Street art walking tour

Back at the hostel, Mark decided he'd done enough walking for one day and the others who'd put their names down for the street art tour around Barranco dropped out, too, so I went alone.  This time, it was a shorter walk to the meeting point, and a shorter bus ride to get to Barranco.  Once there, our guide, Kevin, led us on a route to show us the best of the street art in this Bohemian district.

Barranco began life as a fishing village.  Later, it attracted wealthy tourists, both from Peru and overseas, many of whom settled there and built large mansions, emulating European styles.  During the war between Peru and Chile in the 1880s, the district was sacked and burned by Chilean troops.  Later, in 1940, an earthquake measuring 8 on the Richter scale destroyed many of Barranco's palatial buildings.  The effects of both of these events can still be seen in the district today.

Now, Barranco is mainly inhabited by high- and upper-middle-class families.  The area has many restaurants, bars, and nightclubs attracting hipsters and families alike.  The main attraction for most visitors, though, is the street art.

Notable examples include a portrait of Susy Dias, a former stripper and starlet who moved from reality TV appearances to being elected as a congresswoman.  I also loved a painting of a cuddly guinea pig wearing a coat with the tagline 'Eat fruit'.  This is on display outside a restaurant serving cuy (guinea pig)!  There is also a mural of an indigenous woman carrying the weight of all her responsibilities on her shoulders - the home, the family, cooking, cleaning, education, and more.Read more