Peru Art & Culture, Italian-speaking guide

Upon landing at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, head to the Arrivals hall where a tour representative will be waiting to pick you up. You’ll then be accompanied to the transportation service that will transfer you to your hotel in Lima. Spend the rest of this first day at your leisure in Lima, the capital of Peru. During colonial times, the so-called ‘Ciudad de los Reyes’ (City of Kings) was the political, administrative, religious and economic centre for the Spanish in Peru. The historical centre is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site. All in all, Lima is a modern metropolis brimming with history that is currently undergoing an exciting process of cultural and economic change.

Overnight in Lima

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up from the lobby and transferred to the airport, where you’ll board a direct flight to Chiclayo (not included). Upon arrival, a transportation service will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. After checking in, you can spend the rest of the day at leisure in the ‘City of Friendship’, be that by putting up your feet after the flight and taking advantage of the services available at the hotel, or by heading out to the streets to start exploring these fascinating new surroundings at your own rhythm. Chiclayo is a city with many important ruins and museums, all brimming with history and culture. Just make sure you get enough rest before the following day, when the real adventure begins.

Overnight in Chiclayo.

The day begins with breakfast at the hotel. Then, at 7:30, you’ll depart towards the necropolis of Huaca Rajada, where you can admire some recently discovered tombs as well as the more famous ones of the Lord Sipan (5th century), and the ‘Old Lord of Sipan’ (3rd century), which were discovered in 1988 and 1989 respectively. After this 1.5-hour tour, visit the spectacular and modern Tumbas Reales de Sipan Museum, where you can see a detailed reconstruction of the tombs of Sipan and the Royal Court that surrounded them. After lunch in a local restaurant, proceed to Tucume where you’ll visit a stunning archaeological complex consisting of at least 26 pyramids thought to have been temples spread over an area of 220 hectares. At the end of the trip, you’ll be transferred to Trujillo, where you’ll check in to your hotel at about 18:30.

Overnight in Trujillo

Wake up to breakfast at the hotel, and then you’ll be picked up at about 9:00 to start a fascinating 4-hour tour of the city. Along the way, you will be able to admire the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, the ancient but well-preserved houses of colonial origin and the Archaeological Museum. Once that is done, follow it up with a visit to the Temple of the Sun and the Moon. After lunch, head over to contemplate the impressive citadel of Chan Chan, the largest adobe city in the continent and former capital of the Chimu Empire. The day ends with a visit to the beach of Huanchaco, renowned for the unique reed boats called ‘caballitos de totora’ the locals use for venturing among the waves. Then hop onto a transfer to Trujillo airport, where you’ll board a direct flight to Lima (Trujillo-Lima flight not included; we recommend booking a flight that departs after 19:00). Upon arrival, you’ll be met by a tour representative who will accompany you to your hotel.

Overnight in Lima

After breakfast at the hotel, take a transfer to the airport and board your flight to Arequipa (Lima-Arequipa flight not included; we recommend booking a flight that lands before 10:00 in Arequipa). Once there, you will be accompanied to your hotel to check in. Then, at 14:00, you will rendezvous with your guide to enjoy a thrilling 4-hour guided tour of the ‘White City’. Marvel at some of the city’s most renowned sites, including the Convent of Santa Catalina, the Plaza de Armas and the Cloister of the Company of Jesus. Then, in the areas of Yanahuara and Chilina, you will be able to contemplate the breath-taking views of the Misti Volcano. Later that day, visit the Santuarios Andinos Museum, where you can see the famous mummy Juanita – a young Inca woman sacrificed to the gods more than 500 years ago on the Ampato Volcano. After the visit, return to your hotel at around 18:00. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at leisure.

Overnight in Arequipa

This morning at 8:00, after finishing breakfast at the hotel, a private transfer will come pick you up to drive you to the bus station. There you will hop onto a bus to Puno, departing at 8:30. Then sit back and relax during a leisurely five-hour trip that will take you past a wide range of spectacular landscapes characterised by plateaus and lagoons inhabited by a remarkable variety of Andean flora and fauna. You will arrive at Puno at about 14:00. An Italian-speaking tour representative will be waiting to greet you at the station and accompany you to the private vehicle that will drop you off at your hotel. Check in and spend the rest of the day exploring this new location at your own rhythm.

Overnight in Puno

AToday breakfast at the hotel is followed by a trip to the port of Puno, departing from the hotel at 7:00 once you have been picked up by your guide. At the port, you will climb onto a boat to the beautiful Uros Islands, where you will spend the day. The Uros are an indigenous people of Peru that live on a series of man-made islands, created entirely from the buoyant totora reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake. The islands are composed of layers of woven totora, which are constantly replenished from the top as they rot from the bottom. The Uros people also use reeds to construct their homes, so cooking is done outdoors to avoid possible fires! After visiting this fascinating island, sail to Taquile, a small slice of heaven that once belonged to the Inca Empire and whose residents speak Quechua. Look around and you will notice traces of its Incan past in the ruins that still exist around the island. After a brief introduction, the local community will give you an insight into their customs and traditions with a cultural demonstration. Later, enjoy lunch on the island before embarking on the return trip to Puno at 15:30. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at leisure.

Overnight in Puno.

Charge your batteries with an early breakfast at the hotel, then at about 6:20 a transportation service will transfer you to the bus station, where a representative will help you catch your bus to Cusco. An English-and-Spanish-speaking assistant will accompany you during the trip. On the way, you’ll make a number of interesting stops, the first being in the town of Pukara, where you’ll visit the Pukara Lithic Museum. This was the first urban settlement on Lake Titicaca, established between 100 and 300 A.D. After a brief break at La Raya, the highest point of the trip between Puno and Cusco, at a dizzying altitude of 4,313 metres above sea level, the bus will stop at Sicuani, where lunch is served. We then head on to Racchi, home to the Wiracocha Temple, an Inca site built in honour of a powerful Andean god. The rectangular construction boasts thatched rooftops 20 metres above the ground; these are thought to be the highest in the Inca Empire. Later, visit Andahuaylillas, a town located about 40 kilometres from Cusco. The main attraction here is the local church, known as the ‘Sistine Chapel of America’ owing to the high quality of the art found inside. The church was built during the 16th century on top of Wari remains. You’ll arrive to Cusco at about 18:00. There, an Italian-speaking tour representative will welcome you and accompany you to the hotel.

Overnight in Cusco

Start the day with breakfast at the hotel before hopping onto a transfer at 7:00 to Chinchero, an originally Inca historical and artisan centre. Here are the archaeological remains and one of the first Catholic churches in the country, dating back to the 17th century. Chinchero, located at 3,762 metres above sea level, offers a privileged view of the Sacred Valley. Like most of the towns in the region, Chinchero also suffered the ‘extirpation of idolatries’, an action that replaced traditional deities with Catholic ones during colonial times. After a tour, continue to Maras and visit the Inca salt pans: about 3,000 ponds used by the Inca people for extracting salt that was then exchanged for other products of the empire. It’s a magical place full of extraordinary colour combinations as the sun plays on the salt and water. Later, go to Ollantaytambo for lunch at 13:00. Ollantaytambo is a typical, though still inhabited, example of Inca urban planning. Admire the imposing archaeological site that was a place of refreshment and lodging for groups undertaking long journeys. Lastly, hop onto a train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. Once there, you will be met by a hotel representative who will walk you to the hotel. After checking in, you will receive all necessary information for the Machu Picchu visit the following day.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes

Wake up early in the morning for breakfast and then, at about 6:00, join your guide on a journey to Machu Picchu. Your guide will accompany you to the bus, which will be shared with other tourists. Once you’ve made it to the world-renowned site after a short bus ride, join a 2.5-hour-long guided tour of the citadel. During the tour you will get to visit the main square, the royal apartments, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Solar Clock and the cemetery. At the end of the visit, you’ll return to Aguas Calientes for lunch. In the afternoon, at about 14:30, hop onto a train back to Ollantaytambo Station, where a private vehicle will be waiting to transfer you to your chosen hotel in Cusco. You’ll be dropped off at about 18:00.

Overnight in Cusco

Today breakfast at the hotel is followed by a pick-up at 8:30 for a fascinating four-hour tour of the city of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire back in the 15th century. During the tour you will be able to see many famous sites, including the Main Square, Regocijo Square, the Cathedral, the Monastery of Santo Domingo and the legendary Korikancha Temple. Afterwards, visit the archaeological sites of Kenko, Puca Pucara and the extraordinary fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which offers an extraordinary view of the city of Cusco. Once the tour is over, you will be dropped off at your hotel at 13:00. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to spend at your leisure. We recommend you wander through the streets of the bohemian neighbourhood of San Blas, which used to be inhabited by the Inca nobility. Its imposing stone buildings are just a few steps from the famous Main Square or Huacaypata. At about 19:00, enjoy dinner and a folklore show at a local restaurant before being returned to the hotel at 21:30. 

Overnight in Cusco

After finishing your last breakfast at the hotel, your representative will assist you with check out and accompany you on the short transfer from the hotel in Cusco to the airport. There you’ll catch a flight to Lima (Cusco-Lima flight not included; we recommend booking a flight that lands before 11:00). You’ll be met there by a guide who will take you on a four-hour tour of the city. The main square is the symbolic place where the city is said to have been born in 1535. Lima is popularly known as the ‘City of Kings’ and it became the capital of the Republic of Peru in 1821, the year that marked the country's independence. Visit the Cathedral and the Casa Aliaga, an ancient viceroyalty house handed over by Francisco Pizarro to one of his captains (Jeronimo de Aliaga) after the city was founded. Continue then to the district of Pueblo Libre for an interesting tour through the Larco Museum, founded by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1926 and located inside a mansion built on a pre-Columbian pyramid. In this famous museum, also known for having the most extensive collection of erotic ceramics in the world, you will have the opportunity to admire a complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver artefacts. After that, you’ll be transferred to the airport to catch the flight to your following destination. Make sure you book a flight that departs after 18:00.

Breakfast included