Azpitia is a town of peaceful beauty 80 km from Lima. Accessing its quiet countryside is obtaining a privileged view of its fields of apple, lucumos and pacaes trees, as well as the magnificent valley of the Mala river. A true 'Balcony of Heaven'.
The king of Azpitana food is shrimp, but rice with duck and, of course, sweets made with quinces, medlars and peaches are not far behind. In Azpitia you can practice mountain biking and hiking, as well as rides on ATVs and on horseback.
If you are looking for a trip surrounded by beautiful nature and adventure activities, the town of Azpitia is an option that you should take into account. Located just an hour and a half from Lima, it is known for its good weather throughout the year and its excellent views of the Mala River valley.
Azpita offers activities for all tastes. From quiet walks to horseback riding and ATV. Other of its must-sees are its shrimp-based dishes. Due to its innumerable green areas, it is perfect to visit any weekend with friends or family.
History of Azpitia
The name of the town of Azpitia comes from a Spanish city called Azpeitia. This event occurred during the conquest of the Inca Empire, thanks to a natural soldier from the province of Guipúzcoa in the Basque Country.
The character that gave Azpitia its name was Captain Don Nicolás Sáez de Elola, who arrived in the country together with Francisco Pizarro. Having participated in the capture of the Inca Atahualpa in Cajamarca, Sáez de Elola appeared in the Act of the Distribution of the booty, receiving the sum of 8,880 gold pesos and 3,393 silver marks, dated June 18, 1533.
Just as the rivalry between Pizarro and Almagro due to possession by Cuzco was known, both characters had a meeting in the middle of 1537 in Mala, obtaining no conciliation as a result of it.
It is said that from this event, Nicolás Sáez de Elola decided to leave the lands of Azpitia and return to Spain with a great booty of wealth, arriving in his native town of Azpeitia towards the end of the year 1541, where he was received in the best way. and built parish churches and various important works.
In 2007, the story of Captain Nicolás Sáez de Elola gained more force since, in a restoration in his town of origin where there is a recumbent statue of Elola, a tombstone was found with the following inscription: «Pantheon of Nicolás Sáez de Elola, intrepid Captain and conqueror of Peru, fervent Christian, founder of this chapel, erected in 1555 and restored in 1898».
What to see in Azpitia?
This destination offers a diverse list of activities for all tastes. You can start with a quiet walk getting to know the place, continue with horseback riding and end up driving an ATV.
Another important reason why you cannot miss this destination is the perfect view of its majestic green areas, a place that you can visit on a weekend either with friends or family.
The Nature of Azpitia
Azpitia is surrounded by fruit fields such as apple, lucumos or pacaes trees, this makes it have a calm and natural environment for the pleasure of all its visitors. Its majestic view of the valley of the Mala river makes it known as "The balcony of heaven".
Visiting Azpitia is a great option for nature and relaxation. Likewise, we recommend other tourist attractions near San Vicente de Azpitia to complement your visit and continue enjoying green spaces.
Gastronomy in Azpitia
Also, you cannot miss the gastronomy of this destination, its shrimp-based dishes will captivate your palate from the beginning.
The gastronomy of this place offers dishes made with fish and shellfish, as well as dishes made with meat and poultry. However, Azpitia is characterized by offering dishes with delicious shrimp, as you can see in the photo, the restaurants in the area offer various dishes such as shrimp ceviche, shrimp chicharrón or shrimp chupe.
Tourist Places in Azpitia
Holy Cross of Flowers
This town is located between San Antonio and Azpitia. The main reason for its name is due to the number of crosses that are located on the hills that surround it. The main activity of this town is the production of homemade wines and piscos.
Calango
This district, located in Cañete, is surrounded by beautiful orchards. Known mainly for the production of apples, Calango is located 20 km east of Mala. In this place you can visit the Colonial Temple, the Plaza de Armas and some other petroglyphs of Retama and Cochineros, which, according to scholars, date from 1000 years BC.
What to do in Azpitia?
You may be wondering why Azpitia is known as “The balcony of heaven”. This town, hidden between the hills of the Panamericana Sur, has earned this name due to the incredible view of the valley of the Mala River. However, this is not its only attraction. We invite you to discover all the tourist attractions it has to offer:
Gastronomy in Azpitia
Shrimp is the star of Azpitia's cuisine. For this reason, tasting the chupe, the tortilla and the ceviche, made based on this tasty input from the river, is an experience that you should not miss.
Horseback Riding in Las Cabañas de Azpitia
Riding the Peruvian Paso horse is the favorite activity for guests and visitors to the hotel and restaurant in Las Cabañas de Azpitia. In addition, they have a weekly show performed by a chalán to the rhythm of the music of Chabuca Granda and Óscar Avilés.
The Pisco of San Vicente de Azpitia and Santa Cruz de Flores
San Vicente de Azpitia and Santa Cruz de Flores have 18 producing wineries, including Sarcay de Azpitia. If you decide to visit it, you will be able to discover the production process of its piscos and wines. In addition, you will be able to taste its best varietals recognized worldwide such as muscatel, toronquel and albilla. In addition, you will be able to visit its bar-restaurant and toast with pisco sour and its different fruit macerates.
Trekking and Mountain Biking in Azpitia
The meadows and natural routes of Azpitia make up wonderful landscapes, but they are also the favorites of cyclists and trekking lovers. It is not necessary to bring your own bicycle as you can rent one to explore the hills surrounding the Mala River and observe fields of apple, lúcumo and banana trees.
Restaurant the Balcony of Heaven in Azpitia
This gastronomic establishment bears the name by which Azpitia is also known. Its perfect location on the hill that directly overlooks the valley of Mala allows you to have an unbeatable view of it. However, their shrimp-based dishes deserve to be highlighted as well.
How to get to Azpitia?
Azpita is located an hour and a half from Lima.
By car. To get there, take the Panamericana Sur until km 80, at the height of León Dormido beach, and then take the detour under the tunnel that leads to San Antonio. From there, you must take the detour to the left, at Cl. Pablo Nosiglia, which leads to the district of Santa Cruz de Flores, and continue along the trail until you reach San Vicente de Azpitia.
By Bus. Follow the Lima-Mala route. You can take the buses that go to Mala (better known as “maleños”) and then take a combi or taxi to Azpitia. (Between S/2 and S/15). From Monday to Saturday the buses charge you S/. 4.00 and Sundays S/. 5.00. On holidays the ticket can cost S/ 20. It takes an average of 2 and a half hours.
You can take them at: Jr. Leticia, almost at the crossroads with Jr. Ayacucho, one block from Av. Abancay and 2 blocks from Av Grau in the center of Lima; Av. Circunvalación in front of Plaza Vea in Salamanca; outside the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of San Marcos; Av. Circunvalación: Whereabouts Las Viñas, in front of the Essalud de San Luis Polyclinic; Av. Circunvalación with Av. Canada; Atocongo Bridge and Alipio Ponce Bridge.
Where to stay?
In Azpitia there are few lodgings. Prices range from S/ 40 (double bed) to S/ 360 (cabins). One of the most recommended is El mayoral de Azpitia, which is very close to the main square. Prices range from S/ 175 to S/ 210 per night.
Best Tours in Peru
Many are the routes that take you to Machu Picchu, but none is like the Inca Trail Tours, the most famous pedestrian path in the Americas. After flying from the capital of Perú, Lima, you will arrive in Cusco to walk for four days along a path through forests and dense fog, millenary stone steps and discovering the ruins of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, and all the time enjoying majestic views.
- Salcantay Trek Peru to Machu Picchu 5 days
- Palcoyo Mountain Tour
- Cusco to Manu Tour
- Humantay Lake Day Trip
- Llactapata Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- Qoyllur Riti Festival
- Apurimac River Rafting
- Vilcabamba Trek to Machu Picchu
- Inti Raymi and Machu Picchu Tour
- Salkantay Inca Trail Combo
- Waqrapukara Peru Full Day Tour
If you want to visit Machu Picchu, we recommend you to book your Machu Picchu Ticket in advance, so you will enjoy your Vacation in Machu Picchu without any problem.
