Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [304]
Matteos (30-8096; Libertad 487; meals S6-12; 7am-10pm) With two central locations, Matteos serves as an antidote to the hills of parrillada found all over Peru. The all-veggie menu has lots of I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-meat versions of local dishes, salads and heaped plates of fruit and yogurt. The second branch is at Tacna 532.
Don Parce (Tacna 642; 30-0842; mains S6-18; 7am-11pm) Serving a long list of Peruvian standards as well as daily specials, Don Parce is an inviting lunch and dinner spot in a convenient location off the Plaza de Armas. The best deal is a three-course lunch menú, always with a hearty, meaty main dish.
Carburmer (30-9475; Libertad 1014; mains S12-27; 6-11pm; ) This cozy and romantic place is the best Italian restaurant in town. Dripping with moodily lit ambience (check out the wacky pulley system that opens the door), this is the ideal place for that special night out. It has an excellently executed menu where Italian dishes vie for your attention with Peruvian specialties.
Capuccino (30-1111; www.capuccino-piura.com; Tacna 786; meals S12-28; 10am-11pm Mon-Sat) Recently relocated into a beautiful dining room with modern decor, Capuccino serves upscale salads, fresh seafood, sandwiches and desserts that work great for both light lunches or full dinners with a bottle of wine. Try the elegant and simple appetizer of grilled squid with olive oil. For caffeine freaks, Capuccino is the only place in town serving real-deal espressos and coffee drinks.
Supermercado Tusol (Plaza Grau; 8:30am-10:30pm) is good for self-catering.
Drinking
Queenscnr Guardia Civil & Cayeta; admission S20; 9pm-late Thu-Sun) If you really need to shake your rump, head down to Queens, which is not in New York, but just east of town. On rowdy weekend nights the place is filled with gringos and well-heeled Peruvians shakin’ their money-makers to an eclectic international music mix.
Entertainment
Cine Planet (30-3714; Huancavelica 537; admission S6-9) In a brand-spanking-new shopping complex, this cinema shows Hollywood flicks in blissful air-conditioned comfort.
Shopping
The Galería de Artesanía (78-3247; cnr Huánuco & Libertád; 9:30am-1:30pm & 4-8pm Mon-Sat) is actually a tiny mall of about a dozen different craft shops featuring regional specialties from baskets to weavings to Chulucanas pottery. With fair and negotiable prices, it’s a great stop if you don’t have time to go to the outlying craft towns.
Getting There & Away
AIR
The airport (PIU; 34-4505) is on the southeastern bank of the Río Piura, 2km from the city center. Schedules change often. The usual S11 airport tax is charged.
LAN (30-2145; Grau 140) flies from Lima to Piura at 4am, noon, 4pm, and 7pm daily, returning to Lima at 6:15am, 2:15pm, 6:15pm and 9:15pm. LAN also has at least two flights per day to Chiclayo, leaving between 4pm and 10pm; the planes immediately turn around to return to Lima.
BUS
International
The standard route to Ecuador goes along the Panamericana via Tumbes to Machala. Alternatively, Transportes Loja (30-9407; Sánchez Cerro 228) goes via La Tina to Macará (S12, four hours) and Loja (S28, eight hours) at 9:30am, 8:45pm and 9:30pm. These buses stop for border formalities, then continue. For warnings about the Ecuador–Peru border, see the boxed text, Click here.
Domestic
Services to Lima take 12 to 16 hours. Several companies have offices on the 1100 block of Sánchez Cerro, though for Cajamarca and across the northern Andes, it’s best to go to Chiclayo and get a connection there.
Chinchaysuyo (30-4651; Sánchez Cerro 1156) Has been known to run direct buses to Huaraz (S52, 12 to 14 hours) at 10:30pm.
Civa (34 5451; Tacna 101) Has a 5pm and a 6pm bus to Lima (S45 to S62.50, 15 hours), frequent buses to Chulucanas (S2.50, 45 minutes), and a bus to Huancabamba (S24, eight to 10 hours) at 8:30am. On the east side of the river.
Cruz del Sur (33-7094; Bolognesi at Jirón Lima) has a Lima bus (S89 to S129) at 6pm.
El Dorado (32-5875, 33-6952; Sánchez Cerro 1119) Buses for Tumbes (S14, five hours) every