PERU TRAVEL PLANNER

Opening hours

Most shops and services in Peru open Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm or 6pm. Many are open on Sunday as well, if for more limited hours. Peru's more important ancient sites and ruins usually have opening hours that coincide with daylight - from around 7am until 5pm or 6pm daily. Smaller sites are rarely fenced off, and are nearly always accessible 24 hours a day for moonlit strolls. For larger sites, you normally pay a small admission fee to the local guardian - who may then walk round with you, pointing out features of interest. Only Machu Picchu charges more than a few dollars' entrance fee - this is one site where you may find it worth presenting an ISIC or FIYTO student card (which generally gets you in for half-price).

Of Peru's museums , some belong to the state, others to institutions, and a few to individuals. Most charge a small admission fee and open Monday to Saturday 9am-noon and 3-6pm.

Churches open in the mornings for mass (usually around 6am), after which the smaller ones close. Those which are most interesting to tourists, however, tend to stay open all day, while others open again in the afternoon from 3 to 6pm. Very occasionally there's an admission charge to churches, and more regularly to monasteries ( monasterios). Try to be aware of the strength of religious belief in Peru, particularly in the Andes, where churches have a rather heavy, sad atmosphere. You can enter and quietly look around all churches, but in the Andes especially you should refrain from taking photographs.