Destination: Peru

If this is your first trip to Peru, you’re probably headed to Machu Picchu, which is a good choice. However, don’t forget there is more to this country than the fabled lost city.  Peru is a wonderful country, full of bright colors and friendly faces, where the people make the most of their day. Take a trip and explore the historical cities where the ancient Incas once walked and the capital hill of modern Peru now stands.

Lima:
Lima is a city that doesn’t make a good first impression. Traffic jams, smog and shouting taxi divers can be a bit overwhelming at first glance. However, leaving the congested city center, heading toward the coast and catching the sunset off the pier in the seaside suburb of Miraflores is a great way to explore the capital city. They say the third time’s the charm. It certainly was as Francisco Pizarro made port in Ciudad de los Reyes (City of Kings) to ship all the gold the conquistadors plundered from the Inca back home to Spain. After 300 years Peru was liberated from Spanish rule in 1821, where the declaration was read in the square the Spaniards had carefully designed.

Where to go:

1. Larcomar :This is one of the city’s best shopping districts with a panoramic view of the ocean in every direction. There is everything from clothing stores to book shops to restaurants, or you can just cool off in the shade of a café and people watch.
2. Huaca Pullana: This restaurant faces a 1500-year-old pyramid where the excavations are still on going, so you can watch the archeologists while you eat. Who knows, they might even find something while you’re enjoying a refreshing pisco.

Cusco:
Bienvenidos a la ciudad imperial del Cusco. “Welcome to the imperial city of Cusco.” This is the royal greeting you receive when your plane touches down in the former lost city of the Inca. For the past nine centuries, this city has stood in the Andean valley at an elevated 11,500 feet above sea level and was once the capital of the Incan Empire. If your first thought upon arrival is to jump the train to Machu Picchu the next morning, you will only have time to stroll around the Plaza de Armas and catch the sunset atop the Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun). However it is recommended to stay in Cusco for at least two days to acclimate to the altitude and to avoid sick spells, soroche, as the elevation affects people differently. Take things slowly and avoid playing the crazed tourist, as the soroche can take effect within the first 12 hours of your arrival. Get an ample amount of fluids to counteract the dehydration, try to avoid caffeine and alcoholic beverages, and spend your first day admiring the terra cotta rooftops and watching local street vendors sell their wares to locals and tourists alike.

Where to go:

1. Catedral: This baroque-style cathedral is built on the foundations of the palace of the Inca Wirachocha, and is considered one of the most splendid Spanish colonial churches in the Americas.
2. Fallen Angel: This controversial restaurant is where you can enjoy your steak, salad, and dessert in an avant-garde atmosphere. Admire the depictions of heaven, hell, earth, limbo and everything in between, splattered on the walls of the former house of Francisco Pizarro.

Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley:
The journey to Machu Picchu though the Sacred Valley is well worth the four-hour train ride to the fabled lost city, where you can view the small towns and the people who live as they did when the Incas still ruled. View the archeological sites and old towns without the hordes of tourists and live life as a local. Even though you have seen the pictures and heard the tales of the famous lost city, it’s a different experience when you get your first glimpse of Machu Picchu; as the sun begins to rise over the mountaintops, all the Internet pictures and postcards of the place cannot compare. Looking at the breathtaking panoramic views of the Andes, the little town of Aguas Calientes, and surrounded by nine centuries of history can help you re-evaluate your perspectives. Also be on the lookout for any llamas; they roam the ruins and are patient during photo shoots.

Where to go:

1. Aguas Calientes: This little ramshackle town is at the base of Machu Picchu, just 5 miles from the entrance, where visitors are welcome to stay overnight and enjoy a hot meal before jumping on the train back to Cusco. It’s recommended to stay overnight and get two full days to explore the ruins, otherwise you will only have a few hours in between the morning and the evening trains. It’s nothing spectacular, but Aguas Calientes gets its name from the thermal hot springs above the town, where weary travelers can relieve their muscles after a day in the ruins.
2. Chez Maggy: This little pizzeria is a slice of heaven after a day at Machu Picchu, where you can eat, relax, and talk about the ruins until the cows come home. It’s a great way to end the day and hop the train back to Cusco, where you can say you too have actually seen Machu Picchu.

So whether this is your first visit to Peru or your tenth, there will always be something you haven’t seen and a new discovery to make. OPI wasn’t messing around when they introduced the color Peru-B-Ruby to their line of nail colors, as the country of Peru is truly a gem worth discovering for yourself.

-Brittany Matsushita