Peru Guide
The Central Sierra
Tarma
Tarma is by far the nicest mountain town in this part of Peru, with warmer temperatures and an abundance of wild and farmed flowers, sitting on the edge of the Andes almost within spitting distance of the Amazon forest. Tarma's greatest claim to fame is its connection with Juan Santos Atahualpa's rebellion in the 1740s and 1750s: taking refuge in the surrounding mountains, he defied Spanish troops for more than a decade, though peace returned to the region in 1756 when he and his allies mysteriously disappeared. Today Tarma is a quiet place, disturbed only by the flow of trucks climbing up towards the jungle foothills, and the town's famous Easter Sunday procession from the main plaza, when the streets are covered by carpets of dazzling flowers.