Peruvian Cuisine - 15 Tantalising Dishes That Will Make Your Mouth Water

Peru's cuisine is a reflection of two empires clashing, an old world of cultures abandoned and a new world of cosmopolitan flavours mixing and creating something new and unique.

Peruvian cuisine is one of my favourite, so I thought I'd make a post using some pictures from my trip to show everyone else how awesome it is! The most common ingredients used are typically corn, potatoes and chillies. The meats used are reflected by the location of the origin of the dish. For example, dishes originating from the coastal cities are rich in seafood, while the dishes from inland typically use other meats, such as guinea pig (Yes! Guinea pig is a delicacy in Peru!)

Secret Restaurant Review in Miraflores | Peru Food Guide

Today is our last day of a long stay in Lima. I'm feeling kind of sad because we had a lot of fun here the past few weeks, but Im hoping I won't be back in too long. We took it easy today and went to our favourite place - the seaside of Miraflores. We wanted to have lunch, so naturally we went to Larcomar and decided on Vivaldino's. Just below is the view from our table. I think this view will be what I miss the most about Lima!

7 Reasons to Visit Lima the City of Kings | Things to do in Lima

When the Spaniards arrived in South America, they renamed Lima "The City of Kings". However, its original name in the native language has prevailed until today.

When people think of South America's great cities they think of Rio de Janiero and Buenos Aires. However, I think Lima is one of the undiscovered gems of South America. Lush green gardens surrounding the main square and buildings that recount the history of the city, the entire historic centre has been declared a World Heritage Site. Of course, like every city, not every aspect of the city is so golden. There are a large number of pickpocketers that operate in the area, the traffic is loud and impossible to navigate, so most tourists do prefer to book a hotel in Miraflores during their stay in Lima. Fortunately, Miraflores is not so far from the historic centre, so you can either take a cheap taxi or public transport. I've already written about a few places I really liked in the historic centre like Casa Aliaga and the Museum of Italian Art, but there is a lot more to see when you begin to wander about.

La Rosa Nautica - Peru's Dazzling Restaurant in the Sea (A Must Visit!)

Since its conception in 1983, Lima's most romantic restaurant has been conquering the tastebuds of Peruvians and tourists alike.

Today I visited my most favourite restaurant in Lima - La Rosa Nautica - one of the most romantic restaurants I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. The restaurant is located on a pier under the cliffs that tumble down the coast of Miraflores, giving the best oceanside views Lima has to offer.

6 Attractions You Can't Miss in Miraflores | Lima Travel Guide

Situated on the coast of Lima - a trendy and upscale hub, Miraflores is the happening place in Lima.

Miraflores is the district we've been staying in during our time in Lima. When I travel to an unknown city I try to book a hotel near the city centre - the main attractions and transport is usually located near the city centre so its much more convenient. But Lima is a bit different for me. As beautiful as the historic centre is, it is loud, crowded, and carrying your luggage with you isn't typically the best thing to do in an area that is well known for pickpocketers and thieves. If you want to visit Lima the best place to stay is Miraflores. Miraflores is famous for its immaculate parks, shopping, cliffs, and its amazing ocean view. If you look on the bottom left corner below you can see crowds of people in one of Miraflores most popular restaurants. This is the happening place of Lima.

Top 5 Things to do in Arequipa | Arequipa Travel Guide

Arequipa, or as its colloquially known, the White City, gets its name from the fact that the entire city centre has white buildings, made from the volcanic stone that surrounds the city.

After returning from our Colca Canyon adventure, we spent a few nights in Arequipa. One of the most distinguishing features of the city is the fact that the city is surrounded by three volcanoes, Misti, Chachani and Pichupichu. For this reason, the entire city centre is made from white stone quarried from the surrounding volcanoes.

Without a doubt, Cuzco and Machu Picchu are Peru's most famous landmarks. Travellers with less time will most probably overlook other charming cities in Peru. But this doesn't make Arequipa any less interesting or important than the other famous cities in Peru. Personally, I found Arequipa charming and interesting, with the perfect mix of Spanish and Indigenous culture. Arequipa is pretty, the food is fantastic (and cheap!), and its the gateway to the Colca Canyon. I really liked the atmosphere here too, it was chilled and laid back, I didn't feel like there were vendors competing for my attention which I had felt in many other cities.

The Ultimate Colca Canyon 2 Day Tour (Trek the Colca!) | Things to do in Peru

Home to the condors, deeper than the Grand Canyon, I had a whirlwind 2 day adventure trekking the Colca.

After leaving the Peruvian Amazon I flew back to Lima and hopped on a flight straight to Arequipa. As soon I stepped off the plane I felt an instant change in the atmosphere. Peru has vastly different regions, from the cosmopolitan coastal dwellers to the rural Amazonian communities and then the mountain inhabitants of the Andes. Each region varies greatly in lifestyle and culture, which is expressed through their food, clothing and customs. My experience in Arequipa and the Colca Canyon was totally different to the lifestyle I had just experienced in the Amazon.

The Tourist's Guide to the Peruvian Amazon (Surviving the Peruvian Jungle)

The Amazon region of Peru is a vibrant expanse of strange and sweltering biodiversity.

After spending 2 nights and 3 days in the Peruvian Amazon, not only did I discover living conditions I had never encountered before (good and bad), I was forced to confront many of my phobias. I've driven all around the Australian bush, taken the train from top to bottom of Europe and Japan, but travelling deep into the Amazon Rainforest was one of the first times in my life I've felt like I was walking head-on into another world.

The 6 BEST Museums in Lima | Things to do in Lima

The diverse facets of Peru's history and culture is displayed in museums scattered throughout Lima.

Among the various things I've done in the past few days I've visited a variety of museums. Lima has a lot of museums. There are museums dedicated to almost anything you can think of, even a museum all about death. These are my favourite six, each having something eclectic or special about it (but remember, there are so many more to see not covered on this list):

Bewitched by the Peruvian Scissor Dance (Goodbye Mexico, Hello Peru)

This morning we arrived in Lima. I was super exhausted and wanted to spend the rest of the day in bed, until I found out we had a roof top pool in our hotel.Yay! So I spent the rest of the day sleeping under the sun until 4pm.

Peru has so much history packed into it, with a blending of the vibrant Andean culture and its much newer, modern culture. We don't have an itinerary yet, all we know is we will be here for a few weeks (with a small trip to Argentina in between). No one can visit Peru without taking a pilgrimage to Machu Picchu (which I did during my trip in 2011 before I started this blog). But Peru is so much more than just Macchu Picchu. Sand dunes and an oasis, the ancient Nazca Lines, cities surrounded by volcanoes, canyons and the Amazon jungle, this time we will be exploring a few different places.