New York has had its share of exotic love affairs--it's fallen for Japanese and Thai, Brazilian and Cantonese, Mexican and Korean. But this fall, the Big Apple only has eyes for Peru. Two of the city's new restaurants have serious South American cred: La Cervecería in the East Village and La Mar Cebicheria in Gramercy.

The former marries American craft beers with Peruvian tapas in a playful downtown setting of mod minimalism. The latter takes it up a notch, bringing South American celeb chef Gastón Acurio's modern take on Peruvian ceviches, tiraditos, and anticuchos to a fancy $5.5 million dining room. Both make liberal use of spicy little chile peppers. Because if you're gonna hook a city like New York, you've got to bring the heat.

Photo: Courtesy of La Cervecería

The new Tambo del Inka Resort & Spa is an eco-friendly property built in glass and stone that sits beside the Vilcanota River in Peru's Urubamba Valley. The 128-room complex centers on a gorgeous two-pool spa, an ideal place to relax after hiking or cycling the quinoa-covered grounds or a day trip up to Machu Picchu on the recently opened Urubamba train line.

While you're in Peru...

Eat here:
Malabar
Malabar is Peru's first outlet for haute Amazonian cuisine, served amid brightly colored furniture and a riot of artwork. Though many of the jungle's creatures, fruits, and vegetables take the form of street food in their native habitat, at this Lima restaurant chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino creates soufflés (hearts of palm), purées (yuca), and vinaigrettes (the applelike cocona).

Climb here:
Machu Picchu
The 2011 centennial of Hiram Bingham's rediscovery of the mysterious Incan ruins promises to attract bigger crowds than ever. One of the most rewarding ways to sidestep the hordes is to trek along the fabled Inca Trail. On the last morning you reach Machu Picchu's Sun Gate by sunrise, after which you can expect a tourist-free couple of hours before the buses start to roll in.

Photo: Courtesy of Tambo del Inka Resort and Spa