Peru’s underrated capital enjoys a fine setting on the Pacific coast, and the handsome colonial-era buildings surrounding the Plaza de Armas give clues to Lima’s distinguished history; for three centuries this was the capital of the Spanish Americas, when the city grew rich on the back of plundered Inca gold.

Iquitos was founded by Jesuit missionaries in the 18th century, and grew rich on the back of the rubber trade. Nowadays it’s a bustling hub for trips into the untamed Peruvian Amazon in search of wildlife, featuring not just on river cruise itineraries but also ocean cruises for those ships small enough to sail this far upriver.

The Amazon town of Nauta, founded in 1830, is situated a couple of hours’ drive south of Iquitos, and serves as a hub for river cruises venturing into the remote Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. The town lies at the confluence of the Marañón and Ucayali rivers, and villagers from around the Amazonian region come here to sell their wares at the local markets.

Peru’s underrated capital enjoys a fine setting on the Pacific coast, and the handsome colonial-era buildings surrounding the Plaza de Armas give clues to Lima’s distinguished history; for three centuries this was the capital of the Spanish Americas, when the city grew rich on the back of plundered Inca gold.