• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 1402 0

is studded with palm trees and large pergolas topped by bizarre mushroomlike bushes, is a popular meeting place and has a patriotic flag-raising ceremony every Sunday morning. The plaza, famously pictured on the front of Peru’s S100 note, features a huge arch – a monument to the heroes of the War of the Pacific. It is flanked by larger-than-life bronze statues of Admiral Grau and Colonel Bolognesi. Nearby, the 6m-high bronze fountain was created by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel, who also designed the cathedral, noted for its fine stained-glass windows and onyx high altar.

MUSEO FERROVIARIO & EL PARQUE DE LA LOCOMOTORA

This museum (24-5572; admission S5; 8am-6pm) located inside the train station – just ring the bell at the southern gates – gives the impression of stepping back in time. You can wander amid beautiful though poorly maintained 20th-century steam engines and rolling stock, plus atmospheric salons filled with historic paraphernalia, including a curious collection of international postage stamps, all to the tune of the lonely tap-tapping of the stationmaster’s ancient typewriter.

About a 15-minute walk south of the train station, a British locomotive built in 1859 and used as a troop train in the War of the Pacific is the centerpiece of El Parque de la Locomotora, an otherwise empty roadside park.

OTHER MUSEUMS

The small, musty Museo de Zela (Zela 542; admission free; 8am-noon & 3-5pm Mon-Sat) provides a look at the interior of one of Tacna’s oldest colonial buildings, the Casa de Zela. It houses a motley collection of 19th-century paintings of stately folk.

If the tiny Museo Histórico Regional (Casa de la Cultura, Apurímac 202; admission S5; 8am-noon & 1:30-5pm Mon-Fri) is closed, ask someone in the library below to open it. The main exhibit deals with the War of the Pacific (Click here), and features paintings and maps. There’s also a small collection of art and archaeological pieces.

BEACHES

Tacna’s main seaside resort is Boca del Río, about 50km southwest of the city. Minibuses from Terminal Bolognesi go here along a good road (S3.50, one hour).

Sleeping

There’s no shortage of hotels catering to Tacna’s cross-border traffic. That said, almost all are overpriced and fill up very fast, especially with Chileans who cross the border for weekend shopping trips. No matter what time you arrive in Tacna, your first order of business is to find a room, which may take quite a while, so it is always best to call ahead.

BUDGET

Marinas (24-6014; Av Circunvalación Sur 40; s without bathroom S20, s/d/tr S30/35/45) One in a line of sketchy-seeming hostels near the bus terminals, Marinas is clean, secure and handy for dropping your stuff off when arriving late at night. Rooms with en-suite bathrooms also have cable TV. Call ahead if you plan to arrive after 11pm.

Lido Hospedaje (57-7001; San Martín 876A; s/d/tr S20/40/50) An unusually well-run and secure guesthouse that many travelers say is the most welcoming budget option in Tacna. Compact and spotlessly clean rooms have hot water. Penny pinchers can ask for a room without a TV and save S5.

Universo Hostal (41-5441; Zela 724; s/d/tr S30/40/60) Next door to the Hostal HC, this broken-in hostel is a secure option with accommodating staff, hot showers and cable TV, though rooms are on the small side.

Hostal HC (24-2042; Zela 734; s/d S35/45/60) A decently clean, if kinda claustrophobic place near the town center. Basic rooms have cable TV and hot showers.

Copacabana Hotel (42-1721; www.copahotel.com; Av Arias Aragüez 370; s/d/tr incl breakfast S65/75/85; ) The popular, youthful Copacabana has simple, cute rooms with private hot showers, cable TV and a full-service cafe, but some rooms can get very noisy on weekends due to the nearby disco.

MIDRANGE

Many hotels raise their rates just before holidays and on weekends, when international shoppers hit town. All of the following have rooms with private hot-water bathrooms, cable TV and telephones.

Plaza Hotel (42-2101; www.plazahotel.com.pe; San Martín 421; s/d/tr incl breakfast S65/80/100; ) There’s a hospital-like