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Cusco
photo by Dawn Wohlfarth
photo by Dawn Wohlfarth
In addition to serving as a gateway to nearby attractions like Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail, Cusco offers travelers a host of culturally enticing museums, cathedrals and markets that make this city an excellent addition to any itinerary. For outdoor enthusiasts, the Cusco area presents a number of spectacular trekking opportunities. And for those who want to stretch their legs a bit but aren't up for a week-long adventure over mountainous terrain, the nearby Inca ruins of Sacsayhuamán,

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In addition to serving as a gateway to nearby attractions like Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail, Cusco offers travelers a host of culturally enticing museums, cathedrals and markets that make this city an excellent addition to any itinerary. For outdoor enthusiasts, the Cusco area presents a number of spectacular trekking opportunities. And for those who want to stretch their legs a bit but aren't up for a week-long adventure over mountainous terrain, the nearby Inca ruins of Sacsayhuamán, Q’enqo, Puca Pucara, Tambo Machay, Tipón, and Pikillacta and Rumicolca make excellent day trips.

In Quechua its name translates to "belly button of the world," and at its height Cusco truly was the center of the great Inca Empire, which stretched across parts of South America from Northern Chile to Colombia. In terms of architectural prowess and political importance, Cusco paralleled the well-known Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán as one of the great imperial capitals of America.

Today, Cusco is known for its inviting and intriguing blend of Spanish and Inca culture, most evident where Spanish churches and convents had been built squarely on top of perfectly laid Inca walls. While the Spanish did their best to pillage and plunder the city, they failed to completely destroy the massive network of Inca stonework, which continues to withstand both time and the elements while the Spanish buildings crack and crumble. The Quechua people, the present-day ancestors of the Incas, are also a foundation for the city and bring the charm, humility and beauty that keep tourism booming in Cusco.

Because the city is a popular destination along the Gringo Trail, it has a variety of hotels and restaurants to accommodate any traveler's tastes, from five-star, world-class hotels to hostels the most miserly of backpackers will find affordable. It is an extremely visitor-friendly city, with tour agencies on every block and very helpful locals. Most of the major Cusco activities are within walking distance of one another and can be covered in about half a day, though you may want to devote a little more time to browse the various shops and markets you may encounter along the way. Some Cusco highlights include the Cusco Cathedral, Iglesia San Blas, San Blas,  Qoricancha Templo del Sol and Santo Domingo, Museo Histórico RegionalMuseo de Arte y Monasterio de Santa Catalina.


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Cusco Highlights

Sacsayhuamán

Perched forebodingly in the hillsides rising above Cusco, the fortress ruins of Sacsayhuamán are some of the most impressive and closest ruins in the area. Though few structures now remain inside, ...
Ruin, Historical Building
Cusco, Peru

Museo de Arte y Monasterio de Santa Catalina

Built by the Spanish between 1601 and 1610 on top of Acllahuasi, where the Inca emperor once housed his chosen Virgins of the Sun, this convent and museum houses an interesting collection of colonial ...
Historical Building, Museum
Cusco, Peru

Museo de Sitio Qoricancha

Located under the garden below Santo Domingo, the Museo de Sitio Qoricancha consists of three small rooms, which contain a pre-Columbian collection, Spanish paintings from the 18th century and photos ...
Historical Building, Museum
Cusco, Peru

Museo Histórico Regional

Formerly the residence of one of Peru’s most famous writers and Inca historians, Garcilaso de la Vega, the Museo Histórico Regional now offers an excellent review of Peruvian history, from ...
Historical Building, Museum
Cusco, Peru

The Stone Puma

North of Cusco’s Plaza de Armas towards Cuesta San Blas, you will come upon one of the most haunting tokens of a civilization: the foundation for the one-time palace of 14th century Incan ruler ...
Historical Building
Cusco, Peru

Museo de Arte Religioso

For art aficionados and architecture fiends alike, the Museo de Arte Religioso is one of the most interesting addresses in the city. Like many other attractions in Cusco, the museum sports a rich ...
Historical Building, Museum
Cusco, Peru

Pikillacta and Rumicolca

Much of the ancient Inca's organizational expertise and city planning talents originated from the pre-Inca Huari Empire, which dominated the lands of Peru from 500 to 1000 A.D. An interesting example ...
Historical Building, Ruin
Cusco, Peru

Puca Pucara

Though perhaps the least impressive of the ruins around Cusco, Puca Pucara offers stunning views of the Cusco Valley and glaciers to the south. Located about 11 kilometers outside the city, ...
Ruin, Historical Building
Cusco, Peru

Q’enqo

The intriguing temple and amphitheater ruins of Q'enqo are situated east of the giant white statue of Christ, perched on the hill next to Sacsayhuamán, and are only about a 20-minute walk from the ...
Ruin, Historical Building
Cusco, Peru

Iglesia San Blas

Iglesia San Blas is just one of the Cusco attractions located in the bustling artisan neighborhood of San Blas. Built in 1563, Iglesia San Blas is thought to be one of the oldest parishes in Cusco. ...
Historical Building
Cusco, Peru

Qoricancha Templo del Sol and Santo Domingo

Of the numerous attractions in Cusco, this should be on the top of your list. Once home to nearly 4,000 of the Empire’s highest ranking priests and their attendants, Qoricancha was an extraordinary ...
Historical Building
Cusco, Peru
Cusco Hotels

Hospedaje Sambleño

Around the corner from the Plazoleta San Blas, Hospedaje Sambleño offers a cheap price--single rooms at $6--in a great location. You can buy breakfast for a little extra at its own in-house Niña ...
Hostel
San Blas, Cusco, Peru

Sol Innka Plaza

With higher-end price of things, with private rooms starting at $25, the Sol Innka should appeal to older travelers or those looking for an alternative to the standard backpacker lodging. The quality ...
Hotel
Cusco, Peru

Incama Hostel

Incama Hostel provides the best services, quality and price, so that our travelers enjoy the city. In our hostel we have more than a bed for you; Incama Hostel has spent three years learning about ...
Hostel
Cusco, Peru

Hospedaje Turístico San Blas

Located in the trendy, bohemian San Blas neighborhood north of the Plaza de Armas, Hospedaje Turístico San Blas is slightly more than mid-range in its price (a single room starts at $20 during the ...
Hostel
San Blas, Cusco, Peru

Rey Antares Mystic Hotel

The more expensive room prices at the Rey Antares Mystic Hotel means a little bit extra, spiritually speaking. For interested guests, manager Yarly la Torre offers access to local shamans who will ...
Hotel
Cusco, Peru

Intiq Samana

Intiq Samana is one of the best buys in Cusco, with its attractive, clean, stylish and comfortable rooms belying its mid-range (though cheap by first-world standards) price of $15 for a single room ...
Hostel
Cusco, Peru

The Niños Hotel

The Niños Hotel has large, comfortable rooms, inside an old and neatly refurbished colonial property, attractively stylish and heated. The hostel accepts payment in cash only, though exceptions can ...
Hotel
Cusco, Peru

Hospedaje Emanuel

This lodge south of the Plaza de Armas has only ten rooms and four bathrooms. Hospedaje Emanuel has a bar/cafeteria, hot water, luggage security, fax, mail and laundry service. For  the ten to ...
Hotel
Cusco, Peru

Hospedaje Granada

There is little to recommend the Hospedaje Granada beyond its extremely low price: three dollars. There are 27 rooms and four bathrooms, but each room is outfitted with a basinilla, a small pot to ...
Hotel
Cusco, Peru

Hostal Posada del Corrigedor

If the price is within your budget you will not be disappointed. The management of Hostal Posada del Corrigedor has invested more creativity and care in this hostel than at most of the other hostels ...
Hostel
Cusco, Peru

Plateros Hostal

The Plateros Hostal is located on the street of the same name. The hostel offers a few extras such as a salon with a wide-screen television, free Internet access for guests and a cafeteria. Here’s ...
Hostel
Cusco, Peru
Cusco Restaurants

Maikhana The Indian Restaurant

Maikhana Namaskar is a well-kept secret in Cusco. So well kept, in fact, that even locals who profess a love of Indian food don’t know that a purveyor of samosas and hot chai tea even exists in San ...
Restaurant
Cusco, Peru

Restaurant Aldea Yanapay

As you walk up the flight of stairs to the Restaurant Aldea Yanapay, you are greeted by the colorful crayon impressions of children’s artwork. The Restaurant Aldea Yanapay itself could be mistaken ...
Restaurant
Cusco, Peru

Paddy Flaherty's

Paddy Flaherty’s calls itself “the highest Irish pub in the world.” And at Cusco’s altitude, who wouldn’t want to treat themselves to the only place in town where you down a Guinness or ...
Restaurant
Cusco, Peru

Jack's Café Bar

Manager Jane Berthelsen said she wanted “the sort of food from back home that you miss” when she came up with the idea of Jack’s. Her vision included hearty pea and ham soup, and a big, juicy ...
Restaurant
San Blas, Cusco, Peru

Govinda's

Govinda’s has what is most likely the healthiest food in all of Cusco. Managed by local affiliates of Hare Krishna, and with a slant towards Indian-style cooking, the all-vegetarian, heavy on soy, ...
Restaurant
Cusco, Peru

Macondo

This bar and restaurant in the San Blas district provides a chic, art-gallery ambience, with contemporary artwork displayed on its walls and candles on each table providing a mellow glow. The menu ...
Restaurant
San Blas, Cusco, Peru

Restaurant Narguila

Head to Narguila if you want to try shakshuka, a spiced egg and tomato specialty; served with jahnun, the pride of Yemen’s bakeries. Or perhaps with a malawach puffed pastry. The eatery also serves ...
Restaurant
Cusco, Peru

Truco Restaurant

You will definitely not soon forget dining at the Truco Restaurant on the south end of the charming Plaza Regocijo, the latter a smaller and more tranquil compliment to the Plaza de Armas. El Truco ...
Restaurant
Cusco, Peru

Khipus Restaurant

One of the main reasons people may want to visit Khipus is that it is the restaurant of choice of Edilberto Mérida, one of Peru’s most famous painters and sculptors. Merida first ...
Restaurant
San Blas, Cusco, Peru

Kintaro Japanese Restaurant

Kintaro is the only Japanese restaurant in Cusco, and one of the few that can be found in Peru overall. Moriya Daisuke, a native of Japan, offers his customers as authentic an experience as possible, ...
Restaurant
Cusco, Peru

Granja Heidi Restaurant

Owner Karl Heinz-Horner grew up in Germany but proudly considers himself Peruvian, having settled here and started his own dairy farm, where he sells his own milk, yogurt and cheese. He is also the ...
Restaurant
San Blas, Cusco, Peru
Reviews
Traveler Reviews of Cusco

Love Cusco

Cusco is a traveler's dream. It has everything: great sights, culture, good food and friendly locals. It's a clean and very pleasant town.

Traveler from New Zealand on Jan 03, 2008

Great city

What an excellent city. I really enjoyed seeing all the old Inca ruins.

Traveler from Devon, UK on Apr 30, 2007
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