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Machu Picchu

Picture-perfect places to visit in Peru this year

By Gail Harrington | December 12, 2024 (Updated January 7, 2025)

Gail Harrington

Gail Harrington is a New Yorker with more than 30 years as an editor and freelance writer. Currently, she’s wrapping up a decade on the go, traveling on a one-way ticket without a home base, from Asia to Europe, Africa, and Russia with annual extended stretches all over Peru and long stays in Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, French Polynesia, Ireland, Mexico and Morocco. An aficionado of finely crafted textiles, ceramics, woodcuts, watercolors and vintage treasures, she’s assembled a global collection of memories to display when she settles down in 2025.

Headshot of author Gail Harrington

With its standout historical architecture, ancient cultural heritage and globally admired gastronomy, Peru stands tall as a trending travel destination. Three cities in particular — Lima, Cusco and Arequipa — boast an enticing sampler of the country’s highlights, stretching from the coastal lowlands to the Andean highlands. Tour Spanish colonial churches, gawk at impressive pre-Columbian buildings and savor outstanding inventive meals — all in the same day.

Lima

Edged by coastal cliffs and a waterfront esplanade, Peru’s sophisticated capital delivers Pacific panoramas and delightful sea breezes. The view is hard to beat from overlooks such as the rooftop bar and infinity pool at Hilton Lima Miraflores. It’s the perfect place to try a pisco sour, the Peruvian national cocktail. Equally elevated is dining in Lima, the undisputed gastronomic capital of Latin America, thanks to its pioneering star chefs. Ask the hotel concierge to arrange coveted reservations at Maido, Kjolle or Mayta — all on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. History competes with dining for attention. The downtown center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the city’s oldest attractions, while the pre-Inca Huaca Pucllana, an adobe pyramid built around 500 AD, is just 15 minutes from the hotel.

Cusco

Perched high in the Andes and serving as the gateway to the iconic Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, Cusco is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in South America. A show-stopping tableau of pre-Columbian and colonial architecture, this former capital of the Inca empire and UNESCO World Heritage Site is laced with narrow, hilly cobbled streets. To make the most of your sightseeing, consider Hilton Garden Inn Cusco — strategically located near several colonial landmarks such as the historical center, the 16th-century Cusco Cathedral and the Plaza de Armas, as well as pre-colonial ones such as Sacsayhuamán, a 15th-century stone fortress. A short walk from the cathedral is San Blas, a lively neighborhood with cafes and shops shelved with textiles, alpaca goods and hand-knitted items. When you’re not exploring town, relax with courtyard yoga at the hotel.

Arequipa

Called the White City for its buildings made of white volcanic stone, Peru’s second most populous city is a great walking town blessed with sunshine 300 days a year. Like Lima and Cusco, Arequipa’s historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with architecture embellished with arched colonnades, balconies, carved stone facades and courtyards — all of which are easily accessible from Hampton by Hilton Arequipa. Ask the concierge to arrange tours of Arequipa’s two most alluring attractions: the 16th-century Santa Catalina Monastery and Colca Canyon, the second deepest in the world. After a day on your feet, return to your hotel for a well-deserved soak in the heated whirlpool followed by a tasty meal in the on-site dining area, which is carved from volcanic stone.

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