Imperial Peru, Italian-speaking guide

Upon landing at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, head to the Arrivals hall where a tour representative will be waiting to pick you up. You’ll then be accompanied to the transportation service that will transfer you to your hotel in Lima. The Peruvian capital is a modern metropolis brimming with history that is currently undergoing an exciting process of cultural and economic changes. After checking in, you can spend the rest of this first day at leisure, be that by putting up your feet after the flight and taking advantage of the services available at the hotel, or by heading out to the streets to start exploring these fascinating new surroundings at your own rhythm. Just make sure you get enough rest before the following day, when the real adventure begins.

Overnight in Lima

After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be taken at about 8:30 to enjoy a four-hour guided tour of Lima. The main square is the symbolic place where the city is said to have been born in 1535. Lima is popularly known as the ‘City of Kings’ and it became the capital of the Republic of Peru in 1821, the year that marked the country's independence. Visit the Cathedral and the Casa Aliaga, an ancient viceroyalty house handed over by Francisco Pizarro to one of his captains (Jeronimo de Aliaga) after the city was founded. Continue then to the district of Pueblo Libre for an interesting tour through the Larco Museum, founded by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1926 and located inside a mansion built on a pre-Columbian pyramid. In this famous museum, also known for having the most extensive collection of erotic ceramics in the world, you will have the opportunity to admire a complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver artefacts. After the tour, you will be transferred to the airport to board a direct flight to Cusco (Lima-Cusco flight is not included; we recommend booking a flight that departs after 15:00). Upon landing in Cusco, transfer to your hotel to check in and spend the night. 

Overnight in Cusco.

Start the day with breakfast at the hotel before hopping onto a transfer at 7:00 to Chinchero, an originally Inca historical and artisan centre. Here are the archaeological remains and one of the first Catholic churches in the country, dating back to the 17th century. Chinchero, located at 3,762 metres above sea level, offers a privileged view of the Sacred Valley. Like most of the towns in the region, Chinchero also suffered the ‘extirpation of idolatries’, an action that replaced traditional deities with Catholic ones during colonial times. After a tour, continue to Maras and visit the Inca salt pans: about 3,000 ponds used by the Inca people for extracting salt that was then exchanged for other products of the empire. It’s a magical place full of extraordinary colour combinations as the sun plays on the salt and water. Later, go to Ollantaytambo for lunch at 13:00. Ollantaytambo is a typical, though still inhabited, example of Inca urban planning. Admire the imposing archaeological site that was a place of refreshment and lodging for groups undertaking long journeys. Lastly, hop onto a train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. Once there, you will be met by a representative who will walk you to the hotel. After checking in you will receive all necessary information for the Machu Picchu visit the following day.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes.

Wake up early in the morning for breakfast and then, at about 6:00, join your guide on a journey to Machu Picchu. Your guide will accompany you to the bus, which will be shared with other tourists. Once you’ve made it to the world-renowned site after a short bus ride, join a 2.5-hour-long guided tour of the citadel. During the tour you will get to visit the main square, the royal apartments, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Solar Clock and the cemetery. At the end of the visit, you’ll return to Aguas Calientes for lunch. In the afternoon, at about 14:30, hop onto a train back to Ollantaytambo Station, where a private vehicle will be waiting to transfer you to your chosen hotel in Cusco. You’ll be dropped off at about 18:00. 

Overnight in Cusco

Today breakfast at the hotel is followed by a pick-up at 8:30 for a fascinating four-hour tour of the city of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire back in the 15th century. During the tour you will be able to see many famous sites, including the Main Square, Regocijo Square, the Cathedral, the Monastery of Santo Domingo and the legendary Korikancha Temple. Afterwards, visit the archaeological sites of Kenko, Puca Pucara and the extraordinary fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which offers an extraordinary view of the city of Cusco. Once the tour is over, you will be dropped off at your hotel at 13:00. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to spend at your leisure. We recommend you wander through the streets of the bohemian neighbourhood of San Blas, which used to be inhabited by the Inca nobility. Its imposing stone buildings are just a few steps from the famous Main Square or Huacaypata. At about 19:00, enjoy dinner and a folklore show at a local restaurant before being returned to the hotel at 21:30. 

Overnight in Cusco.

After finishing your last breakfast at the hotel, your representative will assist you with check out and accompany you on the short transfer from the hotel in Cusco to the airport. Although this is the last day of your journey through some of the most fascinating places Peru has to offer, we hope that your memories of this remarkable country, bursting with both culture and history, will last a lifetime.

Breakfast in the hotel