Juliaca is the largest city in the department of Puno, and is the major commercial centre in the southern highlands. However, it is also very unattractive, and competes with Chimbote on the northern coast for the title of most unpleasant city in Peru. Most of the buildings in the city are very ugly and appear to still be under construction, and the bitter cold winds make being out at night almost unbearable. Very few travellers do any more than pass through here, and that is generally a very wise choice. However, it is occasionally necessary to enter the city for transport connections (the airport for Puno is here, for example, although even when taking a flight there is no need to enter the city), and visiting some of the highland towns is only possible via Juliaca.
There are no real attractions in Juliaca itself, although the colonial church on the Plaza de Armas is of minor interest. There are a couple of markets selling alpaca goods more cheaply than in Puno, including a market on Plaza Bolognesi.
Unlike most Peruvian cities, the Plaza de Armas is not the main centre of the city, even though the main church and the town hall are here. Most restaurants, hotels and banks are located around Plaza Bolognesi, where the train station is. Jr. San Román and Jr. Nuñez, off the Plaza Bolognesi, are the main streets.
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