Iquitos is a Peruvian port city and gateway to the jungle lodges and tribal villages of the northern Amazon. Its district of Belén is known for its massive open-air street market and rustic stilt houses lining the Itaya River. In the historic center, the Main Square (Plaza de Armas) is surrounded by European-influenced buildings dating to the region’s turn-of-the-20th-century boom in rubber production.

Iquitos is a Peruvian port city and gateway to the jungle lodges and tribal villages of the northern Amazon. Its district of Belén is known for its massive open-air street market and rustic stilt houses lining the Itaya River. In the historic center, the Main Square (Plaza de Armas) is surrounded by European-influenced buildings dating to the region’s turn-of-the-20th-century boom in rubber production.

Cusco, a city in the Peruvian Andes, was once capital of the Inca Empire, and is now known for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. Plaza de Armas is the central square in the old city, with arcades, carved wooden balconies and Incan wall ruins. The baroque Santo Domingo Convent was built on top of the Incan Temple of the Sun (Qoricancha), and has archaeological remains of Inca stonework.

Urubamba is a town in the Sacred Valley region of southeastern Peru. A busy transportation hub, it sits on the Urubamba River, surrounded by rugged mountains. The town is a jumping-off point for the Maras Salt Mines, hundreds of hillside salt pools dating back to Inca times. Nearby, Moray is an Inca archaeological site defined by concentric terraces. Hang-gliding, paragliding and rafting are popular area activities.

Urubamba is a town in the Sacred Valley region of southeastern Peru. A busy transportation hub, it sits on the Urubamba River, surrounded by rugged mountains. The town is a jumping-off point for the Maras Salt Mines, hundreds of hillside salt pools dating back to Inca times. Nearby, Moray is an Inca archaeological site defined by concentric terraces. Hang-gliding, paragliding and rafting are popular area activities.

Urubamba is a town in the Sacred Valley region of southeastern Peru. A busy transportation hub, it sits on the Urubamba River, surrounded by rugged mountains. The town is a jumping-off point for the Maras Salt Mines, hundreds of hillside salt pools dating back to Inca times. Nearby, Moray is an Inca archaeological site defined by concentric terraces. Hang-gliding, paragliding and rafting are popular area activities.

Ollantaytambo is a village in the Sacred Valley of south Peru, set on the Urubamba River amid snow-capped mountains. It’s known for the Ollantaytambo ruins, a massive Inca fortress with large stone terraces on a hillside. Major sites within the complex include the huge Sun Temple and the Princess Baths fountain. The village’s old town is an Inca-era grid of cobblestoned streets and adobe buildings.

Aguas Calientes is a town in the Urubamba River Valley, in southeast Peru. It’s known for its thermal baths and as a gateway to the nearby Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. The town center is full of eateries and shops, anchored by the central Mercado Artesanal, a craft market. Northwest, along the river, are Los Jardines de Mandor gardens with orchids and birds. The nearby Butterfly House is a local conservation project.

Aguas Calientes is a town in the Urubamba River Valley, in southeast Peru. It’s known for its thermal baths and as a gateway to the nearby Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. The town center is full of eateries and shops, anchored by the central Mercado Artesanal, a craft market. Northwest, along the river, are Los Jardines de Mandor gardens with orchids and birds. The nearby Butterfly House is a local conservation project.

Cusco, a city in the Peruvian Andes, was once capital of the Inca Empire, and is now known for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. Plaza de Armas is the central square in the old city, with arcades, carved wooden balconies and Incan wall ruins. The baroque Santo Domingo Convent was built on top of the Incan Temple of the Sun (Qoricancha), and has archaeological remains of Inca stonework.

Lima, the capital of Peru, lies on the country’s arid Pacific coast. Though its colonial center is preserved, it’s a bustling metropolis and one of South America’s largest cities. It’s home to the Museo Larco collection of pre-Columbian art and the Museo de la Nación, tracing the history of Peru’s ancient civilizations. The Plaza de Armas and the 16th-century cathedral are the heart of old Lima Centro.

Lima, the capital of Peru, lies on the country’s arid Pacific coast. Though its colonial center is preserved, it’s a bustling metropolis and one of South America’s largest cities. It’s home to the Museo Larco collection of pre-Columbian art and the Museo de la Nación, tracing the history of Peru’s ancient civilizations. The Plaza de Armas and the 16th-century cathedral are the heart of old Lima Centro.