The port city of Callao together with Lima forms the metropolitan region of Lima, and is underestimated above all. The port city, located west of the capital and has had an important role as a port of call for European ships since its founding in 1537 for all of Peru, has its beautiful and worth seeing corners.
One of those places that you should visit during a trip to Lima is the small district of La Punta. The name means in German “Die Spitze”, so it is not surprising that with this name it will be called the tip in the peninsula of the sea in the southwest of Callao. La Punta, due to its location, is a very small district, surrounded on all sides by the sea, to the east side, where the peninsula is connected to the mainland, bordering the center of the city of Callao. And this location makes La Punta a popular destination or excursion destination.
The history of La Punta
The history of the peninsula goes back to the time of the Incas, when, due to the favorable situation, the fishermen settled there. After colonization, La Punta continued to serve mainly as a fishing village, in the 17th century a maritime school was founded, it still exists today as a naval academy and occupies a large part of the western end of the peninsula.
In 1746, La Punta, like Callao itself, was totally destroyed by an earthquake. But the population was not deterred by the potentially recurrent danger and rebuilt the place. Later, La Punta became a popular tourist center and home to the better-off population. In the first half of the 20th century, mainly Peruvians of Italian origin settled in La Punta, and today this heritage can still be seen in the Italian architecture of some buildings.
Sights and recreational opportunities on La Punta
Peace in the peninsula is noticed as soon as you leave the city of Callao. It is not only the sea that transmits that calm, although it certainly adds a lot to it. There are also many parks on the beach or in the interior of La Puntas, the well-kept streets and beautiful villas.
Especially due to the beautiful beaches and the calm waters (well protected by the islands near the coast of La Punta) La Punta is very popular with holiday makers. On the beaches there are villas with views of the sea or the port of Callao, which are very popular especially at night with tourists and locals.
The malecon invites you to take a walk. In general, a light and fresh breeze blows over the sea, which makes the temperatures very pleasant. It is also possible to take boat trips along the coast and nearby islands from La Punta and observe the colonies of sea lions and birds there. La Punta has a style. In addition to Italian architecture, there are Spanish-style buildings, as well as modern residential complexes. Do not forget, of course, the many restaurants, where the specialties consist mainly of freshly caught fish. In La Punta you can spend a complete vacation, or you can simply take a day trip there to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city.
La Punta in Callao
Population: 4300
Area: 38 ha
Height: 2 m
Municipalidad
