Pisco

Modern-day Pisco shows little evidence of its celebrated past. Instead, what you'll find is a city struggling to get back on its feet after the disaster of August 2007, when a magnitude 8 earthquake shook the town for three minutes. Disregard for planning permission, illegal building extensions, and the use of adobe (mud brick) as the main building material had left a vast number of Pisco's buildings unable to withstand the quake, and hundreds of lives were lost as homes, churches, and hospitals collapsed during the tremor.

Undoubtedly a town that's had more than its fair share of hardship and natural disaster, 2007 was not the first time Pisco has suffered from earthquake damage. The city stands where it does today because an earthquake in 1687, and pirate attacks in its aftermath, destroyed so many structures that viceroy Count de la Monclova decided to give up on the old location and start afresh where the city lies today.

Modern-day Pisco is a shadow of its former self and most travelers instead base themselves in Paracas, just a few kilometers down the coast. But National Pisco Day, the third Saturday in September, draws thousands to the city.For travelers wishing to assist Pisco's recovery, there are numerous opportunities to volunteer. While organizations active in the area vary over time, a good place to start looking for current opportunities is www.idealist.org. Even those without the time to volunteer should know that every Nuevo Sol spent in local businesses is contributing to rebuilding the region's economy.