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Peru has long been on our wishlist, for many reasons: the ability to do both cosmopolitan city days and outdoor treks; the language, history, textiles, and varied terrain; and the great hotels, trains, and restaurants, including Central, number one on 2023’s World’s Best list.
If you’re looking for some travel inspiration this year, Peru certainly ticks a lot of boxes. We hope you enjoy this Peru special. And, as always, thank you for reading UJ.
x Taryn and Team x
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 | |  | | | Peru Inspired | | Day and night | | | Packing for Peru is an art in itself. No matter what you do, you’ll likely need a little bit of everything: clothes for the city, the beach, the mountains, the valleys; for rain, cold, and maybe even the Amazon. Here’s an eclectic mix of fun and practical Andean-inspired picks.
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|  | |  | | | Cusco | | Historic town, 11,000 feet above sea level | | Although it’s not advised due to the altitude, Cusco is a great place to start your trip. A small-ish city that’s close to the Sacred Valley, it also has excellent hotel options, including INKATERRA La Casona, an 11-bed Relais & Châteaux property in the historic city walls; Palacio del Inka, a hotel in a 500-year-old hacienda off the main plaza, and two Belmonds (Palacio and Monasterio).
READ OUR REVIEWS
INKATERRA LA CASONA | PALACIO DEL INKA
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|  | |  | | | Llamas | | We love these | | | Baby alpaca wares are what people are largely buying in Cusco, but we say keep on the lookout for these fun, handmade llamas, too. We’ve found similar ones on Etsy as well.
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| | |  | | | Sacred Valley | | Trek, relax, spa, dine | | Approximately a 90-minute drive from Cusco is the magical Sacred Valley. For guided hiking/biking and gourmet dining, book into the Chilean-designed lodge Explora; for relaxing, we’d recommend a few days at the casita-style hotel INKATERRA Hacienda Urubamba; for some resort-style chill time, Tambo del Inka has one of South America’s best spas, as well as a host of different dining options; or for a special gastronomic experience, try to get into MIL, by acclaimed restaurateur Virgilio Martínez (of Central fame).
READ OUR REVIEWS
EXPLORA SACRED VALLEY | INKATERRA HACIENDA URUBAMBA
TAMBO DEL INKA
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| | |  | | | For Black Boys... | | At the Garrick Theatre in the West End for a strictly limited run | | Sponsored Listing | | For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, by Ryan Calais Cameron, returns to the West End following three previously sold-out runs.
‘Six black men meet for group therapy and let their hearts, and imaginations, run wild. Father figures and fashion tips. Lost loves and jollof rice. Good days and bad days. Set between joyful fantasy and brutal reality, it’s a world of movement, storytelling and verse – where six men clash and connect in a bid for survival.’
Don’t delay, get your tickets today; from £15.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The Guardian
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|  | |  | | | Peruvian Rap | | Top 12 | | Here’s a playlist with tracks from Peru’s Top 12 hip hop artists from ‘23.
Just call it market research!
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|  | | | Reviews | High, low, high
To see more of the country: Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable lake, at 12,507 ft; Colca Valley, known for its condors, is the world’s second deepest canyon (twice that of the Grand Canyon, at 4,000 ft); and Arequipa, a.k.a. the White City is high again (7,660 ft), with the road from Colca Canyon reaching up to 13,000 ft. To see all three, start by taking the scenic (and reasonable) 11-hour Titicaca train journey on PeruRail and then go to the lake, canyon, and volcano by car.
Read our reviews on where to stay below.
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|  | | | Tenerife | | Masca | | | If you have no plans for Peru in your future, but wouldn’t mind a trek closer to home, Masca is being called the Machu Picchu of Tenerife. Let’s see!
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|  | |  | | | North of Peru | | Máncora | | | After you’ve been hiking, biking, trekking, driving, and generally lugging your bags from destination to destination, some time on the beach is a great stop, especially near the end of your trip. Kichic is a seafront hideaway on the north coast of Peru. Down a dusty dirt road, you’ll find nine bedrooms, a yoga shala, a great bar and restaurant, excellent surf closeby, sea turtles and incredible sunsets. It really is the perfect place to kick back and take stock.
| | | READ OUR REVIEW OF KICHIC |
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|  | |  | | | Amarla | | Cartagena, Panama | | | For some other South (and Central) American inspiration, boutique hotel brand Amarla launched their first property in Cartagena in 2018, and more recently they’ve opened a property in Panama.
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| | |  | | | LIMA | | Capital city cool | | | Wow, we loved Lima. Cosmopolitan, with excellent surf and world-class restaurants, a stop here is a must. This is where experts say you should start your trip, as it’s the lowest altitude (505 ft); we say stay up high to take it all in, and for where to dine, even if Central says it has no reservations, call – you just might get lucky. If you’re looking for a more boutique hotel, there are many smaller ones around the Miraflores district, including Fausto and the Relais & Châteaux Hotel B.
| | | READ OUR REVIEW OF THE WESTIN LIMA |
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|  | |  | | | WhatsApp | | AI Guide | | | Have a random travel question that you want an instant answer to? WhatsApp the AI Guide Geek- + 1 (205) 892-2070. We wouldn’t ask them for a recommendation, but if you want general info, with more instant, comprehensive answers than a google search, it’s worth a try.
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|  | |  | | | LIMA | | By Lorenzo | | | Continuing our Google map guides by trusted friends, Lorenzo, a Lima native who works at a music management company in London, shared his insider Lima foodie list with us. Thank you Lorenzo! Click through below to see his list.
| | | LIMA LIST OF RESTAURANTS BY LORENZO |
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| | |  | | | Black Tomato | | Insider knowledge | | | We put our Peru trip together at the very last minute. And thankfully, Black Tomato agreed to look over our outline to make sure we were on the right track. Want help with your trip? They have several different itineraries to Peru including their more off-grid route, which sounds perfect. They can also, of course, make bespoke itineraries, too.
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|  | |  | | | Andean Travel | | Peru Tips and Findings | | Round up | | | People talk a lot about ‘seasons’ in Peru. We went in the low, rainy season – which isn’t really advised, but there are benefits to all seasons: rain meant things were green and there were less people, which was a serious plus.
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|  | |  | | | Llama Inn | | Peruvian Restaurants in London | | Old and new | | | For some Peruvian in London, here are three options. Remember Lima? Founded in 2012, they were the first Peruvian restaurant in London to get a Michelin star. In Shoreditch, head to the excellent Llama Inn at The Hoxton for sunshine (hopefully) and outstanding flavours, and for something more bling it’s Chotto Matte. RIP Casita Andina and Ceviches.
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|  | |  | | | COMING SOON
We are going to be doing a Portugal special. Have somewhere great in Lisbon, Porto, Comporta, Madeira… or anywhere else in Portugal that you think we should know about? Please let us know.
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Reproductions of any portion of this website only with our express permission. Urban Junkies is a free weekly mailer. All listings and features are editorial: We do not receive any payment from venues, artists or promoters. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information listed but we cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.
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