The Plaza de Armas is the centre of Ica, and there are a number of churches nearby, the most interesting of which are San Francisco and the sandcastle-like El Señor de Luren, an important pilgrimage destination in October of each year.
Museo Regional
Av. Ayabaca Block 8, 2km from the Plaza de Armas
Open daily 8am ? 6.30pm (closed Sunday pm)
This is the main attraction in the city, and has a fine collection of artefacts from the different cultures that have inhabited the region. The museum is small, but well laid out, showing how the different cultures from the region developed. The textiles from the Paracas culture are well preserved and very beautiful, and the Nazca ceramics are superb. In addition, the museum houses ceramics and textiles from the Wari, Chincha and Inca cultures. There are some fine mummies from the Wari, Paracas and Nazca cultures (including a mummified macaw!) and many examples of skull deformation and trepanation from the Nazca and Paracas cultures, showing the differences between the two. The trophy skulls, worn on a rope around the victor's waist, are particularly interesting, and the museum also has a good scale model of the Nazca Lines.
Bodegas
One of the best things to do in Ica is visit the vineyards near the city. There are a number of these that are open to visitors, and visiting them gives the opportunity to try some good wines and piscos. The best way to visit is to hire a taxi for a half-day, as most of the bodegas are out of town and they are difficult to reach on public transport. The best wines in Peru are produced at the Tacama and Ocucaje bodegas. The Tacama bodega is about 10km to the north of Ica. The Ocucaje bodega is about 40km south of Ica. Another large bodega is Vista Alegre, about 3km north of Ica. This can be reached by public transport. It is advisable not to walk there, as the area can be dangerous. All of these bodegas offer tours and have a shop in which wines and piscos can be bought.
In addition to the large bodegas, there are a number of smaller, more traditional ones worth a visit. These include the Bodega El Catador, Bodega Alvarez, Bodega Peña and the Bodega El Carmelo.
Huacachina
5km from Ica is the oasis of Huacachina, with a pretty lake for swimming and sand dunes for sand surfing. Sand boards can be hired from most restaurants and hotels. It is best to sand board in the early morning or late afternoon because of the heat. The lake is surrounded by palm trees, and there are a few hotels and restaurants. This is a pleasant place to relax for a while, although be careful after dark, especially away from the village, as robberies are not uncommon. Huacachina can be reached by taking a taxi from Ica.
There are a number of archaeological sites near Ica, although there is no infrastructure for visiting them. At Cerro Blanco, near Ocucaje, there are many fossils.
The small town of Cachiche is close to Ica and is famous for its witches (brujas). There are palm readers and fortunetellers in the town.
It is possible to fly over the Nazca Lines from Ica, and there is a small airstrip at the Hotel Las Dunas.
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