Señor de los Temblores Procession in Cusco

In a country with a depth and complexity of history as Peru, ancient and deep-rooted religious beliefs vie with the official national religion of Catholicism. Add to this the dramatic physical and political impacts of the great earthquake of 1650 and the invasion of the Spanish Conquistadors – and you…

Bajada de Reyes in Lima and Ollantaytambo

Every January 6, Peruvians celebrate Bajada Reyes to conmemorate the arrival of the Three Wise Men to the Nativity and the gifts they brought to the newborn baby Jesus from the East shortly after his birth. When Francisco Pizarro founded Lima, he baptized it with the name “City of Kings” because…

New Years in Peru: Traditions & Celebrations

Some countries have one or two New Year’s Eve traditions, but New Year’s in Peru has traditions a dime a dozen. The night before welcoming the New Year, Peruvians stock up on champagne, flowers, and…potatoes? All the traditions are meant to bring good fortune for the upcoming year. Here’s a list of…

Santuranticuy Cusco Christmas Market

Santurantikuy Cusco

The days before Christmas in Cusco are filled with equal parts excitement, holiday cheer…and crafts projects! Santuranticuy Cusco Christmas Market, one of the largest arts and crafts fairs in Peru, is a temporary Christmas market that takes place every year in the Plaza de Armas. Local Festivals in Peru: Santuranticuy Cusco Christmas Market…

The Festival of Cusco Festivals: Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi Festival in Cusco  The Corpus Christi Festival is Cusco’s most important religious procession. The oldest religious festival in the Americas, it is a majestic display of vibrant costumes and passionate ritual. Read more about Peru’s most important festival and events. The religious significance of the festival During this colorful and…

The month of February is filled annually with festivities and carnivals in many corners of the world; Peru is no exception. The first two weeks of February are replete with colors, music and dancing as people flock to Puno, a city in the Altiplano on Lake Titicaca, to celebrate Puno’s…