PUNO CITY

The Main Square

Step into the heart of the town at the Main Square, you’ll see an old Catholic church, built during 1747 by Simeon de Asta. Local women dressed in their finest customary clothing gather upon the steps of the church on certain special days. This honors an ancient custom in order to meet with those who seek connection. Hotels that are welcoming as well as cozy restaurants do surround the square full of life where the spirit of the land is shared. The community’s pulse as well as the wisdom from past generations can be felt within the space.

History

Puno, known as «The Land of Camelidae,» is the place where the Tiahuanaco culture once thrived, a place of time’s echoes. These ancient people powerfully bequeathed legacies, like the Puerta del Sol (The Sun Gateway), and it is a stone temple that speaks to how deeply they connected with the land and also the universe.

Festivals do keep that spirit of Puno quite alive, with the city honoring the Virgen de la Candelaria, particularly in February. Acts of song, acts of dance, and acts of devotion make each of the streets come alive at almost this time. The air is filled up with all of the rhythms that are of customary dances such as the «Caporales» and «Diablada,» dances passed down through time from generations, carrying all of the stories of the people. Thousands gather to celebrate. The strength and unity of their ancestors are remembered. Puno does not merely exist as a place; it deeply connects to the past, fully attests to culture’s endurance, and greatly celebrates community.

Lake Titikaka

Lake Titicaca lies between the lands of both Peru as well as Bolivia, the highest lake for boats to travel. The deep blue waters of it reflect that same sky on certain clear days, and they hold that sun’s warmth just like a sacred mirror. Its waters have witnessed the rise of tribes and also the clash of cultures. From faraway lands, strangers arrived at this ancient of lakes. The past’s spirit continues toward defining the present wherein the people’s stories are twisted into the lake’s very fabric itself.

Amantaní Island

Amantani Island, nestled at around 36 kilometers from the port of Puno, deeply connects to both the land and also the sky. To the island’s highest peak, Pachatata, a hike can be done, so its spirit can be understood. The world opens up from that point, and then you will witness such untouched, timeless, wide-ranging beauty in Lake Titicaca and in surrounding mountains. Ancient temples of Pacha Mama and Pacha Tata stand as mute reminders of those from this sacred space who preceded us. You’ll also see the Inca Tihana, the Incachincana, and the haunting cemetery of mummies, each holding stories from the past. The energies of the land and of the water, as well as those of the ancestors, flow together in such a place. It invites for you to connect up with something that is much larger than you.