panoramic view from the bulevard of Iquitos
Iquitos is situated 1,000 km from the capital, Lima. It is a city in the jungle with around 500,000 inhabitants. There is no road to this city and it can be reached only by plane or ship.
Today, in the form of graceful old buildings, you can see the evidence of the rubber barons’ affluence in the past. For instance, the „Iron House“ which was made entirely of iron designed by Gustav Eiffel – it is now a café and restaurant. Also the graceful facades of the buildings on the boulevard tell us about the city’s better past.
Also the quarter „Belen“ with its floating houses and the very lively market should not be missed. There are hardly any cars in the city – but plenty of „motor taxis“ and wooden busses. Combine your visit to the jungle with a one-night stay in this lively capital of the Loreto Region.
Iquitos is famous for being the filming location of the Werner Herzog’s movie „Fitzcarraldo“ starring Klaus Kinski.
