AKA The 6ix

Recommended Stay Time

5 Days

Currency

Canadian Dollar

USD	CAD	EUR	CAD
1	1.34	1	1.51

Transportation

The city of Toronto is roughly 630 km, and if you want to properly fit in with it’s 2.7 million residents, taking the metro or streetcar is the fastest and cheapest way to make your way around Toronto.

Toronto has a great public transport system called the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission), and it provides easy access all over the city

For myself however, I normally use Uber for transportation because I do not live downtown and do not have a normal commute there. Splitting an Uber with a few friends, or even with a few strangers, (called Uber Pool) can be a reasonably inexpensive and easy way to make your way around the city.

Hotel

As downtown toronto is quite expensive, finding living accommodations a long time in advance is important. I prefer airbnb’s, as they are extremely convenient and usually well priced. However there are several amazing hotels in the downtown Toronto area, all of which are perfectly located in the centre of the city, close to many attractions.

Activities

CN tower

The CN tower is the most famous tourist attraction in Toronto. It measures 553 m tall, and up until only a few years ago it was the tallest free standing building in the world. The CN tower popularity increased even further when Canadian artist Drake used the CN as his ‘Views’ album cover in 2016.

While on the topic of Drake, he alone had brought massive amounts of popularity and attraction to Toronto for this album, and many lyrics on several of his songs. The most famously quoted is the line “Running through the six with my woes”, from his song ‘Know Yourself’. The “six” refers to the two area codes in Toronto, 416 and 647 – both containing the number 6.

Therefore, visiting the CN tower is a must for many Drake fans. But this is not the only reason to visit the CN tower, there are plenty of other things to do as well. To go up the tower, see the glass floor and other attractions within the tower, a ticket will cost 38$CAD.

You can also visit the 360 restaurant, which is at the top of the tower. This restaurant shows a beautiful 360 rotating view of the city and its surrounding skyline. However, due do its uniqueness it is a more pricey restaurant. Sports games (Toronto maple leafs, blue jays, Toronto football club)

A great and inexpensive way to go out and experience an authentic Toronto event is one of Toronto’s home sports teams.

My favourite is the Toronto Blue Jays games in the summer, because you can get tickets for as cheap at 10$ and the entire game is an incredibly lively and fun atmosphere. The crowds turn into parties, and everyone has a great time. Unless the Yankees are playing, then it’s an entirely different, serious atmosphere.

However, if you are visiting Toronto in the colder months (which I do not recommend unless you have extensive experience and preparation to brace the Canadian cold), attending a Toronto Maple leafs hockey game is the most Canadian thing you can do.

Toronto Island

Since I’m recommending visiting Toronto in the warmer months, Toronto island is a great day to escape the heat without having to drive hours away to other beaches.

Toronto Island are reachable by taking a ferry for about 10 minutes over Lake Ontario. The ferry to get over cost about 10$, and it is the only fee you will pay in order to enjoy this island.

On the island is where you’ll find the Toronto beaches, where there are always events like music festivals, art exhibitions, amusement parks, etc.

My favourite time to go to these beaches is on Canada day, which is July 1st. The entire beach turns into a party, and later at night you can see the fireworks with a view of the CN tower.

Trinity Bellwoods park

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The last and entirely free activity I recommend is a massive park right in the middle of Toronto. It’s called Trinity Bellwoods park, and it is an incredibly lively and busy place on warm Canadian days. You can sit beneath the big trees, have a picnic, or drink a beer. All around you you’ll find people playing guitars, passing around a soccer ball, and anything else you can imagine.

Food

All of the following restaurants can be found on one long street in Toronto, King Street West, where you’ll find incredible restaurants and a great night life.

1. Baro (Spanish)

Baro is an amazing Spanish cuisine restaurant that is reasonably priced for the high quality food. The restaurant is very busy so I recommend making reservations to ensure you get the chance to eat here. It is also a more fancy restaurant, so dress well. Additionally, there is a secret bar and club above the restaurant called “Escobar” where you need a secret password in order to enter. (It’s Pablo). Highly recommend experiencing this bar as it is one of the coolest vibes in Toronto and only the locals know about it.

2. Buca (Italian)

Similar to Baro, Buca is an incredibly tasty restaurant that is fairly priced. It’s authentic Italian cuisine, and also a family run restaurant. I also recommend making a reservation for this restaurant.  

3. Cactus club

This is a new and extremely popular restaurant and it’s only occupied by the locals. Cactus club is an amazing restaurant with bistro food. It’s a more dress restaurant, but quite inexpensive. At night, this restaurant becomes an amazing club with great music.

4. Belfast love

This is a more casual, cheaper, pub-like restaurant that is delicious. Although it is always busy, it’s a huge restaurant and there is normally space. This is a more casual attire, and turns into an amazing bar at night.

Packing

Since Toronto can be hot in the summer, I recommend packing clothes to fit the weather. Shorts, tee-shirts, summer dresses, bathing suits sandals and hats. Also, since you may be walking around the city, I also recommend packing running shoes for comfort. Additionally, since the Toronto nightlife and restaurants can be dressy, I also recommend packing some nicer clothing for a night out in Toronto.  

Time of Year

To get the best experience, and to have to most opportunities to enjoy Toronto, I recommend visiting in the summer months. End of May to September is when the weather is best, with the highest temperature getting to 30°/33°. Although Toronto in the winter is beautiful, it can be very harsh, with temperatures getting to a low as -25°.

Written by Mackenzie Bryan

Recommended Stay Time

7 nights: 2 nights in Buenos Aires, 2 nights in El Calafate, 2 nights in Bariloche, 1 night in Buenos Aires (to fly back)

Currency

Argentinian Peso

Transport

South of Peru, Argentina has the same problem with the lack of low cost airlines, but once in Buenos Aires you can find cheap flights to the Patagonia. The capital city, Buenos Aires, has a decent public transport system, and you can get everywhere in buses, metro, trains, taxis or bicycles.

The southern cities of Bariloche and El Calafate run basically on buses and licensed taxis, but most hostels can arrange transportation to the main tourist attractions. I do recommend renting a car to make the most of the roads and sights.

Hotel

Buenos Aires offers many different hostels and hostels starting at 5 euros the night. Anywhere near el Obelisco, marked in the map, is great to be able to travel around. In the Patagonia, hotels are a little more expensive, which is why Airbnb is a better option.

Activities

Buenos Aires is packed with cultural activities. There are hundreds of theaters of many different sizes, many of them in Avenida Corrientes, a main road filled with restaurants, concert halls and stages. There is a show for everyone, I personally prefer comedies or stand up shows like “Mas Respeto que Soy tu Padre”, a favourite in my family. You can find tickets that fit all budgets, but you must definitely go watch at least one.

If you’re interested in a slightly different activity, visit Recoleta, the old graveyard just outside the city center. Huge mausoleums, crumbling gravestones and some very curious burial sites make the cemetery an unusual location for an evening walk.

You should also walk around Puerto Madero, the walkway next to the river, where you’ll find many restaurants and nice bars. Do not forget to window shop in Galerias Pacifico, the indoors mall with beautiful architecture and a glass ceiling.

The Patagonia is an entirely different trip. Whether you visit in the summer or wintertime, it is always beautiful and offers hundreds of activities.

When in El Calafate, the favourite attraction is Perito Moreno, an ancient glacier that surprises visitors every time. It is huge, and offers many different hikes for all tastes and physical effort. The forrest around the glacier can be explored in search of breathtaking views. The town itself is also very pretty, cozy, and perfect for a beer or hot chocolate after walking all day.

Bariloche, like El Calafate, gets very cold in the winter, but offers many different opportunities to explore the area. If you have the budget, do not hesitate to go skiing. I’ve skied in the Alps and the Rocky Mountains, but nothing compares to the soft slopes and incredible sights of the Andes. There are also many viewing points along the many roads that make excellent photo opportunities.

Food

Argentina has incredible food, whether in the capital or down in the Patagonia. A classic meal is the “asado” , meat and vegetables roasted in a bbq. Argentinian meat is famous world wide, and after tasting it you’ll see why. Restaurants like Piegaris, Happenings and Don Julio have many options for all types of budgets, and incredible mouth watering dishes. If you’re craving pasta, Amici Miei has a roquefort and cacao fettuccini that makes me cry. These are all in Buenos Aires.

Packing Tips

Argentina can get very cold in the winter, so make sure to pack warm clothes and hiking shoes. Summers are hot too, so light pants and sneakers are also very necessary.

Written by Sofia Bedoya-Lira

Recommended Stay Time

3 days

Currency in Czech Crowns

Transport

Even though Prague is a big city, I would recommend that you walk. If you arrive like I did by train, maybe get a taxi (depending on where you are staying) because the city’s pavement is not perfect to walk around with luggages. Regardless, it is such a beautiful city that you should walk. The three days I stayed there, I did not once get any sort of public transportation, but I know the bus system works all throughout the day and is very frequent.

Accomodation

I went with 4 other friends, so we stayed in an Airbnb (for privacy issues I will not disclose address, name or pictures of the apartment.). Even though it was a 15-20 minute walk from the city center, we found it worth it because the apartment was so good. Still, if you could find a more centered accommodation I think it would be best. In the following map I have pinned some of the best areas to stay, which are close to the city center, and I would have liked to stay in.

Activities

There are a lot of things to do in Prague, but they are all in walking distance from each other. Even though in the following section I will note down some must-visit places, I think the best thing to do is a free walking tour. These tours take place every day (specially during summer and vacation time) and can be done in various languages. They show the whole town and then at the end you should give the tour guide a tip, for the 5 of us we gave 513 CZK (20€).

St. Vitus Cathedral and Prague Castle: In order to get to the St. Vitus Cathedral and the Prague Castle, you have to cross the Charles III Bridge and go walking upwards. It is a bit of a long walk, so you have to be ready with comfortable shoes, it is recommended to go in the early morning as to not feel the morning sun and heat. Once here, it is really worth seeing both monuments from inside. You can enter both places with a special discounted student ticket, you just need a youth European card, or a university student card. Depending the time you go at, and the time of the year, the ticket price changes, therefore I would recommend you select a day to go and check the time prices. Once the monuments are visited, take a walk around the small town and look at the beautiful views of Prague from the highpoint.

John Lennon Wall: This wall is a small place situated near the river bank, on the castle and cathedral side of the city. Therefore, it is a good idea to go once you get down from the small old town, you can easily walk to the wall. It is usually full, but it is still easy to find and take pictures with the wall. The amazing thing is that this wall always changes. One day to the next it can change if someone decides to make a new graffiti.

Charles III Bridge: This bridge is just a normal bridge… at first. Once you are in it you feel so alive, there is always someone dancing, playing music, or even acting out a scene from a play. There is so much life in it. It is worth going to, and besides you have amazing views of both sides of the city and it makes for amazing pictures.

Old Town: To see the Old Town, I would recommend that you do the Free Walking Tour, as it is the best way to get to see the whole Old Town, as well as getting explanations of what each of the things is. Be careful when you go to see the Astrology Clock in the center of the square, as it is famous for being the place where the most wallet robberies in the city take place. Apart from that, it is beautiful.

Dancing House: This is one of the most famous houses in Prague. It was designed by Frank Gehry, and is something worth seeing. It contrasts with the old style of the city and is situated besides the river bank. During the sunset, you can see the sun reflected in the mirror-styled house, it is something worth seeing.

Food Tips

In Prague it is very typical to eat meat, there is not a lot of fish culture. We went to a lot o restaurants, and there are a lot, so I am not only going to recommend one place as there are a lot of options to go to. The ones we went to were recommended by the guide from the Free Walking Tour. The place we went to, we told them to serve us whatever they thought was the most typical food. They gave us vepřo-knedlo-zelo, which is essentially roasted pig with pasta and coleslaw. It was a bit heavy, but really good. Another thing they served us was bread rolls, but kind of sweet, the name of these rolls is trdelnik.

Packing Tips

Prague is a city which requires a lot of walking, therefore the best packing tip is to take a pair of really comfortable shoes. This being said, during the summer season, I went in July, the temperatures were extremely high. It was really warm, so the shoes should also be airy. For the night times, there are some nightclubs and bars which require a nicer pair of shoes, so if you are thinking about going out at night, then I would recommend you take some nice clothes and shoes for the evening.

Written by Elena Lamana Aristegui

Recommended Stay Time 

3 nights – 4 days

Currency

Euro

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Transportation

I was doing a trip and my last destination was Amsterdam, I took an airplane from Copenhagen ( Denmark) for 13 € by Ryanair; I arrived to the airport of Amsterdam ( Schiphol) and I went to the Hostal by metro, ticket price was 5,50 € to the central station. You can find many ways of transportation like bus, tram rides, metro and the most common , the bicycle ( for sure you have to be careful with them on the street) . I was in the heart of Amsterdam so I did everything by walking, it was amazing because it’s a city that has a lot to see and each street have something wonderful, you can see beautiful canals and the city’s unique architecture.

Where to stay in Amster-DAM

In Amsterdam the hotels and hostal are very expensive, I went with 11 friends and we were looking for something cheap in the center of Amsterdam, we found a Hostal in the red-light district, the name is ” Heart of Amsterdam”. It was very well located, 3 minutes from the Central Station and was easy to do everything walking. We stayed in a room of 8 persons and it was 115 € for 3 nights, this price doesn’t include breakfast but was a good option only for sleep.

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Activities

Amsterdam is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, and that’s why you find many nationalities inside this city. We did a free walking tour with the company SANDEMANS and it was fascinating because the guide shows the most important places and tell the history about the country in a funny and interesting way, and you pay the amount that you feel the guide deserves ( 3-5 € for students with low budget). I’m going to give you a list of the top 10 of places that you have to visit in Amsterdam:

1)Dam Square

2) Anne Frank House

3) Flower market

4) Vondelpark

5) Jewish neighborhood

6) The heneiken experience

7) Red-light district

8) Courtyard of Begijnhof

9) Boat ride on the canals ( 11€)

10) Coffee shops

Food Tips

In Amsterdam you can try the best fries and the best chocolate cookie in the WORLD!! The fries are the traditional in Amsterdam and the name of the place you can find them it’s Vlaams friteshuis. On the other hand, if you want to eat the best chocolate cookie you have to go to Van Stapele Koekmakerij. It’s amazing because the places are near, so you can try the salt food and after sweeting your tongue with the best cookie of the world. Finally I had the best hamburger also in Amsterdam, the name of the restaurant is Cannibale Royale, if you go there, you would be get addicted to that hamburger.

Packing Tips

For sure if you are going to Amsterdam you have to take an umbrella and a jacket, because it’s normal that if you are walking the rain begins. Furthermore, definitely you have to take a comfortable shoes, as the cause that you are going to do the most of the attractions by your way. Finally, you have to pack lots energy to travel in the city, because it’s one of my favorites! GOOD LUCKKK..

Written by Andrea Gómez

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San Andrés is a colombian island located in the caribbean sea that is closer to Nicaragua than Colombia. Due to that fact both countries have been fighting along the years for the marine delimitation. San Andres belongs to the department ‘ Archipielago de San Andrés, Providencia y Santa Catalina’ and it is the biggest island of the group. It is known for its seven colour sea and its beautiful beaches.

What I love the most of the island is that you’ll have a great time no matter if you go with your family, your friends or your partner. That because you’ll find plenty of activities to do that fit everyone’s needs, interests and tastes.

Recommended stay time

I could go to San Andrés for one weekend or one week, but for some persons one week would be a lot of time. However, the perfect time would be between 3 or 4 nights.

Currency

Colombian peso (COP)

EUR	COP	USD	COP
1	3.558	1	3.141

Transport

Almost everything in San Andres can be done by walking if you are staying in the center, as I would recommend. You’ll first need a taxi from the airport to your hostel, hotel or apartment, and also to go back. It should cost you between 10.000 and 15.000 colombian pesos if you arrive during the day, but if you are arriving during the night they’ll charge you a 5.000 fee. All the shopping stores, restaurants (almost), bars and clubs are in the center of the island, so they can be reached walking.

A very common transport in the island is a vehicle called ´mula’ or  ‘mulita’ which is like a buggy car or golf car, but bigger. You’ll find the with room for two, four, six or eight and rent them for hours or days. You could also rent bikes, motorcycles, golf carts or ATVs. The main recommendation is to always ask for a lower price, since they’ll probably give it to you.

Also, to visit the little islands you’ll have to go by boat our launch. For that, depending on your group size, you can rent one or buy the places that you need in a sharing one.

Hotel

Two important recommendations; first: find something in the center and second: don’t buy an all inclusive plan.

As you know, we want to recommend you all the best plans that can adjust to a low budget. Based on that, and no matter if you prefer to stay in a hotel, apartment or your okay with hostels, if you find a place in the center of the island you won’t have to spend money going to the center and then back to your accommodation. Also, you’ll be able to go in and out as many times as you want during the day. Since many activities are for the day, you won’t be able to go to the hotel to have lunch, so you’ll end up paying more for food.

For me the ideal accommodation in San Andrés would be an apartment because you’ll have your own space, cook if you want and bring snacks out for the day. You can rent an apartment for two or four persons from 350.000 COP the night. In the other hand a hostel in the center of the island would cost approximately 100.000 COP per night and person.

Activities

You’ll see why I said at the beginning of this article that you can find activities for everyone.

Sports:

• Diving: there are options for beginners or experienced divers. You can start the course and get your certification or go directly to open water and delight yourself with what the caribbean crystal clear sea water has to offer.
• Cycling: rent a bike and go across the border of the island. You’ll be amazed by the change of sea colors, the feel of the breeze against your body and the fresh air. It will be almost 32 km that you’ll be wishing are not over.
• Jogging: if you want to start good the day, go for a run by the beach.

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Nightlife:

• Go out for dinner and drink some wine. The fanciest restaurant of the island is called La Regata it is located by the sea, near a port and if you are a gourmet food lover the price is worth it. Just call sure you call ahead to make a reservation. There are other options of restaurants cheaper, but if you want to go for something fancy go to a hotels restaurant or La Regata.
• Buy some alcohol and go to the pier. There you’ll see colombian tourists, international tourists and some locals drinking. Usually people go to the pier and drink before going to a club.
• Clubs. There are three main clubs. Two of them belongs to hotels; Blue Deep that belongs to Hotel Sunrise and Extasis that belongs to Hotel Sol Caribe.The other one is located by the sea, its name is Coco loco. In those three clubs you’ll find reggaeton, salsa, merengue, bachata, ballenato, champeta and some electronic music.

Day activities:

A MUST: Dar la vuelta a la isla

It is a name in spanish for renting a vehicle (golf car, ANT, mulita or motorcycle) and go across the island stopping in some spots. Enjoy the view and the breeze. You should stop at:

• El hoyo soplador: it is a natural hole in the coral that blows when the winds are high and sometimes spouts water.
• La piscinita: open calm water by the corals. A perfect place for snorkeling, while feeding fishes out of your hand.
• Donde Francesca: it’s one of the famous restaurant of the island by the beach. The food and cocktails are amazing.It’s hard to eat there without a reservation so I would recommend you to make one at 2:30, have lunch, drink something and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at that beach that has bigger waves.

Go to the little islands (Cayos): by boat you’ll get to see Jhonny Cay, which is only a touristic place and no one lives there. Enjoy the beach with bigger waves and have some typical drinks. After go to ‘El Acuario’ where you can do snorkeling, see sharks and rays and even hold the rays.

Basic, but perfect one: spend the day at the beach, bring snacks and drinks.

Food

It’s obvious that the typical food of the island should be seafood, so you really have to try it. To eat good seafood go to La Regatta, Donde Francesca, Capitan Mandy (it’s perfect because it’s delicious and not as touristy as the other ones), El Paraíso or order a fried red snapper (whole fish) at Hotel Sunrise’s pool deck.

Other food:

-Perú wok

-La pizzeta

-Eataly

-Mr Panino

If you prefer fast food, you’ll find Subway and El Corral (well known for its hamburgers)

Packing

Pack your swimwear, sunblock, beach towel, sport clothes (if you are a sportsperson), comfy shoes and whatever you want to wear.

Recommended Stay Time

Around 3 nights and 3-4 days

Currency in Hungarian Forint

Local currency is Hungarian Forint

Transport

Eventhough Budapest has a lot of means of transport adaptable to the student budget, I personally only used the subway twice, to get to and from the train station. I think this is a city you have to walk around to discover, it may take you a couple of days to see it on its entirety, but it is worth it. It is not a big city, and it is very easy to walk. Regardless, the subway runs from 4.30am to 23pm, so as a last resource you could use it to move around, if you are too tired. Similarly, there is the option to go on buses or trams.

Accomodation

When i went there with my 6 friends, I stayed in a hostel in the center by the name of Pal’s Hostel. This accommodation is located in the center of Budapest, and depending on the room you are given, you may be able to see the Synagogue from your balcony, as we were able to.

This accommodation has a range of prices from 37€ to 28€ the night, depending on how many people are in the room. In my experience we were given a small apartment with 6 beds, a bathroom, a shower room and a small kitchen fully equipped. We only used the apartment to sleep there and have breakfast, but its location was extremely comfortable, as it was in the center of everything.

Activities

Chain Bridge: This is a very nice place for pictures, and it is just a bridge to walk on, nothing special. It is the main bridge connecting Buda and Pest over the Danube river.

Basilique of St. Esteban: This is Budapest’s cathedral, and it is one of the biggest religious buildings in the city. Going inside was amazing, as it is an architecture that I am not used to, so I found it very interesting. It is also very pretty to see from the outside and to take some pictures. It is located near the city center.

Budapest Parliament: If you are interested in architecture and historical politics I recommend you to go inside. We payed for an english tour, and it was very interesting. It is a beautiful building, but if you are not interested in this type of activities, you can avoid going inside as depending on the tour, it can be up to 15€ per person.

Buda Castle: You can get up here on the funicular for a cheap price, and it has amazing views. It is worth going, both during the day to see the amazing views of both Buda and Pest, but also during the night, as you can see the lights of the city, and it is very pretty.

Ruda Thermal Baths: When I was in Budapest, my friends and I went to this Thermal Baths, and they were an amazing experience. It was very relaxing and fun, and even though we had to behave ourselves for the sake of the other fellow tourists, it was an amazing feeling after having walked the city for the two previous days. The price for this experience is 4000 HUF which is around 13€.

Food Tips

Something you must try while being in Budapest is Kürtőskalács. This is a cone-shaped sweet yeast dough, roasted over charcoal, and then coated with melted butter and granulated sugar.

Dionysus Tavern is a small local dinner, with fresh seafood, resembling Greek typical dishes. When we went there the food was delicious, and the service was even better. It is true that the prices could have been a bit cheaper, but regardless, we were happy to pay it since the food was so delicious.

Another place we went to have lunch was Lángos, a small fast food local, which sold pizzas, of all types and varieties, for a very cheap price. What we liked about this place was that we actually got a couple of big pizzas for all 6 of us, trying out Hungarian ingredients, and with a delicious result. This local was in the Central Market of Budapest, so even if you do not go to this suggestion, you should go check out the market, because on the top floor you can find a lot of places to eat.

Packing Tips

Budapest is not a city which involves special packing. The only thing I would recommend is to take two pairs of comfortable shoes, as you will be walking a lot. Another recommendation is that if you do decide to go to the Thermal Baths, you take an appropriate swimming suit.

In summer time you must be prepared for high temperatures, so take comfortable and fresh clothes.

Written by Elena Lamana Aristegui

Recommended Stay Time

7 nights: 3 nights in Lima, 4 in Cuzco

Currency

Peruvian Sol

EUR	PEN	USD	PEN
1	3.7621	1	3.3043

Transport

Unfortunately for our student budgets, there are no reliable low cost airlines to get to Lima, the beautiful capital of Peru. Most big airlines though do fly there regularly. Depending on where you are flying from, a flight can cost between 400 and 800 euros, depending on the season and flying time of course. Once you land, you can take a cheap 10 euro taxi to the vibrant city center; Miraflores.

Officially, the “centro de Lima” is the city center, but most tourist attractions and hidden local gems are found in Miraflores, which happens to be where I live. Lima doesn’t have a very good public transport system, but taxis like Uber and EasyTaxi are very cheap and safe.

To get to more incredible cities, like Arequipa in the south, Piura in the north or Cuzco in the center, you can book flights in advance for 40 euros. Taxis are even cheaper there.

Hotel

As a local myself, I’ve never stayed in a hotel in Lima, but many of my friends have and always follow my advice to stay in Miraflores, near Kennedy Park, close to the ocean, beautiful parks and lively bars and restaurants. Hostels like Loki, Flying Dog, Kokopelli and the fancier Casa Andina offer a wide price range for all kinds of budgets.

Machu Picchu is of course the most popular of tourist attractions, but I don’t recommend Aguas Calientes, the town where its located, as a good place to stay, because it is basically the middle of nowhere. Cuzco’s city center has plenty of Incan history, and many cheap hostels. Personally, I stayed in the Tupac Yupanqui Hotel, and paid just about 110 USD for 6 (yes, six) nights. Incredibly cheap, clean AND breakfast included.

Activities

There is so much to visit in Peru that it is hard to summarize it in a single blog post.  

My favourite place in Lima, my hometown, is the “Malecón”, a beautiful walkway on the cliffs next to the ocean. With beautiful parks, coffee shops and runners, it is the perfect place for a morning or sunset walk. There are many huacas (pre-incan constructions) and colonial buildings all around the city.

Cuzco alone could take up a week to visit the old capital city of the Inca Empire. A visit to Machu Picchu takes about a day, including a train and then bus ride. A rock forest, ancient buildings and burial sites, as well as entire half buried civilisations around every corner.

Monuments like the Coricancha, the cathedral, San Blas square and market can be visited throughout the day. At night, do not miss a party at Loki or Wild Rover, but make sure to separate your trip between party and tourism; most guided tours to Machu Picchu or the Seven Colours Mountain pick you up at 4am.

Food

Peru has been recognized as some of the world’s best cuisine. My favourite dish is Lomo Saltado, a meat, tomato, onions, french fries and rice stir fry. Ceviche is a people’s favourite, made with raw fish cooked in lemon. Tequenos, puff pastry filled with melted cheese, are the cheese fingers of the Inca Gods, no exaggeration. Make sure to taste every dish you can, they are all so different and so good. Try the many types of Causa, made out of potato, avocado, rocotos (a spicy pepper) and tuna, chicken or crab. Aji de gallina is also one of my favourite dishes, made with aji (spicy, yellow pepper), rice and chicken.

Packing Tips

No matter when you visit Peru, you might always find an opportunity to go for a swim, either in Lima’s pebble beaches or a nice heated pool in Cuzco. Do not forget your swimsuit! Both cities demand a lot of walking, especially Cuzco. If you plan to hike to Machu Picchu (of course I took the bus) you must bring hiking boots for a few hours walk uphill in the 3000+ m.a.s.l. Lima does not get very cold, but Andean nights can drop to 0C, so bring warm clothes for sure.

Written by Sofia Bedoya-Lira