Piura used to be a sleepy little town in the middle of the desert of northern Peru. But thanks to El Niño, small trees and shrubs grow here and there and the area becomes greener instead of sterile. And that is not the only thing that has grown here. Even Piura has increasingly become a popular destination, and even if you do not necessarily spend two weeks here, it’s a nice change for a two-day trip. What makes the city on the river of the same name? Its inhabitants incredibly friendly, and the food exceptionally delicious.
In the center of the city, there are also some historic colonial buildings, which can be visited with a bit of luck, and also the birthplace of local national hero Miguel Grau Seminario invites you to visit. Nearby is also the baroque cathedral of 1588, which should not be missed.
But only when the sun sets, life seems to wake up in Piura. Suddenly, the sleepy square is full of young women who wear their good clothes, while young people flirt with their vehicles (and sometimes pumped) and loud music. Bands with warm rhythms, happy families during a night tour of the square and an omnipresent laughter make it easy to feel comfortable here. And the kindness of the inhabitants guarantees that even as a tourist, they immediately get involved in a conversation and can learn even more about life here.
Culinary delights for what you can see
In the city center, there are dozens of restaurants and cafés offering typical local specialties. Of course, fresh seafood can be found at the top of the menu, since the sea is only 60 miles away. Especially the ceviche, a kind of cold salad, in which the raw fish is marinated with lime juice, is here the Renner.
Another local specialty is the tamal, small “packages” of corn leaves inside which is a kind of oatmeal, a delicacy that is known throughout South America. The peculiarity here in Piura is that the tamales are refined with chicken and served for breakfast. A beginning of strengthening for the day.
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Climate and temperatures
In Piura the whole year is “summer”. The temperatures are consistently very warm to hot.
Current weather
Organic bananas from Piura
For Europe, Piura is one of the most important suppliers of organic bananas. Around 90,000 tonnes of lekkeren fruit were exported in 2014. For 2015, an increase of 20% is expected. 6,300 small farmers cultivate an area of 6500 hectares. Customers include companies like Dole.
District of Piura
Inhabitants: 1.5 million
Area: 330 km²
Height: 29 m
Municipalidad
