Country guide
Peru is 1,285,216 square kilometres arranged in three long bands: an arid Pacific coast, the Andes behind it, and Amazon rainforest east of the mountains. Which...
Photograph · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Peru is 1,285,216 square kilometres arranged in three long bands: an arid Pacific coast, the Andes behind it, and Amazon rainforest east of the mountains. Which band a city sits in decides nearly everything about visiting it — Lima, the capital, is a coastal city under grey winter cloud, Cusco sits high enough in the Andes to cost a first day doing nothing, and Iquitos in the rainforest has no road connecting it to the rest of the country. It is the third largest country in South America. The distances between those three worlds are why itineraries here are counted in flights rather than in bus rides.
Checked 2026-08-25
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Corminos · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photograph · gertrudis2010 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
12 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
Teatro Nacional del Perú
The Gran Teatro Nacional del Perú stands as Peru's principal modern performing-arts venue, located in the San Borja district of Lima.
The Amano Pre-Columbian Textile Museum is a specialized museum in Lima dedicated to preserving and exhibiting Andean textile traditions. Founded by Yoshitaro Amano, a Japanese collector who settled in Peru, the institution houses a significant private collection assembled over decades.
San Francisco Church and Convent is a colonial religious complex in Cusco, Peru. Its local name is Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco de Asís.
Museo Machu Picchu
The Museo Machu Picchu - Casa Concha is a museum housed in a colonial-era building in Cusco, Peru. It was established to display the principal collection of archaeological artifacts returned from Yale University's excavations at Machu Picchu.
The Aeronautical Museum of Peru, known locally as Museo Aeronáutico del Perú, is a specialist aviation museum in Lima. It documents Peruvian military and civil aviation history through preserved aircraft, engines, uniforms, and archival materials.
Santa Catalina Convent and Museum is a colonial religious complex in Cusco, Peru, operating as both an active monastery and a public museum. Established during the Spanish colonial period, it represents one of the city's significant historic religious institutions.
Ten to fourteen days can combine Lima, Cusco and the Sacred Valley with one additional region. Altitude adjustment and rail or road transfers need their own time, so compressing the Andes and Amazon into the same short visit is unwise.
Peru’s Migraciones authority publishes admission information. Passport, nationality and permitted-stay rules must be checked for the actual traveller, and any border or immigration form should come from the government service.
Lima is the principal air hub, with domestic services to Cusco, Arequipa and other gateways. Intercity buses cover many routes, and selected tourist trains serve the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu area.
May to September is the broad dry-season window for many Andean routes. Lima’s coastal conditions and Amazon rainfall follow different patterns, so an itinerary spanning regions needs separate forecasts and access checks.
Peru uses the sol (PEN). Current acceptance and withdrawal charges are Not recorded here; confirm whether an operator expects soles, cards or advance payment before leaving a major city.
Peru records 105 for police and 116 for fire services. Type A and C sockets use 220 V; national tap-water guidance is Not recorded, so obtain local advice.
