Moquegua

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The department of Moquegua possesses a varied terrain with gorges and valleys, desert and rocky zones, and rich soil perfect for agriculture, especially cultivating wine grapes.

Life moves at a slower pace in cities like Moquegua that is characterized by its traditional houses with slanted roofs, its sunny climate the whole year long, and the production of excellent piscos, fruit, and desserts. The Main Square is decorated with a fountain designed by Gustave Eiffel, and in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo, the inhabitants venerate the bodily remains of Santa Fortunata, a martyr from the first centuries of Christianity.

There are several, small picturesque towns dotting the department of Moquegua such as Torata with its impressive eighteenth century mills that still use stone to grind and its homes with slanted roofs and the fertile valleys like that of Omate, famous for its fruit and river shrimp. The port of Ilo is the main industrial dock for southern Peru, and the beaches down in this part of the coastline are of fine, white sand broken now and again by spectacular cliffs and rock formations.

Places to visit in Peru

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