Puno is a city in southern Peru located next to Lake Titicaca, one of the largest lakes in South America and the highest navigable body of water in the world.
The city is a regional commercial center and it is also considered "folkloric capital" of Peru, for its traditional festivals with lively music and dance performances. Iconic sites include the Puno Cathedral, which is an Andean Baroque style construction, and the 19th century Yavarí steam ship (now a hostel).
Puno is undoubtedly one of the most attractive and interesting destinations in Peru. Few cities have privilege of being located on shores of a wonder of nature such as Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world more than 3800 MASL.
Located on Collao Plateau in Collas and Tiahuanacos territory. Puno is the most important lake port in Peru. Its strategic location between the cities of Cusco and La Paz, make Puno a must for tourists traveling between Peru and Bolivia. The Department of Puno next to what is now Bolivia, it was territory of Tiahuanaco culture, then it had presence of the Inca Empire, as evidence, is temple of Falos, in Chucuito.
There are spanish footprints on beautiful churches in various towns of the department, as in Lampa and Juli or in their various colonial style mansions located in the city of Puno. As a Folkloric capital, Puno is immensely rich in dances, music, customs and legends, it has about 350 different kind of dances and it is also famous for varied and colorful of its folklore, undoubtedly the richest and dazzling of the continent, whose maximum expression is the Feast of the Virgin of Candelaria, which takes place in February.
The main attraction of Puno is Lake Titicaca, whose extension includes part of Peru and Bolivia, with an area of ??8,560 km, a depth of 227 meters and 3,812 MASL. There you will find the famous Floating Islands of the Uros, an amazing archipelago of totora islands, inhabited by the Uros, descendants of one of the oldest cultures of the continent. It is also recommended to visit Taquile Island and enjoy an authentic experiential tourism.
A short distance from there, there is Amantani Island, which has natural viewpoints from where Titicaca can be fully appreciated. Suasi, in Cambria community on shore of Titicaca, it is a private and unique island where you can enjoy diversity of flora and fauna. It is also advisable to know the Anapia archipelago. Puno invites you to visit the chillpas of Sillustani, also the forest of Tinajani, which impresses with its large rock formations. Also, in Pucará, get the famous "Toritos de Pucara"
There is a lot to see and learn in Puno