The area of Iquitos city was initially inhabited by different indigenous people, including the Cocama, Bora, and Huitoto. The city was founded as a Jesuit settlement in 1757 and was named after the Iquitos people, the main inhabitants of the area. The Jesuits were present to convert the natives to the Jesuit faith. The first population census was of 81 people in 1808. The population grew steadily and Iquitos was named the capital of the Loreto region on the 9th November 1897. In 1870, just before the rubber boom, the city had a population of 1,500. The rubber boom caused a massive influx of people and by the 1880s the population rocketed to over 20,000 inhabitants. Currently, the population of Iquitos is up to around 400,000 people.

The motocarro is probably what stands out in the city, which is the main form of transport and well suited to the area’s climate. Travelling around the city, you can see the obvious signs from the bygone rubber boom in the European influenced architecture dotted around the city centre. The materials for these structures were imported straight from Europe. The main square is the Plaza de Armas, and around here you can find restaurants, cafes, and bars within a short walking distance. The square situates a neo-gothic church built between 1911 and 1924. The Swiss clock on the church tower was installed in 1925.  Across from the park is the Iron House, designed by the French artist Gustave Eiffel, another well known Iquitos building. A short walk from the Plaza de Armas is the floating area of Belen. Although an interesting area, as the buildings are built on rafts to deal with the flooding of the river, this is the poorest part of Iquitos. It isn’t recommended to walk through Belen, but the area can be viewed from the edge of the city, or if desired, on route to the Tahuayo Lodge.