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(CNN)With a climate that ranges from desert dry to tropical lush to freeze-your-North-Face-off in the Andes, Peru packs a ton of diversity between its sea level elevation Pacific beaches and the 22,204 foot top of its highest mountain, Nevado Huascaran.
There's pisco. There's ceviche. And, yes, there's that famous trail.
Don't worry, we'll get to all of those. First some things you may not already know.
1. Lima is worth seeing
While most international travelers land in Peru's current capital, many immediately continue on to the country's former capital, Cuzco, in their rush to get to Machu Picchu.
That's a mistake.
Lima is Peru's largest city by far. It's home to more than a quarter of Peru's roughly 30 million people, has wonderful food, the beautiful Miraflores district (where you can drink while overlooking beaches lined with small rocks that form eye-catching patterns each time the tide rolls out) and excellent museums.
The Museo Larco and its Erotic Gallery is devoted to sculptures from more than a thousand years ago celebrating sexual congress in all of its least procreative forms. Reproductions of these works pop up all over Peru, notably in the form of a bottle of pisco shaped like a fellow in an extremely good mood.
2. You're gonna love the ceviche
Fresh, raw fish marinated in citrus juices and spiced with chili peppers and sometimes other tongue-tingling spices, ceviche is Peru's most popular dish, a must-try for any visitor.
In Lima, internationally famed La Mar is a great place to try it, but ceviche is prepared differently throughout the country, from humble street stalls to elegant restaurants.
3. There's more to Peru than Incas
Most tourists come to Peru to see Machu Picchu or other Inca ruins, with maybe a few Catholic churches thrown in for balance. This makes it easy to conclude, "There were the Incas, then the Spanish came, which brings us to where we are now."
In fact, the Inca were a bit like Mitt Romney's Bain Capital: They had a knack for taking control of long-established things and making them their own. The Incan state didn't emerge until the 1200s. It became an empire in the 1400s, and its final sovereign emperor died in 1533, officially ending the period of constructing the buildings and roads that lure visitors to this day.
That said, the Norte Chico people of Peru built a civilization 5,000 years ago and the centuries that followed saw the emergence of other significant cultures, such as the Paracas and the Moche.
Was the Incan era a highlight of Peruvian history? Unquestionably.
But when Peruvian museums boast artifacts from before Christ, focusing exclusively on Atahualpa and his predecessors is akin to being so impressed by books that you conclude world history began with the Gutenberg press.
10. Porters are the toughest guys in the country
Whether you're on your own or traveling like an English lord in the colonies, you'll encounter porters on the Inca Trail. These men tend to be farmers or laborers looking to earn extra money.
They carry up to 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of gear -- the weight limit is a recent development, they used to handle positively spine-shattering loads -- and they carry it fast. Some actually run along the trail, somehow avoiding shredded ankles as they navigate uneven, wet stones just to ensure all's ready before the tourists stagger into camp.
If you feel like racing your fellow hikers, great. Do not test the porters: They're pros, and you're at best a promising amateur.
This story originally published in 2013.
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