Peru

Perched on a ridge above the Urubamba River, Machu Picchu is the best-preserved Inca citadel in the Americas, reachable by train and a scenic walk or via the multi-day Inca Trail. The surrounding Sacred Valley is dotted with terraced ruins at Ollantaytambo and Pisac, colorful highland markets, and small Andean villages, making it easy to pair the citadel with several days exploring Inca engineering and living Quechua culture.

Once the capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco blends Inca stonework with Spanish colonial churches and plazas built directly atop it. The city's Plaza de Armas, San Pedro Market, and nearby ruins like Sacsayhuaman make it a rewarding stop in its own right, while its well-developed infrastructure and high elevation make it the natural gateway for onward trips into the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

Peru's capital pairs a historic colonial center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with the cliffside neighborhoods of Miraflores and Barranco, where restaurants have made Lima one of the most celebrated food cities in the world. Ceviche, pisco sours, and world-class dining sit alongside pre-Columbian pyramids within the city limits, making Lima a compelling stop rather than just a gateway airport.

Straddling the border with Bolivia at over 12,000 feet, Lake Titicaca is home to the Uros people, who live on man-made islands woven entirely from totora reeds. Boat trips from Puno visit the floating islands as well as Taquile and Amantani, where traditional Andean textile and agricultural customs continue much as they have for centuries.