It’s easy to get there
Most capitals and important cities around the world have direct flights to Lima, bringing this South American nation a bit closer to home. If there is not a direct flight, for sure there will be the way getting to Lima with no more that one stop.
Lima is resurgent
Peru’s capital, Lima, once a dingy and even dangerous city, is rising in tandem with the Peruvian economy. Many Peruvian restaurants, suddenly popular all over the world, has put the city’s rich and varied gastronomy on the map. Beyond its culinary delights, Lima boasts a glorious old town, many museums, and the impressive 1,800-year-old pre-Inca ruins.
There’s Machu Picchu…and you must visit Machu Picchu in your lifetime
Topping many a bucket list, the ancient city of Machu Picchu is the most visited tourist attraction in South America and can be reached via hiking trails or a lofty railway line. A careful planning and the right approach will make your visit to this site an enchanting and engaging experience.
Quieter alternatives
Other Peruvian ruins include Kuelap – the «Machu Picchu of the north», on a clifftop surrounded by cloud forest; Choquequirao – which means Cradle of Gold and is known as «Machu Picchu’s Little Sister»; and the adobe city of Chan Chan, the largest adobe city in the world.
The Amazon abounds
Peru has no fewer than three Amazon regions: the riverine national parks and reserves around Iquitos; the Chachapoyas – Gocta – Kuelap circuit, with its mummy museums, ruins, and lofty waterfall; and the Tambopata reserve, where boat trips are increasingly popular. All are well connected by air to Cusco and Lima.
Cusco takes you back
Cusco is thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the America’s and it retains many tangible links with its pre-Columbian past, such as the ruins of Coricancha, an Inca temple demolished by the Spanish in 1533. Beyond the history, Cusco has many diversions. Most of its center streets are pedestrianized making it easy to drift around and get acclimatized, dropping into churches, art galleries, and former palaces and convents now turned into hotels.
It’s got the Sacred Valley of the Incas
The Sacred Valley was the breadbasket of Machu Picchu, and it is located bit in between Cusco and Machu Picchu. The multiple altitudinal layers that comprise the Sacred Valley create a wide set of microenvironments. On top of this natural advantage, the Inca built an infrastructure of agrarian terraces that further multiplied the number of microclimates and ecological niches suitable for growing. How can you understand the scale of the empire if you don’t know how its builders, runners, and warriors were fed?
The sun was born in Lake Titicaca
Andean folklore dictates that Lake Titicaca is the birthplace of the sun, which is why this huge body of water is considered so sacred. The largest lake in South America it is the highest navigable waterway in the world and is home to the Uru people, who live on floating islands made of reeds.
The beaches are exquisite
The chilly peaks of the Andes seem like a long way away from the scorching beaches of Peru’s northwest. Feted for its tropical climate and fine golden shores, the region of Piura is probably the top spot for beach bums, who flock to resorts like Mancora, where rolling surf, crystalline waters and powdery sands keep visitors for longer than they planned.
It’s home to the Nazca Lines
The Nazca Lines are steeped in history and mystery. These curious geoglyphs were etched into the desert sometime between 500 BC and AD 500, and depict living things such as a birds, animals and a strange-looking man, known as ‘the astronaut’. The sheer size of them and the fact that they can only properly be viewed from the air, combine to make a visit to Nazca both awe-inspiring and mystifying. Small planes fly from the desert airfield nearby, but be prepared to feel airsick as you zoom in and out.
There’s an oasis
More reminiscent of Arabia than South America, Huacachina is an oasis in southwest Peru. Legend has it this unlikely lagoon is home to a mermaid, but of this we can be sure: it’s one of the prettiest, most peaceful destinations in this corner of the country – and a top spot for sandboarding.
There’s a new luxury sleeper train
Launched in May 2017, the Belmond Andean Explorer is South America’s first luxury sleeper train. Chugging through one of the highest rail routes on the planet, it offers passengers a unique vantage point on Peru as it takes in sights such as Cusco, Lake Titicaca, and Arequipa.
The culinary scene is exciting
Touted as one of the world’s most exciting culinary destinations, Peru is best known for ceviche, but its repertoire is far more extensive. Lima is the cutting edge of Peruvian cuisine, but beyond the capital, the country is awash with fabulous fusions and experiments. Traditional recipes endure too, particularly on the Pacific coastal strip, in the Amazon and up in the Andes. Many a Peruvian evening is whiled away with pisco sours. Made from lime juice, syrup, ice, egg white, Angostura bitters and, of course, pisco, it’s a fine cocktail to kick start the night.
