Roaming South America

Puno, Perú: A City That Works Better on Foot Than on Wheels

May 19, 2026

Puno, Perú - founded in 1668, though the area has been inhabited since 10,000 BC. Puno has a population of at least 135,000 (as of 2017). It is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Titicaca, which is in the southeastern corner of Perú. Where I am right now, in my hotel room, I'm sitting at 3836 meters (12,585ft). The city extends up the hillsides to 4050 meters (13,287 ft). They say Puno is the 5th-highest city in the world. Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. The town is in a highly arid region, receiving only 700mm (27 inches) of rain per year. But, the climate is also quite cold - the average high is only 15.5° C (60° F), and the average low is 1.3° C (34° F). The town averages 1 day of snow each year. And it averages 1 mm when it occurs.

When Puno Was a Transport Hub

Long before the Spanish arrived, the area around Puno was home to several advanced cultures adapted to life on the high Altiplano. The Pucará culture, dating back over 2,000 years, left behind stone structures and distinctive sculptures found throughout the region. Later, the Tiwanaku civilization expanded across the southern Andes, establishing trade and agricultural systems that thrived in this harsh environment. By the time the Inca Empire reached the area, Lake Titicaca was already considered sacred. In Inca mythology, the lake is said to be the birthplace of Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo, the founders of Cusco and the Inca civilization.

The Spanish founded Puno in 1668, largely because of nearby silver discoveries. Like many Andean towns, it grew as a mining and administrative center rather than a place chosen for comfort or convenience. Life at this altitude was, and still is, challenging, but the economic pull of mineral wealth kept the town alive. Over time, Puno developed into a regional hub, serving the surrounding highland communities and maintaining its connection to the lake as a source of transport and livelihood.

In the late 19th century, Puno took on a new role with the arrival of the railway linking it to Cusco. This turned the city into an important transfer point between Peru and Bolivia. Goods arrived by train, were unloaded near the lakeshore, and then shipped across Lake Titicaca to Bolivian ports before continuing inland. Today, that system is largely gone, replaced by road transport, but traces of it remain in the rail lines running through the city and the quiet port areas along the waterfront. What’s left is a city that still functions as a gateway to the lake, but with much of its former industrial purpose faded into the background.

Three Countries, One Coffee Table

Puno is not as small as I expected. Everyone I spoke to about this town said it was so small, so I expected a small town. Anyway, if you happen to be in this part of Perú, visit Puno and skip Juliaca (read my previous blog about that city). In the afternoon of my first day here, I stopped at a coffee shop and heard two women speaking English with the waiter. I introduced myself, and they invited me to sit with them. We had coffee and empanadas and chatted for quite a while. Then we walked down to the port, and then to the modern mall, which seemed so very out of place in this town. Then we went out for dinner later in the evening. One of the women was from France and the other was from Finland. The Finnish woman was on her way to Bolivia and the Amazon region of Bolivia before returning home. The French woman was on a trip learning about coffee and considering opening a coffee shop in Colombia. There we were, 3 people from 3 countries discussing eating alpaca. I said Yes, I have multiple times, the Finnish woman said "I've eaten raindeer, so why not alpaca?" and the French woman said, "No way, they're too cute." That same evening, we met for dinner,r and they brought another woman who was staying in the same hostel. This woman was from Israel. All three are traveling separately and solo. The Finnish woman left early to catch a night bus to La Paz, Bolivia. It was great to visit with other English-speaking people for more than just a minute or two, as is the norm. I really enjoyed my afternoon with those three women from three countries.

A City Center Built for Walking

Puno has a very nice city center in that it has no cars in it. One of the main roads through the center, passing two plazas, is Jiron Lima. For seven blocks, it's pedestrian-only. Of the crossing roads, only two allow cars; the others are 2 to 4 blocks of pedestrian-only. This makes for a quiet and pleasant city center to visit. But, the flipside is that if you drive, you have few options for getting around town. That's because Puno is built on the shore of Lake Titicaca and walled in by steep hills. That leaves no room for any kind of ring road or bypass routes. Too bad for the drivers, great for the walkers. Puno also has a long shoreline, most of it is lined with a very wide sidewalk, the malecon. It's quite pleasant, as well. There are many artisan shops in marketplaces at one of the docks, and many boat services that will take you to the floating islands. The Cusco train also stops here, but in my 2 days here, I never heard it or saw it.

An Out-of-place Motorcycle and Boats being Swallowed by Algae

What else did I see in Puno? Along the shoreline, I noticed boats sitting stranded in the green algae and reeds. Not one or two, but many of them. Not just a few, but dozens. Some looked like they hadn’t moved in years. What was once open water is slowly turning into marsh, and the boats are being left behind. The algae and reeds are slowly swallowing parts of the bay. Also, while walking through town, I came across something I hadn’t seen anywhere else in South America—a full-sized cruiser motorcycle, in the US we'd call it a "chopper." The kind you’d expect to see in the United States, not at nearly 4,000 meters in the Andes. It looked completely out of place, which made it all the more interesting. It was something I’ve rarely seen in South America outside of Argentina or Brazil. What stood out even more was that it had no visible branding at all. No logos, no engine markings. Just a custom-looking bike that drew attention everywhere it went. There's also a ship sitting in the harbor, apparently stuck in the algae. It's an older steamship, the Ollanta, once part of the working fleet on Lake Titicaca. Today it’s tied up in that thick green algae, no longer moving, a reminder of when Puno was part of a much larger transport system linking Peru and Bolivia. That was before there were paved roads.

A City Most People Pass Through

So, in the end, I enjoyed my visit to Puno. This town doesn't get a huge amount of tourists, and those who do come are here to take a boat to the floating islands and leave it at that. As with all the towns and cities I visit, I visit the town and the neighborhoods. I take pics of murals and old churches tucked away on side streets. I eat in small neighborhood restaurants and chat with people along the way. That's what I find interesting. Yes, I visit some "tourist" sites, mostly archaeological sites. And I do those on my own, not with tour groups. So, should you put Puno on your "must-visit" list? Only if you're passing through this part of Perú.