Cusco Peru Travel Guide
Cusco Peru Travel Guide
Cusco, Cuzco or Qosqo located in the Southern Sierras is a fascinating city that was the capital of the Inca Empire. Cuzco is a Unesco World Heritage Site and is one of Peru's most visited cities as it is the largest and most comfortable city from which tourists can begin visits to Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and other Inca sites in the region.
Cuzco is a beautiful city with well preserved colonial architecture, evidence of a rich and complex history. The city itself represents the center of indigenous Quechua culture in the Andes, and by merely walking the streets one sees the layers of history. Spanish colonial buildings erected directly atop Inca walls line the square, while the modern tourist nightlife flourishes in their midst.
The city is surrounded by a number of ruins, the most impressive being Sacsayhuaman, the site of the 1536 battle in which dozens of Pizarro's men charged uphill to battle the forces of the Inca. Nowadays, Cuzco is known for its indigenous population--often seen on the streets in traditional clothing--and its substantial tourist-fueled night life.
The center of Cuzco is small enough to walk around, although you will probably need to catch a bus or taxi to the bus station, Sacsayhuamán or airport. If you are staying in Cuzco for a long time, the Combis are a cheap and reliable form of transportation. These are the Volkswagen vans and small buses with names like Imperial, Batman, or Zorro.
San Pedro Market is a local market with a special aisle for entrails. Colorful, vibrant, packed, San Pedro Market is not to be missed. This market is by Peruvians for Peruvians - however, a large percentage of the shops sell souvernirs to tourists. Walk around the Plaza de Armas; the square has churches, shops, restaurants and bars backing on to it and is a great place to spend an afternoon.
Check out the Plaza de San Francisco, which is a few blocks southwest of the center, and is a great place to visit one of Cuzco's many great coffee shops. Next to the Plaza is the main market, which is fairly traditional and is a worthwhile visit. The market has a mix of stalls selling food and other household items as well as clothing and souvenirs. The Museo y Catacumbas del Convento de San Francisco de Asis de Cusco is here.
Most day trips from Cuzco follow the following format: at between 7-9 am you get picked up from your hotel or you meet with your group in a public plaza very near to Plaza de Armas, or at the front door of the agency with which you booked the tour, which is also very likely to be near Plaza de Armas.
Sacsayhuaman is the ruins by the white Jesus. You need a boleto touristico to get in. A 10 day pass to all sites is 130 sol for foreigners. Monumento Pachacuteq, down Av. Sol, is a statue of the Inca warrior King Pachacuteq. The statue is placed on a cylindrical base and the total monument is over 22 m high.
Qoricancha. , the Sun Temple, was the central site of worship for the Incas. Like so many other testimonies of fantastic Inca architecture, it was severely devastated by the conquistadores, the Spanish conquerors, who built their Christian church, Santo Domingo, on top of the ruins. Yet most of the bottom part of the temple is fairly well preserved and makes the site worth several hours of your time.
The Cuzco area has some extremely good international food with tasty options for all budgets. Best pizza ever at the end of the Av. La Cultura. Be sure to try an alpaca steak. Loads and loads of options in Cuzco to suit all budgets. Most won't need to be booked beforehand. Be careful if you're approached by someone on the streets offering cheap accommodation nearby the main plaza, as it's located in a very noisy area.
A lot to see in Cusco
Sacred Valley
Saqsaywaman
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Qorikancha
Tambomachay
Puka Pukara
MorayQenkoCusco Cathedral
San Pedro Market
Tipon Archaeological Site
Plaza De Armas
Pikillaqta
Iglesia De Santo Domingo
Church of the Society of Jesus
ChocoMuseo
Twelve-angled stone
Museo de Arte Precolombino, Cusco
San Blas Temple
Calle Hatunrumiyoc
Museo Inka
Sacsayhuaman
Museo Casa Concha
Intihuatana, Urubamba
Mirador desde el Cristo Blanco
Plaza de Armas
El Sol avenue
Plazoleta de San Blas
Awana Kancha
Plaza San Blas
Coca Museum
Planetarium Cusco
Plazoleta Nazarenas
Monumento Inca Pachacutec
Wanakawri
San Jerónimo
Ccochahuasi Animal Sanctuary
Museo de Arte Religioso
Museo Quechua
Pikchu
Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain
Museo Maximo Laura
Iglesia, Museo y Convento de San Francisco
Museo de Arte Popular
Pachatusan
Muyuq Marka
Museum of Contemporary Art of the Municipality of Cusco
San Francisco Plaza Hotel
Casa Garcilazo
( Cusco - Peru ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Cusco . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Cusco - Peru
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