Top reasons to visit Peru

The Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board’s website contains everything you need to know about visiting Peru, and much more besides!

A trip to Peru would not be complete without visiting the famed Machu Picchu. Believed to be built in the 15^th century, Machu Picchu is an Inca city home to palaces, temples and paths, which show how ancient civilisations built and lived. The site is located in the middle of a tropical mountainous forest and allows visitors to appreciate the architecture, as well as local fauna and flora. It is important to note that only 400 visitors per day are allowed access into the Machu Picchu zone. For the ultimate experience, you can trek to Machu Picchu via the Inca trail. The 39-kilometre path crosses through variety of ecosystems and architectural sites before arriving at the Machu Picchu citadel.

If you’re an explorer, a trip to the Andes mountain range will be on your list. The second highest mountain range in the world (after the Himalayas), is home to low, medium and high difficulty peaks making it the perfect destination for experienced climbers and beginners alike. The Cordillera Blanca is the highest tropical mountain range in the world, as well as being the Peruvian capital of mountaineering, and is perfect for experienced climbers.

Lovers of wildlife will appreciate a visit to Manu National Park. It is home to over 200 species of mammals, 600 species of birds. Inside the park lies a tall metal tower and elevated walkway, allowing visitors to appreciate the size of the forest, as well as gaining better views of the birds. The Tres Cruces lookout point offers spectacular views across both the Andes and the rainforest. You can only enter the park as part of a tour group; individuals are not admitted. The park is also home to over 30 indigenous peasant communities.

For more information, please visit http://www.peru.travel/

Latvia: Top 10 Travel Destinations

The Latvian Tourism Agency has put together a list of the top 10 travel destinations in Latvia.

A visit to the historical town of Kuldīga features at the top of the list, and rightly so. The Alekšupīte River flows through the town, directly along the walls of many buildings. Kuldīga has been called the Venice of Latvia.  The town centre is home to narrow streets, one-storey houses and has buildings preserved from the 13^th century. Just outside Kuldīga lies Europe’s widest waterfall, the Venta Waterfall, which is over 240m wide. During spring and autumn, spawning fish will try to jump over the waterfall, creating quite a spectacle.

The seaside town of Ventspils offers something a little different. Located on the coast of the Baltic Sea, Ventspils is home to sandy Blue Flag Beaches, making it the perfect place for a swim. The beach is also home to basketball courts and exercise equipment meaning there is something for everyone. The old town offers narrow cobbled streets and quaint buildings, which contrast with the modern architecture. It is easy to get around Ventspils,:Mazbānītis, a small train, runs on a 2km narrow gauge railway which connects popular attractions such as the beach, Seaside Park, Adventure Park and Seaside Open Air Museum. If you’re more historically minded, you’ll love visiting the Castle of the Livonian Order, one of the oldest preserved fortresses in Latvia, located in Ventspils.

If you enjoy exploring the outdoors, Gauja National Park is perfect for you. There are more than 500 historical and cultural monuments located inside the Park, including windmills, churches, stone castles, hill forts and watermills. If you follow one of the Līgatne Nature Trails, you might see some of the native wildlife such as red deer, bears, lynx, owls, wild boars and red foxes. The nearby Līgatne secret underground bunker will delight history enthusiasts; it was built for the Soviet Latvia leaders in the event of a nuclear war.

There’s something to suit all tastes in Latvia.

Click here to read the full list. 

Latvia offers some breathtaking tourism sites

2014's most popular tourist destinations

We've now reached the third part of our countdown of the Tarvellers' Choice most popular travel destinations for 2014.

No. 12 - New York City, USA
Who can resist the lure of the big apple?

No. 11 - Berlin, East Germany
Visit the city with a troubled and divided past that's now one of the power houses of Europe

No. 10 - Shanghai, China
Explore the mysteries of Chinese culture for yourself

No. 9 - Siem Reap, Cambodia
Explore the 12th century Angkor Thom Royal city and the temples of Angkor War

No. 8 - Hanoi, Vietnam
Explore the delights of this well known city with its well know past

No. 7 - Paris, France
The Eiffel Tower, Champs Elyses, what more can we say?

With full acknowledgements to TripAdvisor