Tarma sits a little above 3,000 metres in the central Peruvian Andes, between the high sierra and the road down toward the cloud forest. It is known in Peru as the City of Flowers, and the name is not just tourist talk: the valley is green, fertile, and famous for floral displays around Easter and the September flower festival.
The town itself is modest, with a palm-lined plaza and the Cathedral of Santa Ana at its centre. The stronger reason to stop is the cluster of Andean sights close by. Tarmatambo preserves terraces and stone structures from the Inca road system above the valley, while Gruta de Huagapo is one of Peru's more impressive cave visits, with rock art near the entrance and a cold stream running out of the mountain.
Tarma works best for travellers already crossing the central highlands, especially between Lima, La Oroya, Huancayo, and the jungle road toward Chanchamayo. It is not polished, but it gives you a day of ruins, caves, flowers, and pilgrimage life that feels very different from the better-known southern circuit.