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

I waited far too long to visit Peru. I have no real good reason why I didn’t head there sooner than I did. The country had been on my “must visit” list for years, but there was always a reason I couldn’t go. “It’s the wrong season,” “I don’t want to go alone,” “It’s not a good time,” yada, yada, yada. I always had an excuse, when in reality, if I really had wanted to, I could have gone.

But last November, I finally bit the bullet and went. It was now or never, I said to myself. Yes, it was offseason for hiking; yes, I still felt out of shape for trekking at altitude; and yes, it wasn’t as much time there as I wanted.

But as I always say, there’s no perfect time to visit, only the time that’s perfect for you.

And let me tell you: Peru lives up to all expectations.

From the moment I landed, I knew Peru and I were about to start a lifelong love affair. There are just some places whose cosmic vibes match yours, like two perfectly interconnected locks. Ones that reach out to you and say, “It’s okay, you’re home now.”

Peru was that for me. I spent over two weeks eating my through the gastronomic capital of Lima, seeing the famed Nazca Lines, the colonial city of Arequipa and it’s beautiful architecture, hiking Machu Picchu, and falling deep in love with the city of Cusco and its art, museums, and food.

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

But even so, I was shocked at just how good the food was. Peruvian gastronomy is a mix of cultures: Andean, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, and West African. You get a lot of incredibly fresh produce, seafood, and meat. There’s innovative cuisine that mixes all the cultures and a reverence for not only quality but presentation.

From the famed high-end restaurants of Lima to holes-in-the-wall I found, the food was always flavorful, well portioned, and just damn delicious (the only bad meal I had the entire time was at a hostel). Heck, normally I don’t do dessert, and I was ordering chocolate left and right. It was just too good to pass up. (Here’s a list of some of my favorite places.)

Second, the people were incredible. People make destinations worthwhile, and while there are friendly folks everywhere, certain cultures are just a lot more outgoing and hospitable than others. I found Peruvians to be quite welcoming. Whether through social media or on my hikes or just through daily interactions, everyone was just really awesome.

For example, in Arequipa, I ran across a breakfast spot that had just opened (Isidro — go there, the food is great!). The owners had worked in restaurants in NYC, so we spent a lot of time connecting over that.

Third, the landscape! From the arid desert to the Amazon jungle 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 wasn’t something I expected. I knew from planning my trips and pictures that there was a variety of geographies, but when I finally started exploring the country and seeing it firsthand, I was very surprised at all the microclimates.

Peru is just a striking country. (And that hiking, while definitely difficult if you aren’t used to the altitude, was not as bad as I thought!)