Peru - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don’t just see the sights—get to know the people.

Peru's distinctive Spanish and indigenous cultures that first encountered each other five hundred years ago have progressively integrated. However, the ongoing process of mixing raises questions about the nature of Peruvian identity, and Peruvian society remains economically and culturally divided.  

Culture Smart! Peru introduces you to the changing realities of modern Peru. It describes contemporary values and attitudes, key customs and traditions, and reveals what people are like at home, in business, and in their social lives. Peruvians are outgoing, sociable, and laid-back; get to know them, and they will respond with warmth and generosity.

Have a richer and more meaningful experience abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on history, values, attitudes, and traditions will help you to better understand your hosts, while tips on etiquette and communicating will help you to navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

John Forrest has been travelling to Peru for over forty years, and is currently chairman of the Peruvian rainforest charity, the Tambopata Reserve Society, and a former vice-chairman of the Anglo-Peruvian Society.

Julia Portas, born in Peru, now lives and works in London.