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Plaza de Armas (Huacaypata)
Plaza de Armas (Huacaypata) There was once a time when Cusco was the center of the powerful Incan Empire. From the coastal deserts of southern Peru to the frigid peaks of the Andes, every decision within the empire traced back to the city of Cusco. It was the beating heart at the very center of on
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Historic Centre of Lima
Historic Centre of Lima Stretching between the Plaza de Armas and Plaza San Martin, and bisected by the principal boulevard of Jirón de la Unión, the historic center of Lima is still the focal point of the modern-day city. Today, the UNESCO-listed area forms the basis of most tourist itineraries,
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Canon del Colca (Colca Canyon)
Canon del Colca (Colca Canyon) Located about 100 miles northwest of Arequipa, Colca Canyon is a canyon of the Colca River. Its main claim to fame is being touted as the “world’s deepest canyon,” with a depth of 13,650 feet. Colca Canyon can be explored in many ways, like hiking, biking, kayaking,
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Sun Island (Isla del Sol)
Sun Island (Isla del Sol) The most important island on the lake, according to pre-Columbian tradition, is the Isla del Sol, “Sun Island.” It is the largest of the lake islands (14.3 square kilometers, or 5.5 square miles), and considered sacred to the Andean Sun God and Inca patron deity, Inti. To
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Magic Water Circuit
Magic Water Circuit The Magic Water Circuit, located within the Parque de la Reserva, provides a fun and family-friendly option for those looking for something inexpensive to do in Lima. The municipal project—a series of 12 fountains choreographed to music and lights—was inaugurated in 2007 and ha
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Uros Islands/Islas Uros
Uros Islands/Islas Uros The 40-plus floating Uros Islands are perhaps the most photographed attraction on Lake Titicaca, famously constructed with springy totora reeds. The reeds are collected from around the shores of Lake Titicaca, and used to replenish the fragile islands every three months or
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Taquile Island/Isla Taquile
Taquile Island/Isla Taquile As famed for its handicrafts—the island’s traditional knitwear has been proclaimed a UNESCO Masterpiece of Intangible Human Heritage—as its dramatic, rocky topography topped with windswept pre-Columbian ruins, Isla Taquile is one of Lake Titicaca’s most famous destinati
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Cusco Historic Center
Cusco Historic Center When it comes to history, few cities in South America are more historic than Cusco. This sprawling city was once the capital of the entire Inca Empire, and many will tell you that ancient Cusco was the grandest city in Peru. Even the name “Cusco” translates as “Navel of the E
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Larco Museum (Museo Larco)
Larco Museum (Museo Larco) To help you get your head around Peru’s centuries of history and culture, visit the well-regarded Museo Larco Herrera in Lima, housed in an 18th-century vice-royal mansion, built over a 7th-century pyramid and surrounded by leafy gardens. The chronological overview of 3,
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Ballestas Islands
Ballestas Islands Often called “the Peruvian Galapagos,” the Ballestas Islands are where savvy travelers can experience wildlife on a budget. Here, on these rocky islets about 90 minutes off the coast of Paracas, hundreds of sea lions lounge on rocks that are covered in thousands of birds, and the
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Mercado Central de San Pedro
Mercado Central de San Pedro There is a certain irony that one of the best sites in Cusco really isn’t a site at all. Rather, the Mercado Central de San Pedro (San Pedro Market) is simply the place in the center of Cusco where most of the locals go for their groceries.The difference, however, is t
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Iglesia and Museo de San Francisco
Iglesia and Museo de San Francisco The Iglesia and Museo de San Francisco is a spectacular example of Moorish-inspired Spanish baroque colonial grandeur, but the real highlight is the spooky labyrinth of catacombs underground.One of the best preserved churches in Lima, the Convent of San Francis o
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Pachacamac Itshma Temple
Pachacamac Itshma Temple The closest archaeological site to Lima is Pachacamac, a pre-Inca collection of sand-blasted pyramid temples and palaces spanning 1,500 years. Over the centuries the now-ruined city developed into one of the Inca’s most important religious and administrative centers.Though
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Quechua Village
Quechua Village The Quechua are the indigenous people of the Andes, and their language is also called Quechua. The Inca used the Quechua language to unify their empire, fanning out from Cusco, where the language was also influenced by Aymara.The word Quechua was used to describe an area of land th
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Pisac Indian Market
Pisac Indian Market The Sacred Valley town of Pisac was once a lofty Inca citadel. These days, it attracts shoppers rather than warriors, with its popular Sunday-morning handicrafts market.After touring Pisac’s Inca site, dramatically set on a mountain spur an hour’s hike above the village, get re
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Ollantaytambo Fortress
Ollantaytambo Fortress Inca street and town planning at its finest is preserved in the village of Ollantaytambo, surrounded by neatly terraced hills.Soaring above the town’s cobbled streets, which have been lived in since the 13th century, is the massive Inca fortress and the monolithic stones of
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Sacred Valley of the Incas
Sacred Valley of the Incas The Sacred Valley was the agricultural food bowl of the Inca, a fertile plain perfect for growing the Inca staples, maize and potatoes.At the heart of the valley is the ancient city of Cusco, surrounded by remote Quechua villages and the crumbling remains of Inca citadel
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Lima Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor)
Lima Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor) Lima’s Plaza Mayor (main square) is central Plaza de Armas, the city’s historic heart and birthplace.Landscaped with palm trees, elaborate lampposts, flower beds and greenery, the square’s focus is the 1650 tiered bronze fountain in the center and the statue of Fr
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Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes If youre visiting Machu Picchu while youre in Peru - and why wouldn’t you? – theres a very good chance youll pass through the small pueblo of Aguas Calientes en route. The gateway town to Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes is nestled in a valley of cloud forest below the famous Incan si
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Salkantay Trail
Salkantay Trail For those who don’t want to book their tour dates six months in advance for the Inca Trail (especially during high season from June through August, when permits sell out quickly), the Salkantay Trail is a great alternative. Not only is it easier to plan because you don’t need to bo
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