Recommend January 2014 - (Page 95)

Once called the "City of Kings," Lima was the center of Spanish power in the New World in the 16th century. Fast-forward 500 years and you'll ﬁnd the historic colonial center of Plaza de Armas, restored to show off the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace and the Presidential Palace. While Lima is no urban beauty, the capital has beautiful baroque churches such as La Merced and the Convent of San Francisco, and its museums, led by the Museo Larco, are outstanding. BEST PLACE TO STAY The newly debuted Hilton Lima Miraﬂores, and in the artsy seaside Barranco district, the just-opened, classy, B Arts Boutique Hotel. And we can't forget The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center, located in Lima's ﬁnancial and shopping district. BEST NATURE EXPERIENCE The call of the wild takes travelers by air from Lima to the lively river port of Iquitos, gateway to exploring Amazonia, either from comfortable eco-lodges or aboard several classy expedition boats cruising through the remote Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. From Lima and Cusco, nature lovers ﬂock to the Tambopata Nature Reserve and the Manu Biological Reserve, southeastern rainforest areas that protect incredible wildlife. BEST CULTURAL EXPERIENCE The Incas, the last of the pre-Columbian civilizations, made their kingdom's capital in the Andean city Cusco, destroyed in the 16th century by the Spanish conquistadors, who then built churches-El Catedral, La Merced Convent and La Compañia-on Inca temple fortiﬁcations. Cusco is a gold-mine of sightseeing wonders, artisan boutiques, and a host of upscale hotels occupying historic buildings. From Cusco, it's a scenic rail ride to everyone's wish list destination, Machu Picchu, the breathtaking "Lost City of the Incas." Of course, there's always the option of an Inca Trail Trek (three to ﬁve days) to approach this iconic site on foot. BEST KEPT SECRET Sky-high and sacred, Lake Titicaca offers travelers accommodations with the islanders on Islas Amantani and Taquile. PERU Lima FACTS BEST TIME TO GO: May to November, the dry season; in the rainforest areas, JuneOctober FUN FACT: Peru's greatest contribution to the world is probably the potato. All modern varieties-roughly 5,000-can be traced to a single species ﬁrst domesticated in the southern Andes around 10,000 years ago GETTING THERE: Delta ﬂies from Atlanta to Lima ENTRY DOCUMENTS: Valid passport CURRENCY: Nuevo Sol MUST-TRY NATIVE FOOD: Fashioned in the Andes, novoandina cuisine combines modern "techniques" with traditional raw materials of Andean dishes. Try quinotto, the national version of the typical Italian risotto, eaten with chicken, prawns or shellﬁsh BEST BUYS: Paintings by local artists, silver and jade jewelry, hand-woven textiles, alpaca wool clothing (sweaters, ponchos, capes, slippers), Cusceno mirrors INFORMATION PLEASE: PromPeru- peru.info 73 D66-D75.indd 73 12/20/13 9:32 AM http://www.peru.info http://perurail.com http://perurail.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend January 2014

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Aloft Hotels
Tour Talk: Swain Destinations
Uniworld's Queen Isabel
Disney Magic
Delta Air Lines Travel Guide 2014
Macau
Egypt Update
Scandinavia Exposed
B Hotels & Resorts
What's New in Las Vegas

Recommend January 2014