Mala: Plaza, Church and Sendero Maleño

In Mala, you’ll find two distinct visitor highlights: the Plaza de Armas, with its historical and cultural connections, and the Sendero Maleño, where you can visit ECODEP. The Plaza brings together architecture, a pavilion for cultural events, and landscaped green spaces. The Sendero broadens the range of options with an inclusive and sustainable tourism experience. These differences can help you plan your stay around the places and activities that interest you.

Plaza de Armas: History, Architecture, and Green Spaces

The Plaza de Armas de Mala dates back to September 23, 1862. At the heart of the square stands the Iglesia Matriz San Pedro de Mala, an architectural monument dating from the 16th century. The date of the plaza and the century in which the church was built refer to different historical points in time. This means the information about the plaza and the church can be considered separately, even though both are part of the Plaza.

The Glorieta Oriental is the Plaza’s central pavilion and serves as a venue for cultural events. It was built as a gesture of gratitude to the Chinese community that had settled in the valley. This structure brings together purpose and history: the pavilion hosts events and is also connected to the history of this community. Acacias grow across a large part of the Plaza. Well-maintained green spaces with flowers, shrubs, and even banana plants complete the square’s appearance. The square thus brings together the church’s architectural history and the story behind the central pavilion.

The Plaza de Armas de Mala also received the TUR4all accessibility award, presented by MINCETUR and Impulsa Igualdad.

Getting to the Plaza

From the public transport stop in San Antonio, you can reach the Plaza de Armas de Mala by combi along a paved road. The route is listed as 3 km, with a travel time of 8 minutes. Transport conditions may change, so check the latest information before setting out.

Sendero Maleño and ECODEP

The Sendero Maleño is located in the heart of Mala. A municipal notice dated May 6, 2025, describes it as an inclusive and sustainable tourism experience. Along the Sendero, you can visit ECODEP, a women’s association that turns surplus bananas into handcrafted chifles. This connects the tourism experience with a specific activity of the association: processing bananas into a handcrafted product. Visiting arrangements may change, so check current visiting options in advance.

Consider which focus best suits your reason for traveling and whether you’d like to plan a visit to ECODEP.

Discover more destinations: Alis District, Punta Hermosa, San Vicente De Cañete, Cerro Azul, Surquillo, Lunahuaná, Comas, Chilca District.

For the main travel overview: Lima.