La Ruta del Pisco

Lima stretches along the desert coast of the Pacific, capital of Peru and the gateway to every journey through the Andean nation. Founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535 as the "City of Kings," it preserves a historic centre listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Spanish colonial legacy intertwines with the energy of a contemporary metropolis. The monumental heart revolves around the Plaza Mayor, framed by the Cathedral, the Palacio de Gobierno and the famous carved wooden balconies overlooking the streets of the old town. A few steps away, the Convento de San Francisco holds catacombs and an ancient library, while the Casa de Aliaga recounts five unbroken centuries of history. Moving toward the ocean, the districts of Miraflores and Barranco reveal the city's modern, bohemian soul: along the Malecón, clifftop paths run high above the sea, the Parque del Amor offers Pacific sunsets, and paragliders glide over the waves. Barranco, with its pastel-coloured houses, the Puente de los Suspiros and its art studios, is the haunt of artists and musicians. Not far from the centre rises the Huaca Pucllana, an adobe pyramid of the pre-Columbian Lima culture, a testament to a past that predates the arrival of the Europeans. Today Lima is recognised as one of the gastronomic capitals of Latin America: birthplace of fresh ceviche, fish marinated in lime, the pisco sour, nikkei cuisine blending Peruvian and Japanese traditions, and acclaimed restaurants ranked among the world's best. The markets of San Isidro and the refined eateries of Miraflores reflect a passion for food that defines the country's identity. Between museums devoted to pre-Columbian gold and Moche ceramics, ocean-battered cliffs and a lively nightlife, Lima invites you to discover it slowly, amid colonial history, unforgettable flavours and the boundless horizon of the Pacific.

You travel along the Pan-American Highway following the coast south of Lima, one of the driest regions on the planet. Between desert and ocean, Paracas is one of the most captivating natural destinations on the Peruvian coast. Boat trips set out from here to the Ballestas Islands, home to colonies of sea lions, Humboldt penguins and thousands of seabirds. The Paracas National Reserve protects a spectacular landscape of desert cliffs and lonely bays, where the rock formation of La Catedral stands out. Along the shore appears the mysterious Candelabro geoglyph, carved into a hillside. With golden beaches, abundant wildlife and fiery sunsets, Paracas offers a rare meeting of sand, sea and untamed life.

You leave the coast and head inland to reach Ica, a large city in a fertile valley at an altitude of 400 meters, surrounded by sand dunes. The Ica region is famous for the production of wines and pisco, a type of brandy that is the base of the national drink, the Pisco Sour. Among the dunes of Peru's coastal desert, Ica is the heart of pisco culture, the national spirit produced in the historic bodegas that dot its vineyards. A few kilometres away hides the Huacachina oasis, a lagoon ringed by towering sand dunes, the realm of sandboarding and thrilling buggy rides. The regional museum holds mummies and artefacts from the pre-Columbian Nazca and Paracas cultures, witnesses to the area's ancient past. With wine tastings, adventures in the sand and ever-clear skies, Ica blends winemaking tradition and striking landscapes in a sunny corner of Peru.