Pisco and around

This area was all heavily damaged in the 2007 earthquake and the devastation is still apparent although some limited rehousing has taken place, helped by donations from the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez. Some 35 km north of Pisco, near Chincha Baja, is

, the old port, with nearby archaeological sites at Huaca de Tambo de Mora, La Centinela, Chinchaycama and Huaca Alvarado.

itself still has a thriving negro/criollo culture . It is a good place to sample locally produced wine and

. One of the best bodegas is the

founded in 1897 and being totally reconstructed in 2008, http://vinosnaldonavarro.com

. Now run by the fourth generation of the Navarro family, the old cellars are being converted into a museum. Other bodegas also have guided tours and the third Saturday in September is national

day.

The town was originally divided into two:

, with its colonial-style homes, patios and gardens; and

, which, apart from fisheries, has been replaced as a port by the deep-water Puerto General San Martín, beyond Paracas. The two have now expanded into one fairly unattractive town. Avenida San Martín runs from the Plaza de Armas to the sea. The government has spent some US$400 million on rebuilding roads, sewers and power systems after the earthquake, but a year later and the police station was still not rebuilt, corruption and crime were rampant, new housing was limited to one-room shacks made of particle board and many families were still living in tents.

It is not recommended to walk on or near

at night, as there are many reports of tourists being robbed while walking to the beach; take a taxi or mototaxi. It is best not to carry important items such as plane tickets, passports or anything flash, while out at night.

One of the best-preserved Inca ruins in coastal Peru is

.

It includes buildings where the Inca and his retinue would have stayed. Many of the walls retain their original colours. On the other side of the road is the public plaza and the garrison and messengers' quarters. The caretaker will act as a guide and has a small collection of items found on the site. Wait at his house for transport back to Pisco.

At

, four hours by bus from Pisco, the whole side of the church is a perfectly preserved Inca wall with niches and trapezoidal doorways. Twenty minutes from town are the ruins of Incahuasi with thermal baths. On 24 June is the

.