Lake Titicaca, Ancient History & Highlights of Sou

Callao is a seaside city on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru’s chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists of the whole Callao Region, which is also coterminous with the Province of Callao

Cusco, a city in the Peruvian Andes, was once capital of the Inca Empire, and is now known for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. Plaza de Armas is the central square in the old city, with arcades, carved wooden balconies and Incan wall ruins. The baroque Santo Domingo Convent was built on top of the Incan Temple of the Sun (Qoricancha), and has archaeological remains of Inca stonework.

Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, above the Urubamba River valley. Built in the 15th century and later abandoned, it’s renowned for its sophisticated dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar, intriguing buildings that play on astronomical alignments and panoramic views. Its exact former use remains a mystery.

Cusco, a city in the Peruvian Andes, was once capital of the Inca Empire, and is now known for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. Plaza de Armas is the central square in the old city, with arcades, carved wooden balconies and Incan wall ruins. The baroque Santo Domingo Convent was built on top of the Incan Temple of the Sun (Qoricancha), and has archaeological remains of Inca stonework.

Paracas is a town on Peru’s west coast. It’s known for beaches, like El Chaco, set on sheltered Paracas Bay. The town is a launch point for the uninhabited Ballestas Islands, home to sea lions, pelicans and Humboldt penguins. Rugged, wildlife-rich Paracas National Reserve spans desert, ocean, islands and the Paracas Peninsula. The peninsula’s Paracas Candelabra is a huge prehistoric geoglyph, etched into a hillside

Arica is a port city in northern Chile, known for its surfing beaches. Near the center, a path climbs up to Morro Arica hill, which has sweeping views and the Museo Histórico y de Armas war museum. Designed by French architect Gustave Eiffel in metal and wood, Gothic San Marcos Cathedral dates from 1876. The high plains of the Andes mountains rise to the east, home to Lauca National Park and Chungará Lake.

Iquique is a coastal city in northern Chile, to the west of the Atacama Desert. A prosperous saltpeter mining town in the 19th century, today it’s a popular holiday destination with a tax-free port area, Pacific beaches and a seafront casino. In its historic district, an iconic 19th-century clock tower stands in Arturo Prat Square, the city’s main plaza.

La Serena is the capital of the Coquimbo region on Chile’s coast. The city is known for its long beaches, like El Faro with its landmark Faro Monumental lighthouse, and its colonial and neo-colonial architecture. The late-Renaissance Iglesia de San Francisco is one of many churches dominating the skyline. The Archaeological Museum displays pre-Hispanic pottery and a giant stone head (moai) from Easter Island.

Valparaíso is a port city on Chile’s coast. It’s known for its steep funiculars and colorful, clifftop homes. La Sebastiana, the quirky former residence of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, is now a museum with far-reaching Pacific views. During the 19th century, an influx of European immigrants left their mark on the city’s architecture and cultural institutions, many of which congregate around downtown’s Plaza Sotomayor.