A Love Note to Peru (& Why You Have to Visit!)

I’ve waited a long time to visit Peru. I have no good reason not to have headed there sooner than I did. The country has been on my “places to visit” list for years, but there was always a reason why I couldn’t go. “It’s the wrong season”, “I don’t want to go alone”, “It’s not the right time”, yadda, yadda, yadda. I always had an excuse, when in reality, if I really wanted to, I could have left.

But last November, I finally bit the bullet and walked away. I told myself: It’s now or never. Yes, it was outside hiking season. Yes, I still feel unfit for high-altitude flights; And yes, there wasn’t as much time as I wanted.

But as I always say, there is no perfect time to visit, only the right time for you.

Let me tell you: Peru lives up to all expectations.

From the moment I arrived, I knew Peru and was about to begin a lifelong love affair. There are only some places whose cosmic feelings match yours, like two locks that are perfectly connected. People who reach out to you and say, “It’s okay, you’re home now.”

Peru was that for me. I spent over two weeks dining in the gastronomic capital of Lima, seeing the famous Nazca Lines, the colonial city of Arequipa and its beautiful architecture, hiking Machu Picchu, and falling in love with Cusco, its arts, museums, and food.

First, there was the food. I knew Peru was a foodie destination, so I had high expectations. Many of the best restaurants in the world are located in Lima, and everyone I know who has been there always talks highly about the local cuisine.

But despite that, I was shocked at how good the food was. Peruvian gastronomy is a mixture of cultures: Andean, Japanese, Chinese, Italian and West African. You can get a lot of incredibly fresh produce, seafood and meat. There is an innovative cuisine that blends all cultures and a reverence not only for quality but also for presentation.

From the famous upscale restaurants in Lima to the smaller restaurants I found, the food was always delicious, well portioned and delicious (the only bad meal I had in the entire time was in a hostel). Heck, I don’t usually make desserts, and I was asking for chocolates left and right. It was too good to miss. (Below is a list of some of my favorite places.)

Secondly, people were incredulous. People make destinations worthwhile, and although there are friendly people everywhere, some cultures are more open and generous than others. I found the Peruvians very welcoming. Whether through social media, on my outings, or just through daily interactions, everyone has been truly wonderful.

For example, in Arequipa, I passed a breakfast restaurant that had just opened (Isidro – go there, the food is amazing!). The owners were working in restaurants in New York City, so we spent a lot of time communicating about that.

Third, the landscape! From arid desert to Amazon forests to cloud forests to canyons that made me feel like I was in Arizona to mountains that reminded me of New Zealand, the sheer diversity was not something I expected. I knew from my travel planning and photography that there were a variety of geographic regions, but when I finally started exploring the country and seeing it firsthand, I was very surprised by all the local climates.

Peru is just an amazing country. (And while hiking is definitely difficult if you’re not used to the altitude, it wasn’t as bad as I thought!)

I haven’t fallen in love with a destination since I went backpacking around Mexico at the end of 2020. Peru truly lives up to the expectations set by my friends and research.

I know I’m late to the party and I didn’t say anything people don’t already know. But consider me another voice in the chorus, echoing the conventional wisdom that Peru is a special place. Don’t make my mistake and put it off. Get there as soon as possible.

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