Peru is ancient yet vibrant. While some of its treasures remained hidden in dense overgrown jungles for thousands of years, some of them are still very much in evidence. Ancient traditions and mythical beliefs are kept alive here in colourful festivals, and there’s much merging of mythologyies and crossover between ancient Incan deities and Christian saints. There’s also plenty of cross-fertilisation when it comes to cuisine. Borrowing from their own traditions and from Spanish colonisers and African immigrants, fusion food has been the norm here long before it became fashionable in the West. The best places to stay in Peru echo this fusion, blending the old and the new.
The landscape, too, is often astonishing. Peru has the Amazon, Lake Titicaca, volcanoes, the Andes and the Pacific, boasting grand canyons, jagged mountain peaks and lush jungles. Plus a lost city or two... The challenge here is planning your itinerary - there is so much variety and so much to see. Below we have listed a selection of our top picks of the best places to stay in Peru.
Some of our Peru Collections
What not to Miss
Lima is a graceful and sophisticated modern city built atop a pre-Colombian settlement. It boasts colonial buildings alongside ancient temples and modern cafes and bars, sandwiched between crumbling cliffs and the Pacific Ocean.
Cusco - aka Cuzco or Qosq’o - is the cosmopolitan former capital of the Inca Empire. And, as well as being arguably one of the most fascinating cities on the continent, it's also the closest city to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. It showcases beautifully preserved colonial architecture as well as much older Incan structures, many extremely well preserved.
For Machu Picchu itself, you might also consider staying in the smaller Aguas Calientes nearby. The spectacular ruins of Machu Picchu have become a recognisable symbol of Peru, and one of the great wonders of the world. For many people, seeing the city - which was lost for hundreds of years - is enough, but for others the journey to get there, through the mountainous jungles of the Inca trail is part of the experience. Aguas Calientes is a good jumping off point for the trek.
Peru’s next most famous sight is probably Lake Titicaca. Puno makes a great base for exploring the lake and has a rich history of its own, too. Puno also has a feeling of the seaside - the lake is enormous. It too has a wealth of pre-Incan ruins.
Once you have seen Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and Lake Titicaca, the next step on your Peruvian adventure - if you have time - might be Arequipa, the former capital. Surrounded by volcanoes, it sits majestically beside the Socobaya river, near the Colca Canyon and the Aguada Blancas National Park. It’s architecture is breathtaking too.