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When you plan your trip to Peru you will want to consider timing your travel with events, holidays and festivals that are held throughout the year. For example, if you are into celebrations and joining in the festive activities around the country you may want to visit any one of the areas that is having an event. Small villages are known for paying homage to its patron saint. You may find celebrations to revere the Inca sun god Inti, or perhaps a more popular one to celebrate the birth of Christ. Peruvians are well known for their love of festivals. Parades are spectacular, with brilliant colors and costumes. Main holidays, such as All Saints Day and Carnival are very widely celebrated. Keep in mind that during these holidays you will probably not find many banks open. The same goes for museums and tourist attractions. So, if you are planning anything along those lines you need to be prepared. Or you could always join in the festivities and enjoy a big part of Peruvian culture. Peru is chock full of excitement and history.
Peru celebrates their national holiday with its Independence from Spanish rule on July 28th. Jose de San Martin led an invasion into Spanish Lima on July 12, 1821 following many days of fighting resulting in the declaration of Peru’s independence after hundreds of years of living under Spanish law. Fiestas Patrias is a yearly celebration that is enjoyed by the whole country. Features that top the list of festivities are the echoes of cannons being set off as the flag is being raised early that morning, as well as musical performances in public parks and plazas the night before. Homes are decorated with flags for the entire month of July. Lima is the sight for the famous Fiestas Patrias military parade and at the main cathedral in the Plaza de Armas, the president of the country is in attendance for the Te Deum ceremony. During the month of July many Peruvians tend to travel to many of these popular destinations. So take this into consideration when you are searching for accommodations.
Other events that bear recognition are the Inti Raymi festival and the Lord of Miracles, “mes morado” or purple month festival. On June 24 Cusco holds the festival of Inti Raymi. It is one of the biggest festivals in Peru. Lima is known for celebrating one of the main events in modern Peruvian culture. During the month of October the Lord of Miracles is paid homage. This event draws hundreds of thousands of spectators. A parade with floats is displayed in reverence to the Lord of Miracles, and has become one of the most popular events around the country.
For a little diversion from the normal festive events you may have some interest in bull fighting. Lima is also the place for these less spoken of events. However, you may stumble into one in some of the smaller villages, where the bullfight might be right in the middle of the street. Where there is a festival you are likely to come upon a bullfight. Wherever you choose to go on your trip to Peru make sure that you take these events into consideration and plan accordingly. Expect an enchanting trip no matter what direction your heart should lead you to.
