Country book · Latin America

Peru

Inca stone, Amazon jungle, world-class kitchens

Peru holds Machu Picchu, the Amazon basin and a coastline of ancient civilizations, and in the last two decades its capital Lima has become one of the culinary capitals of the world.

Myths

What's true, what isn't

Actually true

The food scene really is world-class
Lima restaurants regularly rank among the World's 50 Best, driven by chefs blending Indigenous, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese influences.
Machu Picchu is as spectacular as photos suggest
The 15th-century Inca citadel sits on a ridge above the Urubamba River, invisible from the valley floor below.
Peru has extraordinary biodiversity
It contains Amazon rainforest, Andean highlands and Pacific desert coast within a single country.
Quechua is still widely spoken
Millions of Peruvians, especially in the highlands, speak Quechua as a first or co-official language.

Commonly believed, wrong

"It's just Machu Picchu"
Peru has thousands of archaeological sites, from Nazca to Chan Chan to Sacsayhuamán.
"It's all mountains"
Peru includes coastal desert, Amazon rainforest covering over half its territory, and Andean highlands.
"Ceviche is Mexican"
Ceviche is widely regarded as Peruvian in origin, tracing back to pre-Columbian coastal fish curing traditions.
"The Incas built everything ancient in Peru"
Cultures like the Moche, Nazca and Chimú predate the Inca Empire by over a thousand years.

Highlights

The best of Peru

Machu Picchu

The 15th-century Inca citadel remains one of the most extraordinary archaeological sites on Earth.

The Sacred Valley

Inca terraces, colorful markets and mountain villages between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Lima's food scene

Central, Maido and dozens of other restaurants have made the capital a global dining destination.

The Amazon basin

Iquitos and the surrounding rainforest offer some of the most accessible Amazon wildlife-watching in South America.

Culture

Cultural riches

Quechua and Andean tradition

Textile weaving, coca leaf ritual and Pachamama offerings remain central to highland life.

Nazca Lines

Massive geoglyphs etched into the desert over 1,500 years ago, visible only from the air.

Marinera dance

A elegant courtship dance from the northern coast, performed with handkerchiefs at festivals.

Inti Raymi festival

Cusco's June sun festival reenacts an Inca ceremony honoring the sun god with thousands of participants.

Food

What to eat

Ceviche

Raw fish cured in lime juice with onion and chile, considered Peru's national dish and cultural treasure.

Lomo saltado

Stir-fried beef with onions, tomatoes and fries, blending Chinese-Peruvian (chifa) technique with Andean ingredients.

Ají de gallina

Shredded chicken in a creamy yellow chili sauce, a comfort-food classic.

Anticuchos

Grilled beef heart skewers marinated in vinegar and spices, sold from street carts nationwide.

Causa limeña

Layered mashed yellow potato with chicken, avocado or seafood, a chilled Lima classic.

History

Important people in history

Túpac Amaru II

1738 — 1781

Led a major Indigenous uprising against Spanish colonial rule, becoming a lasting symbol of resistance.

José de San Martín

1778 — 1850

Argentine general who declared Peruvian independence from Spain in 1821.

Pachacútec

c. 1418 — 1471/1472

Ninth Inca ruler credited with transforming the Inca state into a true empire and building Machu Picchu.

Cities