciers and snow peaks are all around us, as well
as those beautiful turquoise colored lagoons, and after a brief
stop we continue east along this historic and wonderful route.
Crossing the central Andes we reach the city of La Oroya, at
3.717 meters, known as the metallurgical capital of Peru. From
La Oroya, we now head south to Concepción, San Jerónimo
and finally Huancayo.
ARGENTINA
