How To Spend 24 Hours In Cerro Azul Peru

Cerro Azul isn’t one of those spots that blog posts rave about, as not many people know about this hidden beach town. Once one of Lima’s most popular summer getaways, it has since been eclipsed by the upscale beach town of Asia – find a chance to visit though, even for a day, you’ll see that Cerro Azul is a classic Peruvian beach town with a unique vibe. Here’s your ultimate guide.

Find a place to stay

There’s two main areas of Cerro Azul you want to stay in: either the Plaza de Armas or near the surf point break. The Plaza de Armas lodgings are more basic than the point break spots, but if you’re looking for the best deals then the plaza is your best bet – plus it’s only a short walk to the beach. The beach to the left of the pier, near the surf spot, has the town’s best lodgings. You’ll find expensive Airbnbs and luxury hotels.

Surf

Eat seafood

When you’re at any beach town in Peru, there’ll be plenty of fresh seafood, and Cerro Azul is no exception. The locals favorite is jalea, which is fried seafood with yuca fries, and of course Peru’s favorite, ceviche. There is an unfathomable amount of restaurants selling fresh fish so you’re going to be hounded to sit down. A midday Pilsen or Cristal (Peru’s most popular beers) goes perfectly with the fresh fish, and is made all the better by your early surf sesh.

Head to the beach

When you’re in a beach town like Cerro Azul there’s nothing else to do but lay out at the beach. It isn’t Peru’s nicest beach, but the beachside service more than makes up for it. Make sure to put on plenty of sunscreen, because the desert sun can be brutal to unfamiliar skin.

Drink some pisco

Bar D’ Maced is the town’s best place to try artisanal pisco. The bartender and owner runs a bar in the nearby town of Cañete, but on the weekends he serves up some of Peru’s best cocktails and pisco in Cerro Azul’s Plaza de Armas. Located in the porch of an abandoned church, it gives you the best spot to people watch from.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.