Peruvian Sol · S/ · Official currency of Peru
The Peruvian sol (S/) was introduced in 1991 to address severe inflation. 'Sol' means 'sun' in Spanish, echoing the sun-worship tradition of the Inca civilization.
Five denominations circulate: S/10, S/20, S/50, S/100, and S/200, featuring historical Peruvian figures and Inca archaeological sites.
Card payments are increasingly common at tourist spots, but cash is still essential at local markets and in smaller towns near Machu Picchu. Exchanging at a bank or licensed exchange office (casa de cambio) in the city usually gets a better rate than at the airport, and it's worth getting into the habit of checking the watermark to spot counterfeits. Small bills are handy for local transport and market purchases, so it's worth keeping a good stock.
You can view the real banknote designs on the Banco Central de Reserva del Perú's official page.
See Peruvian Sol banknotes at today's exchange rate →