Peru Travel Guide: Christmas In Peru

Visiting Peru during Christmas is a great way to experience this fiesta-loving, family orientated culture at its most traditional: a time of year when everyone returns to their roots and celebrates in true Peruvian style.

Travelers enjoying Peru vacations over the Christmas period get a unique opportunity to see a different side of this fascinating country.

Lima at Christmas, Peru. Photograph from www.streetsofperu.blogspot.com

Traditions vary throughout Peru. In the north, it’s common to see effigies of public figures burned in the streets, often accompanied by vivacious firework displays that continue late into the night.

Meanwhile in Lima, it’s normal for families to gather for dinner on the 24^th, and celebrate the arrival of Christmas Day at midnight. Again, the sound of fireworks will never be far, and after midnight, people will head out to visit their friends or their favorite night spot to celebrate until the early hours of the morning.

Peruvians are hospitable people and lucky visitors may well be invited to help celebrate Christmas at the family home. If you’re fortunate to receive such an invite, remember its good form to bring something along – an ideal gift is the ubiquitous paneton, a large and sweet sponge cake stuffed with dried fruits and usually sold in a festive looking box.

Others will use the holidays to get out of the city and spend some time on the many beaches that dot the northern and southern coastline near Lima.

In the sierra and the mountains, Christmas celebrations come with a typically Andean twist. Colorful fiestas are thrown, complete with vivid costumes and lively music, creative nativity scenes are erected, and in Cusco, the famous Santuranticuy (Buying of the Saints) market draws people from miles around.

Travel to Peru over this period is easy and enjoyable, but for the smoothest Peru travel experience possible, bear the following points in mind.

- Christmas is a busy travel period for the entire country, with people often covering large distances to visit their families. For this reason, make your transport arrangements well in advance and book your tickets before the seats fill up.

- The 24^th is usually the main day for most celebrations and travel on this day is especially difficult, or expensive. The bus company Cruz Del Sur runs a skeleton service and prices are higher.
- With everyone enjoying a vacation, Peru hotels are often booked up well in advance. Make sure you’ve got your accommodation arrangements made with plenty of time.

- On the 25^th, most vital services including banks and money exchangers will be closed. ATMs will be working as normal.