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In prehistoric times, Ica was occupied by people of the Paracas and Nazca cultures. They were skilled weavers and developed complex (and still functional!) irrigation systems to harness the available water. Even today, people in the area are very careful with water and the watertowers you see everywhere are reminders of the importance of water in this desert climate. The area had a pretty uneventful history until the fifteenth century, when it was taken over by the Incas, under the Inca Pachacútec. Then, in 1563, the Spanish conquistadors founded the city of Villa de Valverde de Ica (City of the Green Valley of Ica) and exploited the area's agricultural possiblities by growing cotton and vines. Finally, in 1820, Peruvian independence was declared in the main square in Ica - it's a little hard to imagine this kind of firebrand activity today, as the overall atmosphere is very slow and peaceful!
Ica and around
There's plenty to see and do in and around Ica but if you fancy getting a real hold on the area's history then a visit to the Maria Reiche Regional Museum is well worthwhile. It traces the area's history right back from the colonial period through to prehistoric times, with particular emphasis on the Paracas and Nazca cultures. It has a large collection of well-preserved textile items (the desert climate has preserved many items which would have perished elsewhere), and a superb collection of ceramics; most interesting, however, is the large number of mummies and trepanned and deformed heads! If you fancy seeing how brain-surgery was performed with stone tools 3000 years ago then this the place for you!
Of course, a lot of people say that the only real way to get to know an area is by its food and drink and in Ica that can only mean one thing... wine! The Ica area is home to the most famous of the Peru's wineries and you can visit several of these bodegas to see both wine and the famous Pisco brandy being made. The Bodega Vista Alegre is probably the most famous and showcases some superb traditional wine-making techniques and is worth a visit just for the free samples...
If Ica's best wines don't help you relax, then how about this: about 10 minutes outside Ica lies one of our favourite Peru holiday destinations. For those of you who are in need of some time to relax, we can think of nothing better than heading to the palm-tree lined, tranquil desert oasis of Huacachina. Surrounded for miles on all sides by huge sand-dunes, it's a little world unto itself and is the perfect place to get away from it all. All you need to do is lie in your hammock with a cool drink and relax...
Of course, if you do fancy getting out of your hammock, then the waters and sands of Huacachina are famous for their medicinal properties, and you can rent boats to paddle out into the lagoon. If that doesn't sound like enough, then how about getting out into the dunes on a dune buggy? Or taking part in Huacachina's favourite sport of sandboarding? Not for the faint-hearted because these dunes are BIG but it's great fun and you'll definitely feel like you've earned your supper.
Ica and the Nazca Lines
In order to see the famous Nazca Lines it has previously been necessary to travel to Nazca itself. However, for people on a tight itinerary this has often meant missing out on the sights around Ica and Huacachina. We can now offer flights over the Nazca Lines direct from Ica so you don't have to miss out on a thing!
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