Peru - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 768

9

María Reiche Planetarium
For those with a particular interest in the
Nazca Lines, a trip to the María Reiche
Planetarium in the Nazca Lines Hotel
(Bolognesi 147, showings in English
daily at 7pm and in Spanish at 8.15pm;
S20) is a good idea. The shows last about
45 minutes, focusing primarily on
María Reiche's theories about the Lines,
and their correspondence to various
constellations, followed by a quick look
through a powerful telescope at the moon
and Saturn.

simple rooms, all with cable TV, set on two floors; ask for a
pad on the second floor as those downstairs are a bit dark.
There's a little book exchan ge, a comm unal kitchen, wi-fi
and a rooftop terrace. Dorms S15 , doubles S50
Hostal Guang Zhou Fermín de Castillo 494 T 056 521
391. A good-value central option, this Chinese-owned
hotel has clean rooms with a/c or fan. All have private bath
and there's a little pool at the back for a quick afternoon
dip, although you may have to head to the roof top terrace
to dry off as the pool lacks a suitable surround. S40
Hospedaje Yemayá Callao 578 T 056 523 146,
E [e-mail]. The 15 rooms
here, all with shared bath, are simple yet central, staff
are friendly, there's a large shaded rooftop terrace and
guests are welc ome to use the facilities and showers after
check-out. S42
Nasca Trails Fermín del Castillo 637 T 056 522 858,
E [e-mail]. The freshly painted rooms
at this family-run hostel, all with private bath and cable
TV, are set around a pleasant outdoor area with sofas,
armchairs and hammocks, perfect for an afternoon siesta.
There's also table football, wi-fi, book exchange and
home-cooked dinners. The friendly owner is multilingual
and th e lit tle dog Margaret guards the premises day and
night. S56

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus There isn't a central bus terminal as such, although
most bus companies are clustered around the western end
of Lima where it meets Bolívar. Persistent touts meet all
buses, trying to sell you anything from accommodation to
flights; ignore them, as well as any taxi drivers who tell you
that your hostel is dirty/too far/has closed down. Companies
include Cial ( T 056 523 960); Cruz del Sur ( T 056 523 713);
Oltursa ( T 056 522 265); Ormeño ( T 056 522 058); Soyuz
( T 056 523 713).
Destinations Cial to: Arequipa (daily at 10pm; 11hr);
Cusco (daily at 9.15pm; 14hr); Lima (daily at 1.30am; 7hr);
Tacna (daily at 7.30pm; 14hr). Cruz del Sur to: Arequipa
(3 daily, 10hr); Ica (4 daily; 2hr); Lima (4 daily; 7hr);
Paracas (4 daily; 3hr). Oltursa to: Arequipa (daily at 3pm &
10pm; 9hr); Ica (daily at 4.45pm & 6.30pm; 2hr); Lima
(daily at 6.30am & 4.45pm; 6-7hr); Paracas (daily at
6.30am & 4.45pm; 2hr). Ormeño to: La Paz, Bolivia, via
Arequipa and Puno (daily at 5pm; 21hr); Tacna (daily at
5.30pm; 14hr). Soyuz to: Ica (every 30min between 6am
& 10pm; 2hr); Ormeño to: Arequipa (daily at 3.30pm;
10hr); Tacna (daily at 10pm; 12hr).

EATING AND DRINKING
La Casa del Pisco García Bolognesi 298. Head to this bar
with a juke box for some home-made pisco, a potent pisco
sour (S12) or an excellent tuna frozen (prickly pear frozen;
in season only, Dec & Jan; S14). Mon-Sat 6pm-midnight.
Ì El Ceviche de Miguel . Tucked away off a dusty little
dirt road, Miguel's is a local institution. Watch the chef at
work as he lovingly prepares mouth-watering ceviche
and all manner of fish and seafood dishes. The menus are
excellent value and include a large ceviche followed by
a huge main dish. Try the exquisite menu parihuela (S24).
Follow Miguel in December 2013 as he changes name and
premises to La Ballena Azul in Altura de la Cuadra 13 de
Juan Mata, Urbanización Amaprovi. Wed-Mon 8am-4pm.
Limón & Sazón Av Los Incas s/n. Great ceviche as well as
creole dishes are rustled up at this airy restaurant with peña
shows at lunchtime on Sat and Sun. Daily 8.30am-10pm.
Mamashana Bolognesi 270. On the main restaurant
strip, Mamashana serves great fish and seafood dishes
(S24-34) and meat mains (S20-35); there are also plenty
of vegetarian options (S10-18). Try the mild fish a lo
macho (S33). Mon-Fri 8am-11pm, Sun noon-11pm.
Pollería Rico Pollo Lima 190. Join the locals and dig into
some generous portions of chicken and fries (1/4 chicken
S13), chorizo (S12) or salchipapas (S10) at one of Nazca's
most popular pollerías. Daily 10am-1am.
La Taberna Lima 321. The scribbled walls here are
testament to the numerous travellers and locals alike who

INFORMATION
The main municipal tourist o ce, located on the eastern
end of Plaza de Armas (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 8am-
noon), has maps and very limited information on the
town. There's also a municipal kiosk (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm,
Sat 8am-3.30pm) where Lima meets Bolognesi.

ACCOMMODATION
Alegría Lima 166 T 056 522 702, W hotelalegria.net.
An upmarket option, this popular hotel has clean en-suite
rooms set around a verdant pool; service is friendly yet
professional and the hotel's well-established agency next
door can organize all l main ner of tours, including flights
over the Nazca Lines. S175
Brabant Hostal C Juan Matta 878 T 056 524 127,
W brabanthostalnasca.webklik.nl. One of the very few places
in town offering dorms, this Dutch-owned hostel has six