Ryan Dubé - Moon Machu Picchu

one of Machu Picchus resident llamas

After visiting the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, travelers are acclimatized to Cuscos high altitude. They are also primed for Cuscos complex culture, which remains today an antagonistic mixture of Inca and Spanish cultures. The Spanish erected more than a dozen baroque churches atop flawless Inca walls. Cusco must-visits are the artisan barrio of San Blas, the Inca sun temple Coricancha, and the fortress of Sacsayhuamn overlooking the city.

Once avoided by travelers because of its gray weather and grimy downtown, Lima is making a roaring comeback. On the Plaza de Armas (or Plaza Mayor), upscale restaurants and cafs now neighbor the countrys most important colonial catedral and the presidential and archbishops palaces. The outlying districts of San Isidro and Miraflores offer the greatest range of lodging, bars, and Peruvian cuisine. Bohemian Barranco is the nightlife district and a favored backpackers den.

The traditional time to visit Peru is in the South American winter, June-August, when dry, sunny weather opens up over the Andes. Because Perus dry months coincide perfectly with summer vacation in North America and Europe, this is also the high season when most travelers visit Peru. Prices for lodging tend to go up during these months, and Machu Picchu can be crowded. Especially crowded times are Inti Raymi, the June 24 sun festival in Cusco, and Fiestas Patrias, the national Peruvian holiday at the end of July.