Ica
Ica is a hot, busy and chaotic city at the Peruvian Coast. It's famous for its wine.
Get in
Ica is about 4~5 hours by bus from Lima, connections are frequent. To Nazca is only 2~3 hours.
Get around
See
In Ica visitors may visit the Huacachina Lagoon, the only oasis in South America, surrounded by huge sand dunes where you can practice sandboarding. There are several vineyards and wineries, which produce Pisco, the national beverage, and wine.
- Museo de Piedras Grabadas, (Engraved Stones Museum) in Ica.. If you like the X files, you will love this mystery.
Do
"The Who" is by far the most popular dance club (discoteca) in Ica, and on Friday and Saturday nights it is full of young and middle-aged people dancing and drinking the night away.
Buy
Eat
El Otro Peñoncito, located a block away from the Plaza de Armas, has tasty Peruvian and Italian cuisine in a small but upscale restaurant. The owner is friendly enough, and the prices are reasonable, although by Peruvian standards they are somewhat expensive.
Restaurant McGrill, on Avenida Geterbo, has cheap set-menu lunches for 7 soles from 12:30 to around 3:00 pm. The restaurant is very clean and hygiene is good. Meals are small but tasty.
- eat with the peruvian people in the Mercado Modelo.
Drink
Pisco Sour, the famous Peruvian cocktail, is for sale at numerous locations in Ica.
Pisco, the fermented liquer made from grapes, is also for sale although most tourists find it too potent to drink pure.
Cachina, a sweet wine-like drink that is the precursor to pisco, is also for sale.
Sleep
- Hotel La Arboleda, Independencia 165. Basic and fairly clean hotel with friendly staff. The neighboorhood is dangerous at night. A single with shared bathroom cost 10 soles.
- Hotel Ollanta. Urbanizacion Divino Maestro, G:22. Small family run hotel in a residential neighborhood. Close to the city centre and Huacachina oasis.
- The Las Dunas Hotel, a complete resort, is the most expensive and most respected hotel in the area. It is in just 10 minutes away from downtown. Rooms cost between $80 and $200 per night.
- Hotel Machu Picchu Avenida Tacna, two blocks from the Plaza de Armas, is a good deal. Rooms cost 30 soles per night but have hot water, cable tv, and large comfortable beds. Like many hotels near the Plaza, caution should be exercised when walking around at night.
- Hospedaje Bleenda near from the catedral, 25 S a room for 2 with bathroom separated but hot water (may 2013)
Stay safe
At night the streets of Ica can be dangerous. Take taxies to get around or just stay at your hotelroom.
Go next
- Huacachina is an oasis and resort in the desert a few kilometers from Ica.