There will never be enough time to tour and discover all that Peru has to offer tourists. It is a vacation spot par excellence and the World Travel Awards (WTA), the prestigious annual program that rewards the best destinations in the region and the world, knows it very well: the country of Incas received no less than 16 nominations! which can give it recognition in global travel if winning the gold badge of tourism.

Machu Picchu leads one of the categories (South America’s Leading Tourist Attraction) for which Peru was nominated. The capital, Lima, will compete for awards in the categories of Business Travel Destination, Leading City Break, South America’s Leading City Destination and Leading Sports Tourism Destination.

In order to choose the winners, an online vote has now been opened until July 26, 2021. Tourists, travel journalists, the media and anyone who wishes to give their opinion on the different categories of various destinations across the continent can participate here.

Vote for Peru in the 16 categories for which it was nominated:

1) South America’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination 2021: Peru –> Vote here!
2) South America’s Leading Business Travel Destination 2021: Lima, Peru –> Vote here!
3) South America’s Leading City Break Destination 2021: Lima, Peru –> Vote here!
4) South America’s Leading City Destination 2021: Lima, Peru –> Vote here!
5) South America’s Leading Cruise Destination 2021: Peru –> Vote here!
6) South America’s Leading Culinary Destination 2021: Peru –> Vote here!
7) South America’s Leading Cultural Destination 2021: Peru –> Vote here!
8) South America’s Leading Destination 2021: Peru –> Vote here!
9) South America’s Leading Green Destination 2021: Peru –> Vote here! 
10) South America’s Leading LGBT Destination 2021: Peru –> Vote here! 
11) South America’s Leading Nature Destination 2021: Peru –> Vote here! 
12) South America’s Leading Sports Tourism Destination 2021: Lima, Peru –> Vote here!
13) South America’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2021: Machu Picchu, Peru –> Vote here!
14) South America’s Leading Tourist Board 2021: PromPeru – Peruvian Tourism Board –> Vote here!
15) South America’s Leading Whale Watching Destination 2021: Peru –> Vote here!
16) South America’s Leading Youth Travel Destination 2021: Peru –> Vote here!

Vote for Peru in the World Travel Awards South America until July 26, 2021

Details
This will be the 24th award ceremony in the history of the World Travel Awards, considered “The Oscars of Tourism”. In last year’s edition, Peru won four awards in the categories of South America’s Leading Tourist Attraction (Machu Picchu), Leading Cruise Destination, Leading Cultural Destination and Leading Green Destination.

Source: PROMPERÚ

Through a press release, the foundation made known the results after developing a detailed list of the eco-friendly destinations of the moment. Among them, the Colca Canyon (Arequipa) and the Bahuaja Sonene National Park (Madre de Dios) stand out.

Colca is one of the deepest canyons in the world, with more than 4160 meters deep.

“The Colca canyon is one of the most important tourist attractions in southern Peru. It has a unique landscape, combining rugged terrain with agricultural terraces worked by our collaguas and cabanas ancestors; and that every morning allows us to see the majestic flight of the condor around the canyon, capturing the interest of thousands of visitors”, is the description that the organization gives to this beautiful place.

“The view of the Colca canyon is made through small family ventures, generating an enriching experience in which the tourist has the opportunity to stay in homes in the area, sharing roles and traditions,” adds the GGDD website.

Global Green is a non-profit foundation based in the Netherlands, dedicated to the development and recognition of sustainable destinations around the planet.

This recognition turns out to be very important due to the few sustainable destinations in this part of the planet: only 15% of the places on the list come from South America. Chile and Ecuador also offer two sustainable destinations each, while Brazil occupies 9 places on the list.

Getting there

If you are in Lima, you can fly to Arequipa, with a travel of 1 hour and 30 minutes, or if you want to get to know Peru through its roads, you can go by bus, with an approximate journey of 14 hours.

From there to the Colca Canyon, access is exclusively by land. Private cars or buses can do a time of 3 to 4 hours, with stops included so that the traveler can see the landscape.

Sources: Green Destinations / RPP

According to voting results, half of the best hotels in South America are located in Peru.

The Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Exports and Tourism (PROMPERÚ) reported that our hotels, resorts, and trains led the voting lists for the Reader’s Choice Awards, from the international travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler.

These promising results reaffirm our country as a high-class destination for travelers. Likewise, it is important to highlight that Peru is in the top 20 in the Best Countries category, obtaining the 14th position, close to emblematic destinations such as Japan, Portugal, Sri Lanka, and Italy, who lead the list this 2020.

Year after year, readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine send their votes, sharing their experiences in the best cities, islands, hotels, resorts, spas, cruise ships, trains, and airports in the world, and those preferences are chosen as the best of the Reader’s Choice Awards.

Regarding Peru, we count on first-class services and products that, now more than ever, are on the minds of avid travelers. Indeed, the magazine specifies the importance of this 33rd edition of the awards, because, while the global situation stops the majority from traveling, the desire to revisit legendary destinations and live once-in-a-lifetime experiences is still alive.

Hotels, resorts and trains

If we talk about the best resorts in South America, those located in Peru are in the following ranking: Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort, Paracas (3), Inkaterra hacienda Urubamba, Valle Sagrado (4), Explora Valle Sagrado, Valle Sagrado (11), Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Valle Sagrado (15) and Aranwa Paracas Resort & Spa (25).

Likewise, if the best hotels in South America are taken into account, the list of Peruvian representatives is led by Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel (2), Inkaterra La Casona, Cusco (5), Titilaka, Puno (6), Country Club Lima Hotel, Lima (8) and Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness, Cusco (9).

Added to the above are Hotel B, Lima (11), Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Cusco (13), JW Marriott El Convento, Cusco (14), Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Cusco (17) and Belmond Hotel Monasterio, Cusco (18).

Finally, in the Best Trains category, the Belmond Andean Explorer (3), Inca Rail (6), and Belmond Hiram Bingham (10) stand out. You can review the full list here.

Made by the prestigious magazine Travel + Leisure, the survey highlights resorts that first-class service, authentic cultural experiences, and superior amenities that make a difference in attracting guests.

Cusco, the best representative

The publication highlights a Peruvian region that has been maintaining, for several years, as a favorite not only in South America but in the world. It is the Valle Sagrado (Sacred Valley) in Cusco, which has the largest representation on the list.

“The Sacred Valley of Peru, a perennial favorite for its Andean towns and Inca ruins, claims four of the ten places, including three of the first four,” explains the American magazine.

In the list of the Top 100 hotels in the world, the Peruvian hotels that stand out are Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Cusco (12); Explora Valle Sagrado, Cusco (30); Sol y Luna, Sacred Valley, Cusco (49) and Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, Cusco (99).

According to the ranking of the 10 best hotels in South America, Peru managed to position 4 hotels: Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa (Sacred Valley, Cusco) in the second place; Explora Valle Sagrado, Cusco in third place; while Sol y Luna – Relais & Châteaux (Sacred Valley Cusco); and Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba (Sacred Valley Cusco); they were located in the fourth and ninth position, respectively.

On the Top 10 City Hotels category in South and Central America, there were five Peruvian hotels considered as tourist favorites.

In second and third place were the JW Marriott El Convento Cusco and the Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Cusco, respectively. While the fourth position is for the Belmond Hotel Monasterio, Cusco; and in the sixth place is Hotel B, in Lima. Close the list, the Belmond Palacio Nazarenas, Cusco, in position nine.

About Travel + Leisure

Previously known as US Camera and Travel, adopted its current name in 1971. It specializes in leisure travel and often features articles written by novelists, poets, artists, designers, and journalists.

It has a global reach of 6.7 million readers and conducts annual traveler surveys to assess trends and satisfaction of destinations, hotels, airports, and cruises, among others.

Detail

This year the survey closed on March 2, just before orders were implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The results reflect our reader’s experiences before to the pandemic, but we hope that this year’s award recipient will inspire their journeys to come, whenever possible”, the publication said.

Source: Andina

Travel + Leisure today announced its World’s Best Awards 2020 naming Cusco, Peru the number one city in Central and South America.

Each year, the readers of Travel + Leisure, the largest travel brand in the United States, rate their favorite destinations on the following characteristics: sights/landmarks, culture, food, friendliness, shopping, value.

A gold standard in the travel industry, this travel rating recognizes the world’s finest experiences and destinations.

This is not the first time Cusco has won the top honor as the favorite city in Central and South America. This famous Incan City also won the top spot in 2018 and 2019. In 2019, Lima was also recognized as a top-ten favorite city.

Due to the on-going global pandemic, this year’s awards will not be presented in person, but rather through a Toast & Post celebration. Travel + Leisure will host a global, social toast in celebration of the 25th Anniversary, and is encouraging readers and winners around the world to raise a glass to the very best in travel and then to take a photo or video of the moment and post it on social media using the hashtags #TLToast and #TLWorldsBest.

The 2020 results will be published in the August print issue of the magazine.

See the full list here:
http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest

Sources: peru.travel, travelandleisure.com

Peru is the homeland of good taste. There is no doubt. For the second consecutive year, Cebiche, the flag dish of the country of the Incas, managed to establish itself as the most popular dish in South America according to the gastronomic portal Taste Atlas.

As reported by the Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Export and Tourism (PROMPERÚ), there are 21 dishes that Peru managed to position in the ranking of the famous portal. Among the dishes highlighted by Taste Atlas are the famous Tiradito, Pollo a la Brasa, Butifarra, Lomo saltado, Anticuchos, Picarones, Cebiche Mixto, Jalea, and the famous Leche de Tigre.

It also mentions the popular Salchipapa, Juane, Pachamanca, among other preparations.

Marine magic

Cebiche is the most representative dish of Peruvian cuisine, made from chopped fresh fish, aji limo, rocoto, lemon, onion, pepper, fish stock, and salt. It is decorated and accompanied with sweet potatoes, parboiled and shelled corn, yucca, seaweed (yuyo) or lettuce and canchita serrana.

These are the advantages of having an ocean next to you (the Pacific), rich in marine species. But it is Peruvian creativity that counts.

It turns out that each region of Peru has adapted Cebiche according to their customs; for example, in Piura, it is accompanied by zarandaja, sweet potato, and corn; in Chiclayo, it is served with the famous corn tortilla.

Its creation dates back to the ancient fishermen who, taking a break from their work, cut fresh fish and ate it with chili. With the arrival of the Spanish, lemon and onion were added. Due to Japanese influence, the Cebiche is lightly macerated for a few minutes in lemon.

A worthy recognition

The verdict of the Taste Atlas portal does nothing but ratify the culinary tradition of Peru as one of the most important in the world. Taste Atlas is a food and beverage publication with great worldwide acceptance, responsible for having cataloged more than 10,000 dishes and ingredients from around the globe. The website also receives and shares the experiences of travelers and recipes of all times.

Peruvian gastronomy is valued all over the world and has received different recognitions, such as the Best gastronomic destination in the world at the World Travel Awards, for eight consecutive years. Also, two Peruvian restaurants are in the top ten of the list of The 50 Best Restaurants in the World.

See the full list of Taste Atlas by clicking the following link:
https://www.tasteatlas.com/100-most-popular-dishes-in-south-america.

Sources: peru.travel / tasteatlas.com

The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu never ceases to amaze the whole world. Each year, one and a half million travelers climb up to its green esplanade surrounded by passages and walls to meet the past and look to the future.

Today more than ever, the world is celebrating Machu Picchu’s designation as one of the New Seven Wonders of the Modern World. The announcement was made in Lisbon on July 7th, 2007. Machu Picchu shared the podium with other ancient relics such as the Great Wall of China, the Nabatean city of Petra (Jordan), Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), the Mayan city of Chichen Itza (Mexico), the Colosseum in Rome (Italy) and the mausoleum of the Taj Mahal (India).

Despite the passage of time, Machu Picchu’s impressive history still awakens the curiosity of its visitors, who are eagerly awaiting the opening of the borders and the lifting of restrictions so they can travel to Cusco again.

Machu Picchu is located in the province of Urubamba, in the Cusco region, almost 8000 feet above sea level, and is overlooked by the Huayna Picchu mountain.

Who moved the rocks to build the complex? Who erected its structures with such perfection?

History of the sanctuary

Some think that Machu Picchu is the result of an extra-planetary or mystical intervention, but historians have shown that it was the effort of thousands of Peruvians who made this marvel possible.

Machu Picchu was the work of the Incas, a highly organized civilization that inhabited South American lands between the 15th and 16th centuries. The Incas worshiped Inti (the Sun God), Pachamama (Mother Earth), among other divinities of the natural world. They achieved remarkable territorial expansion and left a historical legacy.

Amidst this great legacy stands the imposing sanctuary.

“Some 3,000 to 4,000 people were needed, among them prisoners of war, called piñas, and populations separated from their communities and enslaved by the Inca, known as the mitimaes,” notes the historian from San Marcos, Juan Carlos Hidalgo, about the construction of Machu Picchu. It took an extraordinary effort to gather the rocks that the same Huayna Picchu mountain provided for them and to build the structure that would essentially become the royal retreat of the Inca and a shrine to the Sun God.

The irrigation of the complex also came from the mountain overlooking it, since water from the clouds is collected in its heights and then descends along the many streams.

The construction of Machu Picchu was ordered by the Inca Pachacútec, but it would remain unfinished due to the arrival of the Spaniards. After centuries, it was rediscovered by the American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911.

Navel of the world

The name “Machu Picchu” means “Old Mountain” in Quechua, while Cusco, capital of the Inca Empire, comes from the word Qosco which means “navel of the world”. The Incas saw the Imperial City as the center of the universe in relation to their gods, and millions of travelers who visit Machu Picchu every year share this view. One of the first questions they ask when they climb the complex is whether the Inca ruler lived there permanently. “That was not the case,” explains Hidalgo, “Machu Picchu basically fulfilled two functions: it was a house where the Inca could rest and at the same time a sanctuary in honor of the Sun God. Hence the choice of the Urubamba Valley: a secluded place (while still close to Cusco) where the Inca could be in touch with the Hanan Pacha or World Above.

Illustrious visitors

Many figures from the world of culture and entertainment have succumbed to the magic of Machu Picchu over the years. These include the American singer Cole Porter (who was there in 1939), Pablo Neruda (1943), Ernesto Che Guevara (1952) and more recently Zac Efron, Ricky Martin, Juanes, Cameron Diaz, Owen Wilson and Jim Carrey.

A few years ago, the Game of Thrones actress, Emilia Clarke, also expressed her desire to see the historic sanctuary. “I want to go to Machu Picchu in Peru,” confessed the well-known Daenerys Targaryen in an interview with Zimbio.

Everyone will be welcome once the borders are opened.

Getting there

First, you have to go to Cusco. Once travel is allowed, you can take a flight from Lima. Flight time is approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. Or you can travel by bus. The journey takes about twenty hours from the capital. Once in Cusco, you have to travel another 1 hour and 45 minutes to Ollantaytambo, and 2 hours more from there by train to Machu Picchu.

Recommendations

It is important to reserve the tickets or the tour in advance. The best season to go to Machu Picchu is between April and October, which is the dry season. It is recommended that you take warm clothes and pills to prevent altitude sickness.

Source: peru.travel / PromPerú

Among the first points highlighted in the publication about Arequipa is the conservation of its colonial architecture; this city, it says, is known as “the White City” for its gleaming structures made of sillar (volcanic rock).

The publication also points out that the Historical Center of Arequipa was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000, and today it has a varied and extensive list of lodgings to cater to all tastes.

In this context it mentions Cirqa, a hotel that opened its doors last August, having originally been built in 1540—the year Arequipa was founded—as an inn for guests of the Church of San Agustín next door.

Travel + Leisure also highlights Arequipa’s gastronomy, which it describes as a cuisine steeped in history. It mentions the restaurant La Nueva Palomino where, it notes, a team led by women prepares stews from traditional recipes.

To select the best places that appear on this list, the publication reviews books and tourism statistics, explores important events and new flight routes, and records the opening of new hotels and restaurants. It also follows Instagram posts by frequent travelers and conducts surveys with travel consultants and experts, as well as trusted writers and industry experts.

It should be noted that only five locations in South America are on the list.

Travel + Leisure

Travel and Leisure has a global readership of 6.7 million and conducts annual traveler surveys to evaluate trends and satisfaction with destinations, hotels, airports and cruises, among other things.

Source: Peru.travel / PromPerú

This list was made by the Flight Network website, which collected opiniones from more than a thousand writers, bloggers and travel agencies around the globe.

Cusco is one of the 14 cities of the American continent that make up this list. Only six are from South America. Rainbow Mountain, ATV tour of Moray and salt mines, the Majestic Humantay Lake, the classic Inca Trail, the inevitable visits to the Sacred Valley, Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu. Everything, in one place: Cusco.

List of the 50 most beautiful cities in the world:

America (North, South and Center):

– New York
– Vancouver
– San Francisco
– Toronto
– San Diego
– Quebec
– Chicago
– Habana
– San Miguel de Allende
– Rio de Janeiro
– Buenos Aires
– Quito
– Cusco
– Cartagena

Europe:

– Paris
– London
– Venice
– Barcelona
– Roma
– Lisbon
– Amsterdam
– Prague
– Budapest
– Istanbul
– Vienna
– Brugge
– Madrid
– Edinburgh
– Zurich
– St. Petersburg
– Berlin
– Dubrovnik
– San Sebastian
– Dublin
– Bergen
– Athens

Asia:

– Singapore
– Tokyo
– Hong Kong
– Dubai
– Jerusalem
– Hanoi
– Seoul
– Bangkok
– Jaipur
– Beijing

Africa:

– Cape Town
– Marrakesh

Oceania:

– Sydney
– Queenstown

Source: Peru.travel / PromPerú