Welcome 2026 in Peru amidst magic, tradition and landscapes

From the Andean highlands to the Pacific coast, the country celebrates the ritual of welcoming 2026 en masse. For travelers, this time offers the opportunity to live a fascinating experience, in which superstitions for prosperity mix with street parties, gourmet dinners and dreamy natural settings.

Arequipa: joy and tradition

New Year's Eve is celebrated in Arequipa with vibrant energy. The epicenter of the festivities is the imposing Plaza de Armas. There, locals and tourists gather, wearing yellow hats, necklaces, and various other yellow items to attract good luck. The night fills with music that invites everyone to dance with the locals, while the sky lights up with a spectacular fireworks display. The surrounding restaurants and bars become a party as the Misti volcano stands witness to the arrival of the new year.

For those seeking a more spiritual experience, the hotels in the Colca Valley organize ancestral ceremonies such as 'payment to the Earth', flower baths, or special dinners in an environment of peace and unparalleled scenic beauty.

If you're in Arequipa, a visit to its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a must. Its streets are an open-air museum lined with beautiful mansions and churches built from sillar, a volcanic stone that gives it its characteristic whitish color. Other must-sees include the Santa Catalina Monastery and its picanterías, traditional restaurants showcasing the region's culinary delights.

If you choose to go to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest in the world, we recommend activities such as watching the majestic condor, relaxing in its natural hot springs, visiting its villages and stopping at the Mirador de los Volcanes and the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve to see alpacas and vicuñas.

Lima: Fireworks and Modernity

If you're looking for a cosmopolitan New Year's Eve celebration, Lima is the ideal destination. In the Peruvian capital, the festivities range from elegant gala dinners with live orchestras to parties in nightclubs, bars, and hotels in the Miraflores and Barranco districts. Many also head to the Miraflores boardwalk to enjoy the spectacular fireworks display that explodes over the Pacific Ocean at midnight.

Another deeply rooted tradition is welcoming the New Year on the beaches south of the city, where parties are held facing the sea. New Year's superstitions, such as eating 12 grapes, carrying lentils in your pocket, or running through the streets with a suitcase to ensure good travel, are practiced with fervor by Lima residents who want to attract good luck.

Visitors can take advantage of the trip to explore the historic center, where balconies, colonial churches, and the Cathedral stand out; explore the bohemian art and charming streets of the Barranco district; walk along the Miraflores boardwalk and appreciate the incredible views of the Pacific Ocean; and enjoy its ceviche restaurants, bars, rooftops, and fine dining establishments with renowned chefs, as the Peruvian capital has been considered this year as the best culinary city in Latin America at the World Culinary Awards 2025.

Ica: the land of eternal sun and good pisco

About four hours south of Lima lies Ica, a region with numerous attractions, including its beaches and cliffs with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Its wide array of hotels, many of them beachfront, host various New Year's celebrations featuring live orchestras or DJs spinning their most danceable tunes. These parties often include dinners where guests toast the new year with pisco, Peru's emblematic spirit, which is produced in this region. It is here that you can embark on the Pisco Route to learn about the history, production process, and flavors of this fantastic distilled spirit.

If you're in the Ica region, a visit to the Paracas National Reserve is a must. Its unparalleled scenic beauty encompasses 335,000 hectares of beaches, islands, cliffs, and deserts. Another unmissable destination is the Ballestas Islands, an incredible place that is home to sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and a variety of endemic birds.

The Nazca Lines are another must-see destination, rich in history, culture, and unique mysteries. From small planes, you can admire their ancient and impressive geoglyphs, including the hummingbird, the monkey, and the spider—enormous figures that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Connectivity:
Located just a three-hour flight from Bogotá and three and a half hours from Medellín or Cartagena, Peru is the ideal destination for both short getaways and longer vacations. To reach Arequipa, you must first arrive in the Peruvian capital and then take a domestic flight to this region in southern Peru. To reach Ica, you depart from Lima and travel for about four hours along the Pan-American Highway South.

Source: Promperú.