Ica
Introduction
Ica is a city in southern Peru and the capital of the Department of Ica. The area around it was inhabited for a long time by varying cultures of indigenous peoples before the Spanish conquistador Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera claimed its founding in 1563.
Before you go
Ica has a reputation for unsafe streets after dark, so plan your evenings around that. If you need to go out at night, take a taxi rather than walking, or simply stay in your hotel room.
Getting there
Ica is reached most easily by bus from Lima, a journey of roughly four to five hours, with frequent connections available throughout the day. Buses also run south to Nazca, a shorter trip of two to three hours.
- From Lima: about 4–5 hours by bus, with frequent departures
- To Nazca: about 2–3 hours by bus
Be aware that the Palpa bridge has been under construction since 2022, which very often adds more than an hour of delay to the road connection with Nazca. Allow extra time if you are travelling that route.
Getting around
Ica has no rail, metro or tram network, so plan on road-based transport for every leg of your trip, both within the city and between the region's attractions. Long-distance buses are the mainstay for reaching the region and the cheapest way to cover the Lima corridor, but schedules are fixed rather than frequent, with departures generally in the morning or late afternoon, and buses may make local stops that make journey times vary by company. Buy a ticket for the specific departure you want and book your return in advance. If you are heading south toward Nazca, allow generous extra time: the Palpa bridge has been under construction since 2022 and often causes delays of more than an hour.
Taxis and private transfers fill the gaps buses cannot, giving you flexible pickup times, door-to-door service and short hops such as the drive between Ica city and Huacachina. Within the region, buses and organised tours are how most visitors link the city with Paracas, Huacachina and the surrounding sights. Match your transport to the best time of day: Ballestas Islands boats are best in the early morning, dune buggies and sandboarding in the afternoon with a late slot for sunset, and Nazca Lines flights in the morning when the skies are calmest. Walking works well for the compact business of a day — between your hotel, nearby restaurants and local sights in Ica city, or around Huacachina once you are there — but it is less practical for linking the region's spread-out headline attractions. The desert climate shapes how you walk: wear light, breathable clothing and layers, carry a jumper or coat for cool nights and the windy, choppy Ballestas boat ride, and keep sunscreen and water with you.
Where to stay
Where you sleep in Ica depends on whether you want to be in the middle of things or somewhere quieter. Near the Plaza de Armas you'll find practical options such as Hotel Machu Picchu on Avenida Tacna, two blocks from the plaza, and Mc Hotel Ica on Avenida Cutervo, close to the plaza and next to Plaza del Sol Mall Center, with a restaurant, swimming pool, work area and 24-hour reception. As with many hotels around the Plaza, take care when walking in the area at night.
- Hotel Ollanta — a small, family-run place in the residential Urbanización Divino Maestro, handy for both the city centre and the Huacachina oasis.
- The Las Dunas Hotel — a full resort and the most expensive option in the area, about ten minutes from downtown.
- Huarango Hotel Ica — the first hotel in Ica with a colonial style.
- Hotel Villa de Valverde — another option in the city.
Food & drink
For sit-down meals, El Otro Peñoncito sits a block from the Plaza de Armas and serves Peruvian and Italian cooking in a small, upscale setting, with reasonable prices that still run somewhat high by local standards. Restaurant McGrill on Av Cutervo y Brunias offers cheap set-menu lunches in a very clean space where hygiene is good; portions are small but tasty. Across the street, Valentino's Cafe-Bar serves fixed-price lunches and provides free Wi-Fi for customers. To eat alongside locals, head to the Mercado Modelo.
- El Otro Peñoncito – Peruvian and Italian dishes near the Plaza de Armas
- Restaurant McGrill – cheap set lunches, clean and hygienic
- Valentino's Cafe-Bar – fixed-price lunches, free Wi-Fi
- Mercado Modelo – eat with the Peruvian people
For drinks, Ica is pisco country. The Pisco Sour, Peru's famous cocktail, is sold at numerous spots around the city. Pisco itself, the fermented liqueur made from grapes, is also available, though most visitors find it too potent to drink pure. You can also try cachina, the sweet, wine-like drink that is the precursor to pisco.
What to see and do
At the Huacachina Lagoon, the only oasis in South America, you can sandboard on the huge dunes that surround the water. Several vineyards and wineries in the area produce Pisco, the national beverage, as well as wine. El Museo Regional de Ica displays clay pottery, mummies, trepanned human skulls and textiles from the indigenous groups that have lived in the region for thousands of years, preserved by the dry desert sand. The Museo de Piedras Grabadas holds a large collection of smooth stones carved with images of fish, dinosaurs and people; the museum is rarely open after earthquake damage, and while its creator claims the stones are ancient, scientists strongly suspect they are modern hoaxes. For nightlife, The Who is the most popular discoteca, filling with young and middle-aged dancers and drinkers on Friday and Saturday nights.Three days in Ica
Day one: Base yourself in Ica, the department's capital, and get your bearings around the Plaza de Armas, where the Hotel Machu Picchu on Avenida Tacna and the Mc Hotel Ica on Avenida Cutervo put you close to the centre. Browse the Sol Mall Center, then take a taxi the short distance to Huacachina, the desert oasis within reach of the city. If you have time before dark, arrange a dune outing from Huacachina.
Day two: Head out early for the Ballestas Islands, near Paracas, and match that with a look at the Nazca Lines. Buses run from Lima through Ica to Nazca, so day trips along this route are straightforward. Allow a long day if you combine the Ballestas with Nazca; otherwise pick one and buy your seat the day before. Taxis and walking cover the rest.
Day three: Stay closer to Ica and take in what remains around the Plaza de Armas, with options such as the Hotel Ollanta in Urbanización Divino Maestro or the Las Dunas Hotel if you prefer to stay on the edge of town. Use the morning for anything you missed, then plan your onward travel toward Palpa or back to Lima.