As part of our 20th anniversary celebrations, we catch up with Aracari specialist guide Luis Villacorta who talks about making the historic centre of Lima fun for kids and being star-struck by British nobility! Luis Villacorta - a passion for his hometown Lima With a lifelong passion for his home city, particularly the architecture in the historic centre of Lima and the relationship between the modern city and pre-Colonial times, it is an absolute pleasure to hear Luis talk about Lima and experience his expert guiding in Lima. Luis Villacorta, a professor of architecture, affectionately known to all as Lucho, met Aracari’s founder Marisol through a mutual acquaintance back in the mid-1990s. Marisol had recently founded Aracari and was on the lookout for people with special knowledge and interest in Lima to show guests the city from unique perspectives. Lucho, with his academic credentials and charisma, immediately fit the bill, and is one of Aracari’s top Peru specialists in Lima. Top Peru Specialists: A Renaissance man in Lima With an impressive academic background in Renaissance Architecture, Lucho has been invited to lecture and speak at universities in Spain, Italy and the United States and has published many articles on Spanish colonial religious and secular architecture in Peru and pre-Colonial architecture. His knowledge and insight on the subjects is astounding. Lucho is an expert on comparisons and perspectives. Having lived, studied and lectured in many different countries, he draws parallels between Lima and other places travellers have often visited, putting Lima into a much broader historical and social context. Lucho describes his work for Aracari as a ‘wonderful pleasure’. “It’s not like a job at all – I love sharing my passion and have met the most fascinating people.” He smiles as he happily shares some of his favourite memories with Aracari guests: Guiding
As part of our 20th anniversary celebrations, we catch up with Aracari specialist guide Luis Villacorta who talks about making the historic centre of Lima fun for kids and being star-struck by British nobility! Luis Villacorta – a passion for his hometown Lima With a lifelong passion for his home city,…
Lima's Cathedral Gift Shop & Tearoo This August Lima's Cathedral finished renovating the gift shop, and Aracari received an invitation to come see what's new. So last Saturday Simon and I wandered to the Plaza de Armas, where the Cathedral is located, to check out the shop. As we approached the entrance, we asked the attendant for the tienda (gift shop) and were directed towards open doors where sun poured inside of the dim church. We stepped out onto the Patio de los Naranjos, a narrow, yellow-walled courtyard named after that of Sevilla, and were greeted by purple sun umbrellas shading tables and a sign for La Tetería de La Catedral (Cathedral tearoom) that said "Welcome" in many languages. We were immediately taken by the tranquility of the space, which makes the noisy streets of Lima seem far away. Patio de los Naranjos Tearoom Though it has always been open to the public, the Patio de los Naranjos has only recently been transformed into an inviting space for reflection and relaxation, where people can read a book, meditate, enjoy a cup of tea and a quinua muffin from the tea shop or have a conversation with friends. Now, visitors to the Cathedral and the adjoining museums can finish their tours by perusing the new gift shop for souvenirs or reflecting on their visit over a fruit-infused tea. The tearoom and the store can be visited independently from the Cathedral by simply asking at the main doors of the church. Just to the left of the tables of La Tetería tearoom is the door to the gift shop. Friend of Aracari and professor of architecture, specialist guide Luis Villacorta Santamato, oversaw the gift shop renovation, viewing it as an opportunity to promote the Cathedral and give back to local communities in need. Luis, who used to give tours of
Lima’s Cathedral Gift Shop & Tearoo This August Lima’s Cathedral finished renovating the gift shop, and Aracari received an invitation to come see what’s new. So last Saturday Simon and I wandered to the Plaza de Armas, where the Cathedral is located, to check out the shop. As we approached…
