After months of research and planning, at the beginning of September we set out on a 3-week adventure to Peru. We had put off going there for years because of its proximity to Ecuador — adjacent to the east and south. Finally, the time had come to visit the home country of Machu Picchu we had heard so much about.

Our first stop was Lima, Peru’s massive coastal capital with a population of 11 million (roughly equal to Los Angeles).

We knew the country’s coastal areas were dry, but we weren’t prepared for the barren terrain seen from the plane as we approached the city’s brand-new airport.

Since we were only in town for three days, we booked a private room through Airbnb in a beautiful apartment in Lima’s most fashionable neighborhood, Miraflores.

Our choice was rewarded with an incredible view of the lushly landscaped malecón that runs along the cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

We like to join a walking tour in cities we have never visited to get an overview of the hist...