What places to visit in the city of Ayacucho?

3.- Triumphal Arch

The Arc of Triumph is a historical monument built in the 19th century to commemorate the Battle of Ayacucho, which was fought on December 9, 1824. It was made with the intention of marking a before and after the end of Spanish rule in South America.

The Arc of Triumph is located a few minutes walk from the Plaza Mayor of Ayacucho, exactly between Avenida 28 de Julio and the jiron Carlos F. Vivanco.

Triumphal Arch, Ayacucho

Acuchimay lookout point and La Picota lookout point

4.- The viewpoint of Acuchimay

The viewpoint of Acuchimay is one of the most popular of Ayacucho since it has some portals very well decorated with Ayacucho flowers giving an appearance of a giant altarpiece . In the center of the plaza of the viewpoint stands the image of Christ the Redeemer of more than 3 meters high. Access to the viewpoint is free, but if you want to have a higher view of the city you can climb the tower located in its small square for the price of S/. 1 sol (USD 0.20 dollars) per person.

I suggest you visit the viewpoint both day and night, as you will have different views of the city, day you will see a city in the middle of the mountains and at night you will see the lights of the city that will look like stars in the sky, certainly a luxury. You can also see the sunset at the Mirador de Acuchimay from 4:00 to 4:30 pm.

How to get to the Mirador Acuchimay from the Plaza de Armas of Ayacucho?

By tourist agency

You can hire a city tour that will take you to the main tourist sites of the city of Ayacucho, including the Acuchimay viewpoint. The approximate cost of these city tours is between S/. 20 to 40 soles ( USD 5 to 8 dollars) per person.

By cab

You can ask for a cab to the Mirador de Acuchimay, the cost of the trip is approximately S/. 15 soles (USD 4 dollars), considering the departure point as the Plaza de Armas of Ayacucho.

By public transportation

You should take a bus line 8 at Jirón Carlos Mariátegui, which is very close to the Plaza de Armas de Ayacucho. You will not be able to confuse the bus since all the buses have the number of the route they travel on the upper front part of the bus itself.

The cost of the ticket is s/ 1.5 soles ( USD 0.20 dollars) per person and you will arrive in approximately 20 minutes at 13 de abril Avenue in Carmen Alto. Do not forget to ask to get off at that stop and I suggest you use the Google maps application to be sure of your route.

At the 13 de abril de Carmen Alto stop you will have to walk less than 3 minutes and you will be at the Acuchimay viewpoint. For the return to the Plaza de Armas de Ayacucho you will have to wait for the bus line 8 at the intersection of Avenida 13 de abril de Carmen Alto with jirón Huaraz.

5.- La Picota Viewpoint

The Mirador de la Picata is a bit far from the Plaza de Armas of Ayacucho, but it is well known for the activities that can be done there and also because it is a very Instagrammable destination thanks to its hanging bridge and its tower.

What activities can I do at Mirador La Picota?

• Extreme swing

It consists of swinging on the edge of an abyss and feel the adrenaline of swinging over nothing, do not worry because safety measures are used. The cost of the activity is S/. 15 soles ( USD 4 dollars) per person and lasts 5 minutes.

• Short Canopy

It consists of passing through a rope between two hills. The short canopy refers to the fact that you will only go through the rope once and you will have to return to the beginning of the route on foot. The cost of the activity is S/. 25 soles ( USD 7 dollars) per person.

• Long canopy

It consists of going through a rope between two hills, the long canopy refers to the fact that you will go through the rope twice, so you will return to the same place where you started the canopy tour. The cost of the activity is S/. 35 soles ( USD 10 dollars) per person.

• ATVs

They offer the service of ATVs to go to the Halcón viewpoint, which is located very close to the La Picota viewpoint. The cost to go to the Halcón viewpoint and back to the La Picota viewpoint by ATV is S/. 40 soles (USD 10 dollars) per person.

If you only want to go by ATV to the bus stop that returns to the Plaza de Arma de Ayacucho, the cost of the trip is S/. 10 soles (USD 3 dollars) per person.

Schedule of extreme activities:

Monday to Friday

3:00 to 6:00 pm

Saturday to Sunday

10:00 am to 6:00 pm

How to get to the Mirador La Picota from the Plaza de Armas of Ayacucho?

By tourist agency

You can hire a city tour that will take you to the main tourist attractions of the city of Ayacucho, including the Mirador de la Picota. The approximate cost of these tours around the city of Ayacucho is between S/. 20 to 40 soles ( USD 6 to 11 dollars) per person.

By cab

A cab from the Plaza de Armas of Ayacucho to the Mirador de la Picota costs approximately S/. 30 soles (USD 9 dollars).

By public transportation

You should take a bus line 15 at the intersection of Jiron Bellido and Jiron Garcilaso de la Vega, which is 3 minutes from the Plaza de Armas de Ayacucho. You will not be able to confuse the bus since all the buses have the number of the route they travel on the upper front part of the bus itself.

I suggest that you tell the bus driver that you want to get off at the Mirador de la Picota bus stop and that you keep an eye on your Google Maps application.

The cost of the ticket is S/. 2 soles (USD 0.40 dollars) per person and you will arrive in approximately 20 minutes to the viewpoint stop, then you will have to walk 15 minutes to the viewpoint or take a motorcycle cab (3-wheeled motorcycle) that will take you in 3 minutes to the viewpoint for only S/. 5 soles (USD 1.20 dollars) per person. For the return you can walk or take a mototaxi.

White Christ at the Mirador de Acuchimay, Ayacucho

Viewpoint of Acuchimay, Ayacucho

Viewpoint of Acuchimay, Ayacucho

6.- Joaquín Lopez Antay House Museum

In the Joaquin Lopez Antay House Museum you can see hundreds of Ayacucho altarpieces made by the most famous retablist of Peru, you can also appreciate the traditional Ayacucho art through different works and artistic expressions that reflect the cultural and social legacy of Peru.

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/museolopezantay/

Opening Hours

Monday to Saturday

Mornings: 9:30 am to 1:00 pm

Afternoons: 3:00 am to 7:00 pm

Entrance fee

Adults 5 soles (USD 1 dollar) and children 3 soles (USD 0.80 dollars)

Unsch Cultural Center

In September 2022 we were there and were able to find an exhibition of the first altarpieces of the artisan Joaquin Lopez Antay, a pleasant experience for lovers of folk art. The center is located in one of the portals of Plaza de Ayacucho.

Address: Portal Unión #37, Plaza Central Ayacucho.

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Casaculturaldeayacucho/?locale=es_LA

Hours of operation

Tuesday to Saturday from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm

8.- Central Market F. Vivanco

The Central Market F. Vivanco is one of the most popular and oldest markets in Ayacucho, there you will find an infinity of stores and stalls offering everything from fruit juices, hot and cold food, groceries, toiletries, handicrafts and even clothing.

This market is located in a commercial area, you can find nearby other markets such as the Mercado de Artesanías, Mercado de Comida Típica, Mercado de Pan Chapla and more. The prices of the markets are usually quite affordable and the products are usually of good quality.

Ayacucho Altarpiece of the Unsch Cultural Center, Ayacucho

Central Market F. Vivanco, Ayacucho

Where to buy handicrafts at a good price in Ayacucho?

If you are near the Plaza de Armas of the city of Ayacucho I can recommend the markets that are very close to the avenue F. Vivanco, these are: the Mercado Central F. Vivanco and the Mercado de Artesanías. In these markets you can find many stalls of typical Ayacucho and Peruvian handicrafts in general, as well as ponchos, chullos and alpaca or llama wool shawls.

The prices in these markets are not the most comfortable for the pocket, but they are more friendly prices for foreigners with more valuable currencies.

Another place that I can suggest for the purchase of handicrafts, folk art or clothing such as ponchos, chullos, hats and scarves of alpaca or llama wool, is the Shosaku Nagase Gallery or popularly known as the “Craft Fair of Ayacucho, former prison”, named because many years ago there was a prison, and now is a large space for more than 50 stores in the field of handicrafts.

There you can find an infinite number of handmade objects, we have visited it twice in the last 4 years and we have bought clothes with typical Ayacucho flower prints, leather wallets, wallets made from the yerba mate seed, backpacks, ponchos, alpaca or baby alpaca chullos, wool blankets, decorative objects and more.

We remind you, as lovers of popular art, that handmade objects require time and effort and that the artisans who make them show, through them, their culture, religion and beliefs. Therefore, acquiring handicrafts from the places you visit in Peru helps the artisans to preserve their learned techniques through the years.

To take a break after or during your shopping at the fair, we suggest you visit the cafeteria located right at the entrance of the fair, this a small brown pungent stall, you can take a break and enjoy a good coffee and snacks Ayacucho.

The Artisan Fair of Ayacucho, ex Prison is a 10 minute walk from the Plaza de Armas of the City of Ayacucho. Another option is to take a cab, the cost of the cab ride is S/.10 soles (USD 3 dollars) from the square. The third option is to take the bus line 6, the cost of the ticket is S/.1 soles (USD 0.20 dollars) per person.

View of the Plaza de Armas of Ayacucho from the bell tower of the Cathedral of Ayacucho.

Learn more about the City of Ayacucho

Get to know the most amazing places in Ayacucho

Learn more about the culture and history of Ayacucho.