Ica, Peru

An old but busy city, ICA sits in a fecund valley, close to enormous sand dunes some 400m above sea level and around 50km from the ocean. The Museo Regional's superb collections of pre-Columbian ceramics and Paracas, Ica and Nasca cultural artefacts makes the city worth an excursion, despite some damage by the 2007 quake. Ica's streets and plazas are crowded with hundreds of little tico taxis, all beeping their horns to catch potential passengers' attention and making crossing the streets a dangerous affair. Aside from the traffic and the occasional pickpocket – particularly round the market area – Ica is a pleasant and mostly sunny place with a friendly and curious population.