from: Dilwyn Jenkins: The
rough guide to Peru; Rough Guides, New York, London,
Delhi; 6th edition September 2006; www.roughguides.com
The town
White rubber boom style in
the old town of Iquitos
Much of Iquitos' appeal derives from its being the starting
point for excursions into the rainforest, but the town is an
interesting place in its own right, if only for the lively
local people and magnificent rubber boom architecture. Like
Manaus, Iquitos evolved into an almost European city during
the rubber boom. Many of the late eighteenth- and early
nineteenth-century buildings are decorated with Portuguese
tiles (
azulejos),
some of which are (p.514)
brilliantly extravagant in their Moorish inspiration, and
the
Casa Khan, on
block 1 of Sargento Lores, is a particularly fine example.
Plaza de Armas and around:
Churches, painters, museums with native objects, Iron
house from Eiffel
The central Plaza de Armas is still weirdly dominated by the
towering presence of an abandoned and dilapidated high-rise
hotel, built during the boom of the early 1980s - initiated
by the then President Belaunde's drive to open up the Amazon
in economic terms - before the economy slumped and terrorism
temporarily slowed tourism in the region. These days, it has
little function other than as a foundation for antennas. The
plaza's modern fountain attracts strolling townsfolk when
illuminated at night, though its sound is generally drowned
out by the mototaxis and cats whizzing around the square.
On the southwest side of the plaza, the
Iglesia Matriz, the main
Catholic church, houses paintings by the Loretano (Loreto is
the
departamento
Iquitos is located in) artists
Americo Pinasco and
Cesar Calvo de Araujo
depicting biblical scenes. The
Museo Municipal (Mon-Fri, 8am-noon &
3pm-5pm; free) by the tourist office on the plaza, has an
interesting, albeit a little half-baked, collection of
exhibits featuring
manguare
drums, stuffed animals, information on some tree and plant
products from the forest, a large preserved
paiche fish and some
animal skulls.
On the southeast corner of the plaza, you'll find the
unusual, majestic
Casa de
Fierro (Iron House), which was recently restored
and is hard to miss with its silvery sides glinting in the
afternoon sunshine. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889
Paris exhibition and later shipped in pieces to Iquitos and
reconstructed here in the 1890s by one of the local rubber
barons, these days it's home to a quality restaurant located
on the upper floor.
Plaza de Armas and around:
Old riverfront - theaters - bakery - Amazonian Museum -
rubber baron houses
One block southeast of Plaza de Armas are the two best
sections of the
old
riverfront, El Boulevard and Malecón Tarapaca,
which has been recently restored to some of its former
glory.
El Boulevard
is the busiest of the two areas, especially at night, full
of bars and restaurants and with a small
amphitheater where some
kind of entertainment occurs most nights, from mini-circuses
to mime, comedy and music.
The
Malecón Taarapaca
boasts some fine old mansions, one of which, at no. 262,
with lovely nineteenth-century
azulejo work, is presently one of the
town's better bakeries. On the corner with Putumayo there's
the military occupied building (no photos allowed), which
was one the Art Nouveau
Hotel
Palace, no longer open to the public but
nevertheless one of the city's historical icons. Also on
Malecón Tarapaca is the Municipal museum,
Museo Amazonico (Mon-Fri
8am-1pm & 3-7pm, Sat 9-1pm; $1.50, 80 cents for
students), devoted to the region's natural history and
tribal culture. Its collection includes some unusual
life-sized human figures in traditional dress from different
Amazon tribes; each fibreglass sculpture was made from a
cast that had encapsulated the live subject for an hour or
so. There's also a gallery devoted to previous
prefectos of Loreto,
some oil paintings, a few stuffed animals and a small
military museum.
Just around the corner you'll find the quaint one stored
Casa Cohen, on the
corner of [Jirón] Prospero with [Jirón] Morona, still a
working shop, built in 1905 and beautifully adorned with
iron work, colourful
azulejos
and
pilastras -
all reflecting the past days of rubber boom commerce and
glory.
In a similar vein of interest, the
Casa Fitzcarrald, at
[Jirón] Napo 200-212, was once home to the legendary rubber
baron of the same name but unfortunately is not open to the
public; it was built of
adobe
and
quincha and
has a central patio with arches, plus ceilings of roughly
sawn wood (p.515).
Amazon Art Gallery:
Francisco Grippa with native motives
In the Punchana sector of Iquitos, the
Galería de Arte Amazonica
(Amazon Art Gallery), [Jirón] Trujillo 438 (call for an
appointment T. 065-253120), exhibits the work of the
Peruvian painter
Francisco
Grippa and a few other national and local artists.
Grippa, who lives and works mainly in Pevas, arrived in the
Amazon in the late 1970s after being educated in Europe and
the US, and his work, described variously as figurative and
expressionist, displays an obsession with light and colour,
focusing on subjects such as
Shipibo Indians, jungle birds and rainforest
landscapes; you can see examples in the Internet when you
search for "Francisco Grippa". There's more art to be found
at
Galería Amauta,
[Jirón] Nauta 248, where there are exhibitions of oil
paintings, caricatures and photographs, mostly by local
artists (p. 516).
Puerto Belén - stilts
district at the Río Itaya inlet - poverty and trade
The most memorable part of town and best visited around 7am
when it's most active, Puerto Belén looms out of the main
town at a point where the Amazon, until recently, joined the
Río Itaya inlet. Consisting almost entirely of wooden huts
raised on stilts and, until a few years ago, also floating
on rafts, the district has earned fame among travelers as
the "Venice of the Peruvian Jungle". Actually more Far
Eastern than European in appearance, with obvious poverty
and little glamour, it has changed little over its hundred
or so years, remaining a poor shanty settlement trading in
basics like bananas, manioc, fish, turtle and crocodile
meat. Whilst filming Fitzcarraldo here, Herzog merely had to
make sure that no motorized canoes appeared on screen:
virtually everything else, including the style of the
barriada dwellings,
looks exactly the way it did during the nineteenth century.
Ask for directions to
Pasaje
Paquito, the busy herbalist alley in the heart of
this frenetic Río Amazonas economic community, which
synthesizes the rich flavour of the place. Here you'll find
scores of competing stalls selling an enormous variety of
natural jungle medicines as well as some of the town's
cheapest artesanía (p. 516).
Eating and drinking in
Iquitos: Fish is going down in the rivers - "Little
England" with English pubs and restaurants
Food in Iquitos is exceptionally good for a jungle town,
specializing in fish dishes but catering pretty well to any
taste. Unfortunately, many of the local delicacies are now
in danger of disappearing entirely from the rivers around
Iquitos - notably, river turtle, alligator and the enormous
and very tasty
paiche
fish. Eating out is something of a popular pastime in the
lively, even energetic evenings, which usually stretch out
well into the early hours of the morning, particularly at
weekends (we've given telephone numbers where reservations
are advised). There are some good
bars and pubs such as the
Fitzcarraldo and the
Arandu on the
Boulevard, which serve excellent grub.
The first block of [Jirón] Putumayo, very close to the
plaza, is surprisingly and rapidly becoming known as "Little
England" because of a legion of English pubs and
restaurants. This is always a busy spot at night and one of
Iquitos' best areas for drinking (p. 516).
Nightlife in Iquitos:
vibrant discos, clubs and bars - gay clubs by persecution
of the gays during terror time
Whilst mainly an extension of eating out and meeting friends
in the main streets, the nightlife in Iquitos is vibrant,
and there are a number of highly charged discos, clubs and
bars worth knowing about. They're quite easy to locate,
especially if you are up and about after 11pm when things
generally get going in the downtown areas, particularly
around the Plaza de Armas and nearby Malecón Tarapaca.
Iquitos has an unusually active gay scene for a Peruvian
jungle town, mainly due to many gays fleeing here during the
terrorist years (the mid-1980s to the early 1990s), when
they suffered persecution, and there are now four or five
dedicated gay clubs (p. 518).
Restaurants in Iquitos
Al Carbon
[Jirón] Condamina 115
this is the most traditional of all restaurants in Iquitos,
only open in the evenings and serving mostly meat dishes -
try
cechina
(smoked pork) or
tacacho
(mashed bananas fried with bacon) - most of which are
largely cooked over charcoals. Excellent salads are
available, too.
Aris Burgers
[Jirón] Prospero 127, T. 065-231479
Actually serving more than burgers (though these are quite
delicious), including plates with a variety of river fish
and even
caiman
meat, plus the best French fries in town. It's the most
popular meeting spot in Iquitos and a bit of a landmark for
taxi and motokar drivers (p. 516)
Heladeria La Favorita
[Jirón] Prospero 413
A roomy café specializing in juices and delicious
jungle-fruit-flavoured ice creams.
El Jardín
[Jirón] Loreto 453
This is the best vegetarian place in town, serving great
combinations of jungle and regular produce; good juices too.
Jugería Paladar
[Jirón] Prospero 245
A small café serving excellent juices and local snacks. This
is an ideal place to cool down for a bit and recover from
the intense jungle heat.
Jungle Jim's Pub
[Jirón] Putumayo 168, T. 065-235294
If you're still in the mood for alligator after your jungle
trip, this is the place to get it. The newest English pub in
town,
Jungle Jim's
serves a superb range of drinks as well as great regional
cuisine. There are tables inside as well as on the street.
Accepts most major credit cards and stays open as late as
customers want.
El Meson
El Boulevard, T. 065-231857
A popular restaurant serving a wide range of local dishes -
try the
tacacho
(plantains and pork), or
pescado
a la Loretano (fish). It's not cheap, though a good
meal can be had for well under $10, and the location is
perfect, right at the heart of El Boulevard and with tables
our front.
Nila - The Yellow Rose of
Texas
[Jirón] Putumayo 180, T. 065-241010
Nila's serves tasty local dishes and has a reasonably priced
menu and the location is handy, near the plaza, with tables
outside on the street. There's great coffee, friendly
service and late hours (usually until 1 or 2am).
Pizzeria Antica
[Jirón] Napo, between the plaza and the Malecón, T.
065-241988
A new Italian with extensive and delicious menu, including
good vegetarian options; large space with ceiling fans
[ventilation], driftwood decor and a nice bar on the second
level.
El Pollon
[Jirón] Prospero 151
A spacious restaurant and café fronting the Plaza de Armas.
Popular with locals, especially at lunchtime, it serves a
wide range of tasty meals, cool juices and ice creams.
Regal Restaurant
[Jirón] Putumayo 282, T. 065-222732
Upstairs in the Casa de Fierro, this is a busy place with a
very pleasant, almost colonial ambience run by the British
Consul and his wife. The food, consisting mainly of
traditional local dished, is great, plus there are ceiling
fans [ventilation], fine views over the Plaza de Armas from
Eiffel's iron balcony, and a large pool table inside.
Paiche fish is a house
specialty.
Restaurant Fitzcarraldo
[Jirón] Napo 100, T. 065-243434
A great place, close to the nightly action and located on
the corner of the Malecón in the old headquarters of the
once very successful Orton Bolivian Rubber Company; it was
bought from them by Fitzcarrald in 1897, just two months
before he drowned on a trip into the jungle. It isn't cheap
but serves some of the best salads in town plus good pastas,
fish and
comida criolla.
Restaurant Gran Maloca
[Jirón] Sargento Lores 170, T. 065-233126, e-mail:
maloca@tvs.com.pe
One of Iquitos' finest restaurants, lavishly decorated, with
jungle paintings adorning the walls and a high-ceilinged,
cool interior. Food is excellent, with nice jungle ice
creams (p.517).
Restaurant El Huaratino
[Jirón] Huallaga 490, T. 065-223300
Some of the best
comida
criolla [Creole] in town with great set-lunch
menus; so popular with locals that it's often hard to get a
table. Large and airy in a fairly central, ventilated
location.
Restaurant Manguare
Jirón Prospero 251
Set-lunch menus here are inexpensive and the food is pretty
good, it's busy and often full of office workers in the
early weekday afternoons.
Royal Coffee "Me Paiche"
[Jirón] Putumayo
133, T. 065-231304
Decent pizzas, pastas and sandwiches, plus a range of other
meals, snacks and drinks. Reasonably priced and usually
fairly quiet. If you phone in an order, they can also
deliver to your hotel.
El Sitio
[Jirón] Sargento Lores block 4
A very creative snack bar / restaurant, it's inexpensive and
has delicious
anticuchos,
tamales,
juanes
and fruit juices; best to get there before 9pm, or you'll
miss out on the tastiest treats (p.518)
Bars and clubs in Iquitos
Agricobank
[Jirón] Pablo Rosel 300, T. 065-236113, Open Fri and Sat
10pm-late; $1.
A smaller version of Complejo CNI and perhaps less vibrant,
this is none-the-less a great and much more centrally
located place to enjoy the local live music scene.
Amauta Café Teatro
[Jirón] Nauta 250, T. 065-233109, Mon-Sat 10pm-2am.
Different music - from jazzy jungle creole to folklore and
female singers performing romantic ballards - from day to
day. It also serves drinks and snacks, and there are tables
outside.
Berimbau
[Jirón] Putumayo 467
One of the newest and flashiest nightclubs in Iquitos; very
central and pretty hectic. It plays good rock and Latin
dance music most nights, serves cool drinks at several bars
on different levels by different dance floors. Good
air-conditioning, which is pretty important here.
Complejo CNI: Salsa,
chicha, cumbia
[Jirón] Mariscal Cáceres, block 13
More of a covered outdoor arena, this gives a flavour of
what the Iquitos youth get up to at weekends, with over 1000
people dancing all night to mostly live salsa, chicha and
cumbia bands, but with significant Brazilian influence
creeping in.
The Lunge
[Jirón] Putumayo 341
A very popular Australian-run lounge bar with great
cocktails and up-to-the-minute rock, dance and trance
sounds; some good inexpensive food too, including curries.
Noa Noa
[Jirón] Fitzcarrald 298, T. 065-222993, Mon-Sat 10pm-late;
$6 entrance
Easily identified after 11.30pm by the huge number of flashy
motorbikes lined up outside, this is the liveliest Iquitos
club, attracting young and old, gringo and Iquiteño alike.
It has three bars and plays lots of Latino music, including
the latest technocumbia.
Papa Pirana
[Jirón] Loreto 220, T. 065-242333, Tues-Sun opens 10pm
This club has the biggest dance floor and frequently
presents live shows of music, dance and comedy; very popular
with locals and tourists alike. One of the hottest scenes in
town at weekends.
Gay clubs
Bar La 4.40
opposite the Hospital Regional, in Punchana. Goodmusic and a
reasonable bar.
Calipso
[Jirón] Putumayo block 10, Thurs-Sat midnight-5am, 50 cents.
Another fun gay - though not exclusively - bar, located in
an old house and playing ambient and tropical music
Las Castañitas
in front of the electricity power plant in the suburb of
Punchana. It has a good range of cocktails and combines rock
with Latin music. Best to take a taxi to this glitzy little
joint, as it's a little hard to find.
Discoteca 2003
[Jirón] Putumayo block 25, Thurs-Sat after 11pm
Located a little way out of the center of town, but a lively
and pleasant spot playing pop and dance music which usually
gets going after 11pm.
Tragoteca La Jarra
on Avenida Quinones, from around 10pm Thurs-Sun evenings
near the
Pamachicha
restaurant. Small but popular (p. 518).