It's the multiple layers of great civilisations that make Peru so intriguing. You can wander around colonial cities that have preserved the legacy of the Spanish conquistadors, visit the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco, explore the lost city of Machu Picchu and ponder the enigma of the Nazca Lines.
Cheap flights, accommodation and holidays to Peru
Peru has some of the most spectacular and varied scenery in South America. The Peruvian Andes are arguably the most beautiful on the continent and the mountains are home to millions of highland Indians, who still speak the ancient tongue of Quechua and maintain a traditional way of life.
And then there’s the natural world. The verdant Amazon Basin, which occupies half of Peru, is one of the world’s top 10 biodiversity ‘hot spots’ – a species-rich area of tropical rain forest that will make your head spin when you start to learn about its ecology. The coastal deserts, with their huge rolling dunes, farmland oases and fishing villages offer the opportunity to get off the Gringo Trail in a big way.
Lima, the capital, has plenty to keep you occupied – interesting museums, a vibrant cafe scene, striking architecture and genuinely friendly people. Lima has a great selection of museums and an impressively restored colonial centre. Its churches provide a welcome respite from the outside clamour or you can enjoy the buzzy atmosphere in markets overflowing with colourful goods and handicrafts.
The archaeological capital of the Americas and the oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent is Cuzco where you’ll find streets lined with Inca-built stone walls and crowded with Quechua-speaking descendants of the Incas. West of Cuzco is Machu Picchu, the best-known and most spectacular site in South America. Despite the relentless stampede of tourists (especially during the dry season months, June to September), this ‘Lost City of the Incas’ still retains an air of grandeur and mystery and will, quite simply, take your breath away.
There’s plenty to see and do in the Andes, particularly if you like to be active. The many permanently glaciated peaks jutting up to 6000m (19680ft) provide excellent climbing and hiking – the season runs May to September. There are great glacial lakes, hot springs and intriguing Inca and pre-Inca archaeological sites you can visit, and as you travel around you’ll hear the haunting Peruvian folk music and notice the unique architecture, heavily influenced by the Spanish colonisation.
Peruvian music is almost entirely folk music. Art prior to Spanish colonisation concentrated almost entirely upon the production of fine pottery, metalwork, stonecraft and textiles. The Spanish introduced painting and their own symmetrical brand of architecture. As local artists grew more confident, a new and distinctive style developed, in which artists turned their attention away from the visible world, and concentrated instead on fairytale and fable. The influence of these works on artist Paul Gauguin, who spent his childhood in Lima, is noticeable.
Typical Peruvian dishes are tasty and vary regionally. Seafood is, understandably, best on the coast, while the Inca delicacy – roast guinea pig – can be sampled in the highlands. Other dishes include: lomo saltado (chopped steak fried with onions); cebiche de corvina (white sea bass marinated in lemon, chilli & onions, often served cold with a boiled potato or yam); and sopa a la criolla (a lightly spiced noodle soup with beef, egg, milk and vegetables).
Several leading tour operators offer escorted tours to Peru, taking in some of the highlights of this fascinating country. For more information about escorted tours to Peru, please call to speak to our dedicated travel team, who are on hand seven days a week to help you find your perfect holiday to Peru.
