In search of: Paddington in Peru

The marmalade-eating bear is back on the A-list, says Helen Truskowski. And so is his hometown, Lima

It's official. Michael Bond's fictional bear really was ahead of his time. Now his hometown, Lima, is fast becoming the hippest destination this side of Hoxton Square. The clumsy bear adopted by the Brown family, who went on to wreak havoc in their west London home, is storming the catwalks with his shabby-chic look.

Paddington chic? You're kidding?

Come on, you can't have missed all those designer duffel coats spread across the fashion pages. It is no coincidence that style guru John Galliano has peppered his collection with Peruvian inspired textiles. Think pashmina, think Peruvian vicuna (the planet's rarest fleece, favoured by Hollywood highlife). Think fashion photographer Mario Testino, the resplendent Peruvian patriot who cites his homeland as shaping his "got-to-have-it" style.

And where Paddington goes, the A-list is sure to follow?

George Bush and Prince Andrew are the latest in a list of illustrious visitors to Peru's capital. And Mariella Frostrup and ex-EastEnder Patsy Palmer are also keen to be seen here, vying for charity-walk chutzpah.

Why has it taken so long to figure out that Paddington has had his paw on the pulse all along?

The last decade saw a decline in popularity for Paddington and his beloved Lima. This was put down to new, if transient, kiddy characters. To put it bluntly, said one newspaper, Paddington's been "stuffed" by the Teletubbies.

The early 1990s was a low point in Lima's history, too.. Thousands of campesinos migrated to Lima, fleeing increasing terrorist activities in the countryside and jungle only to be caught up in a bombing campaign in the city. At that point it was hard to say anything positive about Lima. Today, Lima's fortunes are on the up as the historic centre is sensitively restored, museums built, parks and gardens replenished, the streets cleaned, police vigilance increased and terrorist activity eradicated.

Where would "a very rare sort of bear" recommend hanging out?

Peru's largest city and capital was once the headquarters of the Spanish conquistadors. Crowned as the Spanish empire's commercial and administrative centre for all South America, it entered a period of prosperity, until an earthquake in 1746 destroyed almost all the houses.

The city was rebuilt elaborately. The Andean silver that flowed through Lima on its way to Spain helped to pay for new colonial mansions and Baroque churches whose altars still glisten with the precious metal. The wide streets, huge plazas and houses with ornately carved balconies are a legacy of the period.

On the don't miss list are the Plaza de Armas, the Magdalena Palace and its National Museum of Archaeology, the Gold Museum and Museum of Peruvian Culture; the Inca ruins of Pachacamac, Cajamarquilla, El Paraiso and Chilca; scenic landscapes such as the Infiernillo, Chillon and Rio Cañete Canyons. Check out thermal baths such as the Churin and the sprinkling of beaches throughout metropolitan Lima.

Top of the list should be the stunning San Francisco church and catacombs. It is positively titanic. The monastery, cloisters and entrance hall are embellished with authentic Sevillian tiles dating back to 1620. Also remarkable are its Museum of Religious Art, the Zurbaran room and the library. The complex was built over underground catacombs. They buried people here. Actually, they just dropped them, and you can pay a visit to the eerie cemetery remains.

Of late, districts such as Miraflores and Barranco have become cultural hives filled with swanky bars, restaurants and shops. Wherever you go, be prepared for street-sellers insisting that, yes, you really do need paper napkins, plastic coat hangers a fake Rolex ... Paddington only wore that big hat to escape the attentions of Lima's ubiquitous "chica" peddlers.

But his supply of marmalade had to come from somewhere, right?

You've got to wonder how a bear who insists "... marmalade's very expensive in Darkest Peru" still gets to stash five jumbo-size jars for his voyage. Refrain from such dark dealings and stick to the Restaurante Las Mesitas, in the Barranco district, where they serve up a mean guanabana marmalade cake. La Huaca, in the Huaca Pucllana district, is renowned for its strawberry dessert with a side of hot chilli marmalade.

Enough of the teasing. Where can I find real bears?

Bond's first draft of A Bear Called Paddington had the ursine hero as a stowaway from darkest Africa, until Bond's agent pointed out that there were no bears in Africa. Bond then changed Paddington's provenance to Peru. "The few bears still existing there are about the right size and nothing much is known about them, which seemed a good thing," Bond has since admitted.

You won't find any signs of bears in the capital these days. For the real thing you need to hop on a flight south to Aguas Calientes at the foot of the famous Inca citadel, Machu Picchu. Nearby, bear lovers including Stephen Fry have helped to establish a sanctuary to rescue South America's rare spectacled bear. The Bear Rescue Foundation hopes that cubs will be born here sometime next year.

Then I simply must get my hands on a piece of Peru.

A good starting point is Paddington station in London, which pays its own tribute to the famous Peruvian export in statue form. Paddington's house in Windsor Gardens is just a short stroll from Wall, a boutique in Notting Hill at 1 Denbigh Road (020-7243 4623), which sells funky Peruvian clothes and fabrics.

For the authentic experience, take to Peru on foot. Walks Worldwide (01524 262255; www.walksworldwide.com) offers 15-day family walking tours in Peru, visiting Lima, Lake Titicaca, Cusco, Machu Picchu and the spectacled bears. The tour costs £1,650 per adult, £1,395 for children aged two to 11, and £50 for infants up to 12 months, including return flights, accommodation and some meals. KLM (08705 074 074; www.klmuk.com) flies to Lima via Amsterdam from £577.

A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond is published by Collins (£5.99). Useful reads include Bradt's Peru and Bolivia Trekking Guide (£12.95), Lonely Planet's Latin American Spanish Phrasebook (£4.50) and Rescuing the Spectacled Bear by Stephen Fry (Hutchinson, £14.99). Find out more about the bear at www.bear-rescue.tv.