2013 Delta Travel Guide - (Page 80)
PERU
Lima
Peru is the cradle of South America’s ancient civilizations, today promoted by PromPeru as “Peru: Empire of Hidden Treasures.” One jewel no longer out of sight is Lima, once
upon a recent time a one-night layover en-route to Machu Picchu, but today a capital
for discovery. Its Miraflores and San Isidro districts are alive with restaurants serving up
world-acclaimed Peruvian cuisine—different and delicious fusions of Spanish and Asian
traditions—and world-class hotels, with a new entry, the 17-suite, artsy-boutique Hotel
B, opening early this year in the seaside artsy neighborhood of Barranco. The urban explorer in Lima will find treasures on display in the Lima Art Museum: 3,000 years-worth
of ceramics, painting and sculpture; in glorious religious buildings like the San Francisco Monastery with its underground passages and catacombs; in the Larco Herrera
Museum, brimming with pre-Columbian art and gleaming gold and silver pieces and
occupying a colonial mansion, built atop a seventh century pyramid. By day, discover
Vice-Royalty Lima with a stroll around the Plaza de Armas, bordered by the Presidential
Palace (the changing of the guard takes place daily at noon) and the baroque Cathedral
housing the chapel where conqueror Francisco Pizarro is enshrined. Come back to this
heart of the original city after sunset to catch the Magic Circuit of Water, dancing hightech fountains set to lights and music.
While in Lima, do make a day trip to the archaeological complex of Pachacamac, an
important pre-Columbian citadel of palaces and temple pyramids. And then of course
fly on to Cusco, the last capital of the Incas, and perhaps hike the Inca Trail to the wondrous fortress of Machu Picchu. Many of the most exciting pre-Columbian discoveries lie north of Lima between Trujillo and Chicalayo along La Ruta Moche, named for
the Mochica culture that thrived from about A.D. 100 to 700; one of many super-star
attractions is the fantastic Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipan, housing finds of the royal
tombs of the Lord of Sipan. And there is no time like the present to heed the call of the
wild in Amazonia: cruising out on the river from Iquitos, or staying put in the rainforest
in an eco-lodge outside of Puerto Maldonado. New here is the 15-bungalow Hacienda
Concepcion set on 2,000 private acres in the wildlife-rich Tambopata Nature Reserve;
just after its opening, avid birdwatcher Mick Jagger came to call.
FACTS
May to November, the
dry season; however, in coastal Lima, those
months can be gray and misty
FUN-FACT: The earliest known Peruvian
civilization is the Chavin culture (about 1200400 B.C.); its finest remains are the northern
fortress-temple of Chavin de Huantar, about
70 miles from Huaraz
GETTING THERE:
Delta flies from Atlanta
to Lima
ENTRY DOCUMENTS: Valid passport; tourist
card issued free on arrival
CURRENCY: Nuevo sol
MUST-TRY LOCAL FOOD: The world has discovered Peruvian cuisine, and fine Peruvian
chefs now preside over great restaurants
at home and abroad. Arequipa ranks just
behind Lima among Peru’s gastronomic
centers, and specialties include adobo (pork
stew with aji), escabeche de pescado (spicy
fish stew) ostrich, and choclo con queso
(corn on the cob with cheese)
BEST BUYS: Cusco, leading center of
handicraft production, is a premier shopping center for hand-woven textiles, alpaca
wool clothing (sweaters, ponchos, blankets,
scarves), silver jewelry, fine hand-painted reproductions of Esquela Cusquena paintings,
and fine hand-carved frames
INFORMATION PLEASE: PromPeru—peru.info
BEST TIME TO GO:
80
D76-D83.indd 80
12/17/12 2:54 PM
http://peru.info
http://www.skybirdtravel.com
http://www.skybirdtravel.com
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2013 Delta Travel Guide
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