Once a quick stopover on the way to Machu Picchu, Lima has become the gateway to another popular South American destination, the Galápagos Islands. But don’t rush to see blue-footed boobies when you can visit this tantalizing coastal capital. Spend a few days touring UNESCO World Heritage colonial architecture and pre-Columbian treasures housed in an 18th-century mansion. Then it’s on to ceviche and pisco sours in a world-class culinary scene, followed by live Afro-Peruvian music at one of many peñas (clubs) in the hillside neighborhood of Barranco or near the sea in Miraflores.

Drop your bags at the ultra-sybaritic Belmond Miraflores Park and you’ll be rewarded with vistas of the Pacific Ocean high atop the cliffs of Miraflores. A 20-minute taxi ride from the Belmond leaves you at the birthplace of the city, Plaza Mayor, also called Plaza de Armas. The colonial splendor is spellbinding, especially the cathedral on the square’s eastern side, best known for its golden altar. From Plaza Mayor take a short stroll to the circa-1625 Monastery of San Francisco and its striking yellow and white façade. Visit the library and look up in awe at the Moorish-style ceiling. The highlight, however, is a guided tour down one of the rickety staircases to the creepy catacombs below.

A must-stop on any Lima itinerary is Museo Larco, the largest privately held pre-Columbian art collection in the world. First opened in 1926 and housed in a grand estate, the museum spans a mind-boggling 5,000 years of history. Among the impressive collection of jewelry and textiles you’ll find some intriguing offerings like erotic ceramic art and a room devoted to the sacrificial ceremony. For more contemporary fare, consider a visit to Mate, a museum celebrating the work of Lima’s most famous photographer. You’ll find large-scale photos of the Rolling Stones and Princess Diana along with exhibitions on other Peruvian photographers.

Happy hour usually starts with a pisco sour paired with Peru’s culinary star, ceviche, at one of the numerous top-rated cevicherias. Enjoy fresh tuna and tilapia drizzled with lime juice at one of the stands at Mercado Central. If you crave more than ceviche, three Lima restaurants recently made the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants — Central Restaurante (No. 4), Astrid & Gastón (No. 14) and Maido (No. 44). The World Travel Awards also named Lima South America’s leading culinary destination three years in a row.

Preparing seasoned beef heart anticuchos in Lima © PACESP2002 | DREAMSTIME.COM

Peruvian dishes evolved from the native culture as well as Spanish, African, Italian, French, Japanese and Chinese influences featuring such exotic fare as anticuchos (grilled skewered meat marinated in Panca chilies, roasted on the grill), tiraditos (sashimi-like raw fish in a spicy sauce) and escabeche (fish or chicken marinated in vinegar and slow-cooked in a pot full of onions).

From Lima you’ll fly through Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador, onward to the Galápagos Islands. Trips to the Galápagos, nearly all of which comprises a national park, typically happen aboard one of the 80 or so commercial cruises and yachts that ply its waters on weeklong jaunts. If you don’t have a week to spare or prefer staying at small eco-resorts on the islands, consider the increasingly popular land-based trip. Some 200,000 people arrive on the shores of the Galápagos Islands each year, and now close to half of those visitors choose a land-based tour instead of a cruise.

Each of the inhabited islands possesses its own appeal. All trips to the Galápagos Islands start and end on Santa Cruz, the island closest to the airport. The harbor town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz is the major hub on the Galápagos Islands, the port from which you’ll boat to all the other islands. Before leaving Santa Cruz, walk around Los Gemelos (The Twins), massive sinkholes that stand side by side along the main road into Puerto Ayora. There’s a good chance you’ll spot the brilliant vermilion flycatcher overhead.

Floreana is the smallest and most serene of all the isles. Stay at the Floreana Lava Lodge, where simple wooden cabins face the ocean and the sound of pounding waves lulls you to sleep. The owners, the brother and sister team of Claudio and Aura Cruz, are two of 12 siblings brought up on the island. In the morning wake to a breakfast of fresh-squeezed orange juice, yogurt, bananas, granola, eggs and home-baked bread while dining overlooking the sea.

Claudio personally escorts guests high into the hills to see giant tortoises, many more than 100 years old. You’ll walk through caves that housed early German settlers, pick juicy oranges from a tree and then have a memorable lunch of grilled beef and chicken chimichurri at the former ranch house of Claudio and Aura’s parents. In the afternoon take a short stroll from the hotel to a sheltered bay where you can snorkel with huge sea turtles. Don’t be surprised if none-too-shy sea lions swim up to the beach and fall asleep right next to you.

Blue-footed booby © DONYANEDOMAM | DREAMSTIME.COM

Isabela, the largest island, offers great wildlife viewing opportunities, including spotting penguins, blue-footed boobies, land tortoises, sea turtles and flamingoes. One of three giant tortoise breeding centers found in the Galápagos Islands, Isabela’s breeding center was founded in 1982 by the national park to help propagate the species. Close to 1,000 tortoises inhabit the property, from tiny 2-month-old specimens to the more remarkable giant tortoises, more than one century old. Thanks to breeding centers like these, now more than 30,000 giant tortoises thrive on the Galápagos Islands.

Afterward, rent bikes at Carapuchodo Surf & Bike in Isabela’s main town of Puerto Villamil and ride to a lagoon filled with pink flamingoes on the outskirts of town. Then head to the coastline for a splendid ride along the ocean to the Wall of Tears. During World War II Americans kept an outpost on Isabela to help protect the mainland from invasion. A wall from the fortress still exists. You’ll bike past tortoises, large lizards and scenic overlooks on the route.

On the outskirts of town, Beto’s is the place to watch the sunset on Isabela — a great beach bar where you can sink your toes in the sand, have a cocktail or smoothie, then dine on fresh wahoo, shrimp or lobster. It really doesn’t matter which island you choose. You’ll see a mesmerizing mix of wildlife and realize why the fortunate few who have visited the Galápagos call these islands magical.

Lima/Galápagos Info to Go

Flights to Lima arrive at Jorge Chavez International Airport, located in the Callao District, approximately a 7.5-mile, 40-minute drive west of Plaza Mayor or city center. If you’re heading to the Belmond Miraflores Park, expect to spend 60 Peruvian sols (about $18), and give yourself an hour for the drive.

If you choose a land-based tour in the Galápagos Islands, rides between the islands can last two hours on a boat not much bigger than a Boston Whaler. If you’re prone to seasickness, bring Dramamine. It’s best to arrange an organized package where drivers, boats and guides await you on each island. Otherwise, arranging transport between islands can get a bit tricky. Founded in 1994, Ecuador’s Tropic Journeys in Nature is a highly reputable outfitter.