Discover Chilca District

Chilca District offers several points of interest to help you plan your trip: a Baroque religious building on the Plaza de Armas, religious and culinary festival traditions, and lagoons and a coastline within the district. For orientation, it is useful to distinguish Chilca itself from other destinations in the district: the church, parish and plaza are in Chilca; the La Encantada and La Mellicera lagoons are in Salinas, while Playa Punta Yaya is in the district. Consider whether history, an event date, or the listed scenery and swimming activities will be the focus of your trip.

Church and Plaza de Armas

The Plaza de Armas de Chilca has historical value and is a central meeting place for visitors. The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Chilca, a Baroque religious building, stands on the plaza. Construction began in 1718. The church has six bells known as the “Campanas de Chilca”; the oldest apparently dates from 1727.

The Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Chilca is at Jr. San Francisco 356 on the Plaza de Armas. The route from the plaza to the church is listed as a paved 10-meter route, taking about five minutes on foot. The plaza, parish address and religious building thus provide clear points of reference within Chilca. Visitors interested in religious architecture will find both the Baroque building and the recorded details about its construction and bells here.

Festivals and fig culture

On August 15, the festival of the Virgen de la Asunción de María is celebrated at the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Chilca. It includes religious activities, fairs and tastings of typical foods. If this date is important to your trip planning, check the specific event dates in advance.

Another highlight is the Festival Internacional del Higo, held in February. It includes food areas and fig products; the 38th edition was announced for 2026. The two festivals have different focuses: the August festival combines religious celebrations, a fair and food, while the fig festival centers on culinary offerings and fig products.

Agriculture is also part of the district’s profile. Chilca is known for its abundant production of figs and pomegranates. The fruit is grown using traditional “holladas” techniques, can be seen from the Panamericana, and also features in local liqueur production. The fig is therefore present both in agriculture and in the festival program; together with pomegranates, it points to a regional product tradition.

Lagoons and coastline in the district

At Laguna La Encantada in Salinas, possible activities include mud baths, swimming, enjoying the scenery and taking photographs. Mud bathing is also listed as a possible activity at Laguna La Mellicera in Salinas. The listed options differ between these destinations: several types of activity are named for La Encantada, while mud bathing is the specific option mentioned for La Mellicera. If you plan to take part in any of these activities, ask about their current availability before your visit.

Playa Punta Yaya is also in Chilca District. It is also known as Playa Yaya or Playa Las Salinas and has an average length of 1.1 kilometers. The different names can help you find the beach in your plans. Do not base your visit planning solely on the beach’s average length.

Route information and choosing a hotel

Several route descriptions use the Plaza de Armas as their starting point. The route to Laguna La Encantada is listed as 4.6 kilometers along a paved road, taking about twelve minutes by car. The route description for Playa Punta Yaya gives a distance of 1.5 kilometers via a paved connection, taking about three minutes by car. Both figures apply to the respective routes specified. The route to the church is listed separately as a paved 10-meter route, taking about five minutes on foot.

Sort out the destinations you plan to visit, then compare the specific location of any hotel you are considering with your own plans. If you are traveling for a festival, check its event dates; if you are planning activities at a lagoon, confirm their current availability.

Discover more destinations: Lunahuaná, Lurigancho-Chosica, Quives, Mala, Churin, Chaclacayo, Huacho, Yauyos

Return to the main travel overview: Lima.