What to see
Casa de Fierro - glimpse the iconic must-see “majestic” Casa de Fierro (Iron House), designed by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame). It was made in Paris in 1860 and imported piece by piece into Iquitos around 1890, during the opulent rubber-boom days, to beautify the city.
Walking Tour of the Rubber Barons’ Mansions- Azulejos- see the other remainders of the rubber-boom glory days, former mansions decorated with azulejos, handmade tiles imported from Portugal of the rubber barons along Raimondi and Malecón Tarapaca. Some of the best are various government buildings along or near the Malecón.
Museo Etnográfico - picturesquely located along the Malecón you will find an old building housing the small Museo Etnográfico, which includes life-sized fiberglass casts of members of various Amazon tribes. You'll find the Biblioteca Amazónica onsite as well.
Barrio de Belén - explore the waterfront Barrio de Belén, Iquitos's interesting village on foot or for much of the year, by locally arranged canoe. Browse its sprawling, colorful, and odiferous open-air market, where you'll find a bounty of strange and wonderful Amazon fish, fauna, and fruits. For safety's sake, though, go in a group and during the day only.
Manatee Rescue Center - visit the Manatee Rescue Center, where biologists and volunteers care for endangered Amazon manatees (Trichechus inunguis) an endangered species in Peru due to poaching and habitat degradation, despite existing national and international laws that protect it. There is also illegal marketing of babies sold as pets to farmers or tourist facilities, where the mortality rate is high. Through joint efforts between the Regional Bureau for the Production of Loreto, Dallas World Aquarium, the Association for the Conservation of Amazonian Biodiversity - Dallas World Aquarium Zoo (ACOBIA-DWAZOO) and the Association and Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon, a program began in November 2007 for rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned Amazonian manatees and providing an environmental education for visitors
Pilpintihuasi Butterfly House & Amazon Animals Orphanage - welcome to Pilpintuwasi a wildlife rescue and temporary custody center located on 20 hectares of land in the village of Padre Cocha, 20 minutes outside of Iquitos. Visit a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting animals affected by the poaching and trafficking that work with the environmental police to take in injured or malnourished animals confiscated from markets, airports and homes. Once recovered, many of the animals, which include various monkey species, coatis, capybara, ocelot, and jaguar live free of cages or in enclosures simulating their natural environment. Check out the butterfly house on the property where they breed and display many species of butterflies.
Recommendations: It is important that you take common sense precautions when visiting, just like in any major destination in the world, such as taking extra care of your belongings in public places. Know the unsafe areas and avoid visiting them, especially at night.
