Timeless Rivers of Europe: the Rhine and Seine with Swiss Alps, 3 Nights in Lake Como & 1 Night in Lucerne

The port of Lima is a vibrant gateway to Peru's rich history and culinary excellence, making it a must-visit destination for travelers. Savor local delicacies like ceviche and explore nearby attractions such as the coastal district of Callao and the breathtaking landscapes of Puno. The best time to visit is during the dry season from May to September, when the weather is ideal for exploration.

Paracas is a desert peninsula on Peru's southern coast where one of the world's most productive marine ecosystems meets a landscape of dramatic aridity, enigmatic geoglyphs, and ancient textile traditions. Must-dos include a boat tour to the wildlife-packed Ballestas Islands, exploring the red sand beach and flamingo bays of the national reserve, and dining on fresh ceviche. Visit year-round in this rain-free climate, with mornings best before the fierce afternoon winds.

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of nearly two thousand limestone karst islands rising from emerald waters in Vietnam's Gulf of Tonkin. Must-dos include an overnight junk cruise through the karst formations, kayaking into hidden lagoons, and exploring the cathedral-scale Sung Sot Cave. October through April offers the best weather, with spring mist adding an ethereal quality to the already otherworldly scenery.

The port of Lima is a vibrant gateway to Peru's rich history and culinary excellence, making it a must-visit destination for travelers. Savor local delicacies like ceviche and explore nearby attractions such as the coastal district of Callao and the breathtaking landscapes of Puno. The best time to visit is during the dry season from May to September, when the weather is ideal for exploration.

Framed by snowcapped Alps and the mirror-bright waters of Lake Lucerne, this medieval Swiss gem centres on the 14th-century Kapellbrücke — one of Europe's oldest covered bridges — and a colourful Altstadt that has changed little in five centuries. Ride the cog railway to cloud-wreathed Mount Pilatus, savour Älplermagronen in a timber-beamed tavern, and explore the nearby wonders of Interlaken and Grindelwald. Late spring through early autumn offers the most spectacular lake reflections and settled mountain weather.

Basel, where Switzerland, France, and Germany converge at the Rhine's northward bend, hosts a concentration of world-class art institutions that rivals any city its size on earth — the Kunstmuseum alone, the world's oldest public art collection, could occupy days, and Art Basel each June draws every name that matters in the contemporary art world to this compact, elegant city. The Rhine itself is the city's great social artery: in summer, locals jump in with waterproof bags and float downstream, a tradition as charming as any museum. Spring through autumn is ideal for outdoor exploration; Paris is just three hours by TGV and Strasbourg a mere twenty minutes by train.

Machu Picchu is a fifteenth-century Incan citadel set high in Peru's Andes Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of extraordinary archaeological and spiritual significance. Visitors should not miss the sunrise panorama from the Sun Gate and a guided exploration of the Intihuatana stone and Temple of the Sun, followed by a journey to Lake Titicaca near Puno. The optimal season to visit is May through September — Peru's dry winter — when clear skies unveil the full drama of the surrounding peaks and cloud forest.

Cusco is the former Inca capital at 3,399 meters in the Peruvian Andes, where precisely fitted Inca stonework supports Spanish colonial churches in a city that is the gateway to Machu Picchu and one of South America's most exciting culinary destinations. Must-dos include exploring the Plaza de Armas and its twin cathedrals, visiting Sacsayhuamán fortress, and dining on cuy and alpaca with Andean superfoods. Visit May to October for dry weather, with June for the Inti Raymi festival.

Rüdesheim am Rhein, a jewel of the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley, is where Germany's most storied wine river cuts through vine-terraced slopes and medieval castle ruins. The pedestrianised Drosselgasse laneway — beloved since the Romantic era — hums with wine taverns pouring the region's celebrated Rieslings, crisp and mineral from the slate soils. The Niederwald Monument surveys the river from the heights, reached by cable car above the vineyards. Day trips by boat unlock Bacharach, Boppard, and the legendary Lorelei rock. September's harvest festivals transform the entire valley into a convivial celebration of the vintage.

Iquitos, the world’s largest city unreachable by road, sits on the Peruvian Amazon amid rubber-boom mansions and serves as the gateway to some of Earth’s most biodiverse rainforest. Must-dos include exploring Pacaya-Samiria’s flooded forests for pink dolphins, browsing the Belén market’s Amazonian ingredients, and tasting paiche ceviche. Visit June through October for low-water wildlife concentration, or December through May for canoe exploration of the flooded forest.

The port of Lima is a vibrant gateway to Peru's rich history and culinary excellence, making it a must-visit destination for travelers. Savor local delicacies like ceviche and explore nearby attractions such as the coastal district of Callao and the breathtaking landscapes of Puno. The best time to visit is during the dry season from May to September, when the weather is ideal for exploration.

Quito, Ecuador’s capital, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its colonial architecture and rich history. Visitors must savor local dishes like locro de papa and hornado while exploring vibrant markets. The best time to visit is during the dry season, from June to September, when the weather is ideal for discovering nearby attractions like Isabela Island and Cajas National Park.

Baltra Island is a pivotal port in the Galápagos, historically rooted and now a gateway to adventure. Must-do experiences include sampling fresh ceviche de mero and exploring the nearby Isabela Island and Las Tintoreras Islet. The best season to visit is during the warmer months from December to May.