Without doubt, Peru is a country of superlatives: the world’s highest navigable lake—Titicaca; the world’s deepest canyon—Colca; the largest adobe city—10th century Chan Chan; and the greatest variety of flora and fauna in one national park—Manu. To that list, many who know Peru would add that her cuisine is the finest in South America. Of course, the nation is best known as the center of the Inca Empire and guardian of South America’s most important pre-Columbian treasures, but the richness of Peru’s history is matched also by the grandeur of its natural diversity from the Andes to Amazonia.





LIMA
Once called the City of Kings, Lima was the center of Spanish power in the New World following Pizarro’s conquest of Peru in the 16th century. Colonial-era buildings are at their loveliest around the historic Plaza de Armas, including the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Presidential Palace, where the changing of the guard is a daily event at 11:45 a.m. Lima has beautiful, baroque churches, such as La Merced with its gold-leaf altars, and the Convent of San Francisco, adorned with tile work from Seville and Moorish-style ceilings. And the capital’s museums are outstanding, from the Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology to the Larco Herrera with its mind-boggling, 45,000-piece collection of ancient pottery. You need to call for an appointment to see two worthy museum collections: ancient textiles and ceramics in the Amano Museum (weekdays only) and the Pedro de Osma Museum of Colonial Art. The latter is located in Barranco, an artsy neighborhood by the sea. Take time to wander about here on foot—stop for a lunch of perfect traditional ceviche or other seafood specialties at Canta Rana or Manos Morenas, then come back in the evening for live jazz or folk music. Top hotels, including the Miraflores Park, Country Club Lima or the Casa Andina Miraflores Private Collection, are located in the residential districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, as are a bevy of restaurants serving up the finest Peruvian specialties or featuring cuisines from around the world. A short drive outside Lima proper and certainly worth a journey into antiquity is the extensive complex of temples and pyramids at Pachacamac. It was once the largest pre-Columbian settlement on the Peruvian coast. A bit further afield—100 miles north from Lima—is the exciting new site of the Caral, sacred city to a civilization now dated back as the oldest in the Americas.

INCA LAND
First on every traveler’s wish list is a visit to Cusco, considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the western hemisphere. In the 16th century, this Inca capital was destroyed by the conquistadors who then built churches—the Cathedral, La Merced Convent and La Compania—and mansions on the foundations of Incan temples and palaces. The Koriancha (Temple of the Sun), however, is one of the greatest remaining examples of Incan stonework. While the Museum of Religious Art holds the finest treasury from the colonial period, step farther back in time to visit the essential and elegant Museo de Arte Precolombino to view its exquisite collection of antiquities including ceramics, paintings and jewels in silver and gold. Outside of town, visit the fortress of Sacsayhuaman and Ollantaytambo, then browse through the colorful Pisac and Chinchero native markets whose Indian vendors, decked out in regional dress, come to town to sell their fine handicrafts. Both markets are held on Sundays, but the hilltop ruins above Pisac are fabulous anytime. Also on every traveler’s wish list is Machu Picchu, a fascinating 3-hour rail ride from Cusco and a bus ride up the mountain road to Peru’s signature citadel, tucked away in the vastness of misty green jungle peaks. Plan to spend the night and be on site for sunset or sunrise over this superb fortress sanctuary, with more than 200 stone structures set out on grassy terraces linked by staircases that connect sacred temples and altars. Today’s archaeologists seem to agree that the once “lost city” was a summer estate for Inca royalty, housing some 1,000 people. From its perch some 2,000 ft. above the Urubamba River, Machu Picchu is the Holy Grail for hikers at the end of the Inca Trail. While most visitors arrive by rail, there is huge demand to follow the best-known Inca Trail, starting just a short train ride away from Cusco and climbing up-and-over-the-Andean paths. Still other trekkers are joining up to explore a lesser-followed path to the Lost City, staying along the way in the Mountain Lodges of Peru. And many visitors spend a few days between Cusco and Machu Picchu in the Urubamba Valley to get acquainted with the Indian communities, go to local markets and enjoy soft adventures, from horseback
riding to river rafting, while relaxing in a host of splendid new lodgings. In fact, all through Inca Land, you are going to find amazing comfort in more new and wonderful hotels and lodges than we have space to suggest here.

AMAZONIA
The call of the Amazon is most frequently answered for travelers who fly north from Lima to the lively port of Iquitos, sitting right on the banks of the river 2,300 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. Great fortunes were made here in the 19th century when the rubber-boom barons built opulent riverside mansions and even imported an iron house from Europe, designed by Gustav Eiffel. Most visitors come to explore the jungle, taking off along the river to one of many fine lodges that provide walks in the rainforest, visits to native villages and boat rides to go birdwatching and fishing for piranhas. Tops in jungle luxury is the Ceiba Tops Resort, whose extensive rainforest investment includes other more rustic lodges and a towering canopy walk. Another option for jungle exploration is the luxury, 12-suite M/V Aqua, sailing on 3- and 4-night cruises in the remote Pacaya Samiria Reserve. While Iquitos is the major gateway to the Amazon, consider heading to Puerto Maldonado, gateway to the unspoiled Madre de Dios region with two superb rainforest preserves. The Tambopata-Candamo Wildlife Reserve has been called one of the most biologically diverse environments on earth. Birders often count 100 different species in a day, and the reserve is home to the largest known Macaw Lick in the world. Manu Wildlife Reserve, reached by air or overland from Cusco, is one of the best areas for seeing wildlife anywhere in the Amazon rainforest: monkeys (13 species), turtles, giant otters, peccaries, capybaras, tapir and even an occasional jaguar. Macaws, motmots, toucans and curassows are part of the rich bird life inventory. Both reserves offer comfortable lodgings for ardent eco-tourists, birdwatchers, orchid fanciers, and those who just like to be where the wild things are at their best.

It Would Be a Shame to Miss...
Most accessible from the beautiful colonial city of Arequipa, Colca Valley has long been a discovery “frontier” of snowcapped volcanoes, pre-Incan ruins, small, off-beat churches, condors circling overhead, an interesting indigenous culture and even white-knuckle rapids for river running. Now that Orient-Express Hotels has opened its rather wonderful and upscale Las Casitas del Colca lodging—complete with spa and pool—expect increased visitor attention to this fascinating corner of Peru, although the existing Casa Andina Colca with its restaurant featuring folkloric music and dancing, as well as its cool planetarium, was already a good bet. Peru’s Northern Kingdoms of earliest Indian cultures were centered outside today’s airline gateway of Chiclayo. Here, the gold-filled tomb of the Lord of Sipan was discovered in 1988 and is now in its new home, the Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum in Lambayeque. Archaeological excavations are ongoing in the area, including around the ancient Tucume pyramids on the coast, and farther inland with new discoveries from the pre-Inca Chachapoyas civilization. Major finds are the pre-Inca walled city of Kuelap, and hundreds of mummies and burial remains, housed in an excellent museum in Leymebamba.

Celebrations for All Seasons
Feb. 2: Catch the procession of the Virgen de la Candelaria in Puno, known as the folklore capital of Peru.
Mar.: Come to colonial Ayacucho for its brilliant Holy Week festivities.
The Grape Harvest Festival is held during the 1st half of the month in Ica.
June 24: The Inca Festival of the Sun, Inti Raymi, is held in the ruins of Sacsayhuaman outside Cusco.
Aug. 15: Founders Day in Arequipa features a week of parades, fireworks, street dancing and bullfights.
Dec.: Enjoy Lima’s biggest festival, El Senor de los Milagros, whose procession lasts 24 hours.