## Why go to Peru

Peru is considered mainly as an adventurous destination, mainly due to its mountainous landscape and the famous Amazon rainforest. There are many hiking trails (whether multi-day or one-day trips) with challenging wilderness tourism with the opportunity to see from the llama to the incredible diversity of Amazon.

For those who are not up to active holidays, there are also many options. History buffs will love the culture and ruins that Peru has to offer. And those who love souvenirs and wanderings in the city will enjoy the colorful markets.

Peru is an ideal destination for backpackers on a budget, and many hostels make it easy to find friends to explore the country with. Pensions are also popular as a cheap method of accommodation in Peru. If you are willing to spend more money, in Peru you will find a wide range of mid-range hotels for a comfortable stay in the wilderness or in the cities. Due to its popularity, Peru takes care of every traveler.

## The capital of Peru

Lima is the capital of Peru. It is the commercial and industrial center of the country. Central Lima is located at an altitude of 156 meters on the south bank of the Rímac River, about 13 km inland from the Pacific port of Callao. It has an area of 70 square kilometers. The city is a modern oasis surrounded by the Peruvian coastal desert a short distance west of the Andes Mountains. Lima is the second largest city built in the desert after Egypt in Cairo.

## Flag of Peru

The current national flag of Peru was officially adopted on February 25, 1825. The colors are said to symbolize the Incas and their lasting influence on the landscape. Red and white are also the colors chosen by Jose de San Martin, the Liberator. The coat of arms is not displayed on the national flag.

## Population of Peru

Peru is of mixed ethnicity. Throughout its history, Peru has been a meeting place for different nations and cultures. The Spaniards joined the original population 500 years ago. As a result of this meeting, and later enriched by the migration of African blacks, Asians, and Europeans, the Peruvian man emerged as a representative of a nation whose rich ethnic combination is one of its main characteristics. Peru has a population of 8,220,764.

Ethnicity / race: American Indians 45%, Mestzi 37%, White 15%, Black, Japanese, Chinese and 3%

## Holidays in Peru

List of holidays in 2020

_Date_ _Holiday_

- January 1 New Year
- April 9 Maundy Thursday - Thursday before Easter
- April 10 Good Friday
- May 1 Labor Day
- June 29, the feast of St. Peter and Paul
- July 28 Independence Day
- July 29 Independence Day
- August 30 Santa Rosa de Lima - patroness of Lima
- October 8 Battle of Angamos - The holiday commemorates the naval battle with Chile that took place on this day in 1879
- November 1 All Saints' Day
- December 8 Immaculate Conception
- December 25, Christmas day

## The sign of Peru

The coat of arms contains a llama and a Chinese tree, important symbols of Peru. At the bottom is the cornucopia which represents prosperity.

## Time difference

The time in Peru is five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. This means that in Peru is 6 hours less (during summer time) and by 5 hours less (during winter time) comparing to England.

## Currency in Peru

The official currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol (S .; PEN), which is divided into 100 centimos. The currency contains coins of 5, 10, 20 and 50 centimos and 1, 2 and 5 sol coins. There are banknotes with a denomination of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 S. [online course](https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=GBP&To=PEN) 1GBP = 4.69409 PEN

## Prices in Peru

In general, Peru is cheaper than England. Transport and food in local businesses or markets can be cheaper here. Alcohol is a bit more expensive. Prices of transport and accommodation are of course the highest in tourist destinations. Bargaining is not very widespread here.

Restaurant:

- Boarding, cheap restaurant 10.00 S /.
- Meals for 2 persons, Middle class restaurant, three - course menu 70.00 S /.
- McMeal at McDonalds 16.00 S /.
- Domestic beer (0.5 liter) 7.00 S /.
- Imported beer (0.33 l bottle) 12.00 S /.
- Coca Cola / Pepsi (0.33 l bottle) 2.61 S /.
- Water (0.33 1 bottle) 1.80 S /.

Supermarket:

- Milk (1 liter) 4.52S /.
- White bread (500 g) 5.36 S /.
- Apples (1 kg) 5.53 S /.
- Banana (1 kg) 3.93 S /.
- Oranges (1 kg) 4.26 S /.
- Water (1.5 l bottle) 3.19 S /.
- Wine bottle (medium range) 28.50 S /.
- Domestic beer (0.5 l bottle) 5.38 S /.
- Imported beer (0.33 l bottle) 9.32 S /.
- Cigarettes 20pcs (Marlboro) 15.00 S /.

Transportation:

- One - way ticket (local transport) 1.00 S /.
- Monthly ticket (regular price) 86.96 S /.
- Start of taxi (normal tariff) 7.00 S /.
- Taxi 1 km (normal tariff) 5.00 S /.
- Waiting for 1 hour taxi (normal tariff) 25.00 S /.
- Petrol (1 liter) 3.81 S /.

## Visa to Peru

Citizens of European Union as well as British nationals do not need a visa to visit Peru and can officially stay in the country for up to 90 days in 365 days. If you intend to stay in Peru for more than 90 days, you can try to ask the immigration officer for a residence permit for more than 90 days. If you are lucky, you can get a residence permit for up to 183 days. Otherwise, it is not a problem to leave Peru and return before the 90-day period expires, giving you permission for another 90 days. Check the stamp with the permitted period of stay immediately upon arrival in Peru, as exceeding it can result at least in high fines. If your trip to Peru has a purpose other than for tourism, you must obtain an embassy visa before traveling.

The condition for entry into Peru is a passport valid for at least another 6 months from the date of entry into the country. When entering the territory of Peru, it is necessary to fill in the immigration card (Tarjeta Andina) and keep part of it until you leave the country. If you are entering Peru via a country from Ecuador, Chile or Bolivia, make sure you have an entry stamp in your passport. According to Peruvian law, every visitor without an entry stamp should apply for deportation from the country at the immigration office in Lima in order to leave the country legally at all. Immigration officials can also request an exit stamp from the country from which you entered Peru.

## Interesting facts about Peru

Few facts about Peru that you may know are:

- There are 3 official languages in Peru: Spanish, Quechua and Aymara, but east of the Andes in the Amazon jungle areas, the natives are believed to speak 13 different indigenous languages.
- Peru has the second largest number of shamans in the world after India.
- Peru is the sixth largest producer of gold.
  - Peru produces more than 162 tons of gold worth more than $ 7 trillion a year!
- Cusco in Peru was the most important city in the entire Inca Empire and ruled north to Quito in Ecuador and south to Santiago in Chile.
- Camu-Camu fruit is one of the best superfoods in the world. It grows in the Amazon rainforest of Peru and has the highest concentrations of vitamin C compared to any food, about 60 times more than orange.

## Vaccination

Peru has no compulsory vaccination. However, it recommends vaccination against hepatitis A, B and yellow fever. Yellow fever is recommended especially for those who travel to jungle areas - to an area up to 2500 m above sea level.

## Security

Peru is a safe country. There are only small frauds on tourists and petty thefts. Therefore, if you follow common sense by not exposing your expensive electronic products or all your cash to people's eyes, you should be fine.

## Important contacts

**Where to call in case of emergency in Peru?**

Police 105 Firefighters 116 Rescue service 115

**Peru's phone code is +51.**

**Contacts at the Embassy of England in Lima:**

**Address:**

```txt
Embassy of England Torre Parque Mar, Av Jose Larco 1301, Miraflores 15074, Peru
```

Telephone: +51 1 6173000

Email: belima@fcdo.gov.uk

Further contacts can be found at <https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-peru>

Guide to Peru

## Why go to Brazil

Why go to Brazil? The answer is relatively simple: for her temperament and love of entertainment, nature, history, culture and most importantly, Brazil is a land of great natural beauty.

Beautiful beaches and rainforests are just some of the excellent attractions that await visitors. Brazil is also home to people of great ethnic and cultural diversity, whose heritage is reflected in live art and celebrations, historic cities and crowded urban centers.

## The capital of Brazil

The capital of Brazil is Brazil, which has been the capital only since 1960. It used to be the capital of Rio De Janeiro.

Brazil is an exceptional city in that it was built artificially out of nowhere, in order to create a new capital that would be more accessible from all parts of Brazil, as Rio De Janeiro was located in the south of the country.

The whole city was designed in detail on paper, which areas will be commercial, banking, residential or industrial and even the maximum height of buildings. From a bird's eye view, the city has the shape of an airplane. For its modern architecture and beauty, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

## Flag of Brazil

The current form of the Brazilian flag was created in 1889 and consists of a green background, in the center of which is a yellow diamond containing a blue circle, through which passes a white passport with the slogan "ORDEM E PROGRESSO", which means "order and progress". .

The author of the motto, which inspired them to create the flag, was the founder of positivism, the French philosopher Auguste Comte.

Each element of the flag also has its meaning. The green symbolizes the lush nature of the Amazon rainforest, the yellow mineral wealth (gold) of the country, the blue circle sky and white stars, representing the states of the Brazilian Federation.

## Population of Brazil

Brazil is the largest and most populous state in South America, with a population of over 210 million.

Brazil is also a strongly multi-ethnic society.

The Brazilian population consists mainly of descendants of Indians, Portuguese settlers, African slaves and various groups of immigrants who came to Brazil mainly between 1820 and 1970.

The immigrants were mainly Italians and Portuguese, but also Germans, Spaniards, Japanese, Syrians and Lebanese.
Since the arrival of the Portuguese in Brazil around 1500, there has been an intense cross between Americans, Europeans and Africans in the country.

## Holidays in Brazil

Brazil is a federation of different republics and therefore has many holidays that are celebrated only at the regional level.

The most important holidays in Brazil that are celebrated nationwide are:

- January 1 - New Year
- February - Carnival (moving holiday)
- March / April - Good Easter Friday (moving holiday)
- 21. duben - Tiradentes
- May 1 - Labor Day
- September 7 - Independence of Brazil
- October 12 - Feast of the Apparition of the Virgin Mary
- November 2 - Memorials of the deceased
- November 15 - Declaration of the Republic
- December 25 - Christmas holiday

## Coat of arms of Brazil

The coat of arms of Brazil, as we know it in its current form, was created in 1889. Gradually, as the states joined the Brazilian federation, asterisks were gradually added to the coat of arms.

It was last modified in 1992 to 27 stars.

The emblem consists of a five-pointed star colored in the national colors (green and yellow), and in its center is a blue circle containing 27 stars representing all the republics of the federation. It is lined on the edges with green branches of coffee and tobacco.
At the bottom there is a blue ribbon on which we find the name of the republic "República Federativa do Brasil" together with the date of its establishment.

## Time shift

The time difference between Brazil and the Czech Republic is:

- in the months of March - October - 5 hours
- in the months of November - February - 3 hours

## Currency of Brazil

The official currency in Brazil since 1994 is the real (R $), 1 real is divided into 100 centavos (cents).

Paper notes are in the values of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 R $ and coins in the values of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 centavos and 1 real.

When traveling to Brazil, we recommend that you take dollars with you, because they do not confuse Czech crowns. In larger cities you will find many exchange offices, but it is recommended to change in banks, because they have a more advantageous exchange rate.

However, credit card payment is quite widespread in Brazil, with which you can pay in hotels, restaurants and shops.

## Visa to Brazil

If you are traveling to Brazil for tourism and your stay does not exceed 90 days, you do not need a visa. However, your passport must be valid for at least another 6 months when you enter the country.

In rare cases, they may require you to confirm sufficient funds, confirm your hotel reservation or even confirm that you have purchased a return ticket upon entry.

## Interesting facts about Brazil

Did you know that every city in Brazil has at least one football stadium?

Football is the most popular sport in Brazil and, how else could it be in the country that has won the most titles in the world. All Brazilians are watching him eagerly and there is no shortage of at least one stadium in any city.

Another curiosity worth mentioning is that 40 kilometers off the coast of Brazil is an island of snakes, also called Snake Island, which is completely infested with poisonous snakes, so much so that the Brazilian government has completely isolated it and only the army is allowed to enter. scientists authorized by the government to study snakes.

## Vaccination

Vaccination is not required when visiting Brazil, but vaccination against yellow fever, typhoid fever and hepatitis A and B is recommended.

If you are traveling to the Amazon, consider vaccinating against dengue fever and meningitis.

## Security

Brazil can be considered a stable country even though, from a political and economic point of view, it is going through a difficult phase.

As for crime, it is relatively high in Brazil. Armed clashes of street gangs with the police are also quite common, during which they even shoot many times.

That's why you should avoid the poorest neighborhoods in big cities, such as Favelas.

It is also not recommended to wear expensive jewelry, watches and other expensive items, because you run the risk of being robbed.

Assault and robbery are the order of the day and are not uncommon in broad daylight.

That's why you really only carry the most basic things with you.

## Important contacts

**Where to call in case of emergency in Brazil?**

- Rescue service: 192/193
- fire brigade: 193
- police: 190

**Brazil's area code is +55.**

**Contacts at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Brazil:**

**Address:**

```txt
Embassy of the Czech Republic
SES 805, Lote 21A, Via L3 Sul, Asa Sul
ZIP Code 70200-901, Brasília - DF
Brazil
```

Phone: +55 61 3242 7785

Email: brasilia@embassy.mzv.cz

Further contacts can be found at <https://www.mzv.cz/brasilia>

## Other

Cover photo by [Joshua Gresham](https://unsplash.com/@hammy?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/rio-de-janeiro?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)

South America

Guide to Peru

South America

Guide to Brazil

South America