Recommend November 2011 - (Page 56)

the lowdown on south america’s CAPITAL continued from page 52 HIGHS “Always historically and culturally rich, these capitals have been upgraded to offer a more sophisticated visitor market with amazing accommodations in both traditional and boutique-style hotels. Nowadays there is no shortage of world-class dining experiences.” Don Forster, Product and Marketing Manager, Goway Travel the cathedral and other colonial gems; an economy supporting stable growth; the Larco Mar shopping mall; and a dining scene not to be topped anywhere on the continent. In the capital, pre-Columbian artifacts are displayed at their best in the newly remodeled Museo Larco, spectacular with galleries of gold and silver Chimu jewelry, exquisite weavings of parrot feathers, and 40,000 ceramic artifacts including erotic Moche pottery delegated to an adults-only gallery. New to the museum scene is Museo de Arte de Lima (a.k.a. Mali) showcasing Peruvian art from ancient to modern. Leave time for Lima’s outstanding churches and convents, including the San Francisco with its gallery of paintings and labyrinthine catacombs. Then head towards the sea for the charmingly hip Barranco quarter for lunch or cocktails at sunset by the sea, as well as a visit to the Pedro de Osma Museum, whose colonial decorative arts are housed in a lovely Beaux Arts mansion. But the jewel in Lima’s attractions crown is simply great food, served up in an astonishing number of restaurants. All the rage—in fact making international headlines—is the country’s fusion cuisine, criollo cooking, a blend of Spanish, Andean, Chinese and African influences, and novoandina, accenting imaginative dishes based on highlands produce and introduced by celebrity chef Gaston Acurio at his flagship restaurant, Astrid y Gaston. Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino offers his own fusion take with jungle ingredients at his Malabar restaurant. And the latest culinary attraction in the capital are cooking lessons at Lima’s own Cordon-Bleu School. One of the newest hotels in the city is The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center, which opened this year in the heart of San Isidro, the financial and shopping hub. Within walking distance to the city’s embassies, galleries, boutiques and restaurants, the 301-room hotel offers up several dining options, the Westin Heavenly spa and the Westin Workout fitness center, as well as the full suite of Westin signature amenities. Lima’s new Museo Palacio Arzobispal, occupying a former palace. quito While Lima sits at sea level, Quito (9,300 ft. up) is the highest capital city in the world. For culture aficionados, it’s a favorite, with a rich treasury of baroque cathedrals, monasteries and palaces that made it the centerpiece of artistic achievement in the New World and indeed, the first city to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Since the continued on page 58 lima Forster reminds us that Lima was once a 1-night layover en-route to Machu Picchu. Now he recommends two full days as a minimum stay. And indeed, perched along the Pacific coast, the “City of Kings” reigns again, with the night-lit colonial center cleaned and restored to show off 56 november 2011 recommend.com http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend November 2011

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk: RockResorts
Tour Talk: International Expeditions
River Cruise Product Expands Even More for 2012
Hot (or Cool) Toronto is Staid No More
Timeless Boston
South Africa Always Steals the Limelight
BVI: Beauty on the Water
Private Islands Sizzle
Barcelona Will Leave You Beaming
Unspoiled Myanmar is Open for Business
The Lowdown on South America's Capital Highs
Riviera Nayarit in the Pink
The Three Faces of Baja Sur

Recommend November 2011