Before exploring Lima, the visitor should map out a route. The old city center harbors churches and mansions brimming with colonial and religious art, including such superb architectural examples as the Casa Aliaga or Palacio de Torre Tagle mansions. Colonial Lima also features many fine churches and convents such as Santo Domingo, San Agustín, San Francisco and La Merced.
Further south lie the Pantanos de Villa, a natural wetlands area which has been declared a reserved zone and which is a haven for more than 150 bird species, while the Pachacamac complex is to be found further south. In the Cañete highlands, 180 km from Lima, lies the Lunahuaná Valley, a hotspot for adventure sports.
To the north, 105 km from Lima are the Lomas de Lachay, a national reserve in the foothills which features a unique mist-fed eco-system of wild plant and animal species. A little further north, meanwhile, is Paramonga, which features pre-Hispanic archaeological sites.
The climate is dryer and sunnier east up the Central Highway, in the Andean foothills. The road heads up through the province of Huarochirí, until it reaches the town of San Pedro de Casta, from where one can see the Marcahuasi plateau. The area is the site of huge natural formations eroded by the climate into the shape of animals and people.

Owing to its colonial architecture, Arequipa has several places of interest. The Convento de Santa Catalina, close to the Plaza de Armas, is a visual treat. The...

With its bustling nightlife, Cuzco is also a magical city of dizzying excitement. Together with its rich archaeological legacy which is to be found on practically every street corner, its c...