Ica: Culture, city history and nearby desert landscape

Ica stands out for its distinctive landmarks and varied landscapes: the city centre is home to the Plaza de Armas, the Santuario del Señor de Luren and historic architecture. The Museo Regional adds to the experience with collections from various cultures. Nearby, the Laguna de Huacachina offers a very different setting: a lagoon surrounded by vast desert landscape. When planning your trip, you can weigh up city history and culture against an excursion into the dunes.

A plaza, an image and historic architecture

The Plaza de Armas de Ica was founded in 1563 by Don Luis Gerónimo de Cabrera. A two-pointed obelisk stands in the plaza, representing the Nasca and Paracas cultures. The founding story and the obelisk offer two different points of interest: one refers to the creation of the plaza, while the other reflects the cultural interpretation given to this monument. If you enjoy taking in the details of public squares, this is a concrete starting point for exploring Ica’s history and symbolism.

The Santuario del Señor de Luren is also located in the city centre. It preserves the famous image of Señor de Luren, the city’s patron saint. The celebrations and processions in his honour have been declared Peru’s national cultural heritage. The building itself also has distinctive features: its architecture is Neo-Romanesque with eclectic touches, and its floor plan follows the shape of a Latin cross. It covers an area of about 2,100 square metres. The image, religious significance and architectural form offer different perspectives on the same place.

Another example of viceregal architecture in Ica is the Casona del Marqués de Torre Hermosa. It is one of the few surviving examples of this architectural style in the city and has endured both earthquakes and urban growth. Its stone Rococo portal is particularly striking. Together with the Neo-Romanesque Santuario, the Casona shows the variety of historic architectural styles found among Ica’s notable cultural sites.

Collections at the Museo Regional de Ica

The Museo Regional de Ica “Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins” preserves collections containing 52 human remains. They were recovered at the ceremonial centre of Cahuachi and the Estaquería site as part of the “Proyecto Nasca” research project during the 2017–2018 excavation campaigns. The collections give the museum a tangible connection to these named sites and the research campaigns of that time. A donation agreement with JICA also made it possible to acquire and install equipment for the appropriate display and preservation of pre-Hispanic objects. These include objects from the Nazca, Paracas, Ica, Huari and Inca cultures.

There is a specific recurring opportunity to visit the museum: it welcomes the public free of charge on the first Sunday of every month. If you would like to plan your visit around this, check the date before arranging your trip. This information applies to the first Sunday and does not mean that admission is free every day.

From Ica’s city history to the desert landscape

The Laguna de Huacachina lies close to Ica and offers a striking contrast with the city’s cultural sites. The lagoon is surrounded by vast desert landscape, large vegetated dunes and promenades along the shore. An asphalt road leads there from the Plaza de Armas de Ica: it is 5 kilometres long and takes about 15 minutes by private car. The stated journey time is approximate and may vary depending on traffic.

When choosing what to focus on during your trip, you can weigh up two different interests: the plaza, Santuario, Casona and museum represent Ica’s history and culture; nearby Laguna de Huacachina offers dunes and promenades. If you choose Ica as your destination, this distinction can help you plan your days and search for a holiday rental around the experiences that matter most to you.

For the broader travel overview: Ica.