Things to do in Peru

Lima, the capital, sits on clifftops above the Pacific with a colonial centre, pre-Inca ruins and a food scene that draws travellers in its own right. High in the Andes, Cusco keeps Inca stonework beneath its churches and leads on to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu, the citadel on a ridge above the Urubamba River, is reached by train or along the Inca Trail. Beyond it, the floating islands of Lake Titicaca, the white city of Arequipa and the Colca Canyon with its condors, the mysterious Nazca Lines in the desert and the rainforest around Puerto Maldonado and Iquitos reveal the country's extraordinary range.

Ceviche, lomo saltado, ají de gallina, Andean potatoes and quinoa, and the pisco sour have made Peru a destination for food lovers. The dry season in the Andes from May to September is the classic time for trekking, while Lima's summer from December to April is sunny. Take time to adjust to the altitude in the mountains.