Passport To The World: Peru

Peru, the center of the Inca Empire, preserves a number of traces of the civilization that used to occupy a vast territory extending from the Pacific Ocean into lands we now know as the countries of Colombia and Chile. The best-known and most spectacular Inca site is Machu Picchu, a city perched in the mountains northwest of the former capital Cuzco. Beyond this unique treasure, Peru offers a whole panoply of other attractions: Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable body of water in the world, with its floating islands and hamlets with extraordinary customs; the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons on the whole planet; markets featuring colorful Andean handicrafts; and the current capital, Lima, which is riding the wave of gourmet renewal.