Start with a leisurely 360-degree survey of your surroundings from the middle of the Plaza de Armas (1; p228). Two imposing churches, three charming colonnades – including one that ex- tends across a trafficked street – an elaborate fountain, and a gracefully laid-out square add up to one of the most beautiful (and most pho- tographed) public  spaces  in South  America.

Stroll past more colonnades up pedestrian- only Calle del Medio and head southwest across Plaza Regocijo (2). On your left you’ll see a beautiful building (3), once a hotel and now a tourist precinct that’s home to fancy restaurants  and  hoity-toity  clothing  stores.

Head up Calle Garcilaso, named for the beloved chronicler of the Incas and conquista- dores, Garcilaso de la Vega, whose childhood home on the corner now houses the Museo Histórico Regional (4; p231). Most of the build- ings in this street are colonial mansions, and many have been converted into hotels with lovely patios.