ACCESS ROUTES
By land: The most recommended is the Lima-Arequipa-Juliaca-Puno route (1 335km) which takes about 24 h drive.
By air: There are daily flights to Juliaca from Lima (about 1 h 45 minutes) andfrom Arequipa (about 45 minutes).
By railroad: Trains offer service from Arequipa to Puno (258 km and about 8 h) crossing the highlands at Crucero Alto (4 490 m.a.s.l.)

HISTORICAL OVERLOOK
Puno was the birthplace of one of the most important pre-Inca cultures, the
Tiahuanaco, the most advanced civilization of the ancient Aymara people, who left monumental ruins which continue to arouse wonder and admiration even today.

Legend tells that the first Inca, Manco Cápac, and his wife Mama Ocllo, emerged from Lake Titicaca, and were entrusted by their father, the Sun God, to found the Inca Empire or Tawantinsuyo which was divided into four regions. One of such regions was Collasuyo, today Puno, which stretched across the Collao plateau.

When the Spaniards arrived in Cusco in the mid-16th century, they found tremendous mineral wealth, especially gold and silver. In the 1 660s, a bloody internal struggles
arose over the possession of the important Laikakota mine, one league from modern Puno, which forced the Viceroy, the Count of Lemos, to travel to the area to bring peace. His visit led to the creation, on November 4th, 1 668, of what is today the city of Puno.

There, Spanish priests eager to convert the indigenous population built beautiful churches which blended Christian styles with the imagination and skill of the local people into a new mestizo style.