Iquitos

The jungle city of Iquitos is one of Peru's most fascinating burgs. Although commonly viewed by visitors as a mere stopover on the way to Amazonian lodges and reserves, the city itself is worth a visit.  

The history of Iquitos is a fascinating portrait of boom / bust cycles. In the late nineteenth century, the region produced much of the world's rubber, which resulted in a huge economic boom that lasted from about 1880 to 1910, when rubber plantations in Asia undercut Peru in the international rubber market. During this period, incredibly wealthy Peruvians built palaces and grand hotels in Iquitos, some of which survive to this day. The most notable of these is the Casa de Fierro, or Iron House, designed by Gustave Eiffel and first built in Paris. It was purchased by rubber baron Anselmo del Águila, dismantled, and shipped piece by piece to Iquitos, where it was painstakingly reconstructed. Today it contains a café and English pub. Be sure to stop for a look.