Peruvian Delights

The Peruvian capital of Lima has been the epicenter of an increasingly acclaimed culinary renaissance. The source of her gastronomic excellence is the melting pot of flavours from every corner of the globe: Spain, Italy, France, China and Japan. In addition to the influences of Afro-Peruvian community and the indigenous cultures. Several of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants (2017) can be found in Peru. Amaz is one such restaurant that I enjoyed a lot. It is the first and only restaurant of its kind presenting Amazonian cuisine with urban vibes.     Another Top 50 restaurant which has been on the forefront…

Cusco

Cusco is the storied capital of the Inca Empire and gateway to the imperial city of Machu Pichu. Stately and historic with stone streets and building foundations laid more than five centuries ago, Cusco sits at an altitude of 3,400 m (11,000 feet) above sea level. Cusco is a blend of pre-Columbian and colonial history and mestizo culture. Meaning “navel of the world” in Quechua, this was the political, military and cultural centre of the Inca empire.    

Machu Pichu

The fabled “Lost City of the Incas“, Machu Pichu is South America’s greatest attraction and lives up to its reputation as one of the most spectacular sites in the world — named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and declared one of the “Seven Wonders of the World”. The Incas hid Machu Pichu so high in the clouds (2,400 m above sea level) that it escaped destruction by the Spaniards, who never found it. Located 120 kms NW of Cusco, Machu Pichu was rediscovered in 1911 by the Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham. The ruins are nestled in the Andes…

Urubamba Valley

Better known as El Valle Sagrado de los Incas (the Sacred Valley of the Incas), Urubamba Valley is a stretch of small villages and ancient ruins northwest of Cusco. Stretching about 100 kms from Pisac to Ollantaytambo, the villages remain traditional with Quechua-speaking residents. The Sacred Valley, about 300 m lower than Cusco, is one of the highlights of Peru.        

Lima

Founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador, the “City of Kings” became the center of power and trade of the Spanish Crown. Today, Lima has a population of more than eight million, about a third of Peru‘s total population, and the seat of the national government. Across the capital are the country’s finest museums as well as its most creative restaurants – Peruvian cuisine has been a subject of  growing international buzz for the past few years and many visitors are flocking to experience this city’s gastronomic offerings.       The Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera, founded in 1926,…