Cusco and Sacsayhuaman

UNESCO World Heritage Site: City Of Cuzco (1983). The Capital Of The Inca Empire, Rebuilt By The Spanish On Inca Stone Foundations, With The Qorikancha, The Cathedral, San Blas And The Massive Stone Walls Of Sacsayhuaman. · Cusco, Cusco

Cusco was the capital of the Inca empire, and the Spanish built their own city directly on top of it, so Inca stone walls still carry colonial churches and balconied houses. At about 3,400 m above sea level, it is a compact, walkable city of steep cobbled lanes around the Plaza de Armas, with the Cathedral, the Qorikancha sun temple and the artisan quarter of San Blas close by. Above the town, about 2 km up a steep street, lies Sacsayhuaman, a fortress of enormous fitted stones where the Inti Raymi festival is staged each June. Most visitors use Cusco as the base for Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, but the city rewards a few quiet days, and the altitude deserves respect: arrive, rest, drink water and take the first day slowly. Expect cold nights, strong sun, sellers in the Plaza and some of the best food and weaving in the Andes. Day trips to the Sacred Valley, the salt pans of Maras and the ruins at Pisac and Ollantaytambo are easy to add from here, and cuy, alpaca and trout are on most menus.

Former Inca capital at about 3,400 m, with the Plaza de Armas at the centre and the Sacsayhuaman fortress on the hill about 2 km north, Cusco, Cusco, Peru

The streets and plazas are open at all hours and free to walk. Sacsayhuaman and the other ruins above the city open from morning to late afternoon on a ticket, often the Boleto Turistico, and the cathedral, churches and museums keep shorter hours with midday closures or Sunday changes. Many sites close on public holidays, and the city is busiest and noisiest during festival weeks, so confirm hours locally before planning a day.

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