Beyond the incrediblydiverselandscapes worth visiting all over Chile, the country is also well known for its wine. Though I’d spent quite a bit of time visiting the variouswineries around Mendoza, Argentina, before July, the closest I’d gotten to an actual winery was glancing it through the windows of my bus to Santiago. After trying so much pisco, I was interested in tasting some Chilean wine varietals, and I used my friend Sara’s recent visit as an excuse to go.
Welcome to Viña Concha y Toro!
There are several valleys near Santiago which are famed for their wine producing climate, but visiting most of them requires renting a car or taking a tour, something I may well do at another moment when I have more time and funds. But there is good news for the budget-oriented wine lover: there are several wineries located on public transportation around Santiago, and one of the most famous, Viña Concha y Toro, is even accessible by Santiago’s metro!
Views of the Pretty Concha y Toro Building
Concha y Toro is most known for its widely available brand, Casillero del Diablo. When I lived in Lima, this was the wine most often available in neighborhood shops; it is dependable and fairly tasty for about $10USD. So I asked myself, why not visit where the vineyard where it is produced and try out a wider variety of the winery’s offerings?
In order to visit Concha y Toro, it is a good idea to reserve a tour on their website, although they are usually so busy that there is likely to be availability if you show up without a reservation. We decided to splurge for the premium tasting ($20000CLP per person), led by a sommelier, and paired with a cheese platter.
Checking Out the Landscaped Grounds at Concha y Toro
Arriving at Concha y Toro is fairly straightforward. You take Línea 4 (Line 4), or the blue line, of the Santiago metro to the Puente Alto stop, which lets you off in a busy shopping district. From there, you hail any taxi and tell them that you are going to Viña Concha y Toro. They will charge you a fixed price of $3000 and drop you off at the gate. When you leave after your tour, you can grab a cab at the taxi station around the corner from the vineyard. Super easy!
Posing Among the Dormant Winter Vines at Concha y Toro
The tour itself is fairly basic. First, you head to the attractive house where they hold major events and take pictures of the scenic property. Next, you head to the tasting vineyard, where in the summer there are vines of several varietals of grapes so that you can compare their flavor. In winter, it was brown but attractive. From there, you head into the storage room where the wine is aged in barrels, hearing a bit about the process of making wine along the way.
One of the Grape Varietals in the Tasting Garden
After this brief overview, the tour guide leaves you inside to watch an entertaining multimedia presentation about the legend of the winery and where it got the name, Casillero del Diablo.
The Devil is in the Wine at Concha y Toro
Both the regular and premium tours end with a tasting of some of the most commonly available wines as well as a premium wine. They hand out a souvenir wineglass as well as a box to take it home in, a nice touch.
Premium Wine Tasting at Concha y Toro
After this first tasting, it is time for the premium tasting with the sommelier. I appreciated the chance to sample some of the more unusual varietals of wine and try to see how they matched with the cheese most commonly available in Chile.
Enjoying the Wine Bar at Concha y Toro with Sara!
If you’re not that interested in taking a tour, Concha y Toro has an on-site restaurant and wine bar, with outside seating for those lovely sunny days and a full menu that includes vegetarian options. Sara and I opted to sit inside at the bar, and I tried a nicer glass of wine while she went for a tasting flight. It is a good way to save some money but still get a broad range of flavors.
Wine Bar at Concha y Toro
Of course, the winery also has a giant store for buying any kind of wine you want at slightly more affordable prices before heading home in a pleasant wine haze. As usual, I always visit wineries when traveling to several locations, so I opted out, but it is always an option!
Saying Goodbye to Concha y Toro
As you can see, visiting the winery was a pleasant day trip to make the most out of the chilly winter weather in Santiago. On our visit, the skies were clear, giving us an awesome view of the snow-covered cordillera from the metro. The area around Puente Alto was also interesting and very different from the high rises of Providencia, so I suggest wandering around and taking advantage of the delicious street food around the plaza.
Recommendations for Viña Concha y Toro, Santiago, Chile:
Check out the scheduled tours at the Concha y Toro website and make a reservation before you visit.
To get to Viña Concha y Toro, take Línea 4 (the blue line) to Plaza de Puente Alto. Outside the station, hail a cab and tell them where you are going; it will cost $3000CLP.
While the tour is interesting, it is not the most educational one I have ever been on. If you already know about the wine making process, you can save money but still sample a number of wines by ordering a flight of wine at the wine bar.
Here is a little more information about visiting the winery, including directions on how to walk there if you so desire!
When I finally landed in Santiago seven months ago after an arduous, two-day, budget-oriented journey from Lima, Peru, I was surprised at how easy everything was here in Chile. After a bit of “returner’s shock” in my beloved Peruvian capital, I found that things flowed smoothly from my arrival to Chile’s capital. I stepped out of the airport with my three heavy backpacks and onto a bus that deposited me at a metro station on the line that runs through the heart of Santiago.
Colorful Church in Barrio Lastarria
My manager had set me up at her friend’s bright, spacious apartment in trendy Barrio Lastarria, where public transportation was just a few blocks away. I was suddenly connected to anywhere I needed to go, easily determined by a glance at Google Maps, rather than puzzling out Lima’s confusing-but-amazing bus system. And it was the middle of summer, so walking through the many green parks was equally as appealing. Even though Santiago is actually a giant, sprawling city, it feels small for visitors like me who stay in the fairly compact downtown area.
Public Park in Providencia, Santiago, Chile
During my week in Santiago back in January, I embraced my new life as best I could. By day, I experienced what it was like to be a digital nomad, working from home to make decisions on teacher training and cross-cultural sessions for the volunteers’ upcoming orientation, and teaching my last few online classes before moving to the Valle de Elqui.
Andean-Inspired Murals Outside Metro Bellas Artes, Santiago, Chile
In the afternoons and evenings, I caught up with my Chilean friends from my time in Boston and wandered around the city, embracing Santiago with a new perspective, that of someone who would be living in Chile rather than passing through.
Catching Up with Friends and Enjoying Every Minute, Santiago, Chile
Finally, it was time to move on to my new life in the Valle de Elqui. Like many Santiagans, I spent a leisurely Sunday afternoon in Parque Forestal, enjoying my time in the shade to read and write in my journal about all the emotions racing through me as I adjusted to my new life.
Grass in Parque Forestal, Santiago, Chile
From there, I headed on to the Valle de Elqui to get acquainted with my new life. It was surprisingly challenging to leave Santiago, so I was happy to head back in early February to pick up the volunteers!
Learning about the Mapuche, Museo Precolombino, Santiago, Chile
My next trip to Santiago took place in May, when I returned for the long weekend for the Dia del Trabajador and to pick up a new volunteer. The chillier temperatures encouraged me to check out some museums I had yet to visit, such as the recently remodeled Museo de Arte Precolombino, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, and the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo. I enjoyed the chance to take in the inspiration of the city.
Appreciating the Lovely Ladies Holding up the Museo de Bellas Artes, Santiago, Chile
Of course, another advantage to the city lifestyle is being able to eat well on each of my visits, and spend some time lounging in a cafe with my book or my journal and a pot of tea.
Delicious Lunch at an Argentine Restaurant in Santiago, Chile
Even though I haven’t actually lived in Santiago, I feel like I’ve managed to get a good sense of life in the city on my sporadic visits, and as I finish up my year in the Valle de Elqui, I’m considering moving there. My winter visit last month to show Sara the sites was quite pleasant despite the cold and the rain, and I learned even more about hidden corners that give the city its personality, as you’ll see in a future post.
Santiago is an inviting capital city and a place that seems both easy to get to know but full of hidden surprises, and I am glad that my life here has included time there!
Recommendations for Santiago, Chile:
• If you are looking for a family-owned, welcoming hostel with super comfortable beds, look no further than Makus Hostel. Arturo and his wife have created a great atmosphere for the traveler and provide a solid breakfast and nice hot showers. The hostel is also located within walking distance of the downtown area as well as Providencia, so it is a good base for further explorations.
• The Museo de Arte Precolombino has an extensive collection of art from all over Latin America and it is well worth a wander. On the first Sunday of every month, the museum is free; otherwise entry costs $3500CLP. The Cafe del Museo offers delicious lunch options at affordable prices, as you can see here!
• The Museo de Bellas Artes is currently undergoing remodelation but always has interesting thematic exhibits. As with other national museums, entry is free as of July 2015.
• Next door, the Museo de Arte Contemporaro is also undergoing remodeling but is worth a look.
• Parque Forestal’s green spaces and wide paths are excellent for a stroll or bike ride. On Sundays, the CicloRecreoVia closes down major roads running along the Parque Forestal for bikers and pedestrians, which is a great experience to get out in the city without worrying about traffic.
If there’s anything I’ve learned from my time living in the Valle de Elqui, it’s that I have most definitely become a city girl. While living in an idyllic mountain location can be restorative, I find myself inspired by each visit to Santiago, where even just wandering the streets sparks creative ideas.
Views from the City Center of La Serena, Chile
When I signed up for a year here, I thought I would love visiting La Serena, a city touted as an ideal expat base due to its mild climate, proximity to the beach, and wide variety of services, such as a sizeable mall and two superstores. It is also only 5 or 6 hours from Santiago, which is convenient for any necessary visit to the capital.
Views from the City Center of La Serena, Chile
It’s funny how small decisions can have a greater impact later on in life. When I took the 32 hour bus ride from Santiago to Arica back in 2013, I considered stopping in La Serena to break the very long trip, lured by my guidebook’s enthusiastic description of its charms. But six hours just wasn’t enough of a dent into the day-plus journey, so I opted to power through and go straight to Arica. From my limited vantage point on the Panamerican highway, La Serena seemed like a pretty cool city. Imagine if I had spent a day or two exploring La Serena? I may not be where I am today.
Views of La Serena, Chile
Why is that? Try as I might, I cannot connect to this Chilean city. When I read this recent post from This Battered Suitcase naming La Serena as one of the cities she just didn’t like, I wanted to stand up and shout, “Me neither!”
Checking Out the Ocean from La Serena, Chile
There are few cities I don’t like (Huanuco, Peru is at the top of the list), but unfortunately, La Serena is one of them. Even still, I have tried to get to know La Serena as more than a transit hub, the place I have to go every so often to process my visa paperwork, and home to high speed internet and massive supermarkets. In May, I spent a Chilean holiday weekend staying in the city, walking and biking along the beach, and even trying to take in some nightlife. I ended up shattering my cell phone screen, getting the seat stolen off my rented bike, and offending a local with my controversial opinions about living in Chile. Needless to say, La Serena and I have a challenging relationship.
That said, La Serena does have some redeeming factors. When the sun is shining brightly (more rare than you would expect due to the proximity of the mountains), the colonial buildings provide an attractive landscape for relaxed wanderings around the city center. The Plaza de Armas often hosts fairs where you can get regional food like churrascas or fresh juice, along with artisan crafts. There are hidden corners like the Patio Colonial filled with neat stores selling looseleaf tea, roasted nuts, essential oils, etc.
Vegetarian Lunch at Ayawasi, La Serena, Chile
There are at least two vegetarian restaurants where you can get a healthy meal, Pachamama Comida Sana and Ayawasi (see my recommendations, below). There are a number of cafes with outdoor seating catering to the locals along with a cute Western-style cafe, the Lighthouse Cafe. There are also a couple of interesting museums which give you an insight into local culture, which are a good place to head on a cloudy or chilly day.
El Faro, La Serena, Chile
Since La Serena’s city center is about a 20 minute walk from the beach, a visit to the Avenida del Mar can give you a sense that you are in another city and can be quite relaxing as it is located a good distance away from the heavy traffic of the Panamerican highway. On a sunny day, this is a pleasant stroll with a handful of small restaurants catering to tourists. The major destination is El Faro, or the lighthouse, located at the end of Francisco de Aguirre.
Walking Along the Beach in La Serena, Chile
In the city center, La Recova is a popular destination for tourists. At ground level, it is lined with stalls offering mass-produced artisan wares akin to what you can find in nearby Peru and Bolivia at a fraction of the price. If you look closer, they also sell La Serena’s regional speciality, papaya. You can find preserved papaya, candied papaya, papaya with nuts, you name it. Chile’s papaya variety is different from any I have had before, so even if you’re not usually a fan of the fruit (like me), it’s worth a taste or two.
On the top floor of La Recova’s market, there are a number of restaurants dedicated to serving a wide variety of seafood. If, like me, that’s not your thing, La Recova also hosts fast food stands with empanadas and other quick meals. For budget travelers, nearby Calle Vicuña, has a number of low budget hostels, which cannot be particularly recommended but which are a decent option for a night.
Views from Avenida del Mar, between La Serena and Coquimbo, Chile
You also have the option of biking from La Serena to Coquimbo, as much of the route is on protected bike paths or sidewalks. We rented our bikes from a small family business near La Recova, but if you just want a short ride, there are bikes for rent by the hour along the bike path.
Bike Path Between La Serena and Coquimbo, Chile
Nearby Coquimbo has a busy, bustling fish market atmosphere which is a nice break from the cool, distant demeanor of many residents of La Serena. Due to the aforementioned bike seat robberies, I did not get to spend much time exploring Coquimbo, but I did enjoy watching the pelicans and seabirds.
Pelicans at the Port of Coquimbo, Chile
In Coquimbo, the big tourist destination is the Cruz del Tercer Milenio, a huge cement church complex located at one of the highest points in the city.
From the top, you can look out at the brightly painted houses coating the hillside of Coquimbo, which are remiscient of the views you get in Valparaíso.
Parque Japonés, La Serena, Chile
Finally, La Serena has a lovely Japanese garden, Parque Jardín del Corazón, located close to the bus terminal and malls, which is a welcome escape from the hectic activity along the Panamerican highway (even if you can still hear the traffic during your stroll around the carefully curated landscape).
Parque Japonés, La Serena, Chile
I know it is hard to believe that someone who loves the sprawling urban chaos of Lima could feel so ambivalent about the compact, organized, similarly colonial city of La Serena, but así es. As I’ve said before, this has indirectly benefited me because I spend less time and money heading to La Serena than I originally expected to, so I have learned to take advantage of my current home in a way I might not have otherwise.
Recommendations for La Serena, Chile:
• If you are spending a few nights in La Serena, I highly recommend Hostal El Arbol, located in a quiet neighborhood next to the Japanese garden. It is within walking distance of the bus terminal, close to the beach, and also near the city center.
• If El Arbol is booked up or a little too pricey, you can try the street of hostels located near La Recova.
• For vegetarians, La Serena has at least two vegetarian restaurants. Pachamama Comida Sana, located at Cordovez 490 in the commercial center, offers fixed price lunches at $2500, as well as juice and other cafe treats. The meals are on the smaller side but healthy. Ayawasi, located at Pedro Pablo Muñoz 566, near the Plaza de Armas and Japanese garden, has more plentiful meals for $3500.
• The Museo Arqueológico in La Serena is worth a visit to get a sense of the pre-Colombian cultures in the area, particularly the Diaguitas, who inhabited the Valle de Elqui. There you can also find a much-abused moai from Easter Island and other Rapa Nui artifacts. Admission is free as of writing.
• La Serena has plentiful shopping options with stores lining its two main streets, Prat and Cordovez. There are two malls located nearby on the Panamerican highway, as well as two superstores, Jumbo and Líder. For more niche shopping, try the Patio Colonial, which has a number of intriguing stores selling loose leaf tea, nuts and grains in bulk, aromatherapy, and other interesting wares.
• La Serena has a strong cafe culture, and you can’t wander around the city center without tripping over an outdoor cafe. For foreigners looking for a western-style coffee or bagel, head to Lighthouse Cafe at Matta 570.
• La Serena’s bus terminal is centrally located on the Panamerican highway, making it a great transit hub for just about any destination north to Arica or south to Santiago. From here, you can also catch buses to nearby Ovalle or Tongoy, a popular beach resort.
• To reach the Valle de Elqui, you can take a Via Elqui bus from the bus terminal, but their schedule is variable and irregular. For more regular bus service, catch a Sol de Elqui bus. The route begins at the bus stop across the street from Lider, near the Japanese garden, and continues along Avenida Brasil until the Unimarc parking lot next to La Recova, where it waits to pick up more passengers. It then continues its route and stops outside the other major market in La Serena.
• To reach Coquimbo, you can take local buses along the Panamerican highway. Some buses from the Valle de Elqui end in Coquimbo. If you have time and energy, you can rent a bike and follow the bike path from El Faro in La Serena to the market in Coquimbo, but be aware that there is nowhere particularly safe to lock up your bike in Coquimbo.
After immersing myself in the tragic past of Huancavelica by visiting the Santa Barbara mine, it was time for me to get to know modern Huancavelica. Huancavelica is considered one of the poorest regions of Peru, probably due to its reliance on subsistence farming and the continuing depletion of its mercury deposits. However, Huancavelica has a rich connection to its cultural heritage, demonstrated by the art found throughout the city that celebrates its traditional dances and lively religious festivals. Further, Huancavelica’s artisans are some of the most talented in Peru, which has led to the development of artisan collectives to produce and sell its colorful knitted and woven goods both nationally and internationally. I decided to learn more about the city by wandering the streets, visiting the artisan markets, and checking out the attractions favored by locals.
Malecón Santa Rosa; Escalonada or Staircase to the Piscina de San Cristóbal
The city of Huancavelica is divided by the Río Mantaro (Mantaro River) that runs through the center of town. The attractive Malecón Santa Rosa follows the path of the river and brings you to the main bridge that connects the two sides of the city. Crossing the bridge leads you to a steep staircase which climbs directly up to the Piscina de San Cristóbal, thermal baths popular with locals.
Mosaic on the Escalonada of Huancavelica
Statues in Huancavelica
This is no ordinary staircase; the escalonada has been thoroughly decorated with stone mosaics, statues, and murals that celebrate the local dances performed at the annual festivals. These performances reenact the complex cultural heritage of contact between the Spanish colonizers and the indigenous population. In a city whose history consists of centuries of forced work in the deadly mine, these dances are particularly powerful.
In the end, I decided not to bathe in the thermal pools, but rather wandered around a bit, taking in the people doing their laundry in the fountains outside. Nearby, there was a building that technically houses an artisan market, part of the Complejo Ecoturístico de San Cristóbal, but it looked fairly empty and abandoned when I wandered around inside, all of the stands closed, probably only staffed during seasons of high tourism.
Old Map of Huancavelica in the Museo Regional
After visiting San Cristóbal, I headed back to the center of town to check out the Museo Regional Daniel Hernández Morillo located near the Plaza de Armas. While this museum is very small, it gives you a sense of the ancestral heritage of Huancavelica. I was more interested in the older maps on the wall near the entrance, which showed the layout of the mountain town, along with some quotations commemorating the tragedies suffered by the people of Huancavelica in the Mina de la Muerte (Mine of Death). There is also a small bookstore, where I purchased a book of traditional folk tales from the region.
Next, I stopped by Qampaq Arte’s boutique, located at Jr. Arica 230. This small store has some of the highest quality alpaca goods you can find in Huancavelica, which are displayed like the pieces of art they actually are. Qampaq Arte is the storefront for the fair trade handmade goods produced by their artisan collective. Most of the artisans live in the communities around Huancavelica, particularly Yauli. What is unique about Qampaq Arte is that they ask the artisans to produce for the international market, using luxurious alpaca wool rather than the more common acrylic blend, and adapting the local style to be more wearable outside of cultural events. I highly suggest stopping by their store, if only to admire the talent of their artisans.
Train Station in Huancavelica, Peru
Tren Macho Schedule
Next, I walked along the main commercial stretch of Av. Manchego Muñoz to the train station. In addition to its artesanía and traditional dances, Huancavelica is known for the Tren Macho which runs between Huancayo and Huancavelica.
Unlike the train that runs between Cuzco and Agua Calientes, the Tren Macho is still an affordable passenger train and the safest, most interesting way to travel between the two cities. The train runs every other day, and I really wanted to ride it. I bought my ticket for the next day, leaving bright and early at 6:30AM.
Iglesia Santa Ana, Huancavelica
After the train station, I wandered over the Plaza Ramón Castilla to see the Iglesia Santa Ana, the first church constructed in Huancavelica. As you can see, this church has a lot in common with the church in Santa Barbara. This plaza is definitely where the locals hang out and enjoy the sunshine. Located beneath the plaza is an underground market catering to locals with several stands selling traditional costumes for festivals as well as shawls and other clothing used by the women of Huancavelica on a daily basis.
Views from Villa Cariño, Huancavelica, Peru
From Plaza Ramón Castilla, I continued on to Villa Cariño and Seccsechaca, located on the outskirts of the city. Villa Cariño hosts an outdoor park with more thermal baths. To get there, you follow the train tracks across the river and then walk along well-worn paths and staircases through boulders and large rocks.
Views from Villa Cariño, Huancavelica, Peru
As I was wandering along the rocky paths, I looked out over the more residential part of town, with the modern, nondescript brick constructions common throughout Peru. Locals passed me on the paths, heading to and from the center of town. I enjoyed the walk, my relative solitude, and the gorgeous views.
However, there were no signs marking the way, I couldn’t spot the thermal baths through the rocks, and eventually I felt a little uncomfortable climbing around on my own with my fancy camera. In the end, I never made it to Seccsachaca, where I could have visited the Baños del Inca and Tres Boas (which you can see at the end of this blog post).
Views Along the Train Tracks of the Tren Macho, Huancavelica, Peru
I retraced my steps along the train tracks that I would be traveling along the next morning and headed back into town.
Views of Huancavelica from Above the River
I decided to take another route back into town, following a different road which ran parallel to the river and the train tracks. This gave me more views of the residential part of town, whose buildings reminded me just a little bit of Huaycán.
Look Out for the Train Crossing, Huancavelica, Peru
Tourism Generates Development: Treat the Tourist Well, He is Your Friend
On the way, I spotted this mural painted by Dircetur, the regional tourism office, encouraging the people of Huancavelica to embrace tourism. Huancavelica does not receive a lot of tourists and I found that the locals were generally disinterested in my presence, which I honestly didn’t mind too much. I think this is why some travelers are drawn to the small cities of central Peru; it feels a little more authentic to be ignored rather than courted.
Commercial Street in Huancavelica, Peru
Back in the center of town, I took advantage of the last of the daylight hours to go shopping for the gorgeous artesanía I’d come there for. I’d read that the most talented artisans travel from their villages and sell their handknit gloves, hats, and scarves along Av. Manchego Muñoz, near the Plaza de Armas, under the blue Municipal building (Municipio). Just walk towards the train station from the Plaza de Armas and you’ll spot the stands selling machine knit, generic goods. The women from the surrounding villages, such as Yauli, sit on the ground on a tarp spread with their handknit masterpieces, selling at prices that are so low that it actually hurts my heart. Many of these women sell items knit from alpaca, thanks to the encouragement of fair trade organizations that have helped them trust in the quality of their art. I bought several pairs of gloves, leg warmers, and arm warmers knit in the colorful traditional style, like you see here.
Further down Av. Manchego Muñoz at No. 420 is the storefront of another artisan group, Pacha Artesanas. I recognized their shawls and asked if they had shown their knitted goods in Lima at the De Nuestras Manos market. Of course, they had been there, and they also travel to the United States on occasion for expositions of Latin American artwork. I highly suggest looking for this shop; be sure to ask which goods are locally produced. (You can see the legwarmers I bought from a woman from Yauli and a hat I purchased from Pacha Artesanas in the photo of me at Boston Bike Party at the bottom of this post.)
On this particular day, all of Huancavelica was out in the main plaza to celebrate the life of their Monseñor, who had recently passed away. Like many Andean cities, Huancavelica is a deeply religious place and the entire town shut down with parades and musical performances honoring this man.
By the end of my third day in Huancavelica, I felt like I had experienced the best of Huancavelica and was eager to continue on to Huancayo, just in time for my birthday.
Train Station in Huancavelica, Peru
I left La Portada early in the morning to walk over to the train station for the 6:30 departure. At this altitude, carrying my heavy pack uphill was a challenge, so I gave myself extra time! I found my seat in the reserved buffet car, across from a friendly young medical student who attended university in Huancayo. She encouraged me to try the warm drink being sold by enterprising women wandering the aisles, a mixture of apple juice cooked with quinoa. Seriously delicious.
Views from the Tren Macho from Huancavelica to Huancayo, Peru
The Tren Macho is a century old; it began service in 1926 and was modernized in 2008. It covers 128 kilometers, passing through 38 tunnels and over 15 bridges. The Tren Macho was supposedly named for its unreliable service in the past, which was likened to a stereotypical chauvinist man: as the saying goes, “parte cuando quiere y llega cuando puede,” or it leaves when it wants and arrives when it can.
Today, there is a buffet car with reserved seating for S/.13, and open seating for S/.9. If you’re hungry, you can buy a full meal from the on-board restaurant, which looked amazing (but not vegetarian friendly at all). Otherwise, you can wait for the stops in the small towns along the way, where vendors get on board to sell their local delicacies. On a Thursday, there weren’t quite as many vendors as I had expected, but I did get bread and piña, or a slice of pineapple, a two of the stops.
Views from the Tren Macho from Huancavelica to Huancayo, Peru
One of the things I liked best about my trip was that I had my backpacks in view the whole time, stored on the luggage rack above my head. I ended up spending most of the ride chatting with the medical student, as well as a young civil engineer who couldn’t resist his curiosity about this adventurous gringa in their midst and joined us.
Views from the Tren Macho from Huancavelica to Huancayo, Peru
Knowing I was among friends, I snapped pictures of the rocky hillsides and greenery that passed by the window. I loved the relaxed ride, especially once we got into the sun and the chilly car began to warm up!
Views from the Tren Macho from Huancavelica to Huancayo, Peru
As we arrived into Huancayo, the scenery was definitely different, more agricultural, and more forested.
Views from the Tren Macho from Huancavelica to Huancayo, Peru
The train runs right through these fields, giving you a nice introduction to the natural beauty that surrounds Huancayo.
Map of the Tren Macho’s Route in the Huancayo Train Station
Riding the Tren Macho is definitely one of the most unique and authentic things you can do in this region, giving you a chance to see the countryside, eat local food, and meet friendly Peruvians.
After we arrived, my new friends put me into a taxi to my hostel in Huancayo. After such a beautiful train ride, I was ready to explore the city and countryside of Huancayo!
Recommendations for Huancavelica, Peru:
If you’re interested in learning more about the history and culture of Huancavelica, you should visit the Museo Regional Daniel Hernández Morillo, half a block from the Plaza de Armas at the Plazoleta de San Juan de Dios. If you read Spanish, this Wikipedia article has a nice summary of Huancavelica’s history.
If you love artesanía, particularly hand-knit and crocheted gloves, scarves, hats, and shawls, Huancavelica has some of the most talented artisans in Peru. There are several artisan collectives and fair trade organizations operating out of Huancavelica and its surrounding towns. Yauli, the town closest to Huancavelica, is known for its Sunday market. Artisans from Yauli commute to Huancavelica every day to sell their artesania on Av. Manchego Muñoz near the Plaza de Armas. There is also a small alleyway of artisan stands directly across the Plaza de Armas from the Cathedral, an artisan market near the Piscina de San Cristóbal, and a local market below the Plaza Ramón Castilla next to the Iglesia Santa Ana. Qampaq Arte sells super high quality scarves, sweaters, and other knitted masterpieces at its storefront at Jr. Arica 230 (near the museum). There is also a storefront filled with goods from another artisan collective on Av. Manchego Muñoz. Support Huancavelica’s artisans! (Here are some suggestions of where and what to buy in Huancavelica, if you read Spanish.)
You should definitely visit Seccsechaca at Villa Cariño. If you get a map from the tourist office, you can follow the marked route there by walking along Av. Manchego Muñoz and crossing over to Jr. O’Donovan (which runs parallel) once you reach the Iglesia Santa Ana. Follow this street to its end and then follow the train tracks to Villa Cariño. It is not well-marked but it is a footpath followed by locals so you can ask around for directions. Seccsechaca hosts two thermal baths, the Baños del Inca and Tres Boas (which you can see at the end of this blog post).
If you’d rather stick to the thermal baths in town, visit the Piscina de San Cristóbal by following the river until you find the wide staircase lined with artwork celebrating Huancavelica’s cultural heritage. Even if you aren’t interested in the thermal baths, the artwork along the way is absolutely worth seeing.
If you visit Huancavelica, you have to take the Tren Macho to or from Huancayo. The full route costs S/.9 or S/.13 if you want an assigned seat in the buffet car. You can buy food on board, either from the train’s own restaurant or from the local vendors who sometimes get on at each stop along the route. If for some reason you can’t take the train yourself, please check out these amazing photos which capture the spirit of the ride by Oscar Durand, a talented Peruvian photographer/photojournalist.
This blog post also has some great photos and videos of the trip on the Tren Macho as well as the artisans and artesanía around Huancavelica.
The Wikitravel guide for Huancavelica has some great suggestions, including how to get to the Incan ruins at Uchkus-Incañan and the Sunday market in Yauli.
[Huancavelica, Peru to Huancayo, Peru: August 21-22, 2013]
My interest in Huancavelica had been piqued at an artisan market I visited in Miraflores in July 2012. While there are several commercial markets in clusters around Lima filled with mass produced wool and alpaca goods at low prices, Miraflores hosts the occasional artisan market in Parque Kennedy. One such market, De Nuestras Manos (From Our Hands), invited the most talented artisan collectives from around Peru. I wandered around for hours, familiarizing myself with the knitted goods, weavings, embroidery, silver jewelry, and other handiwork specific to the various regions of Peru. I fell in love with Ayacucho’s brightly colored flower embroidery as well as the geometric patterned shawls and multicolored gloves from Huancavelica (which you can see here and here). I knew I had to go direct to the source of this artwork and see if I could learn a thing or two about their craft.
View from the Route from Huamanga (Ayacucho) to Rumichaca
In terms of physical location, Huancavelica is relatively close to Ayacucho, but in reality, it is a bit challenging to get there. One reason is that this area still sees the occasionally robbery on night buses and certain highways are to be avoided outside of daylight hours. After consulting with my friends at iPeru, I decided that the safest and most direct option was to take a combi from Huamanga to Rumichaca and then catch the daily bus from Rumichaca to Huancavelica.
Rumichaca is nothing more than a truck stop located along the main highway between Ayacucho and Lima, filled with food stands and basic hostales. Combi buses leave from Huamanga at 4:30 and 5:30AM for Rumichaca and take about three hours. I bought my ticket the day before, which got me a more comfortable seat up front with the driver, where I could admire the views out of the front window. I will never forget the colors of the amazing sunrise over the hills of Ayacucho as our bus climbed out of Huamanga. Unfortunately, as the only foreigner on the bus, I was a little shy at first about taking out my camera to capture the gorgeous scenery so all I have are my memories.
Leaving Ayacucho, the bus climbs slowly but steadily towards Abra Apacheta, the highest pass on our route, located at 4,746 meters above sea level. The high altitude meant that I dozed in and out of sleep, opening my eyes long enough to catch the gorgeous colors of the hillside. At Abra Apacheta, our driver stopped for a moment to lay an offering of a bouquet of fresh flowers at a small altar at this high pass. I still wonder whether he had lost a colleague in an accident here or if it was simply a gesture of gratitude for safe travels on these dangerous, winding roads. The above photo captures some of the multicolored hills soon after this high pass.
Laguna Orcococha, Huancavelica, Peru
After about three hours, we arrived in Rumichaca. I bought my ticket to Huancavelica and stored my big backpack under the bus, then turned my attention to breakfast. I opted for papas con queso, small local boiled potatoes served with the queso fresco, or farmer’s cheese, common throughout Peru. After, it was a quiet wait in the sun for our bus to leave at 10AM.
As it turned out, this bus generally is filled with locals who know each other, commuting for work or school. As passengers got on at the small villages along the way, most of the other passengers greeted them and inquired after their families. Although the route is unpaved, the bumps are minimal and lulled me to sleep for much of the ride. As you can see, the route passes through amazingly blue lagoons on both sides of the bus. In fact, this road is called the Ruta de los Espejos, or the Route of the Mirrors, for the lakes that appear to reflect the equally blue sky. We passed Laguna Pacococha, Laguna Orcococha, and Laguna Choclococha, the last of which is the largest. (I sat on the left side of the bus and got some good shots of Laguna Orcococha, but you might want to sit on the right side to capture the giant Laguna Choclococha.)
Llamas Grazing in the Huancavelica Region
The Huancavelica region is a generally tranquil stretch of farmlands in the high Andes. With so many idyllic landscapes, it is considered a great place to relax and recharge. Since combis and buses are so regular, if not frequent, around the area, it is possible to visit many of the small villages that dot the landscape.
Huancavelica’s Cathedral
After a long trip with a lot of stops to pick up and drop off passengers, we arrived in Huancavelica. Huancavelica is a compact city, but the buses leave you relatively far from the Plaza de Armas. The kind gentleman seated beside me took it upon himself to put me into one of the taxi colectivos that travel through the city and commanded the driver to drop me off in front of my hostal, La Portada. This was just another example of Peruvian kindness. After splurging for a nice room with a private bathroom, tv, and free wifi, I set out on foot to take advantage of the afternoon sun and to get a feel for the city.
Iglesia San Sebastián, Plaza Bolognesi, Huancavelica, Peru
After wandering around the Plaza de Armas, I walked a few blocks over to the Plaza Bolognesi, where two of Huancavelica’s distinctive churches are located. I stopped in a small cafe situated on the plaza to have a snack before continuing my wanderings around Huancavelica’s small downtown area. Of course, I couldn’t resist checking out the artisan stands located in a small alleyway near the main plaza. I ended up chatting for quite a while with an older couple selling the regional knitted goods.
Plaza Bolognesi, Huancavelica, Peru
I also managed to find my way to Dircetur, the regional tourism office, where they walked me through all of my options around the area. While there are interesting Incan ruins around the region, there are not many tour operators and it is challenging to visit them independently. In the end, I decided to visit the most important tourist attraction in Huancavelica, the Santa Barbara mines, by hiking up independently.
Footpath from Huancavelica to Sacsamarca and Santa Barbara
I set out for Mina Santa Barbara early in the morning, knowing that the sun in the high Andes would only get stronger as the day went on. There is a well-marked path from Plaza Bolognesi which follows the river until you reach the stone walkway that leads up towards Sacsamarca, the small village located en route to Santa Barbara. I climbed steadily and was accompanied for much of the way by an elderly gentleman who owned some of these llamas grazing amongst the trees and grasses that lined the path.
Pretty High Altitude Plants En Route to Sacsamarca
However, he was much more capable (read: faster) than me at this high altitude and eventually I had to stop and rest and breathe, taking in the pretty scenery as I admired the views of Huancavelica from above.
Entering Sacsamarca, Huancavelica, Peru
Finally, I made it to the small village of Sacsamarca, a quiet collection of houses and stone buildings that looked like they might date back to the colonial era. After spending the previous day wandering the busy streets of Huancavelica, it was refreshing to walk along these empty roads.
Views of the Main Plaza of Sacsamarca, Huancavelica, Peru
Apparently, this small town has a strong sense of community and hosts traditional fiestas popular with Peruvian tourists. Its unique setting among the rocky hills of Huancavelica must make for a picturesque setting as well as a natural amphitheater.
Stone Bridge, Sacsamarca, Huancavelica, Peru
This stone bridge dates back to colonial times and is one of the main attractions of the town, providing an easy way to cross the small stream that criss-crosses Sacsamarca.
I felt instantly welcomed to Sacsamarca by this local woman herding her sheep, who greeted me warmly as she continued along her way.
Sheep in Sacsamarca, Huancavelica, Peru
Looking Over Sacsamarca, Huancavelica, Peru
On the outskirts of town, there is a trout farm. I walked most of the way there, just to get another perspective on the area around Sacsamarca, watching women doing their washing in the river and children playing outside with their teacher.
Washing Clothes in the River; Children Walking Back to School in Sacsamarca, Peru
The Road Near Sacsamarca, Peru
After exploring Sacsamarca, it was time continue my walk uphill to Santa Barbara. Even though it’s cold at night in Huancavelica, the sun is very strong at this altitude. Revisiting these photos, I can almost feel the sun beating down on me!
Huancavelica from Above
Along the way, I got a great view of Huancavelica from above, peeking through the craggy rocks that surround the city.
Unsure of the best route to Santa Barbara, I decided to follow the vehicle road. Luckily for me, it was signposted so I had a clear sense of how much progress I was making on the steep 2km climb.
Chacllatacana, Huancavelica, Peru
En route to Santa Barbara, I passed through Chacllatacana, an even smaller village known for its bullfights. The town consists of a small church and several brick buildings built around a large open plaza.
Views from the Route to Santa Barbara
I knew I was getting close when I heard voices calling out to me. A few miners on their lunch break were trying to signal to me that my friends (other foreigners) were up ahead and had taken a shortcut to the top. Because of the wide, flat expanse, I could hear them clearly even though they were off in the distance. I took their advice and tried the even steeper, direct route through the high desert brush, but ultimately opted to continue my slow but steady journey along the main road.
Remnants of the Old Santa Barbara MineMining Scarecrow
As I approached Santa Barbara, I passed the entrance to the modern mine, where I spoke with the friendly driver of the shuttle bus that brings the miners to and from work each day. He waits around all day for the miners to finish their work and was eager for a distraction. He suggested that I take the detour to the viewpoint that overlooks Huancavelica and head back to Huancavelica from there. Otherwise, he promised that he would be happy to drive me down when the miners finished their work for the day so that I would not be harassed by the teenagers who lurk around the stone path after school.
Views of the Colonial Mine of Santa Barbara Topped with the Spanish Crown
After saying goodbye, I continued along my way and finally arrived at the old mine of Santa Barbara, which still bears the Spanish crown over its entrance. For safety reasons, the mine is off limits to visitors, and it is impossible to see much inside through the gates. I read some reports that there was a full city constructed underground. Standing at the entrance, I couldn’t help but be moved by the thought of how many lives had been lost working in this mine since colonial times. This mine is known as the “Mina de la Muerte,” or the mine of death, for the deadly work of extracting mercury.
A few meters beyond the colonial mine lies the abandoned town of Santa Barbara, located at 4,200 meters above sea level. The small central plaza is surrounded by crumbling stone buildings, and the whole effect is eerie. Scraggly dogs wandered around the plaza, but the only sound you can hear is the machinery of the modern mine, nearby.
Santa Barbara Church; Mother and Baby Cows
Views of the Santa Barbara Church
While many of the buildings are in ruins, the church retains some of its former elegance. Its distinctive red and white style echoes the churches located in Huancavelica. Here, I ran into the other foreigners that the miners had thought were my friends. The four French travelers had stopped to have a picnic lunch; I was relieved to find out I was not the only gringo in town. We ended up making plans to have dinner together that night, and then we continued our separate explorations.
Looking Up at the Santa Barbara Church
Views from Santa Barbara, Huancavelica, Peru
After sufficiently exploring the area around Santa Barbara, I retraced my steps and headed to the viewpoint overlooking Huancavelica.
Llamas Near Santa Barbara, Huancavelica, Peru
Along the way, I passed a herd of llama grazing in the grasses of the area around Santa Barbara. Some of them stared right at me, suspiciously, as I stopped to take their picture. I couldn’t get enough of these adorable creatures.
Detour to the Huancavelica Overlook
The pathway to the viewpoint overlooking Huancavelica is well-marked; the detour to the mirador is well worth it.
Looking Out Over Huancavelica, Peru
After climbing over and around the boulders around the mirador, I arrived to the spot with the best views in the area. You can’t help but feel an affinity for this picturesque town nestled within the rolling hills of the high Andes. I looked around and identified the main plaza and other recognizable buildings from above.
Huancavelica, Peru
Even though the city felt relatively small when I was wandering through its streets, I realized just how big it was when observing it from this altitude!
Golden Hills Around Huancavelica, Peru
Llama and Flowers Near Huancavelica, Peru
Fields Around Huancavelica, Peru
After enjoying a quiet moment looking out over Huancavelica, I decided to head back to Santa Barbara to hitch a ride with the miners. After so much time walking under the bright sun, I was tired and figured I would take advantage of the generous (and convenient) offer.
Views Around Huancavelica, Peru
I really enjoyed my solitude for the majority of the day; I felt very relaxed and centered after walking through these golden brown hills. It reminded me of my long walks around Easter Island, only occasionally running into other people.
Leaving Santa Barbara
As it turns out, riding with the miners was a great way to end my afternoon. They were so friendly and intrigued by this foreign woman hitching a ride with them. The ride took all of ten minutes, and this gave me some extra time to wander around the commercial streets of Huancavelica, buying delicious street food like churros, choclo con queso, and local bread. Afterwards, I went out for pizza at Roma II with my new French friends and enjoyed some hot wine. Even though I had roasted under the sun all day, the nights were cold and I couldn’t resist a warm drink!
After spending the day observing Huancavelica from above, I was curious to expand my wanderings and explore some of its other attractions on foot the next day. I also was ready to shop for the knitted gloves and woven shawls that had brought me to Huancavelica in the first place!
Recommendations for Huancavelica, Peru:
Wikitravel has a lot of good recommendations for things to do and places to eat, shop, and stay around Huancavelica.
To get to Huancavelica from Ayacucho, take the 5:30 bus to Rumichaca from Transporte Lalo’s near the Grifo Ayacucho in Huamanga (Ayacucho). It cost S/.13 in August 2013. Buy your ticket the day before if you want to guarantee a good seat. Pay attention to the gorgeous scenery along the route, particularly around the Alta Apacheta pass. In Rumichaca, there is only one bus to Huancavelica, which leaves at 10AM every day with Transporte San Juan Bautista and costs S/.12. There are plenty of food stands for breakfast but keep in mind that this is literally a truck stop, nothing fancy. (It must be said: Rumichaca has the most disgusting outdoor latrines I have ever seen in all of my travels, and I am not particularly squeamish.)
I highly suggest trekking up to Santa Barbara, especially if you are trying to build your stamina for other high altitude hikes in the central highlands. Get a map from Dircetur or the municipal tourist agency located on the Plaza de Armas. The route to Sacsamarca/Santa Barbara begins behind the Plaza Bolognesi and is well-marked. Once I reached Sacsamarca, I found it easiest to follow the main vehicle road to Santa Barbara, but there are also local footpaths that are probably shorter if you’re more daring than me.
Make sure you take a look around Sacsamarca to get a sense of the traditional stone village. If you read Spanish, this blog post provides some good information on Sacsamarca.
Stay at La Portada, located just a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas at Virrey Toledo 252. In August 2013, I paid S/.35 per night for a room with a private bath with consistently hot water and cable television. Their wi-fi connection is strong and they offer plenty of blankets to get you through the cold Andean nights.
Templo del Sol and Iglesia San Juan Bautista, Vilcashuamán, Ayacucho, Peru
While Ayacucho is well-known for the presence of the pre-Incan Wari culture, most travelers do not realize that there is a major Incan site just a few hours from Huamanga. I first learned about the former Incan administrative center of Vilcashuamán from a brief mention in one of my travel guides, which said that it is an long, arduous journey on terrible roads to see these impressive ruins.
The trouble is that all of Ayacucho’s travel agencies require larger groups to make the trek out to Vilcashuamán. Outside of Semana Santa, there are not enough tourists in Ayacucho to fill these tours. After consulting with several agencies, I realized that the only way I was going to visit Vilcashuamán was if I went independently, like the locals do. As always, iPeru provided me with plenty of useful information about visiting Vilcashuamán and nearby Vischongo and assured me that the route was very safe for a solo female traveler such as myself.
Views En Route to Vilcashuamán, Ayacucho, Peru
They were completely right. With their encouragement, I decided to experience Vilcashuamán on my own, and it was one of the best decisions of my trip because it empowered me to take local combis and buses to many other less-visited towns, villages, and ruins that are easily accessible on public transportation.
Getting to Vilcashuamán is straightforward. There are combis which leave early in the morning from the Paradero de Buses al Sur (the bus stop leaving for the southern region). I called a taxi at 5:30AM to take me from my hostel to the paradero, as it is still dark at this hour. As my taxi arrived to the paradero, my driver shouted “Vilcas!!!” and the drivers of colectivos (shared taxis) and the cobrador (money taker) for the waiting combi approached me. I decided to stick with the combi as it was a little cheaper (S/.15) and is usually the safer option. There were already a few passengers waiting for the bus to fill up, including a mother and daughter, so I knew this was the right decision. Around 6:30, the bus had enough passengers, and we started on the journey to Vilcashuamán.
Hummingbird in Vilcashuamán
As it turned out, the roads to Vilcashuamán were not as terrible as I’d read. The route passes along the paved highway for nearly an hour, and the rest is on well-leveled gravel. I imagine that the roads may have even been paved in the past year. In any case, we arrived in Vilcas (as it is known by locals) in just three hours after a relaxing ride with some stops along the way to pick up and drop off other passengers. The views of the farmlands and fields around Ayacucho were lovely, as you see above.
On the way to Vilcas, the combi passed by the entrance to the path that leads to Intihuatana, more Incan ruins which seem to have been a quiet retreat for the Inca due to their proximity to Lago Pomacocha and the thermal baths on site. As we approached, the cobrador and some of the passengers pointed out Intihuatana, as they know this is where many tourists go! They even offered to drop me off and pick me up on their way back through, but as I wasn’t sure how often buses pass this way, I decided to stick with my original plan. If I hadn’t been on my own, I probably would have gotten off the bus and hiked up to the ruins. Next time!
Before arriving in Vilcashuaman, the combi also stopped in the very small town of Vischongo, which is closer to Intihuatana and is sometimes used as a base by visitors. Although Vischongo does not have as many services as Vilcashuaman, the Municipio (Municipality) has a list of local hospedajes in case you need to spend the night; there is also one restaurant. As we passed through the area around Vischongo, we picked up a musician on his way to one of the other small villages located in the area, which was celebrating its fiestas during this particular week.
Spanish Colonial Church Built on Top of Incan Templo del Sol (Temple of the Sun), Vilcashuamán
As we drove into Vilcashuamán, I felt that it looked a lot like many of the other Peruvian towns near Lima that I’d visited over the past year, such as San Pedro de Casta. After being dropped off by the combi, I wandered a couple of blocks to the Plaza de Armas, where I was struck by what I saw in front of me: an Incan Temple of the Sun topped by a Spanish colonial church and surrounded on all sides by the town literally living on top of and within the ruins. This was the old meeting the new, the perfect embodiment of the sincretismo (or syncretism or coexistence) so evident in Peruvian culture.
Incan Stone Masonry, Vilcashuamán, Peru
Main Plaza of Vilcashuamán, Ayacucho, Peru
Vilcashuamán (also written as Vilcas Huamán) means “sacred falcon” in Quechua. Vilcas may have been built in the shape of a falcon’s head, although the changes in the past five hundred centuries make this hard to determine. Vilcashuamán was an important Incan administrative center, as it was perfectly situated along the route between the major Incan cities near Cusco in southern Peru and the northern region.
Carved Stones at the Templo del Sol, Incan Stonework, Statue of Túpac Yupanqui
The Incas conquered this region from the Chancas and built an extensive ceremonial complex on the site, including a Templo del Sol (Temple of the Sun), Templo de la Luna (Temple of the Moon), and an ushnu, or ceremonial pyramid. The Templo del Sol was an important place of worship; the main plaza could hold over 20,000 people during important ceremonies.
When the Spanish arrived in 1533, they destroyed much of the Templo del Sol (Temple of the Sun) and built a church on top of the Incan stonework, just as they did at Coricancha in Cusco. The Iglesia San Juan Bautista continues to stand on top of the ruins, reminding visitors of the tragic influence of the Spanish in this region. The Templo de la Luna appears to have been destroyed, although I read that remnants have been found below the Municipio (Municipality). In the center of the Plaza de Armas, there is a recently constructed statue of Inca Túpac Yupanqui.
Nature Coexisting with Incan Stonework, Vilcashuamán
As with many Incan ruins located in small towns, you can freely wander around, admiring the masonry. Scattered in front of the Templo del Sol are rocks bearing shapes of animals such as a llama and a monkey. There is also a square rock with a hollow interior which is called the Piedra del Sacrificio, or the sacrifice stone, which was used during Incan religious ceremonies. There are also many ancient aqueductos, or aqueducts, which used to carry water to the living spaces of the priests who lived in Vilcashuamán. These artifacts appear to rest where they were left, surrounded by the encroaching town.
Streets of Vilcashuamán, Map of Vilcashuamán for Tourists
After exploring the Templo del Sol and the Plaza de Armas, I wandered through the streets of Vilcas, trying to get a feel for this town. In many ways, it is just a small agricultural town built from adobe bricks. Its residents barely notice the ruins they live among, similar to my impressions on Easter Island. That said, the ruins are still a point of pride among locals!
Incan Doorway Leading to Fields Next to the Ushnu, Vilcashuamán
Located just a short distance from the main plaza, Vilcashuaman’s ushnu, or ceremonial pyramid, seems quite out of place among the houses that line the streets nearby. This ushnu provided the best vantage point for the Inca to watch over his people during religious and military ceremonies.
Stone Forts Located Behind the Ushnu in Vilcashuamán, Peru
Beyond the Incan doorway to the left of the ushnu lies an open field with several stone structures nearby. The long, rectangular structure with five trapezoidal doorways was Tupac Yupanqui’s palace, called kallanca. The above photos show two views of these ruins.
Stone Structures Behind the Ushnu in Vilcashuamán, Peru
To the left of the palace lies another trapezoidal doorway leading to two covered stone structures, which may have been living quarters, or may just be more recent buildings.
Entryway to the Ushnu, Vilcashuamán
After walking around the Inca’s palace behind the ushnu, I decided to climb its stairs. Entry to the ushnu costs S/.5 for foreigners and and is well worth the price of admission. The staircase is incredibly steep and the stairs are tiny, forcing you to carefully climb sideways. The Incas must have had smaller feet and certainly did not wear clunky hiking boots!
At the top of the ushnu, I started talking to a group of Peruvians when I offered to take a photo of them. As it turned out, they were a family visiting Vilcashuamán for the celebration in the nearby village, where their family was originally from; most of them had left during the years Sendero Luminoso took over the area. Some of them had lived in Lima and were familiar with Huaycán, and others had lived abroad, so they were not at all phased by a foreigner in this remote place! They were, however, very impressed that I was traveling alone.
Posing on Top of the Ushnu and Looking Out over Vilcashuamán
They took some nice shots of me posing in front of the various views of Vilcashuamán as seen from the ushnu, which I greatly appreciated.
Townspeople Walking Across the Field Behind the Ushnu, Vilcashuamán
As you can see, the Inca had amazing views from the top of the ushnu. I watched people crossing the well-worn path through the field behind it and tried to imagine this place a few centuries ago. According to my research, these two square structures behind the ushnu were actually forts build during the years that Sendero Luminoso (the Shining Path) occupied Vilcashuamán. Apparently, Sendero Luminoso had a strong presence in this agricultural area and attacked the town on several occasions. 🙁
Views of Modern Vilcashuamán from the Ushnu
From the ushnu, you can see how the ruins have been absorbed by more recent constructions. While some archeologists may lament this fact, I find Vilcashuamán to be a perfect example of how the ancient and modern coexist throughout Peru.
Incan Throne on Top of the Ushnu; Ushnu As Seen From the Street
This stone is supposedly the Inca’s throne, where he sat with his wife at his side. In the photo on the right, you can see another visitor sitting in the Inca’s seat, admiring the view.
Doorway and Steep Stairs of the Ushnu, Vilcashuamán
I was impressed by my visit to the ushnu, which has been thoroughly restored to preserve it for future generations. This is one of the best examples of an ushnu in all of Peru, and the only reason it is not visited more by tourists is that it is located in this isolated location among farming villages.
Cows Grazing in Vilcashuamán, Peru
After vising the ushnu, I continued my walk through Vilcashuamán, taking in the beautiful countryside.
Piedra del Vaticinio, Vilcashuamán, Peru
I managed to find my way up the hill to the Piedra de Vaticinio, which some people call the sacrificial stone. According to the tourist brochure from the Municipio, this stone was used for divining the future of the Incan empire, predicting the agricultural season, and determining the future of a couple! This site has been protected by a stone wall, but as you see, it is located amidst residences, no big deal, without even a sign pointing you in the right direction.
Looking Out Over Vilcashuamán from Above; Laundry in the Incan Puytuq, or Pool of Water
Puya Raimondi in Vilcashuamán
Nearby, you find the Puytuq, one of the small fountains created in the time of the Inca. Amusingly for me, someone was washing clothes in this ancient aqueduct. If this doesn’t demonstrate how the modern exists right on top of the ancient, nothing else does!
I also appreciated some of the puya raimondi growing in Vilcashuamán. These plants look like they are from another world. From Vischongo, you can visit the Bosque de Puya Raymondi Titankayoq, a forest of around 400,000 of these strange-looking trees, which can grow to be up to six meters tall!
At this point, it was around noon, and I had managed to visit all of the main sites of Vilcashuamán. I actually wished that I had stopped at nearby Intihuatana, as I had learned that there were many combi buses passing through the area, and there was still plenty of time in the day!
Lunchtime in Vilcashuamán; Sopa de Quinoa
Instead, I got to talking to the animated, amusing combi driver who would take me back to Huamanga, and I ended up eating at this roadside cafe with all the locals. As I was sitting there enjoying my lunch of sopa de quinoa (quinoa soup), another combi drove by, and the driver tried to convince me, “la gringa,” to come back with their group, much to my embarrassment and the amusement of the young girl serving lunch. 🙂 I also chatted with a local woman who could not imagine traveling on her own, something that seems so normal to me but so foreign to many Peruvian women.
Views En Route Back to Huamanga from Vilcashuamán, Peru
After a long wait (I *should* have gotten on that other combi!), we started on our route back to Huamanga. This was not as direct or as quick a trip as the last one, as our driver had agreed to take a family of musicians and their goats back to the city. As I watched in surprise, they hoisted the goats onto the roof of the van, and their bleating could be heard whenever we slowed down along the route! Finally, we continued on our way, taking on more passengers until the van was pretty packed. Luckily, we stopped a few times for local snacks, which made the long ride a lot better; I bought jugo de níspero in Vischongo and my favorite choclo con queso at another rest stop along the way.
Views En Route Back to Huamanga from Vilcashuamán, Peru
All things considered, the views from the combi made the long route worth it. After all, I had developed a high tolerance to long bus rides over my year volunteering in Peru. After traveling to and from Vilcas, I really understood how secure traveling with the locals was; trouble could be found in the cities of Peru, but rarely among the rural villages. I really enjoyed visiting Vilcashuamán and seeing the juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern; I was also pretty proud of myself for making it there on my own.
Upon arriving in Huamanga, I took a city bus to another “bus station,” or rather, an area where a number of bus companies were located next to the Grifo Ayacucho (a gas station). To get to Huancavelica on bus, it is safest to take an early morning combi to Rumichaca, where you can catch a direct daytime bus to Huancavelica; iPeru advised that I buy my ticket in advance. After my trip to Vilcashuamán, I knew I could trust taking another early morning combi because it would be filled with locals; in fact, I was looking forward to the experience.
Recommendations for Vilcashuamán, Ayacucho, Peru:
First of all, go! It is really easy to take public transportation to Vischongo and Vilcashuaman. Combis (van buses) leave from the Paradero al Sur (the bus station to the south) starting around 4AM. I suggest taking a taxi here as it will likely still be dark and the bus station is located outside of the center of town (a taxi should costs S/.4-6). I arrived just before 6AM as this is when the buses are likely to fill quickly; the combis only leave when all the seats are full. The ride costs S/.15 and takes about three hours. The combi will stop to pick up and drop off passengers and their loads along the way.
Nearby Vischongo has well-marked hiking routes to Intihuatana and the Bosque de Puya Raymondi Titankayoq. If you leave early enough, you should be able to visit Intihuatana and then catch a later bus to Vilcashuamán. It is about a 30 minute bus ride or a 2 hour walk to Vilcashuamán from Vischongo. Keep in mind that these are rural areas and public transportation does not run on a fixed schedule.
There are basic hospedajes in Vischongo; iPeru suggested I ask the Municipio (Municipality) for recommendations. Vilcashuamán has several basic hostals and hospedajes, as most visitors stay there. Check with iPeru for an updated list of accommodations, or just ask someone in Vilcashuamán to point you in the right direction. There are at least two visible from the Plaza de Armas. That said, if you are only planning to visit Vilcashuamán, you can easily visit all of the major sites in the town in a few hours and catch a combi back in the early afternoon. The last combi leaves at 5PM; there are no buses after this time.
If you read Spanish, this is an excellent summary of the history of Vilcashuamán. La Brújula del Azar has a great detailed post on Vischongo, Intihuatana, and Vilcashuamán as well as the Bosque de Puya Raymondi Titankayoq. El Comercio (a Peruvian newspaper) also has a nice video of the Inti Raymi celebration at Vilcashuamán. Finally, this site has succinct descriptions of Vilcashuamán and its surroundings.
Here is a good description of Vilcashuamán in English.
The Ruins of the Wari (Huari) Culture, Ayacucho, Peru
Located just 20 kilometers outside of Huamanga (the capital city of Ayacucho), the ancient city of Wari (otherwise spelled Huari, which has the same pronunciation) is the most popular day trip in the region. While combis run frequently between Huamanga and Quinua, stopping at Wari on the way, I opted to take another tour with A&R Tours. This was an excellent idea; our guide was one of the most knowledgeable I met on my entire trip, and he spoke intelligently and passionately about the troubled history of the region.
Views of the Mountains Surrounding Wari, Ayacucho, Peru
The first thing you notice as you climb into the mountains of Ayacucho is how amazingly gorgeous the scenery is. Peru’s sierra central (central Andes) is not like the high mountains I visited in nearby Chile and Argentina. Ayacucho’s climate is different, meaning that the lower hills are dotted with green trees, cacti, low shrubs, and brown brush. I’m no plant expert, but this makes for an attractive contrast. I couldn’t stop gazing out the window of our tour van.
View from the Highway, Desert Spider, Flowering Cacti at Wari
The first thing you notice about Wari are the cacti that cover the area surrounding the ruins. Some of the cacti are flowering, whereas others bear tuna, or prickly pear, one of my favorite fruits in Peru. There are also tons of desert climate insects, which our group admired in fascination.
Ruins of Wari, Ayacucho, Peru
Although the ruins of Wari are extensive and expand all around the highway, most of them have not been excavated or studied. The reasons for this is two-fold: the cacti that sprung up throughout these ruins hid them from view for many years, and require great care during removal so that the ruins can be studied. Further, during the conflict with Sendero Luminoso, studies of these ruins were completely halted. This is another cultural tragedy, because roads continue to be paved through the ruins. As the Wari culture is not a household name like the Incas, it is hard for archeologists and anthropologists to secure funding to excavate and study the Wari ruins.
Ruins of Wari, Ayacucho, Peru
For these reasons, much of this extensive site is off-limits to visitors, but scholars continue to dig deeper (literally) to uncover the history of the practices of the Wari. Remember, the Wari’s empire once stretched up and down modern Peru’s coast as well as the sierra central. This was a powerful people who conquered many other populations, just like the Incas.
Views from the Wari Ruins, Ayacucho, Peru
When you see the stone walls coexisting with the desert plants that threaten to take the land over again, you can’t help but appreciate the diligent work of the archeologists and anthropologists who are studying and preserving these ties to Peru’s ancient history.
Protecting the Wari Ruins, Ayacucho, Peru
Burial Chambers in the Wari Ruins, Ayacucho, Peru
Like many of Peru’s ancient cultures, the Wari had impressive burial rituals. According to our guide, these small chambers were built to bury the Wari elite with their families, attendants, and possessions. Archeologists continue to uncover new galleries located beneath each level!
Building Blocks and Cacti at the Wari Ruins
After appreciating the ruins still in the process of study, we saw these stone building blocks, either abandoned or moved over the past few centuries. Although the stonework is distinct from that of the Incas, it is equally impressive to imagine the work that went into carving and shaping these stones.
Although much of the Wari ruins are not accessible to casual visitors, I got a clear sense of the extensiveness of the site, but most importantly, how important it is to respect and honor the Wari culture and its role in Peru’s heritage.
Obelisco, Pampa de Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru
From Wari, the logical next stop is Quinua, located along the same route, just 34 kilometers from Huamanga. Our tour took us directly to the Pampa de Quinua (also known as the Pampa de Ayacucho). Pampa means field, and that is exactly what you see when you arrive: a large, empty field. The Pampa de Quinua is the place where the decisive Battle of Ayacucho took place against Spain in 1824; this bloody encounter won Peru its independence. Ayacucho was named to honor the massive loss of life that occurred in this place.
Thanking the Nations that Supported Peru at the Base of the Obelisk
Although the landscape is picturesque, you can’t help but remember what happened in this place two centuries ago. The giant Obelisco (Obelisk) honors those who fought in the battles for Peru’s independence. At the the base of the Obelisco, there are plaques naming the nations that supported this fight, including the United States.
Views Surrounding Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru
Behind the Obelisco, there is a steep path that leads down to the village of Quinua, below. The views from this area are beautiful.
View of Quinua from the Obelisco, Ayacucho, Peru
Quinua’s houses all have the same type of brown roof, which leads to a picture of uniformity from up above.
Posing at the Pampa de Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru
As usual, I couldn’t resist posing and commemorating my visit to this historic place.
Yuyo Picante con Mote and Mazamorra de Níspero, Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru
Despite its past, the Pampa de Quinua is a pleasant place for families to visit on the weekends and while on vacation. For this reason, there are many stalls set up along the parking lot with lots of local food and artisan goods for tourists and locals alike to browse and buy. Happily, I managed to find vegetarian food! I actually love local street food and will try anything after doing my best to verify there’s no meat in it. 😉
This delicious dish is called yuyo picante. Yuyo is a local green similar to spinach, and it is cooked down with a mixture of potatoes, onions, spicy pepper, and another local herb, huacatay (known as black mint in English). This was absolutely delicious, and as I ate I chatted with the cook’s adorable son and a Spanish woman on my tour. My yuyo was served with mote, or cooked corn kernels, another favorite of mine. Of course, I had to have dessert. Mazamorra is a super common Peruvian dessert, basically a thick fruit pudding made with any of a number of local fruits. In Ayacucho, níspero (or loquat) is readily available, and it makes for a delicious dessert.
Colorful Ceramics in Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru
After our lunch break, we headed down to the village of Quinua, which is known for its traditional ceramics, most often in the shape of churches. I thought our first stop, documented above, had the most attractive ceramics. I wish I could have brought one of these beautiful pieces of art home with me, but ceramics and backpacking do not mix. (I actually broke the small ceramic mototaxi I did buy in Quinua just a few days later. 🙁 )
Traditionally Colored Churches in a Shop in Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru
This shop shows the more conventionally colored churches, painted in a variety of tan, brown, and grey shades. These churches are traditionally used to decorate the roof of a house to indicate that it is inhabited. According to our guide, if you do not see a church on the roof of the house, it means that the dwelling has been abandoned.
Views from Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru
Quinua is a traditional Andean village in many ways, including its tranquil character. Today, it lives from its artesanía, which brings tourists in large numbers to this otherwise quiet town. Almost everyone in town is involved in the family business of producing ceramics in large quantities. If you visit, make sure to stop in at a number of workshops, as each taller has its own style, level of quality, and unique story.
Flowers in the Plaza of Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru
Quinua’s Church
Visiting Quinua is about appreciating the pleasant uniformity of a town steeped in tradition.
Traditional Churches on the Top of a Residence, Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru
After visiting Quinua, it was time to return to Huamanga. As we drove along the highway, I paid special attention to the roofs of the houses we passed. While most houses did have a church or three perched on top, there were houses that had clearly been abandoned, since they did not have this traditional decoration. It fascinates me that this tradition is specific to the small towns in this region of Ayacucho only.
iews En Route Back to Huamanga from Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru
The views on the road back to Huamanga were equally as impressive in the afternoon light. I tried to capture them out of the window of our tour van, as you can see here.
Overall, I loved this day trip to the ruins of Wari, the Pampa de Quinua, and the ceramics workshops of Quinua. Although it is easy to do this trip independently, I learned a lot from our guide and enjoyed the company of the others on my tour.
However, back in Ayacucho, I also learned the limitations of depending on a tour company to get you to the destinations you’d like to visit. Although there were four of us hoping to visit Vilcashuamán the next day, the tour needed six passengers for the tour to leave due to transportation costs. I really wanted to visit these impressive Incan ruins, so I went back to my friends at iPeru and they convinced me that it was indeed possible and completely safe to visit on my own. This little push set off a series of adventures off the beaten track on public transportation that I will document in future posts!
Recommendations for Wari and Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru:
You should absolutely visit Wari and Quinua for their historical and cultural significance. If you’d like to take a tour (in Spanish), I highly recommend A&R Tours, which cost S/.35 in August 2013. All of my explanations above come from what our guide told us, so the tour was thoroughly educational.
Otherwise, there are frequent combis (van buses) that run between Huamanga (Ayacucho) and Quinua. The combis leave from Paradero Magdalena near Avenida Cáceres. You can ask the driver to be let off at the ruins of Wari. iPeru recommended visiting Wari early in the day to ensure you could catch another bus to Quinua and then back to Huamanga. As with many local buses in Peru, you just need to flag down the combi as it passes by. This is how all the people in the small villages along the highway get around, and the buses can get packed. All the locals call the city of Ayacucho Huamanga, as I’ve already mentioned. Apparently, it is much harder to catch a combi after 5PM, so I suggest going earlier. The bus between Huamanga and Quinua costs S/.3.50-4, and between Wari and Quinua it should be about S./1-2.
Entry to the Wari complex costs S/.5, but may be included in your tour, as it was for me. The ruins are open from 8AM-6PM, but verify with iPeru before visiting.
If you do take the bus to Quinua, make sure you climb up to the Pampa de la Quinua to visit the Obelisco and visit this significant site in Peru’s history.
I highly suggest eating lunch from one of the many stands and supporting the women of Quinua who cook these inexpensive, nourishing meals and haul them up the hill from the village below.
Don’t forget to visit the ceramics workshops (talleres) in Quinua, as the people of Quinua are well-known for their skill.
If you love photography and want to see Wari and Quinua from another photographer’s point of view, check out this post on Wari and this post on Quinua. The moody clouds really bring out the colors of the mountains. Seriously beautiful photos from someone who clearly loves Peru as much as me. 🙂
[Wari and Quinua, Ayacucho, Peru: August 17, 2013]
After spending a week in Santiago and the surroundingarea, I was ready to head back to my beloved Peru. In an effort to save money, I ended up taking an 32 hour bus ride up the Chilean coast back to Arica. I thought about stopping in La Serena, a pretty beachside city en route, but at this point in my trip, I was convinced I would be moving to Chile in the future and would have another opportunity. As it turns out, I was right; I will actually be living near La Serena in 2015!
Peru awaited me: I spent a night in Arica before crossing the border to Tacna, Peru for another long bus ride to Lima. I spent a few days in Lima recharging my batteries, planning my route through the sierra central (central highlands), and cleaning the dust out of my camera! My first stop on my tour of central Peru was Ayacucho.
Views of the Main Plaza of Huamanga, Ayacucho, Peru
As it turns out, the city of Ayacucho is known as Huamanga by its residents. Huamanga is the capital of Huamanga province and the Ayacucho department. Its name was changed to Ayacucho by Simón Bolívar to honor the lives lost during the Battle of Ayacucho at the Pampa de la Quinua, where Peru won its independence from Spain. In Quechua, ayacucho means purple heart, or purple soul, or even the corner of the dead. Sendero Luminoso (the Shining Path) used the mostly rural region as its base during the 1980s and 1990s, which led to large scale violence and massacres of the mainly indigenous population in the department of Ayacucho. For this reason, the name has a particularly poignant meaning for the people of Ayacucho, whose lives have been greatly affected by these recent events.
Looking Towards the Mirador de Acuchimay from Ayacucho’s Cathedral
Today, Ayacucho is a quiet city surrounded by gorgeous hills. It is known for the 33 colonial churches located throughout the city and its well-preserved colonial buildings. Huamanga also hosts one of the most famous celebrations of Semana Santa, when its streets are flooded with Peruvian and international tourists participating in the Easter festivities and hotels are booked to capacity. The rest of the year, Huamanga has a laid-back, unassuming vibe. I was particularly interested in visiting Ayacucho because of its impressive artesanía, which I’d seen in the artisan markets in Lima.
Vegetarian Lunch in Huamanga, Ayacucho, Peru
I’d arrived in Huamanga early in the morning after an overnight bus ride that twisted and turned through the Andes, rendering sleep impossible. I easily found my hostel, Hostal Tres Máscaras, located a few blocks from the main plaza. After resting for a few hours, I ventured out to take in the traditional main plaza, a great place to enjoy the sunshine. Although my photos hide the fact, most of the plaza was actually under construction, which made for interesting navigation around the center of town. I managed to find one of Huamanga’s vegetarian restaurants, where I had a very traditional Peruvian meal, with chicha morada, choclo con queso, a soup with quinoa and veggies, and a main dish featuring potatoes, of course!
Streets of Huamanga, Ayacucho, Peru
I navigated aimlessly through the colorful streets of Huamanga, taking in the decidedly different architecture of this region. I also stopped by iPeru to get some suggestions on what I should do in the area. I decided to book a city tour that afternoon with A&R Tours, as it was an easy, inexpensive way to get the more distant parts of the city.
Churches of Ayacucho and its DistinctiveArch
My wanderings took me to some of the most beautiful churches in the area, and also to the distinctive Arco de Triunfo which marks the entrance into the central business district of the city.
Inside One of Ayacucho’s Casonas; Exhibition of the Tradional Art from Today’s Artisans
We started the city tour by admiring some of the colonial casonas (big houses) which have been preserved and/or restored for their historical importance. There was an interesting exhibition of traditional art located near the main plaza in the Casona Centro Cultural San Cristóbal. As you see above, Ayacucho’s artists are famous for their skilled weavings and religious art, particularly these crosses as well as retablos. Retablos are constructed in the shape of a doorway, with two doors which open outward to reveal an intricately crafted scene inside. Originally, they were religious in nature, but now they record traditional lifestyles, celebrations, and humorous situations.
Wari Ceramics; View from the Museo Hipólito Unanue; Wari Stone Sculptures
After exploring a few colonial buildings, we piled in the van to the Museo Histórico Regional Hipólito Unanue, Ayacucho’s archeological museum. While I generally prefer exploring museums independently, our guide competently explained the history of the Wari (or Huari) in the area. The Wari were a pre-Incan culture whose empire once encompassed much of central and coastal Peru; the majority of their ruins are located around Ayacucho and are still being studied. The Wari are known for these giant ceramic urns painted with distinctive patterns and colors. I was surprised to learn that the Wari culture also created massive stone sculptures, reminiscent of those on Easter Island.
Main Plaza of Barrio Santa Ana, Huamanga, Ayacucho, Peru
After visiting the museum on the outskirts of the central district, we headed to Barrio Santa Ana, located on the other side of town and perched on a hill. Barrio Santa Ana is famous for its talented artisans, many of whom have become nationally and internationally famous. On the day we visited, Barrio Santa Ana was celebrating its fiestas, which meant the streets were particularly active and there was some form of bull-running on the main plaza!
Alabaster Carvings in Barrio Santa Ana, Huamanga, Ayacucho, Peru
Our first stop took us into one of the talleres (or workshops) of a talented artisan who specializes in alabaster carvings. Ayacucho’s artisans carve traditional Andean scenes into the “piedra de Huamanga.” While this particular artisan was not available to show us his work, I could imagine the hours he spent with these tiny files creating these beautiful sculptures.
Alabaster Carvings and Weavings in Barrio Santa Ana, Huamanga, Ayacucho, Peru
Afterwards, we visited another taller specializing in weavings. Although much of Ayacucho’s popular art utilizes embroidery, Santa Ana’s skilled artisans create true works of art on traditional looms. The central weaving above appears to be a 3-D staircase, while the weaving on the right is inspired by designs from the Wari culture.
Suprisingly, we did not actually see any retablos, as many talleres were closed for the fiestas. iPeru indicated that it is best to visit Barrio Santa Ana in the morning when most of the talleres are open; you can take a taxi to the neighborhood, but make sure to ask him to wait, as taxis are not that common in this part of town.
Templo de Santa Teresa
From Santa Ana, we headed to Monasterio de Santa Teresa de las Carmelitas Descalzas, located adjacent to one of the most beautiful churches in the city, the Templo de Santa Teresa. As with many groups of nuns or monks in South America, the nuns of Santa Teresa make local sweets for sale to the public. I couldn’t resist some treats.
Templo de San Cristobal; Colonial Door on Templo de Santa Teresa
Located next to the Templo de Santa Teresa is the first church in Ayacucho, Templo de San Cristobal. This building is tiny and its stone facade echoes its sibling next door. When we visited, the entire interior was under construction; it looked like the building had been gutted!
As the afternoon grew longer, we headed to the Mirador de Acuchimay, located in the Carmen Alto, a neighborhood located at the highest point in the city. Although it is not that far from the main plaza, iPeru suggests taking a tour or a taxi to get there as it is located in a rougher neighborhood.
While the mirador must have been quite lovely when it was first constructed, it desperately needs a new coat of paint to cover over the graffiti that coats its surfaces. However, the views from up here were beautiful, showing just how large this city actually is, considering its compact downtown.
The hills of the central Andes spread out all around us. Ayacucho appears so peaceful from above; it is really important to reflect on how much this region has suffered in the last few decades.
Views from the Mirador de Acuchimay, Huamanga, Ayacucho, Peru
After enjoying the late afternoon sunshine and a stroll around the mirador, we headed back into town.
Pretty Tree at the Mirador de Acuchimay, Huamanga, Ayacucho, Peru
Traditionally Dressed Women at the Mirador de Acuchimay; Restored Casona in downtown Huamanga; Colorful Hills in the Setting Sun
At this point, we had to pick up the pace of our tour, as there were a few more casonas to visit before sunset. The one pictured above had been restored to its original glory, with beautiful wooden balconies.
Colonial Buildings in Huamanga, Ayacucho, Peru
Inside one of the colonial courtyards, we visited the ancient grape vine supposedly brought by the Spanish hundreds of years ago and still alive today. In theory, this plant was the original source of the grapes used for pisco, Peru’s traditional brandy. I’m not convinced. 🙂
Views from Ayacucho’s Cathedral
Our last stop was Ayacucho’s cathedral. Interestingly, due to budget issues, the cathedral can only be visited during daytime hours as they cannot afford the electricity for its interior lighting. You can see the darkness inside as the sun disappeared from the sky.
Sunset in Huamanga, Ayacucho, Peru
As the sun sank behind the hills around Huamanga, I appreciated how the sun reflected pretty colors in the clouds that had begun to roll in around the city.
Ayacucho’s Cathedral at Sunset
For our last stop, our guide took us into some of the other art galleries that circled the plaza. This also gave me a chance to appreciate the plaza at dusk. That night, I ate a simple self-catered dinner at my hostel, but on the following two nights, I had excellent meals at Via Via Cafe, where they have several vegetarian options, including an Asian-inspired stir-fry, a salad with tempura vegetables, and deconstructed papa a la huacaína.
As you can see, Ayacucho is a beautiful colonial city which celebrates its traditional art. After my tour the next day, I headed to the extensive Mercado Artesanal Shosaku Nagase to see and buy popular art, especially the colorful flower embroidery that Ayacucho is known for. In addition, any visit to Ayacucho should be informed by an exploration of its often tragic history. I regret not visiting the Museo de la Memoria, which illustrates and commemorates the massive loss of life during the conflict with Sendero Luminoso.
After getting to know the city of Huamanga, I was looking forward to seeing the history contained in the ruins of Wari and the Pampa de la Quinua on my tour the next day.
Recommendations for Ayacucho, Peru:
I cannot stress enough how helpful and friendly the staff at iPeru was during my stay in Ayacucho. They patiently answered all of my questions, suggested the best ways to get around the Ayacucho region independently on local transportation, and provided a list of hostals in Vilcashuamán and nearby Vischongo, two towns that are decidedly off the main tourist grid. I would definitely not have visited Vilcashuamán if it weren’t for their encouragement, and they also helped me figure out the safest route onward to Huancavelica. Visit iPeru at Jr. 2 de Mayo N° 212 (in front of the Templo de la Merced). Seriously, they’re the best.
I was happy with the tours offered by A&R Tours. In particular, our guide to Wari and Quinua was eloquent and especially knowledgeable about the history of Ayacucho, and most of the historical information I mention above comes from what I learned from him. In 2013, a city tour cost S/.25 and the tour to Wari and Quinua cost S/.35.
Visit the Museo Histórico Regional Hipólito Unanue at Av. Independencia 502 in the Complejo Simón Bolívar. This gives you an extensive background into the history of the Wari culture which used to inhabit this area. The museum is open Monday through Sunday from 9AM-1PM and 3PM-5PM, and entry is free.
Visit the Museo de la Memoria at Prolongación Libertad 1229, which remembers the lives lost during the conflict with Sendero Luminoso in the 1980s and 1990s. An extensive Spanish language description of this museum can be found here. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9AM-1PM and 3PM-5PM. Entry costs S/.2.
I stayed at Hostal Tres Máscaras, which was a decent place to stay. It has a lovely plant-covered patio, but while I was there, there were no other guests and they were still remodeling their newer guest rooms. They have free wi-fi but shut it off when no one was around, which meant I always had to find someone to turn it on when I got back to the hostal after my tours. A private room with shared bathroom cost S/.26 per night in August 2013. There are lots of options in Ayacucho during the off-season, so I suggest arriving early in the morning and looking for the best option for you.
I highly suggest eating lunch or dinner at Via Via Cafe. I would have loved to stay there as well but they were a little pricey for my budget.
Vegetarians should look for the vegetarian restaurants around Ayacucho’s main plaza; there are a few. I ate at one on 2 de Mayo, and it was delicious.
Make sure you stop by the Mercado Artesanal Shosaku Nagase, located where Avenidas 9 de Diciembre and Garcialaso de la Vega meet Avenida Quinua near the university, about five blocks from the plaza. Here you can buy souvenirs, including small retablos and wall hangings, purses, and belts decorated with the super pretty flower embroidery representative of Ayacucho’s folk art tradition.
If you read Spanish, this Wikipedia article contains great information on Ayacucho.
Although Ayacucho is safe today, it is generally advised that tourists avoid traveling by bus at night, particularly on the highway that leads to Huancayo. Due to Ayacucho’s location between the jungle and the coast, the highways throughout the area are used for transporting illicit drugs. Follow the advice of locals, including iPeru, as they know best whether there is anything to be concerned about!
After spending an afternoon enjoying the sun and beaches of Viña del Mar, my Chilean friend, Francisca, and I headed to nearby Valparaíso. Over the years, I’d heard bits and pieces about Valparaíso, Chile, namely that it was a lovely city with a lot of character located on the Pacific, and I was ready to experience it for myself.
La Sebastiana in Valparaíso, Chile
Our first stop was La Sebastiana, Pablo Neruda’s house in Valparaíso. Fran thought it would be fun to continue our tour of the private life of Chile’s most famous poet. Although you are not allowed to take photos inside the house, the windows of the quirky three-story house afforded an amazing view of sunset falling over Valparaíso.
Based on the clouds in the sky, I realized that the evening’s sunset was going to be a special one, so we found a good vantage point to take in the sunset.
Sunset in Valparaíso, Chile
We were not disappointed. The setting sun illuminated Valparaíso’s houses perched on the surrounding hills and painted the clouds pretty shades of pink and purple.
Sunset in Valparaíso, Chile
How could you not fall in love at first sight with a colorful seaside city like this?
Sunset in Valparaíso, Chile
After watching the sunset, we decided to explore some of the galleries scattered about Valparaíso. Valpo (the city’s nickname) is famous for its bohemian atmosphere and support of the visual arts, including the murals and graffiti art that decorate nearly every available surface in the city.
Nighttime in Valparaíso, Chile
We lingered over some screenprinted representations of the distinctive Valpo hills, and I ended up buying a handpainted canvas directly from the artist. I loved the way that all of the art celebrated the special characteristics of the city, like its small houses, ascensores, and churches perched at the top of the hills. As we were leaving Valparaíso, we both lamented that we hadn’t been there long enough for me to really take in the full character of this artsy city. We hadn’t even been able to wander around in search of interesting street art! We quickly decided to spend another night at Fran’s parents’ house in Curacaví and return early the next day to continue exploring.
Murals in Valparaíso, Chile
Luckily, we were blessed with another gorgeous sunny day, perfect for walking through the streets of Valparaíso. I was amazed at the talent evident in the colorful murals and how they were often adapted to match their surroundings.
Streets of Valparaíso, Chile
I was also surprised at how much the city felt like a smaller, more compact version of San Francisco, with its steep cobblestone streets.
Street Art in Valparaíso, Chile
We started our day at Cerro Alegre, then headed to nearby Cerro Concepción, two of the most touristic hills of the city (there are over 40!). These photos were shot in both locations as they are within walking distance of each other.
Street Art and Interesting Buildings in Valparaíso, Chile
The photographer in me was overwhelmed by all the eye candy. Even the buildings that weren’t decorated with murals had character!
Views of Valparaíso, Chile
Since it was a clear day with a brilliant blue sky, I really wanted to get a nice shot of Valparaíso surrounded by the cordillera with its snow-capped peaks showing in the distance. We walked for a little while to a stretch of sidewalk that was unobscured by houses, and were rewarded with this awesome view.
Views of Valparaíso, Chile
From the top of this hill, you could see the tall industrial buildings and the colorful residential buildings. Walking through the streets of Cerros Alegre and Concepción, Valparaíso seemed small, but the city clearly sprawled far off into the distance.
Views from Valparaíso, Chile
As a student of Latin American culture, I was particularly drawn to the art that celebrated Chilean and Latin American identity. Of course, I also appreciated this reference to biking culture, going strong throughout Chile!
Posing in Valparaíso, Chile
This giant mural illustrated Chile’s many landscapes and cultures, including that of Easter Island, as you see above. By this point, I was completely enchanted by Chile, so I couldn’t resist posing with my guidebook and commemorating my visit to this amazing country!
Graffiti in Valparaíso, Chile
I have always been drawn to graffiti that carries a message. The graffiti on the left are lyrics from “Cantata de Puentes Amarillos” by Luis Alberto Spinetta, a well-known Argentine rocker. Loosely translated, the lyrics read, “Even if they force me, I’m never going to say that all that time in the past was better, tomorrow is better.” The stencil on the right says, “Let life fly!”
Colorful Mural in Valparaíso, Chile
I am always impressed by artists who can make art seem 3-D, as in this colorful mural.
Paseo Atkinson, Valparaíso, Chile
Pisco Sour at Cafe Brighton in Valparaíso, Chile
After spending a few hours wandering through the streets, Fran suggested we have lunch at Hotel Brighton, one of the best-known restaurants in the city. Built into the hill, it has amazing views of the water, the surrounding city, and the mountains. Above the cafe/bar is an exclusive hotel with incomparable views.
After eating lunch and sampling a pisco sour, we poked around in more of the cute shops lining the streets of Cerro Concepción and admired some more artwork, and then decided to head down to the business district at sea level, below.
Artistic Representations of Valparaíso, Chile
Valparaíso is famous for the ascensores, or funiculars, that provide cheap, easy transportation between the business district below and the residential hills above. These ascensores are more than 100 years old and represent the working class past of this port city. In the past, Valparaíso had more then 20 ascensores, but now only seven are currently in use. Riding these rickety wooden train cars is a full body experience with a visual reward.
Views from the Business District of Valparaíso, Chile
Stepping off the ascensor and into the business district of Valparaíso is like entering a completely different city. Suddenly, you’re surrounded by people walking around at a brisk pace and buses, trolleys, and cars passing by on crowded streets. The buildings around the main plaza are impressive, particularly the two pictured above!
Views from Cerro Artillería, Valparaíso, Chile
After wandering around for a bit in the busy downtown, we took another ascensor to Cerro Artillería. (We visited in August 2013, but, unfortunately, this picturesque ascensor is currently under construction and is no longer operational.) On Cerro Artillería, the ambiance is a little different. Instead of being geared towards the more affluent tourists who pass through Cerros Alegre and Concepción, the amenities seemed aimed at locals, which made browsing and lingering over the views much more comfortable for me.
Views from Cerro Artillería, Valparaíso, Chile
When you leave the ascensor, you immediately see the giant building which used to house the Escuela Naval (Navy School) and has since been turned into the navy’s museum. You can also walk along the Paseo Mirador 21 de Mayo, which affords great views of the cordillera in the distance and overlooks the constant movement and noise of boats being loaded with shipping containers in the port below.
Views from Cerro Artillería, Valparaíso, Chile
We spent some time chatting with a few local artesanas (artisan women) who were selling their jewelry nearby. I still get compliments on the jewelry I purchased from them!
Views Heading Down the Cerro Artillería Ascensor, Valparaíso, Chile
After watching the pretty sunset from above, we headed back down on the ascensor and found a bus to take us towards the other ascensor back to Cerro Alegre. The port area of Valparaíso is not known for being particularly safe, and Fran was especially protective of her American friend with her fancy camera. 🙂
Tea and Treats at Mercadito Alegre, Valparaíso, Chile
Back on Cerro Alegre, we decided to stop in at an adorable small cafe called Mercadito Alegre. I was excited to find loose-leaf tea to warm me up, and couldn’t resist a sweet treat. I also loved the adorably decorated cupcakes, including various characters from the World of Nintendo and Winnie the Pooh.
After such an awesome day, I was officially in love with Valparaíso and its street artists, photographers, and artisans. I felt like the city combined the best aspects of my favorite cities around the world, with a distinctively Chilean spin. I also sensed that the people of Valparaíso took great pride in their city, and their enthusiasm made me love it too!
Recommendations for Valparaíso, Chile:
Spend as much time in this fun city as possible! We were only there for a day and a half and I could have easily stayed for a week exploring the vibrant streets and poking my head into all the shops and restaurants in the area. To get a real sense of the city, you should venture beyond Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción and visit some of other hills, like Cerro Artillería.
Make sure to ride at least one of the famous ascensores that used to be the primary mode of transportation between the business district and the residential areas. A ride costs $500CLP (about $1 USD).
Stop in to have a warm drink or a snack at Mercadito Alegre! This was the cutest cafe I visited in Chile.
Although I did not have a chance to explore them on my quick visit, Valparaíso is also known for its many churches.
Check out this comprehensive list of things to do and places to stay in Valparaíso!
After a whirlwind tour of some of Santiago’s highlights, my friend Francisca whisked me away to her parents’ house in Curacaví for a welcome dinner. Chileans are famous for their hospitality, and true to form, her parents provided “la gringa” with an amazing dinner spread with copious amounts of quality Chilean wine. They were pleasantly surprised to find that I speak Spanish fluently and we laughed throughout the leisurely dinner party.
Views from Curacaví, Chile
The next morning, I awoke well-rested and was pleasantly surprised to see blue skies and sunshine surrounding us. Curacaví is less than an hour’s drive from Santiago but seems a world away, nestled in the green hills of the lower Andes en route to the coast.
Views from Curacaví, Chile
Curacaví is a small city which has seen significant real estate development in recent years, particularly gated communities of condominiums. Many years ago, Fran’s parents began constructing their dream house in Curacaví, and her mother’s artistic touches have brought warmth and style to the house. (There are no photos out of respect for their privacy, but trust me, she’s an inspiration!) I was particularly fascinated by the succulents and flowers all over the property, and the lovely views of the surrounding hills.
Flowers in Curacaví, Chile
Although it was technically the middle of winter, some of the trees were in bloom, bringing an extra dose of cheerfulness to my morning. After chilly Santiago, I enjoyed relaxing in the hammock in the warm sunshine.
Colonial Buildings and Moai at Museo Fonck, Viña del Mar, Chile
After breakfast, we headed to Viña del Mar. I was excited to finally be back to the Chilean coast, and the views descending from the highway into Viña were lovely. Viña del Mar is famous for its colonial architecture and its annual international music festival, so I was looking forward to experiencing the resort city for myself.
Our first stop was Museo Fonck. As you probably know by now, I fell in love with Rapa Nui (Easter Island/Isla de Pascua) when I visited in December 2012, and I had learned that the museum had an impressive exhibit on the island’s history and culture. Most importantly, I wanted to visit the moai sitting in front of the museum, who had been transported so far from his home. I spent a solid hour carefully reading the museum placards and studying the artifacts of Rapa Nui culture. Easter Island’s museum had been closed for renovations when I tried to visit, so I was hungry for more information about the island.
Pretty Ocean Views from Viña del Mar, Chile
Empanadas in Viña del Mar, Chile
As it turned out, the museum closed early on Saturdays, so I wasn’t able to delve into the other exhibits on Chile’s other cultures. However, this was for the best, as it forced us outside into the bright sunshine.
We headed to the coastline so that I could take in the ocean. After spending a month in the Andes, I hadn’t realized how much I missed the sound of the ocean! Luckily, one of the typical traditions of Viña del Mar is to eat empanadas at one of the many outdoor cafes that line the coastal road. I was happy to find two vegetarian options and we enjoyed a relaxing lunch as the breeze came in from the water.
Scenes from the Beach in Viña del Mar, Chile
Of course, no visit to Viña del Mar is complete without a stroll on the beach. Although it was the middle of winter, the beach was spotted with other visitors.
Wandering the Beach in Viña del Mar, Chile
I couldn’t resist taking off my shoes and feeling the wet sand between my toes.
Enjoying the Pacific Waters in Viña del Mar, Chile
Views from Viña del Mar, Chile
I had to test out the Pacific waters for myself, even if the water was very cold!
After wandering along the sandy beach, we headed to the nearby tourist stands set up as a fair, filled with typical souvenirs and sugary treats, like churros and alfajores. This gave me a chance to try some typical Chilean desserts.
Although we spent only a few hours in Viña del Mar, I enjoyed the coastal vibe. As this photo shows, Viña del Mar is a lot like San Diego, with its palm tree-lined streets and tall hotels. It also reminds me a lot of the pretty malecón in Lima.
Next up was Viña’s sister city Valparaíso, which I fell in love with at first sight!
Recommendations for Viña del Mar, Chile:
Be sure to visit Museo Fonck, but check the posted schedule to make sure you leave enough time for your visit. They have an extensive exhibit dedicated to Easter Island, and they also have a Mapuche collection. Admission costs $2.500CLP (about $5).
Walk along the coast and have some empanadas and a drink at an outdoor cafe.
Although we did not have a chance to visit them on our very brief visit, Viña is also known for its botanical gardens.
If you can, try to time your visit with the famous International Song Festival held in Viña every February in the Quinta Vergara park, but plan in advance to find a place to stay!
Here are some other suggestions on things to do in Viña del Mar. You can also read my more recent post on Viña.
[Curacaví and Viña del Mar, Chile: August 4, 2013]
