107 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Peru - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Peru

Aguas Calientes, Peru

Machu Picchu: The Lost City of The Inca

The intricate stonework of Machu Picchu serves as a testament to Incan engineers.

Q'eswachaka Rope Bridge

Keshwa chaca, among the last handwoven Incan bridges, crosses Apurimac Canyon in Peru.

Pitumarca, Peru

Rainbow Mountain

A remote candy-striped mountain in the Peruvian Andes straight out of the pages of Dr. Seuss.

Convento de San Francisco Ossuary

The mortal remains of an estimated 70,000 people lie in the basement of a monastery in Lima, Peru.

Puerto Inca, Peru

The Boiling River of the Amazon

This scalding hot river was thought to be a myth until one geoscientist made it his quest to study the mystical waters.

Nazca Lines

Giant ancient line art drawn in the Peruvian desert so large that it can only be fully seen from the sky.

Mercado de Brujas

A market for witches is hidden within a train station.

Ollantaytambo, Peru

Ollantaytambo Ruins

Preserved Inca city and site of the last Inca stronghold against the Spanish conquistadors.

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Peru

Salt Pans of Maras

This Peruvian canyon is filled with geometric salt pools that have been being harvested since the Incan empire.

Museo de la Coca (Coca Museum)

A fascinating little museum all about the rich history of Peru’s famous plant.

Guinea Pig Last Supper

A painting in the historic Cathedral Basilica depicts Jesus and his disciples dining on a traditional Peruvian menu.

San Isidro, Peru

Bosque el Olivar (Olive Grove Forest)

A pretty park of over 1,600 olive trees that grew from just three saplings brought over from Spain.

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Stories About Peru

Podcast: Gocta Waterfalls

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

September 15, 2022

This 11-foot-tall statue outside Trujillo on Peru’s north coast is based on the ceramic drinking vessels of pre-Hispanic Moche culture, also known as "sex pots."

How Erotic Peruvian Artifacts Inspired a Controversial Roadside Attraction

The risqué new landmark is the site of joyful selfies—and arson.

by Liliana Michelena

Aracely Solano, a youth volunteer and member of the Huaycán Cultural collective, at the archaeological site.

In Peru, an Ancient Site May Revive a Modern Community

An hour's drive from central Lima, locals hope to preserve Huaycán's glorious past and improve their own future.

Empanadas are traditional across Latin America.

The Challenges of Writing a Continent-Spanning Cookbook

22 countries, 600-plus recipes, one giant book.

January 13, 2022

Guinea pig is making its way onto restaurant menus in larger Andean cities and beyond.

When Guinea Pig Goes Gourmet

In Peru, it has gone from a humble and ceremonial food to a delicacy among urbanites.

by Gideon Lasco

December 27, 2021

A local resident crosses the Apurímac River via a traditional rope bridge in Peru.

Peru’s Incan Rope Bridges Are Hanging by a Thread

A remarkable ancient technology and tradition that united communities in the Andes is fading into history.

by Lidio Valdez and Cirilo Vivanco

September 27, 2021

A thin section of petrified wood identified as <em>Cynometra</em>, a genus of tree also found throughout the tropics today.

To Imagine a 39-Million-Year-Old Forest, Start Small—Very Small

Decades of work has revealed a "megadiverse" ancient landscape in northern Peru that was destroyed in a volcanic eruption.

by Gemma Tarlach

September 16, 2021

Several adaptations make the wings of some butterflies, such as this <em>Cithaerias esmeralda</em>, clear.

Unlocking the Secrets of 'Invisible' Animals

From glasswing butterflies to vanishing octopuses, evolution is a mad scientist.

August 16, 2021

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